Tag: YouTube

Amelia Earhart, Unlimited Power, Coach Carter, Sprouts, and a Guinean Proverb

Amelia Earhart, Unlimited Power, Coach Carter, Sprouts, and a Guinean Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on May 28, 2023

Sunday Supplement #107 (May 28th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“The most effective way to do it is to do it.”

– Amelia Earhart

Book of the Week:

Unlimited Power – Anthony Robbins

I remember Tony Robbins being spoofed a lot when I was growing up. The self-help genre had a rep of just a bunch of hot air in most circles.

Thankfully, I found my way to the self-help genre in my early twenties. While some of it can be hot air, there are gems out there that share profound information for self-improvement.

I shared Tony Robbins’s Awaken The Giant Within in Sunday Supplement #30. In that post, I describe how I’m not a fan of his voice or seminars, but his books are gold.

Unlimited Power was Tony Robbins’s first published self-help book. I think Awaken the Giant Within is better, but Unlimited Power is worth the read.

The prompts Robbins provides in the book help get you out of your comfort zone, and his information is full of valuable tips and tools for making positive steps in your life.

Movie of the Week:

Coach Carter

I’m a big fan of the sports genre in film. I think there are many life lessons that can be explored throughout the metaphor of sports.

Coach Carter is a fictional story about the real-life basketball coach Ken Carter and his decision to bench his entire team for breaking their academic contract with him.

Samuel L. Jackson plays Carter in the film, and he returns to the high school where he achieved great heights on the court.

Carter is dismayed by the state of the athletic program and the expectations of his students. He implements a rigorous program to help the students on the court and in the classroom.

The film is a pretty straightforward narrative, but the lessons around expectations and internal motivation leave a lasting impression that makes it more than a sports movie for me.

Brainfood of the Week:

Societal Expectations and Internal Desires | Sprouts

Sprouts starts their video by defining motivation as the experience of wanting something or wanting to avoid something.

They explain the breakdown of motivation into two contrary forces: extrinsic and intrinsic.

Extrinsic motivation drives thinking and behavior from the outside through rewards, while intrinsic motivation comes from within and is a form of natural curiosity.

The video offers an example of a child left to explore and a child guided by rules. It’s an oversimplified example, but it shows both benefits and downfalls.

I’ve featured an excellent book on the topic with a better breakdown of the subject in Sunday Supplement #97 – Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.

Sprouts makes educational videos about psychology, pedagogy, and child development. I’ve featured them in previous Sunday Supplements and enjoy their content.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.”

– Guinean Proverb

This Guinea Proverb is straightforward but can be a powerful reminder not to slip into the mindset that bad times will always last.

I think these simple messages hold powerful truths that we can often forget when we find ourselves feeling low.

When I come across proverbs, verses, and quotes like these, I try to pause and reflect on how to move forward.

For this proverb, I think of the concept of spring and ask myself, besides knowing the spring will come, is there anything I can do in the winter to help take care of myself and prepare?

Pursue the little things that help you move forward and gain momentum, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Ansel Adams, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, The Lost City of Z, Insider Tech, and a Quran Passage

Ansel Adams, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, The Lost City of Z, Insider Tech, and a Quran Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on May 21, 2023

Sunday Supplement #106 (May 21st, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“In wisdom gathered over time, I have found that every experience is a form of exploration.”

– Ansel Adams

Book of the Week:

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars – Christopher Paolini

Christopher Paolini is probably best known for his Inheritance Cycle series and was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the youngest author of a bestselling book series.

Almost a decade after the last novel in his famous Inheritance Cycle series, Paolini published the adult Sci-Fi novel To Sleep in a Sea of Stars.

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars follows xenobiologist Kira Navárez in 2257 as she discovers an ancient alien technology that covers her body.

Different parties want the technology that has bound itself to Navárez, and the xenobiologist finds herself in an outbreak of war that threatens Earth and its colonies.

The novel is a beautiful exploration of science fiction and humanity. Rarely do I read books around a thousand pages and am completely fulfilled with the entire journey.

Movie of the Week:

The Lost City of Z

David Grann’s New York Times bestseller The Lost City of Z was adapted to the 2016 film of the same name starring Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, and Tom Holland.

The film follows British explorer Percy Fawcett and his explorations to the Amazon in the early 1900s to find a supposed ancient lost city.

The Lost City of Z was not a financial success, but it received praise from critics. The acting and cinematography, in particular, were outstanding.

I don’t think the film is for everyone, but if you enjoy a slower-paced film with historical context and an intriguing story, check this one out.

Brainfood of the Week:

This Incredible Animation Shows How Deep The Ocean Really Is | Insider Tech

This Insider Tech video starts with the question, “Just how deep does the ocean go?” The following animation gives a perspective of how deep the ocean actually is.

If you took the highest point on land and submerged it, you would still have more than a mile between you and the deepest point in the oceans.

The video breaks down some of the history of human exploration in the oceans and the animals that live in its depths.

At the end of the video, Insider Tech discusses the Challenger Deep trench and how scientists estimate there are potentially thousands of marine species we have yet to discover.

Insider Tech’s YouTube page has over 4 million subscribers and shares videos regularly about technology.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“If you have the power to go beyond the bounds of the heavens and the earth, go beyond them!”

– Surah Ar-Rahman 55:33

This passage from the Quran is often quoted in the context of space travel but is often interpreted as meaning you cannot escape Allah’s (God’s) grasp.

I think there is worth in looking into both the call to explore and the idea that we cannot escape Allah’s (God’s) grasp.

The latter is one I believe is something that holds us to our actions. Whether or not you believe in a God, I think we have to answer for our actions in some way.

For the former on exploration, I think it is a call to search far and wide for meaning. Maybe we come back to the realms of earth and heaven, but I believe we were meant to explore.

Explore yourself and the world, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Gabrielle Bernstein, Man’s Search for Meaning, Drive My Car, Daily Stoic, and a Kenyan Proverb

Gabrielle Bernstein, Man’s Search for Meaning, Drive My Car, Daily Stoic, and a Kenyan Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on April 23, 2023

Sunday Supplement #102 (April 23rd, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“The way we experience the world around us is a direct reflection of the world within us.”

– Gabrielle Bernstein

Book of the Week:

Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor E. Frankl

Man’s Search for Meaning frequently appears whenever I peruse lists for best self-help books or similar searches on the most influential books ever published.

Viktor Frankl was a psychiatrist and a Holocaust survivor. His memoir Man’s Search for Meaning recounts his time in various concentration camps and what he learned.

In the book, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering, but we can choose how to cope, find meaning, and move forward with purpose.

Frankl’s theory of logotherapy (the primary human drive as the pursuit of meaning, not pleasure) is explained in the book.

Reading about Frankl’s experiences is enough for a recommendation of this book, but it also provides a perspective worth taking a look at.

Movie of the Week:

Drive My Car

The 2021 film Drive My Car won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film and was nominated for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Directing, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi wrote and directed the film about a renowned stage actor and director who learns to cope with a personal loss after accepting an offer to direct a production of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya.

Hamaguchi adapted the screenplay from Haruki Murakami’s collection of short stories, Men Without Women. Murakami is one of my favorite authors (although I’ve only featured him in Sunday Supplement #5), and this film brilliantly captures his writing.

The film explores themes of trauma, grief, guilt, and recovery in a way that honors Murakami’s writing and provides a special cinematic experience.

I highly recommend checking it out.

Brainfood of the Week:

5 Life Changing Journaling Habits from the Stoics | Daily Stoic

The intro of this video is of Ryan Holiday discussing his journaling journey and the different prompts you can focus on for journaling.

Holiday then moves on to the video’s main focus, which is a general guide of five tips for journaling.

One of my favorite parts is when Holiday discusses the Anne Frank quote, “Paper is more patient than people.” He goes on to discuss the utility of journaling in this context.

I featured Ryan Holiday’s book The Obstacle is the Way on Sunday Supplement #36. His Daily Stoic YouTube channel has over a million subscribers.

The video is worth checking out, and if you like it, check out more of his work.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“He who refuses to obey cannot command.”

– Kenyan Proverb

This Kenyan proverb reminds me of the necessity and value of listening to others and keeping an open mind.

I sometimes find myself tuning out when someone offers advice or tells of their experience, which I don’t think has any connection with me.

When my mind wanders, I try to snap back to the present moment and listen without judgment. It’s in these moments that I find a connection.

I think it’s sometimes difficult to listen to others with an open mind, but I think it’s worth doing so even if you later reflect that there wasn’t something to gain.

The exercise of reflecting on ideas from outside ourselves helps us continue to grow and be open to new information.

Be open to new information, reflect on how we want to move forward, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Jay Shetty, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Kung Fu Panda, After Skool, and a Japanese Proverb

Jay Shetty, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Kung Fu Panda, After Skool, and a Japanese Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on April 16, 2023

Sunday Supplement #101 (April 16th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“If you can build a muscle, you can build a mindset.”

– Jay Shetty

Book of the Week:

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success – Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra’s The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success discusses seven simple principles that help cultivate a mindset that brings success.

The principles have some basis in Hinduism, and Chopra breaks down each principle into actionable steps to help change your perspective and invite success.

An example of one of the principles is 6. The Law of Detachment. In this chapter, Chopra discusses the benefits of not trying to change people and force solutions, but seeing how you can adapt to each situation or move on.

Chopra has written numerous New York Times bestsellers and was described by Time magazine as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.

I’ve featured Chopra in two previous Brainfood of the Week sections and believe his work is worth checking out.

Movie of the Week:

Kung Fu Panda

The 2008 Dreamworks film Kung Fu Panda tells the story of a clumsy panda surprisingly chosen as the protector of the Valley of Peace in the wake of a villain’s pending attack.

Kung Fu Panda is a simple film with a powerful message of perspective and self-belief. It also packs many laughs and an entertaining story.

The film was also a commercial success and went on to have three sequels, multiple television show spinoffs, video games, and more.

In addition to its huge commercial success, the original Kung Fu Panda was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year.

I haven’t seen any of the other films or subsequent spinoffs, but I thoroughly enjoyed the original and recommend it as a fun and uplifting watch.

Brainfood of the Week:

Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset – Mike Rashid | After Skool

After Skool is a YouTube channel that animates videos as the backdrop to various life lessons presented by various individuals and texts.

Former professional boxer, entrepreneur in the wellness space, and host of the Civil Mind Savage Body podcast, Mike Rashid, shares his story and perspective for this video.

Rashid breaks down the differences between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. He shares his life experience and how he embraces a growth mindset.

Lessons from the video include using problems as motivating factors and knowing that intelligence and skill can be improved with effort.

I featured After Skool in Sunday Supplement #16, and I’m glad for the opportunity to return to their channel to share this video.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“One man’s fault is another’s lesson.” (人のふり見てわがふり直せ)

– Japanese Proverb

This Japanese proves reminds me of the usefulness of thinking about how I interpret things and what I want to gain from them.

Instead of criticizing someone else’s behavior, you can use the situation as an opportunity to correct your own.

Another’s fault can also be a chance to catch yourself before you react and an occasion to support someone else instead of putting them down.

The opportunities for pausing and thinking about how you want to interpret things can be elusive, but seeing someone else’s fault is a chance to reframe your perspective.

Work on your ideal mindset, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Mahatma Gandhi, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Intouchables, Einzelgänger, and a Chinese Proverb

Mahatma Gandhi, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Intouchables, Einzelgänger, and a Chinese Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on March 5, 2023

Sunday Supplement #95 (March 5th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

Book of the Week:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is narrated in the first-person from the perspective of Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old boy who investigates the death of a neighbor’s dog.

Christopher is described as a mathematician with some behavioral difficulties. The book refers to Asperger syndrome, which is an autism spectrum disorder today.

Haddon’s novel is a thought-provoking exploration of being observed as an outsider and seeing the world differently.

Christopher’s journey in the novel goes beyond the mystery of the neighbor’s dog and has a powerful story worthy of its praise and awards.

The novel is considered Haddon’s first novel published for adults. It also has an edition meant for children.

Movie of the Week:

The Intouchables

A young man, recently released from prison, is challenged by a wealthy quadriplegic man to become his caregiver.

This French film has a simple premise, but the characters bring out the best of this wonderful and heartfelt story.

François Cluzet and Omar Sy star as the wealthy aristocrat and the young man, but the supporting cast of Anne Le Ny, Audrey Fleurot, and Grégoire Oestermann make the most of every scene they are in.

There is an American remake with Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston. I haven’t seen it, but when a foreign film is remade for America, I think it signals that the original is worth seeing.

Brainfood of the Week:

The Less You Seek, The More You’ll Find | The Happiness Paradox | Einzelgänger

Einzelgänger’s video starts with an example of how trying to reject negative mental spaces often makes things worse.

If you try to chase happiness directly, you often find it escapes your grasp. Conversely, if you stop searching, you might find it more easily.

Einzelgänger explores The Happiness Paradox in depth in his 12-minute video. He goes over philosophers’ perspectives as well as recent scientific studies.

The video goes over how The Happiness Paradox works, gives examples of research into the paradox, and provides alternative strategies for living with meaning.

I’ve featured Einzelgänger’s channel in previous Sunday Supplements. If you enjoy the content, check out the other videos I’ve posted or his channel on YouTube.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“A person without a smiling face must not open a shop.”

– Chinese Proverb

This Chinese Proverb has a surface-level interpretation and one that prompts me to think much deeper about my engagement with others.

On the surface, the proverb explains how a business will likely perform poorly if the person behind the counter doesn’t have a smile.

Customers might not want to engage with a standoffish or frowning business owner. However, the deeper thought behind the proverb makes me think about how my demeanor affects my engagement with others.

I don’t think you should pretend to be happy all the time, but I think being closed off can prevent or discourage others from reaching out.

Try to welcome others in your life with a smile, and have a blessed week ahead!

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