A Better Way to Learn
The samurai-ninja-gangster way to ingest and digest ridiculous amounts of information is by saying:
1) “Hell No” to reading non-fiction books cover-to-cover, and
2) “Oh, Hell Yes” to non-linear reading.
You can get 80 percent of the knowledge you need from a non-fiction book, in 10 percent of the reading time, by using one of the below methods:
1) Read the introduction, the conclusion, and then the first and last paragraphs of each chapter.
2) Three to five summaries of the book that come up when you type “summary of [book name]” into a Google search. (I’m a fan of Blinkist and GoodReads)
The obvious exception is when you want to read (or listen to) a book cover-to-cover, because you really do want to read every word. Simon Sinek has been my go-to for that fix lately.
Mindfulness books as well. That’s the exception. . .
So that’s fast-reading. Fast learning, for me anyway, involves a second step: copy/pasting summaries into a separate document (I use Evernote), and then turning those summaries into 1-2 pages of bullet points. That’s how I studied for the bar exam and that’s how I learn from non-fiction books now.
And if you want to cement concepts in your brain really efficiently, learn the technique of mind mapping.
For more on the different ways to read, check out:
- How to Read a Book
- The “4 Hour” Books by Tim Ferriss will teach you how to learn (and do) literally anything faster
And here are some Summaries I’ve made in just the past few weeks using the above methods (all really great books on leadership and money; strong recommendation from me for anyone who wants to lead, have influence, and/or improve their financial game:
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Pat Lencioni
- Leadership is Language by David Marquet
- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
Canceling Contracts: Which Sales Have a Cooling Off Period and Which Do Not
As it turns out, there’s some truth to the cliché that contracts are made to be broken. But not all contracts are made to be broken, and not all the time. What Does the Law Say About Canceling Contracts? The law recognizes that sometimes the ability to cancel a contract works in the public interest: sometimes a consumer buys a product or service in high-pressure, high-stress circumstances and could use a “cooling off” period before truly committing.
As a result, there is a collection of federal and state laws in Ohio that specifically list the limited types of transactions requiring a cooling-off period.
Learn more in this week’s featured article.
U.S. Hiring Trends Remain Strong Despite Inflation Fears
Two-and-a-half years after the pandemic shutdown threw millions out of work and one-and-a-half years after the economy began rebounding, demand for workers remains strong. With 11.2 million U.S. job positions still unfilled as of early August, the Wall Street Journal predicts that demand for workers will likely remain high for some time. Job openings far outpace unemployment numbers, and the number of layoffs has remained flat month-to-month, surprising those who anticipated that the Federal Reserve’s efforts to cool off the economy would put the brakes on hiring.
Learn more in this week’s featured article.
Acquiring an Insurance Agency: How to Be a Smart Buyer
BY COLIN O’DONNELL
Successful businesses never remain stagnant: they constantly adjust strategies and operations based on changes in the industry and the economy. This is just as true for insurance agencies as for any other industry. For an ambitious agency owner, expanding their business by acquiring existing agencies is one popular method. But agency acquisitions can be a risky business, according to a recent trade association survey. Results of the survey showed that 90 percent of agency acquisitions lose money. Experts believe the failure to conduct a thorough due-diligence process is a primary reason for the low chance of success.
Learn more in this week’s featured article.
Welcome Zena Elliott!
We are pleased to welcome our new senior attorney, Zena Elliott, Esq.!
Zena previously held the title of an Attorney General for the State of Ohio, representing the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and the Industrial Commission of Ohio in several common pleas county courts in Northeast Ohio. Before joining the Attorney General’s office, Zena worked for over 25 years in private practice representing individuals, entities, and public employers primarily in the areas of litigation, contract, school law, estate planning, employment, and workers’ compensation law. She has represented both employees and employers in jury trials involving workers’ compensation appeals.
Read more about Zena’s expertise on our website and check out her recently published article regarding Employee Personnel Files.
Inspirational Quotes
Here are some damn good ideas from some damn good people. Maybe they’ll inspire you too…
