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Already MentionedGödel, Escher, Bach; Thinking, Fast and Slow; Predictably Irrational; Darwin's Dangerous Idea; Intuition Pumps And Other Tools for Thinking; Amazon.com: The Selfish Gene; The Black Swan; Antifragile; The Symbolic Species; The User Illusion; The Beginning of Infinity;My Top Picks For General ReadersThe Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution: Richard WranghamWrangham is a primatologist who theorizes (along with other biologists) that humans are a domesticated animal. Sounds silly? Who or what domesticated us? Read the book!Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress: Steven PinkerThis book is misunderstood, presumably by people who haven’t actually read it, because the prose is pretty clear. It’s doesn’t argue that the Enlightenment has been perfectly realized or that enlightenment values are perfect values.It argues that we’ve made progress and that we need to be as honest about the wins of Western Civilizations as we are about its crimes and losses—not to pat ourselves on the back, and certainly not to ignore the plight of the disenfranchised. It’s important to focus on what works so we can keep doing it and refine it, to make it better.The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life: Kevin Simler, Robin Hanson: Books"If you want to know what makes people tick, read The Elephant in the Brain. Simler and Hanson have created the most comprehensive, powerful, unified explanation of human nature and behavior to date." --Jason Brennan, Professor of Business, Georgetown UniversityCo-author Robin Hanson describes himself as “nerdy.” I would call this book An Autistic’s Guide to Human Nature. It’s a deep look at behavior, by “an anthropologist on Mars.”Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them: Joshua GreeneThis is the best book about morality I've ever read. The first half is a tour of the current science (social science, anthropology, animal studies, brain-imaging, evolutionary theory, etc) that is connected with morality. The second half is a philosophical (and psychological) defense of the moral theory called Utilitarianism. Even if you're wind up rejecting that theory, you'll find huge value in this book. The writing is crystal clear, provocative, and laced with humor.“After two and a half millennia, it’s rare to come across a genuinely new idea on the nature of morality, but in this book Joshua Greene advances not one but several. Greene combines neuroscience with philosophy not as a dilettante but as an expert in both fields, and his synthesis is interdisciplinary in the best sense of using all available conceptual tools to understand a deep phenomenon. Moral Tribes is a landmark in our understanding of morality and the moral sense.” -- Steven PinkerSapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.This is one of the top-ten non-fiction books I've read in my life. Whether or not you agree with everything in it, the book will give you something interesting to think about on almost every page. Some of it might piss you off, too.Harari's thesis is that what makes humans unique is our capacity to invent fictions and use them to structure our lives. Without believing in them, or acting as if we do, we would not be able to live together in cities or collaborate on large-scale projects. The obvious fiction is religion (well, it's fiction to those of us who aren't religious), but other fictions include free will, morality, nations, money, liberal values, legal systems, etc."Sapiens" makes its arguments using a fusion of History, Economics, Psychology, Biology, Philosophy, and pure confidence.UPDATE: I also highly recommend the sequel, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, which uses current and historical trends to discuss the future of humanity.You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation: Deborah Tannen.Tannon, a linguist, had the clever idea of framing women and men are two different cultures—and to study their "languages" the way one would study English and French. The book made me think beyond "the battle of the sexes" to the many ways words can both clarify our ideas and befuddle our listeners. This is a great books for couples, writers, actors, and students of human nature.The Little Schemer - 4th Edition: Daniel P. Friedman, Matthias Felleisen, Duane Bibby, Gerald J. Sussman.The authors use a Socratic approach to teach a difficult subject: recursion. This is a book you work through with pencil and paper, and, if you work through it, the way it stretches your mind will be more meaningful to you than the subject it teaches. It begins with the simplest of ideas and very gradually ramps up the complexity, until, by the end, your understanding is at a high level. This book is takes teaching and elevates it to a work of art. It's sort of a computer-programming book, but you don't need any programming experience to work through it.From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life 1500 to the Present: Jacques Barzun.Barzun tells the entire story of Modern Western History, making a brilliant case that there really is such a thing: that, in a sense, our culture began on its current (and future) course 500 years ago, at the birth of the Reformation. As with the best of this sort of book, it doesn't matter if you agree or disagree with its premise. It's value is that it makes a clear statement, one that will prompt you towards a sharp reaction.A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction: Christopher Alexander."Brilliant....Here's how to design or redesign any space you're living or working in--from metropolis to room. Consider what you want to happen in the space, and then page through this book. Its radically conservative observations will spark, enhance, organize your best ideas, and a wondrous home, workplace, town will result."--San Francisco ChronicleThis book's influence has leaked into other fields, notably Computer Science.The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion: Jonathan Haidt.Why are Conservatives and Liberals they way they are? Why are they so often at odds? Is it due to Nature or Nurture? This book delves into why we so often argue each other. It explores the core values we live by, both consciously and unconsciously. Check out the author's TED talks!Jonathan Haidt: The moral roots of liberals and conservatives | Video on TED.comJonathan Haidt: Religion, evolution, and the ecstasy of self-transcendence | Video on TED.comEvolution for Everyone: How Darwin's Theory Can Change the Way We Think About Our Lives: David Sloan Wilson.This is a great companion to "The Selfish Gene," and it's a good recommendation for people who are interested in the subject but turned off by Dawkins."Evolution for Everyone is a remarkable contribution. No other author has managed to combine mastery of the subject with such a clear and interesting explanation of what it all means for human self-understanding. Aimed at the general reader, yet peppered with ideas original enough to engage scholars, it is truly a book for our time. "—Edward O. Wilson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of On Human NatureThe Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires: Tim Wu.This book puts the Internet, and, more specifically, the forces that control it, in a historical context. Rather than seeing the web as a unique and new thing, Wu considers it along with the telegraph, radio, telephone, and television networks. His book is a good general history of communication networks.Games People Play: The Basic Handbook of Transactional Analysis: Eric Berne.The three people in the world who are still believers in Transactional Analysis will be upset by the following claim: it's a "toy psychology." As far as I'm concerned, it's an oversimplified model of how humans work. And that's its strength. It's a kind of "Humans for Dummies." It's a marvelous books for fiction writers and actors, and even though it's an oversimplified model, it contains many grains of truth. Berne thought of all human interactions as games with winners and losers. And the book is a compendium of those games.How to Solve It: G. Polya.If you ever have to solve problems (of any type), it's worth reading this book."Every prospective teacher should read it. In particular, graduate students will find it invaluable. The traditional mathematics professor who reads a paper before one of the Mathematical Societies might also learn something from the book: 'He writes a, he says b, he means c; but it should be d.' "--E. T. Bell, Mathematical Monthly"[This] elementary textbook on heuristic reasoning, shows anew how keen its author is on questions of method and the formulation of methodological principles. Exposition and illustrative material are of a disarmingly elementary character, but very carefully thought out and selected."--Herman Weyl, Mathematical ReviewWhat Is the Name of This Book?: The Riddle of Dracula and Other Logical Puzzles: Raymond M. Smullyan.Smullyan wrote many puzzle books, and I picked this one pretty much at random. When I was a kid, I worked through all of them, and it was as if I could feel my brain growing. Here's an example to give you a taste:Dr. Tarr is a psychologist with the Department of Health. Her job is to inspect asylums to determine whether they are in compliance with the law. Asylums have Doctors and Patients. In a compliant asylum, all the doctors are sane and all the patients are insane. Clearly, an asylum with an insane doctor or a sane patient is Not A Good Thing.Sane persons are correct in all of their beliefs. Insane persons are incorrect in all of their beliefs. Both sane and insane persons are scrupulously honest: they always state what they believe to be the case. Unfortunately, the asylums are very modern and do not use identifying devices such as uniforms, ID tags, or other devices to show which persons are doctors and which are patients. Nor is it possible to know whether a person is sane or insane by any means other than questioning them.One day, after inspecting a number of asylums, Dr. Tarr was having a drink and cigar with her good friend Professor Feather. The professor found her work interesting and asked her to recount some of her findings.“Well,” said Dr. Tarr, “at the first asylum I visited, I met an inhabitant who made a single statement. I immediately took steps to have them released.”“Wait,” interjected the professor, “so you’re saying this person was not an insane patient?”“Of course,” replied Dr. Tarr.Professor Feather thought for a moment, then asked “How is that possible? This sounds like the old Liar and Truth Teller puzzle. This person either told the truth or they lied. But there are four possibilities for any person in an asylum: Sane Doctor, Insane Patient, Insane Doctor, or Sane Patient.“Even if you knew whether they were lying or telling the truth, that would only narrow the matter down to two possibilities. For example, if they told a truth such as ‘two plus two equals four’, you would know that they were Sane. But how would you know that they were a Patient, not a Doctor?”Dr. Tarr replied with a chuckle “I agree that I could not have deduced what to do based on an inhabitant saying ‘two plus two equals four’. But in this case, the patient was quite intelligent and thought of a single statement which could establish the fact that only a Sane Patient could make that statement.“I’m sure if you think about it, you could construct such a statement. Name a statement which could only be uttered by a Sane Patient.”-- A Few Easy Ones from Raymond Smullyan.The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World: Steven Johnson.This is one of the most entertaining History books I've ever read, but it goes beyond that. As it explores the biases that keep smart people from understanding "obvious" truths, it delves into Psychology and even Philosophy.UPDATE: And if you enjoy that, you’ll surely love The Sun and the Moon: The Remarkable True Account of Hoaxers, Showmen, Dueling Journalists, and Lunar Man-Bats in Nineteenth-Century New York by Matthew Goodman, which is the story of an incredible (and widely-believed) series of news stories that claimed the moon was teaming with life—including intelligent life.Metaphors We Live By: George Lakoff, Mark Johnson.This book explores a fascinating thesis about how we think. The authors believe that metaphor is a core part of human cognition and that our writing, speech, and ideas are laced with metaphors and metaphorical frameworks we often fail to notice. It's terrific food for thought, whether you wind up agreeing or disagreeing.The Hero with a Thousand Faces: Joseph Campbell.“Campbell’s words carry extraordinary weight, not only among scholars but among a wide range of other people who find his search down mythological pathways relevant to their lives today....The book for which he is most famous, The Hero with a Thousand Faces [is] a brilliant examination, through ancient hero myths, of man’s eternal struggle for identity.” — TimeMind Children: The Future of Robot and Human Intelligence: Hans Moravec.One would be making a mistake to let Mind Children recede unopened into a guiltless oblivion. It's a tonic book, thought-provoking on every page. And it reminds us that, in our accelerating, headlong era, the future presses so close upon us that those who ignore it inhabit not the present but the past.--Brad Leithauser (New Yorker )Moravec, by his own admission, is an intellectual joyrider, and riding his runaway trains of thought is an exhilarating experience...This is an intellectual party that shouldn't be pooped, no matter how much it may disturb the neighbours and encourage over-indulgence.--Brian Woolley (Guardian )In the Blink of an Eye Revised 2nd Edition: Walter Murch.This book, by one of Hollywood's greatest editors, goes beyond explaining a single craft. It's a door into the brain of a brilliant technician and problem solver, and many pages of it gifted me new ways of thinking, even though I'm not an editor. For instance, Murch came up with the simple (but genius) idea of taping two tiny, cut-out paper people to the bottom of his monitor. They continually remind him of the scale at which people will see movie images when they are in the theatre.The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind, and Brain, from Vienna 1900 to the Present: Eric Kandel.This is an Art History/Criticism book written by a neuroscientist.“Eric Kandel has succeeded in a brilliant synthesis that would have delighted and fascinated Freud: Using Viennese culture of the twentieth century as a lens, he examines the intersections of psychology, neuroscience, and art. The Age of Insight is a tour-de-force that sets the stage for a twenty-first-century understanding of the human mind in all its richness and diversity.”—Oliver Sacks, author of The Mind’s Eye and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat“In a polymathic performance, a Nobel laureate weaves together the theories and practices of neuroscience, art and psychology to show how our creative brains perceive and engage art—and are consequently moved by it. . . . A transformative work that joins the hands of Art and Science and makes them acknowledge their close kinship.”—Kirkus Reviews (STARRED)“Engrossing … Nobel-winning neuroscientist Kandel excavates the hidden workings of the creative mind. Kandel writes perceptively about a range of topics, from art history—the book’s color reproductions alone make it a great browse—to dyslexia. … Kandel captures the reader’s imagination with intriguing historical syntheses and fascinating scientific insights into how we see—and feel—the world.”—Publisher’s Weekly“A fascinating meditation on the interplay among art, psychology and brain science. The author, who fled Vienna as a child, has remained captivated by Austrian artists Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka and Egon Schiele, each of whom was profoundly influenced by Sigmund Freud and by the emerging scientific approach to medicine in their day … [calls] for a new, interdisciplinary approach to understanding the mind, one that combines the humanities with the natural and social sciences.”—Scientific American“Eric Kandel’s book is a stunning achievement, remarkable for its scientific, artistic, and historical insights. No one else could have written this book—all its readers will be amply rewarded.”—Howard Gardner, Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education“Eric Kandel’s training as a psychiatrist and his vast knowledge of how the brain works enrich this thoroughly original exploration of the relationship between the birth of psychoanalysis, Austrian Expressionism, and Modernism in Vienna.”—Margaret Livingstone, Professor of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School“This is the book that Charles Darwin would have produced, had he chosen to write about art and aesthetics. Kandel, one of the great pioneers of modern neuroscience, has effectively bridged the ‘two cultures’—science and humanities. This is a task that many philosophers, especially those called ‘new mysterians,’ had considered impossible.”—V. S. Ramachandran, author of The Tell-Tale BrainSex at Dawn: How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What It Means for Modern Relationships: Christopher Ryan, Cacilda Jetha.If you want to grapple with understanding human sexuality, I recommend you read this book and its criticism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_at_Dawn#ReceptionUncommon Sense: The Heretical Nature of Science by Alan CromerRecommended to me by William Archibald, this is a paradigm-shifting book about the history of Science, though Cromer disputes the whole idea of paradigms. According to Cromer, Science was anything but inevitable. The forces that started it got invented once in history, in ancient Greece. Had that not happened, there's no reason to believe we'd have Science and scientists today.The book spans all the way from the origin of our species to speculation about intelligent life on other planets.EducationHow Children Fail: John Holt.A better title might be "How Teachers Fail." When I was in my teens and first starting to grapple with problems in Education, this book opened my eyes. It started me thinking in ways that had never occurred to me before.Wounded by School: Recapturing the Joy in Learning and Standing Up to Old School Culture: Kirsten Olson.Kirsten Olson's book is refreshingly unlike the general run of sludge I associate with writing about pedagogy: It seems to be entirely free of the familiar platitudes which replace thought when we read about school matters, is scrubbed clean of pretentious jargon, and offers up the twists and turns of Olson's analysis and citations with beautiful clarity. I can't imagine anyone not being better for reading this book Twice! --John Taylor Gatto, Author, Dumbing Us DownSummerhill School: A New View of Childhood: A. S. Neill, Albert Lamb.This book will challenge your ideas about education, whether you wind up agreeing with it or raging against it. While I was suffering through a traditional American public high school, this book showed me there were other possibilities, which both fascinated and depressed me. I longed to go to Summerhill.Mindstorms: Children, Computers, And Powerful Ideas: Seymour A. Papert."This is the best book I have ever read on how to assist people to learn for themselves. Papert began his work by collaborating with Jean Piaget, and then applied those perspectives in a self-programming language designed to help children learn math and physics.Papert explains Piaget's work and provides case studies of how the programming language, LOGO, can help. He provides a wonderful contrasting explanation of the weaknesses of how math and physics are usually taught in schools." -- from an Amazon reader review.See also Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre: Keith Johnstone, below (in the theatre section).The Educated Mind: How Cognitive Tools Shape Our Understanding by Kieran EganThis book, despite its boring title, is one of the most exciting intellectual adventures I've ever had. (And also despite its boring title, it's readable and witty.) It's an exciting book even if you have no specific interest in education.Egan's thesis (which will make your neurons tingle, even if you disagree with it) is that human civilizations have gone through five intellectual stages, which he calls somatic, mythic, romantic, philosophic, and ironic. His second thesis is that education is best when kids are allowed to fully experience and integrate each of these thinking styles.Somatic learners experience through their bodies, and we are born to learn this way. Babies learn somatically when they go from crawling to walking and when they come to understand gravity's effects by knocking over block towers.Mythic understanding involves binary categories, most famously good and evil. Pretty much everything is understood as an epic (and often magical) opposition: wicked stepmother vs handsome prince; David vs Goliath; Bilbo vs Smaug...Egan believes pre-literate cultures understand the world primarily in terms of the somatic and mythic. As they become literate, people are able to think in other forms, with the romantic bridging mythic and philosophic modes.Romantic thinking is a sort of taming of mythic thinking. It's still extreme, but instead of thinking in terms of cosmic forces or gods and goddesses, it focusing on human and natural extremes. When children become romantic thinkers, they tend to lose some of their interest in monsters and superheroes and become obsessed with human feats, like the ones in the Guinness Book of World Records. Or their gods and monsters become more human-like, as are the troubled citizens of the Marvel Universe.As people focus less on the realm of demons and dragons and more on the real world (even if mostly on the extreme parts of it), they begin to notice patterns and abstractions. Maybe there are traits all lizards have in common; maybe tall is a useful category for both mountains and skyscrapers. These thoughts lead to philosophic thinking, which gives us the tools we need to do math, science, and to theorize about history, literature and to think about any topic in an abstract or algorithmic form.In the end, we notice that our abstractions have holes in them. They are useful, but they don't perfectly model reality. And they tend to get tarnished by social and political biases. These realizations lead to ironic thinking, which is impossible to do in any major sense without first developing philosophic thinking, which in turn is founded on romantic, mythic, and somatic thinking.Egan doesn't champion any of these modes over the others. He doesn't rank them. He also takes pains to say that though they have a hierarchical relationship, it's not a neat one. They leak into each other and coexist. Mythic thinkers may not be all that good at thinking ironically, but they still manage to do it sometimes, and while the philosophic mind loses some of its nimbleness with romance, it never totally loses its romantic inclinations.His main suggestion, in the parts of the book dealing with education, is that to realize their full potential as thinkers, children must be allowed and encouraged to pass through all these stages, and depending on where his chargers are in terms of intellectual maturity, a teacher must have the ability to teach in ways that stimulate all these modes. Most eight-year-olds are romantic thinkers, and teachers do them a disservice by leaping into philosophic mode rather than capitalizing on the strengths of romance.The book also explores what's wrong with current educational systems. Egan suggests (and I agree) that the fundamental problem is that schools have three incompatible goals (and Egan explains the history behind them). Schools attempt to socialize, which in most First World countries means preparing kids for work in corporations; they also attempt to indoctrinate kids into a core curriculum of some kind; finally, they attempt to spur kids into becoming individuals--into being creative, emotionally satisfied, unique beings. The inevitable muddle comes when the needs of the business world (or the requirements of the core curriculum) collide with the needs of the individual.Most schools and teachers don't acknowledge (or even understand) this conflict exists and give kids no help in putting all the pieces together. They just say, "Here's all the stuff. Some parts don't fit well with other parts. Don't complain about that. Figure out a way to cope on your own. Sink or swim."When I was just halfway through with "The Educated Mind," I knew it was going to be a a game-changing book for me. Ever since reading it, I've examined my work to see if it contains all the levels of thought (and experience). I'm talking about my writing, my reading, and my work in the theatre. Am I communicating on somatic, mythic, romantic, philosophic, and ironic levels? If not, is there some way I can enrich my work so that it at least touches on all those modes.The greatest works of art do. That's a subjective call, of course, but it's true in my opinion. Think "2001," "The Great Gatsby," "One Hundred Years of Solitude," "King Lear" ...The Case against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money by Bryan CaplanTerrific, challenging book by a heretical economist who slaughters every sacred cow in the pasture. Even if all the book does is make you angry, it will give you things to think about.This is the only book I know of that tackles both the problems with eduction for the individual and whether or not the huge amount we spend on education is a good value for society.WritingIn my view, despite frequent references to "Elements of Style" and Stephen King's "On Writing," there are few good books on how to write. Most of what learned was either by reading and imitation or from short essays, such as Orwell's Politics and the English Language and Twain's "Finmore Cooper's Literary Offenses": http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3172/3172-h/3172-h.htm.I've tried to list most of my core beliefs about writing, here: Marcus Geduld's answer to What should every aspiring writer know about writing?These three books (really four, since the first is a collection of two books) stand out. The first ...Hat Box: The Collected Lyrics of Stephen Sondheim: Stephen Sondheim.... is a thorough analysis of Sondheim's lyrics—by Sondheim. In case you don't know who he is, he's the generally-acknowledge "greatest muscial-theatre composer/lyricist of all time." His shows include "Sweeney Todd," "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", and "West Side Story" (lyrics only). What sets his books apart is the care he takes over evert single word and the lucid explanations with which he explains his choices. Read these books even if you're a non-lyricist.The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker.This is the best guide to prose style I've ever read. It's biased towards a simple style, but if you can master that, you can use it as a foundation to build on.Clear and Simple as the Truth: Francis-Noël Thomas, Mark Turner.Though somewhat dry, this is the only book I know of that clearly explains how to write in a very specific style. And it's kind-of the ur-style: the one I'd argue all writers should master before going on to anything more complicated. It's what "Elements of Style" should be but isn't.TheatreA Practical Handbook for the Actor: Melissa Bruder, Lee Michael Cohn, Madeleine Olnek, Nathaniel Pollack, Robert Previtio, Scott Zigler, David Mamet.This is the best introduction I've ever read to Stanislavsky-based acting. (See Constantin Stanislavski). I think of it as book one in a three-book trilogy. (Composed of this book and the next two in my list.)It helps actors avoid playing murky emotional states and become active on stage. Its core approach is to have actors choose goals for each moment they are on stage.If you know someone who is thinking of becoming an actor, get him this book.The Actor and the Target: Declan Donnellan.This book (part two of my ad-hoc trilogy) delves into one specific aspect of Stanislavsky-based acting: the person (the other actor) or object you're trying to affect when you're on stage. As a director, I find motivating actors towards targets tremendously useful. For instance, if an actor is trying to "be sexy" I ask him to stop and, instead, to try to get the actress (the target) to kiss him.How to Stop Acting: Harold Guskin.In my mind, there's tremendous value in Stanislavky's system, which forms the basis of the first two books on this list. But in the end, most actors need to let all frameworks go, stop thinking about them, and just improvise. They must "be in the moment."This is the best treatment I've found of this slippery subject. Guskin was the acting coach to James Gandalfini, Kevin, Kline, Glenn Close and many other famous actors.Different Every Night: Putting the play on stage and keeping it fresh: Mike Alfreds.This book clearly explores what to me is the core difference between theatre and film. Filmmakers must sweat to get the best performance possible onto film. Theatre practitioners should, if they're smart, create an environment where there is no "best." Great theatre should be different every night (or why not see a film, instead?). Each actor in each performance should try something new, and all the performances, taken together, should explore every avenue of the story, every possible interpretation.Notes on Directing: 130 Lessons in Leadership from the Director's Chair: Frank Hauser, Russell Reich.The ideas behind directing are very, very simple: watch and listen; avoid doing anything most of the time; step in with a suggestion when necessary. But, boy oh boy, is it hard to put these simple procedures into practice! Most directors do too much. Or they focus on the wrong things. I read this smart little book before every rehearsal period.Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre: Keith Johnstone.Impro ought to be required reading not only for theatre people generally but also for teachers, educators, and students of all kinds and persuasions. Readers of this book are not going to agree with everything in it; but if they are not challenged by it, if they do not ultimately succumb to its wisdom and whimsicality, they are in a very sad state indeed . . . .Johnstone seeks to liberate the imagination, to cultivate in the adult the creative power of the child . . . .Deserves to be widely read and tested in the classroom and rehearsal hall . . . Full of excellent good sense, actual observations and inspired assertions.–CHOICE: Books for College LibrariesShakespeareThinking Shakespeare: A How-to Guide for Student Actors, Directors, and Anyone Else Who Wants to Feel More Comfortable With the Bard: Barry Edelstein.This is the only worthwhile Shakespeare book I've ever found for beginning actors, and seasoned actors who are new to Shakespeare. Even pros will probably learn something from it. And it's a cool book for Shakespeare fans, too, who want to learn how to read the plays better and who want an understanding of how Shakespeare's approach it.Hamlet in Purgatory: Stephen Greenblatt."Hamlet" has a bewildering and brilliant relationship to Religion, and this is the best book on the subject.Hamlet and Revenge: Eleanor Prosser.Elizabethan morality considered revenge to be a great sin. So how is it possible that Shakespeare's audience considered Hamlet a hero? This is one of the most eye-opening pieces of dramaturgy I've read. I discuss it, here: Marcus Geduld's answer to What is the meaning of "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune"?Pick this up used if you can. It's expensive new.Shakespeare's Metrical Art: George T. Wright.If you want to understand what Shakespeare was doing poetically, this is the bible. If you're new to blank verse, I recommend your read "Thinking Shakespeare" before tackling this.I delve into lots of other Shakespearean issues, here: Directing "Hamlet".FictionI gobble down fiction, so if this question was "What are some great novels?" I could list hundreds of books. Ones that would definitely make the list are "Sense and Sensibility," "Pride and Prejudice," "Emma," "Wuthering Heights," "House of Mirth", "One Hundred Years of Solitude," "Watership Down," "Cat's Eye", "Bleak House," "Lonesome Dove," "Catcher in the Rye," "The Queen's Gambit," and ... well, I could go on and on.While all great novels expand my mind, I've included two, below, that did so via formal experimentation. In general, I hate experimental novels. Most of them are Sophomoric: "What if the author was a character in his own work? What if the characters knew the were living in a work of fiction? Like, wow men! Cool!"Here are two exceptions:1Q84: Haruki Murakami, Jay Rubin, Philip ­Gabriel.War and Peace: Leo Tolstoy.And this, to me and many others, is the greatest novel of all time:The Great Gatsby: F. Scott Fitzgerald.I've read it over a hundred times and it still keeps giving. Several famous writers, like Hemmingway, copied it out by hand, so that they could study each sentence. I've often thought of doing the same thing. Here's a lesson I learned from just one of Fitzgerald's sentences: PostUPDATE: Someone recently PMed me, asking me to recommend two fiction and two non-fiction books to him. What follows is my reply, in which I cheated and recommend more. It's interesting to compare the following list with the one above, and see how some books have a stable placement in the front of my mind while others shift.As a lifelong reader, it's almost impossible for me to pick four books without doing so at random, but I'll try, as long as you understand these aren't my four favorites. They're just four books that are meaningful to me chosen somewhat arbitrarily.I'm going pick books that I first read at least five years ago, because I want to give you recommendations that haven't just temporarily dazzled me. Otherwise, I'd suggest"Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel KahnemanAmazon: Thinking, Fast and Slowand"Antifragile" by Nassim Nicholas TalebAmazon: Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorderwhich both struck me as deeply profound and deeply useful. But they're too recent to be "canonized" in my mind.Finally, my favorite novel is"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott FitzgeraldAmazon: The Great Gatsbybut I won't list it, because it's on so many great-works list. It's probably more helpful for me to suggest books you're less-likely to have heard about.Non-fiction:- "The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World," by Steven Johnson, is a book about one event in history (and a fascinating one), but it manages to delve into deep matters of philosophy, science, and psychology, too. It's very exciting and readable, like a "page-turner" novel.Amazon: The Ghost Map- "From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life 1500 to the Present," by Jacques Barzun. The best modern-Western history I've ever read.Amazon: From Dawn to DecadenceFiction:- "Lonesome Dove," by Larry McMurtry, is, to me, a Great American Novel. It belongs on shelves next to "The Great Gatsby," "Moby Dick," and "The Scarlet Letter." It's a quest story, similar in that sense to "Lord of the Rings," but its setting is the American West in 1876.Amazon: Lonesome Dove- "Cat's Eye," by Margaret Atwood, is one of the most brutally-honest stories about childhood ever written. It's "Lord of the Flies" without the the island. And it's about little girls instead of little boys.Amazon: Cat's Eye: Margaret AtwoodHere are some other books I love:Fiction:- "One Hundred Years of Solitude," by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Magic Realism. Maybe the best fantasy novel ever written. Marquez creates an absolutely unique world that runs via its own surreal logic. You emerge from it a different person. The English translation is gorgeous.Amazon: One Hundred Years of Solitude- "1Q84," by Haruki Murakami is the Japanese "One Hundred Year of Solitude." It's worth reading both of them, to understand what fiction can do and where it can go—and how it can play by its own rules.Amazon: 1Q84- "House of Mirth," by Edith Wharton. A fantastic portrait of 19th-Century New York and a young woman who has to maneuver in that complex, suffocating society.Amazon: The House of Mirth- "The Queens Gambit," by Walter Tevis is simply a perfect tale. It's like a masterclass on how to write a honed but unpretentious novel. It's about a child chess prodigy. Tevis isn't a well-known guy, but many people are aware of his novels via their film adaptations. These include "The Man Who Fell to Earth," "The Hustler," and "The Color of Money."Amazon: The Queen's Gambit: A Novel- "This Perfect Day," by Ira Levin is, in my mind, the best dystopia ever written. Few agree with me, because its politics are naive compared to books like "1984" (which I also love). But Levin isn't playing politics. Nor is he doing social criticism. He's weaving a yarn, and his spare prose and world-building do just that with immense confidence. I'd say it's one of the best sci-fi books of all time. Levin's mystery "A Kiss Before Dying" is also terrific. Don't watch either of the movie versions.Amazon: This Perfect Day- "Amy and Isabelle," by Elizabeth Strout is the best story about a mother/daughter relationship I've ever read.Amazon: Amy and Isabelle- "The Box of Delights," by John Masefield is my favorite children's fantasy novel. Though not nearly as well-known as "The Hobbit" or the Narnia books, for my taste it's superior.Amazon: The Box of DelightsOther novels I love include "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte; "The Time Machine" and "The Island of Dr. Moreau" by H.G. Wells; "Emma," "Sense and Sensibility," and "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen; pretty much any Jeeves book by P.G. Wodehouse; "Bleak House" by Charles Dickens; "Plain Song" by Ken Haruf; "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain; "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy; "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger; "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee; and "Secret History" by Donna Tartt.Non-fiction:- "Godel, Escher, Bach," and "Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies," by Douglas Hoffstadter, two of the most thought-provoking books I've read about the human mind and artificial intelligence.Amazon: Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden BraidAmazon: Fluid Concepts And Creative Analogies- "Shadow Divers," by Robert Kurson is the most exciting non-fiction book I've ever read. It's about deep-sea divers, a subject that (prior to reading this book) didn't interest me in the slightest.Amazon: Shadow Divers- "The Botany of Desire," by Michael Pollan is about the symbiotic way humans live with plants. Pollan is better known for "The Omnivore's Dilemma," which is fantastic, but, for my money, not quite as much the masterpiece as this earlier book.Amazon: The Botany of Desire- "Against Joie De Vivre" and "Being With Children," by Phillip Lopate. Lopate is the best personal essayist of the 20th Century and one of the best of all times.Amazon: Against Joie de VivreAmazon: Being with Children- Essays by George Orwell. I love all of Orwell's writing, but I find his essays—especially "Shooting an Elephant" and "Such, Such Were the Joys" to be the best of his writing.Amazon: Essays Free, online: http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0300011h.html- "How Children Fail," by John Holt; "Summerhill School," by A.S. Neal; "A Mathematician's Lament" by Paul Lockhart; and the much more recent "Wounded by School," by Kristin Olson, were all deeply important to forming and informing my ideas about education.Amazon: How Children FailAmazon: A Mathematician's LamentFree online (shorter) version (pdf): http://mysite.science.uottawa.ca/mnewman/LockhartsLament.pdfAmazon: Summerhill SchoolAmazon: Wounded by School- "The Little Schemer," by Daniel Friedman and Matthias Felleisen, is the only computer-programming book I've read that's a work of art. (Really it's a puzzle book, since one doesn't need to use a computer to work through it. It explores the subject of recursion.)Amazon: The Little Schemer- "In the Blink of an Eye" by Walter Murch, about the art of film editing.Amazon: In the Blink of an EyeFacebook: Friends of ol' marcus

NOTE: Answer has been updated with recent developments and hence split into multiple sections written in different periods… Please consider the respective time period and developments related to each of the section…Original Answer:After many years of negligence towards Pakistan's aggression and a mere spineless defense, India seems to have awoken to the fact that "offense is the best defense"...Modi and his team are working on many parallel things in international politics... Pakistan seems to be simply clueless about how to react to these masterstrokes from Modi...First good move was to invite Mr Nawaz Shareef for swearing in ceremony in May 2014... that showcased to the world that India is open to dialogs and is proactively seeking peace in the region... That negated long standing accusation from Pakistan that India is reluctant to dialogs and is not cooperative...Modi soon made his intentions and direction clear by asking UN observers to leave the Bungalow in Delhi... The UN observers group was formed as a result of agreement between India - Pakistan and UN in 1949... however with subsequent Simla Agreement in 1972, Kashmir was mutually accepted as bilateral issue by both nations and hence 1949 treaty became void..‘No relevance’, Centre asks UN mission to vacate Delhi officeNext shock felt by Pakistan was in August 2014... when it invited separatist leaders for discussions ahead of official dialogue between India and Pakistan...India cancels talks with Pakistan over Kashmir row - BBC NewsNext was the SAARC summit in Nepal (Nov 2014) which not only revived the almost forgotten SAARC movement but also singled out Pakistan who was playing on the Tunes of China... When Pak tried to block India's proposals, all nations except Pak showed readiness to sign the treaties for free road movements, cross border co-operations and infrastructure setup areas, singling out Pakistan... with the danger facing to become irrelevant in the SAARC region, Pakistan was forced to agree on some of the treaties proposed by India... however Pak's proposal to include China as an active member (currently only observer Role) was blocked successfully by India... Pak was again on back-foot...News | Albright Stonebridge GroupThings started to move more rapidly when Pakistan played an old trick of attacking Indian border posts and villages .. a routine practice for last decade or so... to keep the issue highlighted ... however this time they were taken aback by massive retaliation launched by Indian side and soon found themselves burning under the massive Indian attacks which hold no reservations making clear the intentions ... Pak, clearly taken by surprise even tried to pacify things at local level, but India did not respond... it was only after Pakistan's higher authorities got involved India toned down its response..."You may start the firing, but it will be us who will decide when to stop it" or "if you fire one bullet, we will fire 100 in reply"...Ceasefire violations: BSF intensifies retaliatory attacks along the international borderIndia seemed to be on a correction course when it's new defense minister talked about need of deep assets... the statement was widely criticized and hyped by media, however that made intentions very clear...Some former PMs 'compromised deep assets,' Says Defense Minister Manohar ParrikarPakistan was caught in a difficult situation when it was asked by UAE to actively participate in Yemen attacks... the situation was soon capitalized by Modi which enhanced India's relations with Arab world and put Pak in a difficult spot...How India's strategic partnership with UAE will hit Pakistan where it hurts - FirstpostNext was Ufa when Modi and Sharif met and agreed to hold bilateral NSA level talks on issue of terrorism... this was significant since Pakistan has been long stating that no dialog can take place without Kashmir... Nawaz Shareef was highly criticized in Pak media and also received a strong reply from more powerful Shareef (Rahil) ...Pakistan tried to jump all the buttons to push India to cancel NSA talks .. since they did not wanted to take the blame to cancel talks and R Shareef did not wanted to talk on terrorism since that is Pakistan's Achilles's heel...They tried to invite separatists again but this time Modi moved smartly to detain them and put under temporary house arrest... then they played K card again... hoping that India would call off the tasks since Kashmir was not part of original agenda... however India stuck to its stand and made clear that it will stay open to talks as long as they follow the Ufa agreement... left with no other option Pak called off the NSA dialogs accusing India of Flip-flopping and adding new conditions...http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2015/08/24/what-the-indian-and-pakistani-media-said-about-cancelled-nsa-talks/http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/indiapakistan-national-security-advisorlevel-talks-called-off/article7569679.eceLatest shock came when Pak tried to raise the Kashmir issue at UN... when India gave an unusually sharp and direct reaction to every point raised by Pakistan... Pakistan also seemed to be losing relevance in International politics fast vis-a-vis India...http://www.dawn.com/news/1210207at the same time news of unrest and gross violations of human rights by Pak govt in Pakistan occupied Kashmir surfaced for the first time in international media...Pakistan was caught in its own trap...http://www.rediff.com/news/report/india-fomenting-unrest-pak-to-complain-to-us/20150601.htmhttp://www.thequint.com/india/2015/09/29/living-hell-in-pakistan-pro-india-voices-in-pok-brutally-crushedit will be interesting to see what next master stroke Mr Modi can play, as Pakistan seems to be running out of Ideas and loosing steam fast...EDIT - Thank you for an overwhelming response.. share count already over 1.5 million... uff... !!EDIT 2 -To keep up with the latest developments, some of the points I am adding below...There are many people in India who are questioning the dialogs that took place between NSAs in Bangkok, Modi's visit to Lahore and also Latest Pathankot attacks and its investigation fiasco...Let me first clarify that I am not certified person to talk on Foreign policies... My knowledge is limited to my observations only... hence I could be wrong at places... Suggestions Welcome....Let us check out what happened between India and Pakistan between last 6 months...NSA Meeting in BangkokFirst major change in the policy was the meeting of NSAs in Bangkok... Many in India criticized the move without actually getting the insight of decision... This for me was a major shift in India's diplomatic policy towards Pakistan...Remember Pakistan is a country with 2 parallel Power centers.. 2 Sharif's.. Nawaz is the head of Civilian govt and more powerful Rahil Sharif heads a more hardliner and aggressive unit of Defense forces in Pakistan... Pakistan military has always been very critical of India and wants the relations to become as worse as possible... since that allows them to threaten people in the name of India, show themselves as the need of time and saviors of Pakistan... Also Don't forget the Money factor... when the borders are peaceful, who would want to give more money to army... This was why Kargill happened...Hence after the NSA talks were called off in Delhi, Modi took a bold step and caught everyone off guard... The meeting was arranged in Bangkok, away from media trials and Pak army was almost caught off-guard... This also boasted the confidence of Civil govt of Pakistan who is otherwise dependent on Defense forces for all small decisions as well...This marked a start of era, when India would be dealing separately with multiple fractions within Pakistan instead of a single unit...Message is clear,... Engage with civilian govt... Empower them... Keep military powers in check... Deal with hardliners, off the record... secretly...2. Lahore VisitThe next Major thing was Modi's sudden Lahore visit ... That came as a real shocker to everyone... It was a very clear and bold step from Modi...He killed many birds in one arrow..Pakistan defense forces were totally sidelined in the meeting of 2 leaders... also the bigger shock was they were clueless on how to react, since the relationship and warmth between two leaders and govts was clearly on rise... Secondly this was another major failure of Pak intelligence after Osama incidence... they were completely uninformed, clueless and confused...At international level, this took many by surprise.. Again India was benefited since it was India who took the first step towards better relations...At the same time, Modi played it smart enough not to convert this into any official visit, instead a private one... India kept its cards closed, did not change its stand... still got the credit...3. Pathankot attacksAfter the Lahore incidence it was very clear that Pakistan Military forces and extremists would definitely hit back... security and intelligence was stepped up around routine and usual targets...Pathankot attacks were inevitable, however there were some flaws in its handling... The response was very sloppy and there is a definite scope for improvement in that area...4. Pathankot attacks investigationFor investigation of Pathankot attacks Pakistan sent a team and India allowed the team to visit the place of attacks and also shared the evidence India had collected... Pakistan refused to acknowledge the evidence and instead, as always, cried foul... This was expected...Big question was "Why India allowed Pakistan team to visit?" "Pakistan back-stabbed India again.. so what change has Modi brought ?"Let us analyze who gained and who lost ?After India accepted proposal of Pak team visiting the spot and sharing the evidences with them, there was no other option for Pakistan left by Mr Modi... If they would have accepted the evidence, they would have to accept the fact that terrorists indeed came from Pakistan and would need to act against them.. or at least pretend to do so...In case of India not allowing Pakistan investigation team, Pakistan would readily have got a reason to deny evidence... Instead with this gesture, India stood in positive lights...Now Pakistan is under immense pressure as it is being exposed as a irresponsible and terror-supporting nation... By rejecting the Pathankot evidence, Pakistan once again shot themselves in the foot...At the same time, Modi has got the Global support required to isolate Pakistan...In case of Hafeez Saeed, China came to rescue of Pakistan... but there are limits to how much China can support Pak at international level...China's intentions are to establish themselves as Global power vis-a-vis USA.. but for that it must be accepted as a responsible and reliable nation at global level... In case of Hafeez Saeed, China was completely isolated and its reality was exposed on Global canvas...China has big intentions and hence there are many limitations to how much China can support Pakistan internationally... Nevertheless, Modi is playing very smartly by exposing China as well as Pakistan...International politics is a complex thing... We cannot judge or criticize anyone unless you understand the complete puzzle and inter-dependence of the things... However this needs deep analysis to understand moves and dig out the contextual meanings..Hence no surprise that people and news channels are busy critisizing Modi's actions as a U Turn... Read between the lines and you will start realizing how smartly this man is playing...==========================================================EDIT 3:I had been planning to write an additional section in this article in the wake of recent Uri attacks… Many had raised doubts over the capability of Mr Modi to handle situations like Uri and Pathankot attacks..So here it goes…Modi has been traveling around the world making new friends for India.. with an exception of China, he has already been able to establish a mutual trust and healthy relationship with many nations in the world… For those who criticize him, I don’t even want to say anything.. but for those who want to see beyond his suits and record-breaking flying hours, it is simply amazing to see, how many things he has achieve for India till now, that too single-handedly … He got new friends like Iran and Chabahar port pact was a real masterstroke from him… Even Saudi Arabia, known for its extremist support was lured into a respectable relationship capitalizing on India’s status as an attractive investment destination and falling oil prizes…His visits to Japan, Mongolia and Vietnam were really crucial .. Signals were loud and clear for China and Pakistan…Soon Pakistan started feeling the heat and China was forced to take an awkward position in order to protect its interests in Pakistan… Hafeez Saeed fiasco was a trailor of the difficult questions China would have to face in coming days at international level…On one Side USA decided to stop all kinds of Military aid to Pakistan… at the same time Afghanistan and Bangladesh (both muslim countries) were accusing Pakistan of meddling in their internal affairs…For Pakistan, options were getting very limited day by day… Their economy is on a downward spiral and naturally people are not happy with government… however this time People were also against Pakistani military as it had to act against their own people (read Trained terrorists) in order to get the money from USA… The hardened stand from US and thorough scrutiny of every military action was soon being seen as US interference in Pakistan’s internal matters by Pakistani people…In order to win back the trust of people and also get the fat cheques from US, it had to do something… They soon got a chance to do same…Burhan Wani, a slain terrorist from Hijbul Mujahedin was killed in an encounter in Kashmir… Pakistan did not waste any time to capitalize on the situation… All the separatists and pro-pakistan people jumped in to use Wani’s death as a tool to fuel anti-India emotions in Kashmir… Soon we found Kashmir burning like anything…Curfew was implemented in many parts of Kashmir… Many people took to streets in protest of the killing… Indian government had to ask Military and police to use force in order to keep the Law & Order situation under control… Some people unfortunately lost their lives… and unrest continued…2016 Kashmir unrestPakistan tried its old tried-and-tested formula to raise the issue of Kashmir in the name of Indian atrocities and Human rights at international level… However this time it was simply no match for Modi and team…Pakistan shot itself in the foot by decorating Burhan wani, who was associated with declared terrorist outfit, as a martyr..Pakistan declares Burhan Wani as ‘martyr’; to observe July 19 as black dayModi took an unprecedented step to mention Baluchistan in his Independence day speech from the Red Fort on 15th August…Indian PM Modi's Balochistan comments upset Pakistan | Asia | DW.COM | 15.08.2016Baluchistan was forcefully occupied by Pakistan and Baluchi people are denied their rights in terms of representation and social justice in Pakistani establishments … Though Baluchistan is rich in terms of natural resources, but Baluchi people had always been exploited by Punjabi-dominated Pakistan govt… Baluchistan has long been demanding freedom from Pakistan and seeks to establish itself as an independent country..Modi just hit the bulls eye when he mentioned Baluchistan … It hit Pakistan where it hurts most…Pakistan had no moral basis to raise issue of Indian atrocities in Kashmir when it has been committing more grave crimes in Baluchistan..its double standards were exposed in front of the world community and it was seen as a country which says one thing and acts the other way…Baluchistan separatist movement gathered new steam and Anti-Pakistan demonstrations started in many of the western countries, who are the main decision makers of UN bodies.Remember, Baluchistan comments was not a knee-jerk reaction to Pakistan’s continued provocation effort.. the necessary things were getting in place since quiet some time.. There is a lot of effort required to provide a support mechnism before making such comments..when Kashmir seemed ho have settled down, Pakistan gifted Modi with a Birthday blast…in a routine practice of a decade or so, Pakistanis helped terrorists to infiltrate the military camp of Indian defense forces in Uri sector near J&K… in the attack on military camp, 19 Indian soldiers were killed…2016 Uri attackAfter this unfortunate incidence, enough was enough for Mr Modi…He just gave one public statement “Those responsible for this cowardly act, will be brought to justice”..After the statement, there was a flurry of actions…India isolated Pakistan by using its diplomatic channels, so much so, that no one was in mood to even listen to Mr Nawaz Shareef in UN..India decided to review the water treaty of 1960 with Pakistan which allocated 80% of the water of 6 major river systems which originate in India but mainly flow through Pakistan… Though this step will take time to implement the required infrastructure, the intent was loud and clear…Remember the 1960 water treaty had survived 2 Major wars and Kargil conflict too..3. Pakistan was openly referred to as a terrorist state by many nations…4. India signed agreement with French govt for speedy induction of Rafael jets in IAF…And just when everyone thought that India did well to get Pakistan into lot of trouble using diplomatic pressure and international politics… All hell broke loose for Pakistan…Modi, cleverly hiding his intentions under the blanket of diplomatic moves, had launched a secret mission no one had thought about..on 28th September late night, Indian soldiers crossed over the Line of control and carried out surgical strike in Pakistan occupied Kashmir… Destroying 7 camps and killing at least 40 terrorists…Kashmir attack: India 'launches strikes against militants' - BBC NewsPakistan, clearly taken aback by the strikes was completely confused and unprepared to even put its responses in a single line… While Pakistani military tried to pay down the incidence as a routine cross border firing, PM Nawaz Shareef warned India about any misadventure and said Pakistan will retaliate with full force as it is an attack on its sovereignty …It was a very successful operation considering the fact that strikes were carried out even as Pakistan was on full alert and was anticipating such a strike… Not a single causality was reported from Indian side…The message from Indian Prime minister is very clear…“We are a mighty nation with both pride and responsibility… DO NOT MESS WITH US”…Now I can proudly say that Nation is indeed in safe hands…Yes, there will be retaliation from Pakistan for sure… As it a matter of survival and pride for their defense and govt.. but writing on the wall is clear… Winds are not flowing in their favor…EDIT 4:It has been more than an year since last edit of the answer.. an update is overdue…Last year may seem less eventful than earlier ones, but the impact it has has been more damaging to Pakistan that it had ever been..Modi did something unthinkable even for his standards ..Demonetization struck Pakistan hard than a nuclear bomb..All of the plans of bleeding India by thousand cuts were thrown away down the gutter and Pakistan had to scramble back to drawing board to chalk out a new strategy.. They lost very valuable time digesting the impact of demonetization.. the time was used by Modi to regain control in Kashmir valley and also curb in black economy which was mainly operated by fake currencies and benami accounts..Note ban: J&K sees 60% dip in terrorism-related violence, hawala operations down 50% - Times of IndiaI do not want to debate if it was good or bad for Indian economy, but was certainly disastrous for Pakistan…Soon after gaining some control over Kashmir situation, Modi decided to go all offensive against Pakistan and also China.. Unfortunately for Pakistan, this coinsided with regime change in US.. With Mr Trump in office, it was becoming tough for Pakistan to continue the double game of playing a victim card and diverting the “Anti terrorism” funds from US to terrorists in J&K… China seized the opportunity and pushed Pakistan to accept CPEC…Any normal economist should be able to tell you, how bad CPEC inherently is for Pakistans economy..Pakistan Can’t Afford China’s ‘Friendship’Pakistan was brought under tremendous pressure during the UNSC meet 2016..Old trick and traditional ways of handling conflicts are long gone…We have a new master who is playing with his own set of rules and everyone else is just dancing on his steps…EDIT 5: May 2019Adding a new set of information is really needed now to keep this answer relevant with current developments…Since 2018 beginning lot of water has flown under the bridge… So here is a recap of what happened…2018 began more or less calmly with demonetization halting the funding to terrorists and overall stone pelting activities on a decline.. however not everything was quiet calm behind the curtains… BJP think tank was actually making quiet a bit of movement in background…Firstly BJP Ministers resigned from Mehbooba Mufti cabinet… then BJP withdrew its support to the J&K govt… this was a smart but risky move indeed… They could have lost the complete control of the state administration including Jammu and Ladakh regions… However once again the naivety and stupidity of opposition parties came to BJPs assistance…Instead of reading between the lines and understanding the political complexity, CM Mehbooba Mufti called for reelections by resigning… This was completely unwarranted stunt for gaining publicity… instead she could have aligned with Congress and NC.. but Omar Abdullah was equally arrogant and ignorant…BJP dumps PDP: Mehbooba rues lost opportunity, Omar calls for fresh electionsSeizing the opportunity, BJP suspended the parliament … but there was one problem… the Governor appointed by previous regime of UPA was not in favor of dissolving the assembly..So the assembly was kept suspended and Governor was replaced..Satya Pal Malik To Replace NN Vohra As Jammu And Kashmir GovernorNow they had a governor who was more aligned to central govt than his predecessor. So it was time for action… but they waited till the right time came… Congress, PDP and NC realized their own blunder quiet late and tried to form a makeshift coalition… but Governor getting a sniff dissolved the assembly overnight…Just notice the dates… out of curiosity.. on August 17, Imran Khan was confirmed to be next PM of Pakistan… and BJP Swiftly moved to removed governor on 21st August.. I do not know the relation but cannot be a sheer co-incidence…Now BJP had indirect control over J&K Administration through governor’s office for 1 year (J&K has special provision of 1 year to elect new government as against 6 months for other states)… This gives BJP enough time till next LS elections in may 2019 and Rajyasabha elections in May June 2019… That means by the time of J&K elections BJP will be more strong in RS and expected to be stronger in LS… (if it wins 2019 elections)…2019 Indian Rajya Sabha elections - WikipediaAfter the Governor was removed BJP focused on cleansing of the system and eliminated the moles and sympathizers of separatists/Terrorists in a systematic way.. also parallely security forces launched an all offensive mission to eliminate terrorists…Security forces achieved major success in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018The terrorist recruitment process seems to be hit hard with dual blow of Demonetization and offensive attacks launched by India’s defense forces…J&K: Fewer youth joining militancy in the ValleyDecline in trend of youths joining militancy in J&K: ArmyEDIT 6: May 2019Just as Imran Khan looked to settle as Pakistan PM, Pakistani defense forces felt a need to reassure their position in public opinion and also provide some motivation to terrorists… this time, a CRPF convoy was chosen as target of the terrorists… and deliberately a local J&K recruit terrorist was used to carry out the attack…India paid a very heavy price by lives of 40 CRPF jawans..2019 Pulwama attack - Wikipediaat the same time, out of the media focus and attention, several things were achieved which have long term strategic impacts..Separatist leaders security is withdrawn signifying a drop in their overall importance from India’s point of view..Security withdrawn over Pulwama attacks, separatist leaders say ‘don’t need it’Import duty hiked for all imports from Pakistan…India hikes customs duty to 200 per cent on all goods imported from PakistanMFN status was withdrawn with immediate effect by India…Pakistan’s most-favoured nation status scrappedIndia’s withdrawal of MFN status to Pakistan: meaning and implications – Indian EconomyIndia plans to stop the water flowing into Pakistan by utilizing its share to the full … While it does not have significant impact as of now, what it achieves is, India will have a mechanism and infrastructure in place to divert water flowing into main rivers of Pakistan in future…Pulwama fallout: Government to stop India's share of water flowing into PakistanHowever this time, Modi was in no mood to let go of things easily… He openly stated the will to revenge the martyrs and ask forces to plan retaliation action…Fearing the repeat of Cross border surgical strikes, Pakistan immediately withdrew the terrorists from near border areas to inland of Pakistan (not part of India claimed J&K)…. However everyone was caught wrong-footed when India carried out an Air-force Raid on Balakot Terrorist camp well within the borders of Pakistan… The safe heaven was indeed turned into path to heaven (Hell) by Indian air-force…2019 Balakot airstrike - Wikipediain the heightened atmosphere Pakistan tried to retaliate by carrying out air raids… however it quickly backfired as Pakistan lost one of its F16 and also lost one of their own pilot to Local villagers lynching him to death for mistaken identity …one Indian Mig 21 also crashed and Indian Pilot was captured alive by Pakistan… However Pakistan had realized by then that they cannot simply sustain if India keeps in raising the heat… They tried to de-escalate the tensions by releasing the Indian Pilot as a peace gesture..After days of captivity, IAF pilot Abhinandan returns home from PakNot stopping here, Modi started to build pressure internationally to get Masood Azahar listed as International terrorist… An very long overdue thing which was blocked by China till now…Top Pakistani militant named as terroristIt would be really interesting to see what is the next tactical move by Modi as he is a master of international politics in an unprecedented fashion…I will just say, Indians recognize the sheer intelligence and dedication this man brings and elect him again with even bigger margin this time to be a PM…EDIT 7: 5th August 2019So here is a new overdue update to include recent and perhaps most significant developments for this Topic..After triumphing win in general elections 2019 and completely out doing the opposition parties, Modi trusted his man with the most important job of Home Minister… Amit Shah is a man who gets things DONE and is a real badass…Then started the long overhaul of the J&K state machinery…I have already explained in earlier sections, how PDP and NCP let go the control of situation to Modi by not reading between the lines…This time Mr Shah started on 2 fronts..He strangled the money supply to terrorists happening through hawala racket by the means of J&K Bank .. The CEO was compulsorily retired and soon ACB and tax department raided the bank offices to unearth the wrongdoings..Jammu and Kashmir Bank plunges after top boss' exit2. Security forces went on full offensive against terrorists eliminating them en masse..J&K: 101 terrorists killed, 50 new recruits in 2019 | India News - Times of Indiahowever the biggest shock came when Government today, scrapped the article 370 of constitution by notifying a signed ordinance from President of India..since article 370 is now null and void (also making 35A section of constitution thereby ineffective) true integration of J&K with India’s mainland can now be fast tracked..Government on its part, seems to have done the Legal Homework done as Legal experts say that the decision does not seem to violate the authorities and principles laid down by constitution of India…Constitution expert Subhash Kashyap on #Article370: I can only say, constitutionally it is sound, no legal & constitutional fault can be found in it. Govt has carefully studied the matter. As for the question, if it's a political decision, I have nothing to say on that. pic.twitter.com/FNDbeh6jBt— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2019For those who are interested to know in detail, any change in article 370 and section 35A by Union Government of India was required approval of the state legislation (J&K Assembly)… However since there is no sitting assembly in J&K when revocation was notified by president, the legislative powers are transferred automatically towards Governor representing the central government…Meaning parliament and President can make the decision unilaterally to revoke article 370 when J&K Assembly is not in session provided it is agreed upon by the Governor…Hence the scrutiny is expected to stand the review by Supreme court, if challenged…And there is a much bigger decision is to bifurcate the state of J&K into 2 union territories… That means, though J&K will continue to be a state, the state government will have much less powers than other full states in India, almost minuscule in comparison to their existing powers..This will mark an end of era of appeasement politics and alienation of J&K from mainland India… The move today will have far reaching impacts in future…KUDOS MR MODI… !!!!56″ Rocks….JAI HIND…

What's the secret to being happy at work and in life?It took me 29 years to figure this one out. And I think the only way to share this is by telling you a story.This is a deeply personal story for me.It's about my friend Erik Heritage: When I was much younger and had just moved to the city about 8 years ago, he would encourage me to talk to random groups of girls we'd bump into to get over being shy. Once, at a restaurant, I had dropped a pepperoni on my shirt while eating pizza and he immediately looked at me and said, "You need to go ask those group of girls for a Tide pen...and ask one of them out." Needless to say, he got me to do it. Well, kind of. I asked for a tide pen...and then sat back down.Erik, you see, had this amazing attitude. He believed in taking chances. In having fun. In living life deeply. In enjoying the moment. In building great relationships.He was a friend, a mentor and a brother to me.When I first moved to San Francisco for my first real job at Cisco, he took me under his wing. He would introduce me to his group of friends in the city, give me career advice and would always encourage me to challenge the status quo. If you walked into a bar in San Francisco, it wouldn't be a surprise if you saw us catching up over a beer, talking about all different aspects of life.Over the years, I grew more and more ambitious. All I could focus on was moving up the corporate ladder and becoming more successful at work. I always thought success at work would bring happiness.In my mind, I wouldn't be happy until I reached the top.I was wrong.Over the years, I began to lose touch with Erik. When I left to another company for a job with more responsibility and better pay, I became even more consumed by work. I began to neglect our friendship. I barely hung out with him. There would be a sporadic Facebook message here and there, but that was it. I also began to neglect my family too. I stopped calling home as much as I used to. I had changed. All that mattered was getting the next raise. The big title. The responsibility. The recognition.One day, about 8 years later, I received a text.It was a message from one of my good friends, Andrew* (name changed for privacy reasons).What I read absolutely shattered my world.Erik had been diagnosed with cancer. And things weren't looking good.I called him - many times - but he would never take my call. I left voicemails telling him that I was here to support him and that I would do anything I could to help. I later learned he never wanted me to carry the burden of worry and grief.A few years ago, I was incredibly sad to hear that we lost him to cancer.The day I went to his funeral was one of the saddest and hardest days of my life.I made a promise to myself that day, that I would do everything I could to help do what Erik did for me: Bring a smile to people's faces. Whether the gesture was small or large, it didn't matter. I just wanted people to feel happiness the way Erik did.I know Erik would want us all to recognize that life is incredibly fragile and that we should all take more moments to hug someone tighter, to soak up the sun and to reflect.I'll see you again one day, Erik. But before I do, I want to carry on your legacy like I promised.So here are the 10 secrets to being happy at work and in life:Secret #1: Be Thankful for What You HaveWe live in an incredibly fast paced world that constantly revolves around our “on demand” lifestyle.From fast food restaurants (McDonald’s, Chipotle, Subway) where we can get a delicious meal in less than 5 minutes to media like movies and music (Netflix, iTunes, Spotify), we’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on demand.Factor in the social networking revolution and suddenly we’re in a world of information overload. We now receive information faster than ever before. Interactions with our friends, families and peers have become easier than ever.So what’s the challenge with all of this?All too often we get caught up in the journey. The chase. The work. The tweets. The endless pile of emails.After all, many of us are chasing the American dream of success.It could be the white picket fenced house. It could be a new car. It could be fame. It could be your dream job.And in this process, we become so mired in our aspirations that we forget one key principle to being happy: being grateful.Do you find yourself constantly thinking about what you want versus appreciating what you already have? Have you ever told yourself that if you were to attain that oh-so-elusive prize, you would finally be happy?Many people get stuck in this mindset and thus never give themselves permission to be happy.The irony is that happiness can be attained at any moment that you desire.Being grateful is a step towards achieving that. Studies have shown that people who routinely express their gratitude over a given period of time are actually happier (when surveyed) compared to people who express the negative aspects of their life over that same period of time. An example of the types of things people could express their gratitude about include:The warmth of the sun on their skinGood healthHaving friends that were incredibly givingAn example of the type of things people could express negativity about include:Work stress and deadlinesBad drivers on the roadComplaining about a meal that wasn’t cooked that wellTypically the first group of people who expressed their gratitude would be much happier when surveyed.These type of studies clearly show that by being grateful on a consistent basis, you can condition yourself to appreciate what you have and in turn, increase your happiness.The question is why?Well, it’s quite simple really – our thoughts have the power to shape our emotions. If we’re constantly thinking of negative things in our lives, we’ll suddenly feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. On the flip side, if we’re focused on the positive aspects of our lives, we can suddenly fill ourselves with optimism.So the question we should all ask ourselves is, when was the last time you reminded yourself of what you should be grateful for? This could be your family, your friends, your career, your opportunities, your spouse, your favorite office chair or your hilarious conversations with your best friend.Or it could be something as simple as the seeing the sunshine.Each and every one of us can easily come up with a list immediately on what we’re grateful for. There are moments, memories, experiences and relationships that can bring smiles to our faces. So take a moment to reflect on what you’ve been blessed with in your life.You’ll be happier for it.Secret #2: Embrace ExperiencesWe’ve been raised to think that happiness is directly related to the amount of resources and wealth we can accumulate for ourselves.It’s prevalent in the media (which constantly showcases the celebrity lifestyles), the barrage of advertisements from retail companies (buy this purse and you’ll suddenly become the star at the next cocktail party!) and even in our friends and family.This environment has conditioned many of us to think that material possessions would bring us the happiness that’s eluded us from so long.If only I had that bright, new, shiny car.If only I had a bigger house.If only I had the newest designer clothes.If only I had more money in my bank account.Then I would be happy.The truth is, wealth does matter to an extent. You’ll need enough resources to provide the basic necessities of life and perhaps an extra amount for experiences that bring you happiness (like a vacation, donating to charity and so forth). But ultimately, studies have shown that after reaching a certain income threshold, money has little impact on our day-to-day happiness.Let’s dive a bit deeper. A study by Cornell University actually found that people who spent money on material goods only discovered short-term happiness, while experiences provide greater long-term satisfaction.Think about this for a second.Material goods get used. They get old. They break down eventually and fall apart. Factor in the fact that you’re agonizing over whether or not you’re getting a good deal, and you can see how buying material goods isn’t always the best shot at happiness. Think forward to when you’re on your death bed one day – will you be proud of all the stuff you’ve accumulated over the years or the amazing experiences you’ve given and shared with other people to improve their lives?That’s why experiences are a completely different story. Experiences like going on a vacation, a mission for charity, a road trip, a comedy show or a fishing trip help to create long term happiness because:It often involves more positive social interaction (experiences usually involve other people with similar interests)Experiences tend to increase exercise (You’re going somewhere and that requires you to move – yes, I know – it’s so simple but it’s the truth)Experiences create lasting memories that you share with others – let’s face it, happiness is only real when shared. You can have the best filet mignon of your life, but if you’re not sharing the experience with someone, it’s not the same.What experiences do you have planned?Focus on creating great experiences and you’ll find long term happiness.Secret #3: Blip or Disaster?When problems arise, many of us panic. Our chests seize up, our breath shortens, our shoulders tense up and our brains are flooded with a stream of worries.We feel like the world’s coming to an end.We’re human after all. We’ve been designed to feel stress when things don’t go our way.Yet, if there’s one thing all of us can be absolutely sure of in our lives, it’s this: The only certainty in life is that there will be uncertainty.The moment we are born, there is uncertainty – after all – everything we see, touch and feel is a new and unknown experience.These moments continue into our adulthood, yet become less frequent. And instead of being met with awe and surprise and a sense of joy, we meet these unknown situations with a sense of trepidation, fear, and stress.We often do this because we forget to put things into perspective. And you’d be surprised how a little perspective can go a long way in providing you happiness.Here’s how you can put things into perspective: Ask yourself, in the big scheme of things, is this a blip or a disaster?More often than not, it’s a blip, and you begin to realize that the traffic ticket, that terrible meeting with your boss or that argument you had with a friend over who should pay for dinner isn’t that big of a deal. By doing this simple exercise, you remind yourself not to sweat the small stuff. With Jerry’s story, it wasn’t “small stuff.” It was a life-changing event, one that could have easily ended his life. It’s stories like his that remind us that most of the things we get upset about in life are indeed part of the “small stuff. ” His story helps us to put things in perspective and is a reminder of what “serious” issues are. The next time you are experiencing a tough situation, ask yourself, how serious is this compared to Jerry’s story? Remember, the only certainty in life is that there will be uncertainty. So learn to embrace it with a sense of perspective.You’ll be happier for it.Secret #4: Stop WallowingYou know you’ve done it before. You’ve yelled out how the world is against you. You’ve pulled your hair out thinking nothing can be fixed. You’ve sat in your room, moping away. There’s no question about it. It’s incredibly easy to get down on yourself when things don’t go your way. Self-pity occurs when your psychological state of mind doesn’t have the strength, confidence or ability to deal with the issue at hand. You hit an obstacle, can’t figure out the solution or cope with it, and you end up proclaiming that you’re a victim of circumstance and deserve condolences. It’s a natural reaction when you’re in state of childhood, after all, at that time in your life, you need to do it for survival reasons. As an adult, however, wallowing in self-pity is an incredibly dangerous game. It can paralyze your thoughts, actions and feelings. When you wallow in self-pity, you feel helpless, like your life is out of your control.When you say that, you no longer take responsibility for your life.You can stop this from happening to you. And it all starts with a simple step:Stop wallowing in self-pity.Challenge yourself to be aware of moments when you’re wallowing.Challenge yourself to accept those feelings.Challenge yourself to find a solution to the issue or to cope with the feelings of self-pity so that you can move on.When you do this three step process, you empower yourself to take control of the situation. You’re no longer ignoring the issue. You’re dealing with it head on.Stop wallowing and you will find happiness.Secret #5: Do What You LoveToday, more than ever, I hear about people feeling like they are stuck in a “rut.”I’ve literally heard of days like the following:I wake up. It’s really hard to get up every morning. Most days I want to smash my clock with a hammer.I brush my teeth.I eat breakfast.I go to work and arrive exactly at 9 AM, not a minute early or a minute late.I work for an hour.I proceed to pretend I’m working for the next two hours until lunch breaks. There really isn’t much work around that I want to do.I take a lunch break. I eat a sandwich that tastes mediocre to me. It’s the same sandwich I have every day.I proceed to work in my cubicle for the next few hours. The work is uninspiring at best and tedious.I watch the clock every 5 minutes as if staring at it would magically make it go by faster.It finally hits 5 PM.I go home in glee, only to be stuck in traffic.I eat dinner, instantly go into a food coma, become too tired to exercise and proceed to go to bed.As I’m lying there trying to fall asleep, I think about what life would be like to be in a relationship, but I don’t have time for that.I’m too busy working.I feel like a hamster running a wheel, stuck in a rut for the rest of my life.Have you ever felt this way before?As if you’re just going through the motions?Have you noticed that by doing this, you’re feeling the spiraling effects of it not only on your work but on your health, family, friends and relationships?Would you like to understand how you could empower yourself to breakthrough the drudgery of life?Because it’s possible – and it begins with one simple idea:Do what you love.It’s a motto that we need to live by. Starting today. You don’t want to wait until you’re at the “staring at the white wall in the hospital” stage of your life. Because by then, it may be too late. You’ve got to seize the day.When you do what you love, work transforms into a mission to change the world into a better place.When you do what you love, your best work will begin to feel effortless.When you do what you love, your energy will become contagious and your relationship with others will dramatically change.When you do what you love, your attitude will suddenly be filled with optimism.When you do what you love, you find yourself.When you do what you love, you’ll inspire yourself – and just as important – you’ll inspire others.So, how do you discover what you love to do?You just need to ask yourself – what stirs your passion?Here are some examples below to get you thinking about your passion:WorkWhat kind of work gets me excited to wake up in the morning? (Finding a cure? Helping the homeless? Creating new technologies? Helping small businesses get financed? Serving amazing food to others?)LoveWhat type of relationship is fulfilling to me? (Being single, dating or marriage?)LegacyIf today was the last day of my life, would I be happy with what I’ve accomplished in this world? And if not, how would I change it?Are you doing what you love today? What’s stopping you from achieving it?Today, I follow my happiness by following one simple rule: I love to inspire people.So I host leadership and career seminars, act as a keynote speaker, write books and blog. But most importantly, each and every day, I try to remember that every conversation I have with someone is a chance to inspire him. And so I use that platform as a means to inspire.So remember, you can even take small steps in carrying out your passion and have a large impact.Life is too short to live someone else’s life. Follow your heart.Do what you love and you will find happiness.Secret #6: You FirstThere’s one little secret to happiness that we often forget:You’ve got to take care of yourself first.Yes, it’s important be grateful, to give to others and to aspire to be great, but remember first and foremost, you’ve got to take care of yourself first.If you’re deathly sick on a hospital bed, you can’t really do any of those, can you?Take care of yourself physically and mentally and you will be happier.Make sure you exercise consistently. Go for a run. Lift some weights. Do P90X (I did and it changed my health radically in 90 days). Do Insanity (This one is a lot harder. Needless to say I didn’t finish it). Try CrossFit. Join a marathon team like Team in Training. Get on a running bike. Take the dogs out for a walk. Mix it up. Keep it interesting. When you workout, you body releases endorphins and you get a natural high. Talk about a quick route to happiness!Make sure you eat healthy. You’d be surprised at how big of an impact this can make on your mood. Try eating more servings of vegetables and fruits. I used to eat egg and bacon sandwiches in the morning. Now I replace it with a vegetable and fruit smoothie consisting of apples, carrots, mixed greens, pineapples and sprouts. At first it was pretty tough to drink, but after a while it became really easy. And now it tastes amazing and I feel much more energized and lighter every single day (I also lost a few pounds in the process). There are a ton of great nutritional books out there that you can buy. You can also use your common sense. You know that cookies and brownies aren’t healthy for you, so why eat 10 of them in one sitting when you can really enjoy and savor just one? Learn to have some balance in your diet and you’ll be happier for it.Make sure you take care of your mental health. Stress plays a huge factor in our mental health that in turn can dramatically affect our physical health. When you feel yourself submerging into an ocean of stress, take a break from what you’re doing. It’s most likely causing it. It could be your negative thoughts, it could be your work or it could be your physical activity. It could even that pesky coworker that you can’t stand working with. The problem is, most of us begin to cling tightly to these environments we’re in, and it causes huge swings in our emotions. If a situation goes bad, we tend to react extremely negatively.Take a break. Meditate. Meditating allows you to calm your mind. It separates you from your environment and allows you find inner peace. Close your eyes. Think about absolutely nothing for the next few minutes and focus only on your breathing. Now that you’ve re-visited the issue after taking a break, make sure you try to tackle it in portions. If it’s a big project or seemingly overwhelming issue, try to break it down into components you can tackle task by task. It may not become as stressful when you’re looking at climbing a few steps versus climbing a mountain! Then, condition yourself to not react immediately to situations in the most extreme manners. This can also help to reduce stress.Secret #7: Give to ReceiveMany people think that we live in a “what have you done for me lately” world. Yet why is it that the donation facts prove this theory wrong again and again? In 2010, for example, The Red Cross raised a staggering $32M in mobile giving in their relief program for Haiti. In a study done by the University of British Columbia, they gave 46 people $5 or $20 and asked them to spend that money by the afternoon. Half were instructed to spend it on themselves while the other half were instructed to spend it on others.Guess what? The people who spent the money on others reported feeling happier than those that spent it on themselves. It’s clear that many people thrive on giving. And it’s simple as to why they do it.It brings them happiness.When you give to others, you begin to feel a sense of fulfillment and happiness because you’re helping to make an impact on another human being.When you give to others, you begin to feel important, significant and filled with purpose.And you should – because you are making a difference.When you give to others, you feel connected to other people’s lives. And despite all the technology in our lives, nothing replaces a strong connection with another human being.One of our core needs is to love and to be loved by others. Imagine helping someone get their life back on track after years of painful struggles. The bond you would form with that person would be incredible if you were able to truly help them.And that is why the secret to true fulfillment in our lives is through giving.When was the last time you gave?It could be a donation to the local church that you attend. It could be a micro-loan on Kiva. It could be walking a blind lady across the street. It could be helping an old lady carry her groceries to her car. It could be volunteering at your local food bank. It could be speaking as an inspirational leader at a career seminar. It could be donating blood.Don’t end up spending hundreds of hours trying to pick out the perfect situation – planning is great, but not if you over do it.Start giving.Today.GO.Secret #8: Enjoy the MomentWe always seem to be stuck in the past or the future.When we think about the past, we tend to focus on the mistakes we’ve made, the pain we’ve experienced before (remember how tough it was for you to love again after your first heartbreak?), and what we wish we could change.If only I could go back in time.Well, I’ve got some news for you. You can’t. If you’re going to take the time to think about the past, celebrate great memories instead.When we think about the future, we tend to focus on what’s possible. This is important, because it’s absolutely crucial that we aspire to be great. Dreaming is a beautiful part of being human. It builds hope and can inspire people to do amazing things in the world.However, there’s a catch. If you spend all your time thinking about the past or the future, you’re no longer in the present.If you’re no longer in the present, you can’t enjoy the moment.Have you ever caught yourself thinking about something off topic while someone was trying to talk to you?And you’d respond with a blank stare, because you didn’t hear a word that they said?Be in the present, and your relationships will blossom, because you’ll actually be listening.Be in the present, and you’ll begin to the little things in life that are beautiful.Be in the present, and you’ll have more fun.Close your eyes and listen carefully to what’s around you. Soak up the sun. Watch the leaves fall shake in the wind. Give the next person you meet a real hug. Take your time when you eat – savor every bite. Dance to your favorite song. Laugh until your stomach hurts.Be present in the moment and happiness will be at your beckoning!Secret #9: AspireWe want to move mountains. Change the world. Leave a lasting impact. Create a better life for our kids.Don’t fear it. Embrace it.Aspire to be great.When you aspire, you become inspired to do something great with your life. You’re filled with passion. Each and every day becomes a mission to accomplish change for the world. You scramble out of bed with energy versus feeling like a zombie when the alarm clock goes off.Motivation is created when we understand our purpose and desires. If you don’t have a purpose or desire, you become a cog in the machine of life.To truly understand what your aspirations are – you must answer that single fundamental question: What is your purpose?Is it to provide for your family? Is it to inspire others? Is it to build charitable foundations to save lives?For example, I love to inspire others. My purpose to help people live better lives through inspiration. And that’s why I write. I spend numerous hours on the weekend and late nights just to write. And I do it because it’s a passion. It doesn’t feel like work at all. In fact, I love to write because I know it will inspire people. Understanding my purpose fuels my drive.Once you understand your purpose, you can build your aspirations around that.Aspirations can range from helping someone run their business better through technology, helping a charitable cause, leading a team, being a neurosurgeon to being a Fortune 100 CEO.What are your aspirations?Do you want to be the proud owner of a house? Do you want to provide an educational opportunity for your kids that you never received? Do you want to be a manager and leader at your company? Do you want to get that elusive promotion that you’ve never gotten? Do you want to start a non-profit or business that you’ve always dream of?The aspiration is for you to define. What’s important is that you define it.Aspire to be great and it will fuel your happiness.Secret #10: Love With Your SoulWhat makes our connections with each other so amazing?What makes us so unique as human beings?What makes two people forgive each other?What makes us fill our souls with overwhelming joy?What makes life worth living?The answer is love.We have been put here on earth for one reason: to love one another.We all have the unique ability to touch each other’s lives for the better.We all have the capability to open our hearts.We all have the opportunity to be inspired by love – and to inspire others by loving.It can carry you through a long night of work, when it seems like you can’t go any further.It can unite family members that haven’t talked for years because of an argument.It can bring two soul mates together to say “Til Death do us part.”It can bring a smile to a father’s face when he sees his son walk for the first time.It can lift the hopes of a homeless person when a stranger offers a helping hand.It can give you butterflies in your stomach, when you look into the eyes of your soul mate.It knows no boundaries. It's forgiving. It's joyful. It's compassionate. It's why we're here.Nelson Wang is the founder of www.ceolifestyle.io