Where do you go for your intellectual feast? Pity the man who has a favorite restaurant but not a favorite author. He’s picked out a favorite place to feed his body, but he doesn’t have a favorite place to feed his mind!
One way to feed your mind and educate your philosophy is through the writings of influential people. Maybe you can’t meet the person, but you can read his or her books. Churchill is gone, but we still have his books. Aristotle is gone, but we still have his ideas. Search libraries for books and programs. Search magazines. Search documentaries. They are full of opportunities for intellectual feasting.
In addition to reading and listening, you also need a chance to do some talking and sharing. I (Jim Rohn) have some people in my life who help me with important life questions, who assist me in refining my own philosophy, weighing my values, and pondering questions about success and lifestyle.
We all need association with people of substance to provide influence concerning major issues such as society, money, enterprise, family, government, love, friendship, culture, taste, opportunity, and community. Philosophy is mostly influenced by ideas, and ideas are mostly influenced by education, and education is mostly influenced by the people with whom we associate.
One of the great fortunes of my life was to be around Mr. Shoaff those five years. During that time he shared with me–at dinner, during airline flights, at business conferences, in private conversations, in groups–he gave me many ideas that enabled me to make small daily adjustments in my philosophy and activities. Those daily changes–some very slight but very important–soon added up to weighty sums.
A big part of the lesson was having Mr. Shoaff repeat the ideas over and over. You just can’t hear the fundamentals of life philosophy too often. They are the greatest form of nutrition, the building blocks for a well-developed mind.
* Source: Leading an Inspired Life by Jim Rohn