p.4 The problem is that we've lost our ability to be seduced by the world. Children are
enthralled by everything, because it's all new. As adults, though, we believe we've been there, been everywhere; done
that, done everything... And we don't know how to fix it.
p.4 When you visit a personal trainer for purposes of physical fitness, you generally exercise every major
muscle group in your body before you consider yourself to have "worked out." Yet, on the mental side of the equation, we let
scads of our precious brain bandwidth lie dormant with nary a thought as to the damage that chronic inactivity is doing to
us.
p.5 Cross-training our brain leads to becoming a generalist. A generalist is a gloriously restless
person whose penchant for variety of diverse interests allows him or her to acquire all kinds of skills, curiosities, and
enthusiams.
p.6 My point is that the pendulum has swung too far in the direction of super-specialists. This has led
to a pervasive, as-yet-unacknowledged dulling of our brains, as we're exercising only that comparatively small portion required
to perform cosmetic dentistry or tax law or plumbing... My task, in this book, is to... [provide] you with the tools
to build a fully fit brain... to cross-train your brain by using and stimulating all of its potential... The idea is to build
a more complex, interconnected brain that can be deployed in service to your work, your leisure - anything.
p.7-8 by strategically engaging in activities that have no apparent connection to your professional
specialty, you can actually become more proficient in your field... You'll soon see the remarkable benefits that
accrue by engaging in a diverse range of pursuits, rather than limiting your focus to just one thing.
p.33 A vigorous mind is a thing much to be desired. Yet, oddly, there is plenty of resistance
to the idea of it.
p.65 Wisdom is knowing what to do next
p.84 "This is so interesting!" was Richard Feynman's cri de coeur [JLJ - literally, heart
cry] and mantra for life.
p.86 Curiosity is the cornerstone of a vigorous mind.
p.89 Whatever happened to our childlike state of curiosity...? What is it about growing
up that tamps down and displaces curiosity with boredom, disinterest, and indifference?
p.190 Renaissance man Ben Franklin knew how important it was to stretch his mind - and he even knew how
to do it.
p.244 To this day, it's been estimated that at least half of this nation's cache of intellectuals
have exercised their choice to be independents - those who are dedicated to independent scholarship
p.265 In Frans Johansson's book The Medici Effect, Gadiesh has this to say about systems thinking:
"You have to be willing to 'waste time' on things that are not directly relevant to your work because you
are curious. But then you are able to, sometimes unconsciously, integrate them back into your work."
...I feel compelled to reiterate that the world needs macro-view thinkers as much as it needs micro-view thinkers.
The trick is for everybody to identify their own way of being, and then make their particular contribution with gusto, verve,
and tenacity.
p.271-272 Inventors are typically highly inspirational systems thinkers, since they generally possess
an ability to take innovations that already exist and combine them in new and revolutionary ways. They see connections
where others do not or cannot, building upon component parts that are already available to create something wholly original...
It's the unique ability to make these types of connections that is so relevant to generalists in the workplace.
