What I've Been Reading

The Underachiever's Manifesto: The Guide to Accomplishing Little and Feeling Great by Ray Bennett. A brilliant funny version of distilled stoicism for easy reading in less than 20 minutes - a must read !!

"How many brilliant careers are coupled with disastrous marriages? How many talented, hardworking people smoke too much, exercise too little, or drink themselves into oblivion each week? At the other extreme, how many fitness-crazed or hypercompetitive individuals tear up their knees running marathons or risk life and limb scrambling to mountaintops? How many brilliant and ambitious people dream of winning accolades for their genius, only to wind up working for their C+ colleagues? And even if you do manage to just about maintain a full-sprint.
And for all its victims, the addiction of achievement leaves behind failed relationships, unhealthy bodies, corrupted minds, or some terrible combination of all three."

Underachievers principles:

• Life’s too short. 
• Control is an illusion. 
• Expectations lead to misery. 
• Great expectations lead to great misery. 
• Achievement creates expectations. 
• The law of diminishing returns applies everywhere. 
• Perfect is the enemy of good. 
• The tallest blade of grass is the surest to be cut. 
• Accomplishment is in the eye of the beholder. 
• The 4 Percent Value-Added Principle.

Underachievers diet:

• Consuming in moderation has always been a good idea, and for the underachiever that comes naturally. A good beer (or two) isn’t meant to kill the pain of working too hard. With this in mind, a little laziness in dieting can do wonders for your health.

Underachievers workout:

• Walk. 
• Do something with your upper body. It could be push-ups, or light weights, or gardening. 
• If you feel like it, do a little stretching before bed. I’m not talking yoga here. Simply relax and unknot those muscles that could use a little loosening. 
• Sleep a lot. Studies have shown that getting plenty of rest can really improve your results when it comes to losing weight.

Underachievers wealth ratio:

• What you HAVE ÷ What you WANT
• If what you want is modest, what you have is greater by comparison.

"Remember, underachievement isn’t about doing absolutely nothing. It’s about the right effort at the right time, in the right place. And not one bit more."