Think Before You Speak and Read Before You Think →
Please just save your words until you give them some thought. Thoughts are ideas, beliefs, and perceptions in our minds, while words are the verbal or written expressions of those thoughts.
Empower yourself by reading before you think and speak. This simple act of reading consistently enhances our cognitive processes, exercising our brains and sharpening our critical thinking and analytical skills. Your words then become a powerful tool, a way of underlining your thoughts and reinforcing them.
Another reason to read before you think is that the brain may still need to register or process your reading with some deliberate focus. Reading before you think is a strategy that makes sense and holds significant benefits. This practice can enhance your brain's ability to register and process information, improving critical thinking skills.
Engaging in focused reading is not just a prerequisite for critical thinking but a powerful catalyst that compels you to approach information from various perspectives, leverage your existing knowledge, challenge facts, spot issues, propose remedies, establish links between the text and the real world, and substantiate your viewpoints with tangible examples. In essence, it's a comprehensive workout for your cognitive muscles. It is not merely a prerequisite for critical thinking but a dynamic process that compels you to approach information from various perspectives, challenge facts, and establish links between the text and the real world. It’s a comprehensive workout for your cognitive muscles, with you as the active participant.
Is reading a form of thinking or just an aid to comprehension? The answer lies in the understanding that reading is not just a passive act of comprehension but an active process that stimulates and enhances thinking. Reading comprehension is about understanding what has been read and actively engaging with the text, making you an integral part of the process.
Reading and writing are not just activities, they are tools that can help you improve your analytical thinking by exposing you to various perspectives and analysis methods. They are resources of significant importance, enhancing your thinking abilities and broadening your intellectual horizons.
Speaking is declarative. It solidifies thoughts. When one’s thoughts are out for all to hear, the speaker is best served if the audience understands what is being said. If your reading precedes your speaking and thinking, you can experience a broader input range.
Thoughts That Should be Quotes →
Thoughts precede change or action and often result from emotions, leading us to feel happy or sad, depending on the initial emotion. Unfortunately, actions are not always preceded by thoughts.
Relevant Quotes
“If you live for others, others will live for you.”
“I've got your back.”
“Personal Development Matters.”
Quotes by Author Brent M. Jones →
“Embrace the influence of your work, and your work will be your masterpiece.”
“Every time I open my mouth, I reinvent myself.”
By - Brent M. Jones.
“Your Current Situation is not your Final Destination.” - Zig Zigler
Quotes by Brent M. Jones →
Quotes by Brent M. Jones
"The goodness of people Is often blurred each day. The life story reveals what's in the way."
"Solutions of puzzles often require the recognition of patterns. Life is a puzzle!"
"I think therefore I am. "Really? Maybe the truth is, "You are. Therefore, you think."
"Sometimes beauty is not what is in front of you but what makes you think about and how it makes you feel."
"Nature brings us beauty as a filter for our minds and thoughts."
"The beauty of nature is felt first by the soul."
"Flowers are accessories added by the creator to what was already a masterpiece."
"If your world is black and white, add flowers."
"Living Art brings an appreciation of Life."
"Nothing in life is guaranteed except change, and I guess that could change."
"The sunset brings color and delight to a day of thoughts. Thoughts follow Light."
"Spring, again and again, each year gives life meaning and points the way to living life to the fullest daily."
"Sometimes the Higher Good is surrounded with darkness. Good Friends help and inspire you to a higher good."
"All life matters and has a noble purpose of its own."
"Now is always important."
" Today is the “Best Day Ever” -It might as well be your favorite quote. It is all you have."
"Good Laws and Good People work well. Good People and Bad Laws can still work. Bad People and Good Laws seldom work. Bad People and Bad Laws never work.”
"The greatest Art is not created; it is found."
"Stand in the Light if you want to cast a shadow."
"Appreciate Nature, it Lives. All Life Matters"
"Don't air your dirty laundry; hang it in the sun and let the light shine.”
Yes, I can do it or toss it aside, but the key is to finish it if I choose to do it. Goals are fine, but finish what you start.
Down the road or across the street are people living in need—some alone with no one who cares for them. Start on your road and find those who will benefit from your kindness and service.
Kindness is reflected in our art, poetry, and communication. Our actions become the canvas on which we put our feelings. You don’t need a good reason to be kind. It would be best if you were kind.
Service and kindness are universal needs in the world today. It surpasses the need for food. The marketplace where help is found does not by looking to see who is sitting on the corner asking for it. You have to take your two hands and find and fill the need.
Love is infused into the child first, and then the child learns to love. When love is renewed in an adult, their love becomes stronger.
Keep learning as long as you are here in this life because when you go, your knowledge is the only thing you can take.
Happiness is contagious; happiness anticipates, is patient, and is natural.
"The fight you lose is the one you learn from. You would learn even more if you knew you would lose and fought anyway."
"When the last tree is gone, the last river is poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, we will realize that we have passed on but didn't go to heaven. Protect these precious creations."
"When you tell me your story or about yourself, I understand who you are and can share who I am better."
"A man can not own the earth. It can be used on a loan. We have stewardship of the land and must take care of and protect it. The earth has a spirit, which is bigger and stronger than any man’s effort to destroy it."
"Old, often rusted automobiles have stories to tell. Some try to hide under the rust or dirt. The stories are still there. Old Autos inspire. They Inform. They are their art form."
"Do we know, or is this only a Rhetorical Question? Consider that we never gain all knowledge."
"All knowledge is connected to more knowledge."
"Dancing is joyful. Have Joy in your life."
“Write about the details, in detail.”
"Knowing which rule to break probably means you picked the wrong rule."
"When you think of all that goes into what you write, you realize that only you see all that is needed and all that it takes. Most of it is never seen by the reader."
"Writing Thoughts: Stop, Look, Listen, and then write it down, and you will always have it."
"Dad's Works makes you understand what a grownup is. When you become a dad, send a good message. It will be the most important thing you will ever do."
"Reading qualifies and counts as experience, in my book.'
“Strong men cry. Stronger men cry or laugh with them.”
"A snail carries its home on its back. Since it is always home, it doesn't have to hurry and only moves for a reason.”
"Receiving unconditional love is safer with animals. Maybe it makes giving it as a human easier."
"Love is not a feeling; it is feeling."
"Be yourself and see who you find."
"A life sparkles in the fall, but the seasons together tell it all."
"Happiness is the most intelligent choice."
"If an elephant can grieve for the loss of a child or companion and if it can remember its grief for decades, then humanity owes the elephant the respect not to hunt them for money. Some stories need to be told because they need to be told."
"Dream your story and then write your story. Live your dream."
"Vintage references make you feel good if you identify with them. You can use vintage where it fits. You need to know what feelings it will evoke."
"When it is all said and done, all you have left is who you are."
"The light shines, and dark leaves. Find the light. Find the right."
"Innocence is what is precious about life. No other experience can compare. Cherish it."
“Families help us learn what unconditional love is
"How we feel about our families teaches us and helps us know the importance of feeling."
“A special breed of cows have legs shorter on the one side than the other so they can walk along the side of hills. The breed is known as -Lean Beef.”
"We reflect the color of our thoughts.”
"Roots of value have to be below the surface in healthy soil.
"For prayer, you don't have to close your eyes or look up to find an answer. You have to want an answer to come and then ask."
"Some flowers blush, sensing their beauty and the love they feel from us."
"When leaves turn bright colors in the fall, they make one last effort to compete with the flowers.
"Inside down deep, a dancer lives. One way or another, the dancer will get loose eventually."
"The right hand doesn't know what the left is doing, but the legs and knees are ok."
"Rationalization precedes personal private indulgences. No good thought goes unrewarded."
"Kindness is not an intellectual decision. It is one the heart makes without any motive."
"The heart knows what the soul feels, but you must take a step forward for it to make any difference."
"Words are like the wind. They will blow away your footsteps and the footsteps and thoughts of others. Use them wisely and with care."
"Sometimes you can see where the trail will lead, and you still have to have faith you picked the right trail to start."
Viktor Frankl Quotes →
“An abnormal reaction to an abnormal situation is normal behavior.” - Quote by Viktor Frankl Man's Search For Ultimate Meaning
In other words, it would be very difficult to react “normally” to some of the horrific results that happen in the world almost daily. .
Other Quotes
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”
“Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'.”― Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning
“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.”― Victor Frankl
“Our greatest freedom is the freedom to choose our attitude.”
― Victor Frankl
Change Begins as a Thought or a Question →
THE ROAD TO CHANGE
If you want to change your life, start with your thoughts or questions. It’s common to want to change but struggle to break out of familiar patterns, leading to the same results.
Did you know that 90% of your thoughts today are the same as yesterday’s? This can keep you stuck in the same behaviors and routines. Instead, you must shift your mindset and think about new things to transform. It’s more than just waiting for external circumstances to change. Real change comes from within.
It is essential to find out our thoughts and questions and tie them to our goals because they have a powerful impact on our behavior and actions. Once we have identified these thoughts, we can work on shifting our mindset using affirmations and visualization.
Ultimately, the key to success lies in our ability to control our thoughts and beliefs and use them to create the life we truly want. Knowing where to start when making changes in your life can be overwhelming.
One effective way to shift your mindset is using affirmations. Affirmations are positive statements you repeat daily to reprogram your subconscious mind. They can combat negative self-talk, boost your confidence, and help you achieve your goals. For example, if you struggle with self-doubt, you could use an affirmation like “I am confident and capable.” Repeat this statement to yourself every morning and throughout the day as needed. Over time, your subconscious mind will start to believe this statement, and you will begin to feel more confident and capable in your daily life.
Another effective way to shift your mindset is using visualization. Visualization is creating mental images of what you want to achieve or experience. Visualizing yourself and achieving your goals can create a powerful motivation and purpose.
Quotes about Words →
To be an effective communicator, you need to have a passionate desire to be understood and intuitively understand what words will accomplish that. Some define the ability to instinctively use the most effective term for the needed purpose as being a Wordsmith. For example, a Wordsmith is an accomplished user of words.
Words are powerful. Whether you write or speak them, they do have an impact on you and others. They express feelings and share knowledge. They can change someone’s mood completely and ignite a spark in them
“Attitude clarifies the meaning of words” Brent M. Jones
“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—'tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” – Mark Twain
It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. – Mark Twain
“Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.” C.S. Lewis
“Words without thoughts never to heaven go” Shakespeare
“False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil” Socrates
“I didn’t have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long one” - Mark Twain’s
Literature Adds to Our Reality and is Part of Our Lives →
Literature is one of the most beautiful creations of human civilization. It is a form of written art passed down from generation to generation. Literature has been produced in various forms, such as poetry, prose, drama, novels, short stories, etc.
The beauty of literature lies in its ability to capture the essence of human emotions and experiences in a captivating and relatable way. Whether it is a love story, a tale of adventure, a tragedy, or a comedy, literature can transport us to a different world and make us feel as if we are a part of the story.
One of the most fascinating aspects of literature is its ability to transcend time and culture. Literature written hundreds of years ago can still be relevant and meaningful today. Literature is a reflection of the society and culture in which it was produced, and it provides us with a glimpse into the thoughts, beliefs, and values of the people who lived during that time.
In addition to its cultural significance, literature is also an essential tool for education. It teaches us about different perspectives and ways of thinking, helps us develop critical thinking skills, and expands our vocabulary and knowledge of language.
Literature is a treasure trove of human creativity and emotion. It has the power to inspire, educate, and entertain us, and it is a testament to the enduring nature of human expression.
C. S. Lewis: "Literature adds to reality; it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides, and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become."
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25 Simple Compelling John Steinbeck Quotes →
Steinbeck's writing style mirrors his characters. He writes as the characters would speak. That simple approach is found in his quotes, but the messages imparted, like those from his books, are compelling.
“Maybe everybody in the whole damn world is scared of each other.”
“All great and precious things are lonely.”
“Now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.”
“There ain't no sin, and there ain't no virtue.
“In the people’s souls, the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy for the vintage.”
What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?
A sad soul can kill you quicker than a germ.
“Now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”
“I wonder how many people I’ve looked at all my life and never seen.”
“All great and precious things are lonely.”
“And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this, I would fight for the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this, I must fight against any idea, religion, or government that limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about.”
“I was born lost and take no pleasure in being found.”
“It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone.”
“I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why.”
“You can boast about anything if it’s all you have. Maybe the less you have, the more you are required to boast.”
“He had an idea that even when beaten, he could steal a little victory by laughing at defeat.”
“Perhaps the best conversationalist in the world is the man who helps others talk.”
“No one wants advice – only corroboration.”
“I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is indestructible.”
“I guess there are never enough books.”
“It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.”
“Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts ... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.”
“Sometimes a man wants to be stupid if it lets him do a thing his cleverness forbids.”
“I guess this is why I hate governments. It is always the rule, the fine print, carried out by the fine print men.
“There's nothing to fight, no wall to hammer with frustrated fists.”
“No one young is ever going to be old.”
Why good Book Covers are so important →
The book covers the most crucial marketing factor to your book's success. You're mistaken if you believe that books are not judged by their covers. Book covers create the first impression for a potential buyer or reader. It helps sell a book by making the contents immediately known.
Of course, the cover can create confusion. That is partly why publishers started putting the words “A Novel” on the book cover because they realized that sometimes people needed to be reassured that the book was something they were familiar with.
Publishers recognize the value of creating that first impression to ensure a book's success. When using larger publishers, authors rarely have the right to have approval over the covers and even have to work to get the right for consultation in their contracts.
Who designs book covers? The answer to that question is that with larger professional publishers, the author does not create the surface and the ideas and goals from the body come from a publisher invested in selling the book.
A great book cover if I do say so myself
Hamlet offered no thoughts, only words, in his prayers →
Shakespeare had the King in Hamlet on his knees, offering the words that explained his words were of little value. The King had sinned and knelt in prayer, to no avail, saying:
“My words fly up, My thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.”
“Oh, my crime is so rotten it stinks to heaven. It has the mark of Cain on it, a brother’s murder. I can’t pray, though I want to desperately. My guilt is stronger even than my intentions. And like a person with two opposite things to do at once, I stand paralyzed and neglect them both. So what if this cursed hand of mine is coated with my brother’s blood? Isn’t there enough rain in heaven to wash it clean as snow? Isn’t that what God’s mercy is for? And doesn’t prayer serve these two purposes—to keep us from sinning and bring us forgiveness when we sin? So I’ll pray. I’ve already committed my sin. But, oh, what kind of prayer is there for me? “Dear Lord, forgive me for my horrible murder”?
Good Literature makes you think and feel about others →
Good literature makes you think, feel and understand how others feel because it opens your eyes to something new and brings thoughts or images of another time and place to your mind. It connects the reader with the essential truths that society has held on various subjects.
Good literature, when read, is enjoyed, bringing pleasure to the reader if it was just written or written hundreds of years ago.
C.S. Lewis said:
The good of Literature is that
We want to be more than ourselves
We want to see with others’ eyes to imagine
With outer imaginations, to feel with
other hearts as well as our own
Thoughts about "Bag Men by Rachel Maddow". →
Tuesday, December 8th, 2020. -The Release Date. THE SUBTITLE IS THE WILD CRIMES, AUDACIOUS COVER-UP, AND SPECTACULAR DOWNFALL OF A BRAZEN CROOK IN THE WHITE HOUSE, and the Categories are Domestic Politics | 20th Century U.S. History. “Rachel Maddow and Michael Yarvitz expanded on their podcast and then wrote the book.
Ali Velshi, a well-known MSNBC newsman, said of Rachael Maddow and Fareed Zakaria, a CNN newsman-journalist, that they were the two most intelligent people he had known.
This is not a review because I have yet to read the book, but it presents some initial thoughts of interest found in the promotional materials on the book. Some studies have already been released; one I found interesting was the one below.
“Through remarkable investigative work and engaging storytelling, Maddow and Yarvitz reveal previously unknown challenges faced by the brave federal prosecutors who brought Spiro Agnew to justice and waited five decades to share their candid reminiscences. Bag Man delivers a powerful and timeless lesson about America’s enduring principles while demonstrating that the final verdict of history may differ from self-interested contemporary accounts and highlighting how much the rule of law depends upon the character of the people who enforce it.”—Rod J. Rosenstein, former U.S. Deputy Attorney General
Not Forgiving Others Only Hurts Yourself →
Forgiveness means different things to different people. But in general, it involves an intentional decision to let go of resentment and anger.
The act that hurt or offended you might always be with you. But working on forgiveness can lessen that act's grip on you. It can help free you from the control of the person who harmed you. Sometimes, forgiveness might even lead to feelings of understanding, empathy and compassion for the one who hurt you.
What’s the saying? “Not forgiving someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die”
- Lisa Genova from the new book, 'EVERY NOTE PLAYED"
Thoughts from Every Note Played
“The thought of Richard having to be left with nothing but these unresolved issues, and only the blink of an eye to communicate, and hope to resolve them, is an additional level of terror that this disease offers. Somehow, they do find some resolution.
It might be possible that ALS was the only way he really had to resolve his bigger life issues but then that seems something beyond fair.”
Steve Martin says he likes books in the ‘I Can’t Put This Down’ Genre. →
Similar Book Thoughts
The actor and comedian, whose new book with Harry Bliss is “A Wealth of Pigeons,” says that “bookstores could easily have only two sections, ‘Riveting’ and ‘Kind of Boring?
Books-You-Can’t-Put-Down is called “Page Turners.”
Someone said: I have a thousand books on my nightstand, but they’re all on my phone. I’m addicted to audiobooks. (Big Nightstand?)
What’s the last great book you read? (Good Ice Breaker)
Someone also said: I was thinking recently how “Future Crimes,” by Marc Goodman, helped me develop a grasp of the internet and gave an indication of what we’re possibly in for and what is already happening. When this was written, this followed: To be modern, you have to read this book.
Are there any classic novels that you only recently read for the first time? …………….No, but I re-read Moby Dick again and liked it.
Richard Nixon's quote, leaving office, expresses what drove him from office! →
“Always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.”
Hate drove him from office but forced him to do the things he was impeached for. Hatred is an angry or resentful emotional response to specific people or ideas.
Other Quotes
"The greatness comes not when things always go well for you. But the greatness comes when you’re tested when you take some knocks, some disappointments when sadness comes."
"What starts the process are laughs, slights, and snubs when you are a kid. If your anger is deep and strong, you learn that you can change those attitudes by excellence, personal gut performance."
I can see now... that I was wrong in not acting more decisively and forthrightly in dealing with Watergate."
"Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. I’d appreciate it if you could find another way. And don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines."
See the Review of this book below.
Upton Sinclair wrote "The Jungle" as a Social Protest →
Social protests have been a powerful tool for political expression throughout history, allowing individuals and groups to collectively voice their concerns and seek change. Whether it is for social or political reasons, these protest are to seek to bring about change by influencing public opinion, attitudes, and behaviors, as well as the policies of organizations and institutions.
While peaceful protests are a fundamental right in many societies, they can also be met with resistance, underscoring the need for responsible and respectful protest practices. Social protests are an essential means of expressing dissent and promoting social progress.n
Upton Sinclair Quotes
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”
“I aimed at the public's heart, and by accident, I hit it in the stomach.”
“Fascism” is capitalism plus murder.”
“All art is propaganda. It is universally and inescapably propaganda; sometimes unconsciously, but often deliberately, propaganda.”
Resilience is what kids need most to prepare for their future →
Resilience is important because it gives people the strength to process and overcome the challenges that come into their lives. Those lacking stability get easily overwhelmed and may turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms. Resilient people tap into their strengths and support systems to overcome challenges and solve their problems.
Emotional resilience refers to one's ability to adapt to stressful situations or crises. More resilient people can "roll with the punches" and adapt to adversity without lasting difficulties; less resilient people have a more challenging time with stress and life changes, both major and minor.
“It's not our job to toughen our children to face a cruel and heartless world. It's our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.”
― L.R. Knost, Two Thousand Kisses a Day: Gentle Parenting Through the Ages and Stages
A bad book review is still better than no book review. →
Book Reviews Matter: They are essential because they help convince potential readers that the book (and even the author’s other books) will be enjoyable and they should buy it. Even critical reviews are valuable because they at least bring attention to book. (Of course, getting good reviews far outweighs the attention of bad reviews)
Oscar Wilde wrote, “There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
This suggests negative publicity can increase purchase likelihood and sales by improving product awareness. Adverse publicity or book reviews can sometimes justify a response and give the author a second chance to add to and multiply the original review’s impact. When that happens, here are
Four ways to deal with bad reviews
Utilize facts to improve credibility and correct errors.
Avoid appearing defensive.
Push other points of view about what was said in the review
Take advantage of the controversy using social media to draw attention.
“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.” – Lemony Snicket