Daily notes

Question 1

When someone warms up a conversation by sharing his/her preferences over things, don’t defend my own preference. There is no need to argue for that.

Answer 1

Think strategically, Act opportunistically.

Question 2

when I’m ambivalent, don’t try to push myself to be not ambivalent but instead, pay attention to the drivers of ambivalence: fears, doubts, hesitations, debates in my head. ambivalence is neither good or bad, it is just it. don’t judge it.

Answer 2

The more praise you give away, the more comes back to you.

Question 3

A mind that trusts itself is light on its feet, unemcumbered by irrelevant attachments,able to respond quickly to novelty because it is open to seeing.

Answer 3

fortune seldom comes in the form or at the time you expect it. but you can make certain that if it comes, you aren’t standing in the way.

Question 4

Self-esteem does not find change frightening since it flows with reality instead of fighting it. It speeds up reaction time instead of retarding it. It enables us to manage changes.

Answer 4

15x18=270

Question 5

Facts are a higher priority than beliefs.

Answer 5

Truth is a higher value than having been right.

Question 6

When I feel centered in myself, secure with my own boundaries, confident in my right to say yes when I want to say yes and no when I want to say no, benevolence is the natural result. there is no need to fear others, no need to protect myself behind a fortress of hostility or aggression. if I am secure in my right to exist, confident that I belong yo myself, unthreatened by certainty and self-confidence in others, than cooperation with them to achieve shared goals tends to develop.

Answer 6

15x13=195

Question 7

when self-esteem is low, we are often manipulated by fear. we live more to avoid pain than to experience joy.

Answer 7

Self-esteem affects our emotional incentives. Our feelings tend to encourage or discourage thinking, to draw us toward facts, truth, and reality, ir away from them, toward efficacy or away from it.

Question 8

We need to challenge the belief that our interests are best served by blindness and that is it only our unconsciousness that makes life bearable.

Answer 8

Poor self-esteem draws us to the most damaging explanations of our behaviors instead of logical ones. so when we are confronted with unjust accusations from others, we may feel disarmed and incapable of confuting their claims; we may accept the charges as true, paralyzed and exhausted by a heavy feeling of “how can I decide?”

Question 9

If I were to aks you…, chances are good that …..

Answer 9

It’s as if by the mere use of …, ….

Question 10

Think about it: …… . Coincidence?

Answer 10

While there are good reasons why …, …

Question 11

When you think of …, it helps to think of them not so much as …. but more as …

Answer 11

To get a sense for …., consider …

Question 12

Should you ever verb….,

Answer 12

a bit —> rather, somewhat, in part, to some degree, to some extent

Question 13

a bit of / a little bit

Answer 13

a remnant of

Question 14

a certain amount of

Answer 14

a measure of

Question 15

a certain way

Answer 15

a given manner

Question 16

a different story

Answer 16

another matter entirely

Question 17

a done deal

Answer 17

an accomplished fact

a fait accompli

Question 18

a few years ago

Answer 18

some years ago

Question 19

a kind of

Answer 19

a …of sorts

Question 20

You will learn a lot.

Answer 20

You will learn a great deal.

Question 21

a lot happened during

Answer 21

Much did happen during

Question 22

A lot like

Answer 22

It recalls a certain
It’s much like
It is reminiscent of
It is akin to
It is much the same as
It’s —-ian
It bears a resemblance to

Question 23

A lot of

Answer 23

A wealth of
A host of
extensive
a goodly manner of (playful)
a fair amount of
considerable

Question 24

a mile away

Answer 24

a mile distant

Question 25

a specific way

Answer 25

a given manner

Question 26

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Answer 26

Parkinson’s law: work expands to fill the time available for its completion.
people often procrastinate until the last minute.

Question 27

10/10/10 rule: when we make a decision, we should ask how we will feel about this decision in 10 minutes, 10 months and 10 years, so we will consider both short-term and long-term impacts of this decision and not allow emotions to get the best of you.

Answer 27

The Eisenhower Matrix: using urgency and importance two dimensions yo prioritize tasks.

Question 28

Circle of competence (Warren Buffett): focus on a particular area where we feel naturally strong.

Answer 28

Second-order thinking: take a step back and ask questions about the consequences of our actions/decisions. this can help critical thinking.

Question 29

Probabilistic thinking: due to uncertainty of worldly events, we should consider likelihood of success of our desired outcomes before we act.

Answer 29

Inversion thinking: sometimes, instead of thinking about solutions yo our problems, we can flip our thinking to map out obstacles that prevent us from solving our problems. or, think about things that can get us out of troubles.

Question 30

The map is not territory: map is a map, not a full picture of reality. if we have a map/manual, we should not stop seeking to understand the reality and not stop chasing truth. Don’t be rigid to changes or new information and knowledge. Be open to possibilities.

Answer 30

First principles thinking: think like a scientist.

a common roadblock to First principles thinking is human tendency to imitate.

Question 31

Compounding knowledge: a growth will come out of our previous growth. For this, we should differentiate overarching knowledge and expiring information (i.e. news).

Answer 31

Occam’s razor: between two explanations for an occurrence, the one requiring the least assumptions is usually correct. a thinking about simplicity and sufficiency.

Question 32

Self-esteem is the reputation we acquire with ourselves.

Answer 32

To live consciously means to seek to be aware of everything that bears on our actions, purposes, values, and goals - to the best of our ability, whatever that ability may be - and to behave in accordance with that which we see and know.

Question 33

let’s not muddy the pool by discussing …. and focus on…

Answer 33

he fell onto the sword to protect out reputation.

Question 34

you look like you have all cares of the world on your shoulders.

Answer 34

why don’t I feel reassuring?

Question 35

I wish you knew how much I want to help.

Answer 35

my opinion has no place in this.

Question 36

we’ve been on the edge of this so many times, pls don’t take me there again unless you’re sure.

Answer 36

You’re being tested. Tests only make you stronger.

Question 37

I just ask you to introduce a little bit kindness to this equation.

Answer 37

0

Question 38

Habits that get you stuck in life:

1. put too many items on to-do list
2. you don’t manage goals in small steps
3. you don’t actually engage in life

Answer 38

Fear and pain should be treated as signals not to close our eyes but to open them wider, not to look away but to look more attentively.

Question 39

People will help you if they owe you for something you did in the past to advance their goals. when people thank us, don’t say “no big deal”, say “of course, it’s what …(i.e. partners) do for each other.” label it in the way (i.e. two-way partnership) you want the relationship to be. - Rule of reciprocity.

Answer 39

Two-way partnership can balance between generosity and productivity.

Question 40

Daniel Kahneman’s work shows that in front if uncertainty, notions of loss are psychologically more powerful than notions of gain.

Answer 40

when people are uncertain about things, they usually don’t look inside themselves for answers. they look to authority for answers: what do the experts think about this topic? more specific, not the person in authority but an authority.

Question 41

User peer pressure to influence people. when people see themselves as part of a larger group that has a shared identity, they are willing to take steps they wouldn’t take for their individual interests.

Answer 41

we like people who are like us. - a principle of influence.

Question 42

In a world where crossing boundaries is routine, CQ becomes a vitally important aptitude and skill.

Answer 42

a person with high EQ gasps what makes us human and different from each other.

a person with high cultural intelligence can somehow tease out of a person’s or a group’s behavior those features that would be true of all people, those peculiar to this person or this group, and those that are neither universal nor idiosyncratic. the vast realm that lies between those two poles is culture.

Question 43

We should have a sharp distinction between the merit of an idea with merit of the person presenting it.

Answer 43

3 components of cultural intelligence:

1. cognitive: learn about beliefs, customs and taboos of foreign cultures and devise learning strategies to do that. don’t equate the first representative’s behavior with the culture, look for consistencies.
2. body: ability to receive and reciprocate gestures, demeanors and mannerisms that are culturally characteristic reflects a high level of CQ
3. heart: it takes perseverance and confidence to master a new culture’s norms

Question 44

cultural intelligence profiles:
provincial (very local to their own cultures)
the analyst
the natural
the ambassador 
the mimic
the chameleon

Answer 44

to build CG, it can start with simple things like having a coffee, shopping, then move to more serious topics.

Question 45

Daily news words: US Navy commanding officer was removed after he distributed a letter about COVID-19 outbreak in Navy
removal / dismissal /relieve
ovation
a bleak situation
began falling ill
dispute the notion that …
presidential contender/presidential front-runner
stem/halt the outbreak
probe the incident /look into issues surrounding….
aircraft carrier / vessel / warship
a warship commanding officer/capital/crew members
exercise poor judgment
broadly distribute the letter
put..on defensive

Answer 45

Daily news words: US Navy commanding officer was removed after he distributed a letter about COVID-19 outbreak in Navy

a scathing letter (批评的）
the backlash has been intense
applauded and hailed him as a hero
thunderous applause and cheering for Crozier
face disciplinary action
the chain of command
a lightning-rod political issue (???)
have a chilling effect on others in the Navy
withholding some detailed data
avoid undermining the perception of U.S. military readiness for a crisis or conflict
active-duty service members
An online petition calling for Crozier to be reinstated
speaking on condition of anonymity.

Question 46

Denigrate vt.

Answer 46

贬低，诽谤

Question 47

transgression

Answer 47

可以用作复数, 违反社会规范