Official Review: Instant Wisdom by Beth Burgess
Posted: 27 Oct 2018, 12:33
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Instant Wisdom" by Beth Burgess.]
4 out of 4 stars
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“Every view you hold should be up for debate if you truly want to be wise.” -Beth Burgess
We humans tend to become attached to our beliefs, feeling righteous about our positions and loyal to what we “know.” But what if that loyalty were stifling our ability to be smarter? In her 2018 non-fiction book, Instant Wisdom: 10 Easy Ways to Get Smart Fast, Beth Burgess invites us to open our minds to the possibility that wisdom is ours for the taking if we are willing to adopt some new practices.
Burgess, a therapist who helps others overcome challenges like addiction, trauma, and anxiety, has come to her work by way of significant obstacles. Severe childhood anxiety led to full-blown alcoholism, hospitalizations, and nearly cost Burgess her life. She coped initially by avoiding anxiety-provoking situations but found her anxiety was getting worse. In recovery, she learned that developing tools for managing the anxiety was much more effective than avoiding it. From this place, Burgess began discovering techniques that improve capacity for learning and intelligence.
Anyone can become smarter, according to Burgess, by incorporating a few tools into daily life. Empathy, open-mindedness and curiosity rise to the top of the prescription for wisdom. And rehearsing mentally or processing questions and problems out loud can cue the brain to sharpen its focus or recall a memory. The book contains dozens of simple yet effective techniques for boosting our wisdom. I have used some of these techniques myself and can attest they work to align intentions and initiate change. I am thrilled to discover from Beth Burgess’ work that these practices I use for manifestation are also making me smarter. Ever wonder why laughter is contagious? Get ready to find out what happiness can do for your brain!
Managing to be both professional and humorous in tone, Burgess often pokes fun at the human condition or her own foibles. Her writing style is unique in that she likes to communicate in short, one- or two-sentence paragraphs. It took me a minute to adapt to the style, but I ended up liking it and enjoying her logical divisions of thought. The book’s format and organization are impeccable. The content is divided into sections and subsections that make sense and reflect the thesis of the book. Burgess evidently used a professional editor, as I found only one error. There is really nothing that misses the mark in this book. A couple of sections in the second half moved a bit slowly, such as a long section about children’s brains, which seemed to diverge a bit from the author’s thesis. But this was a minor departure from the impressive list of solid tools offered in the book.
If her personal successes aren’t evidence enough, Burgess backs up her advice with scientific research. And yes, research shows that exercising contributes to learning ability and other cognitive processes. Guess it’s time to dig out that treadmill. Overall, this book succeeds in imparting quick, simple techniques for boosting our capacity for wisdom. I gladly rate Instant Wisdom 4 out of 4 stars. It is the first in the author’s Wiseism series, and I look forward to subsequent issues. If you are looking for some good research on how to boost your smarts, this is your book. An essential first step in shifting the brain into learning-efficiency mode arises from simply considering someone else’s point of view. And it’s not a bad idea, anyway. This book will make you smarter. Truly. I’m off to catch some shut-eye which – as you might guess – is on the list of things that will make me smarter.
******
Instant Wisdom
View: on Bookshelves | on Smashwords
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4 out of 4 stars
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“Every view you hold should be up for debate if you truly want to be wise.” -Beth Burgess
We humans tend to become attached to our beliefs, feeling righteous about our positions and loyal to what we “know.” But what if that loyalty were stifling our ability to be smarter? In her 2018 non-fiction book, Instant Wisdom: 10 Easy Ways to Get Smart Fast, Beth Burgess invites us to open our minds to the possibility that wisdom is ours for the taking if we are willing to adopt some new practices.
Burgess, a therapist who helps others overcome challenges like addiction, trauma, and anxiety, has come to her work by way of significant obstacles. Severe childhood anxiety led to full-blown alcoholism, hospitalizations, and nearly cost Burgess her life. She coped initially by avoiding anxiety-provoking situations but found her anxiety was getting worse. In recovery, she learned that developing tools for managing the anxiety was much more effective than avoiding it. From this place, Burgess began discovering techniques that improve capacity for learning and intelligence.
Anyone can become smarter, according to Burgess, by incorporating a few tools into daily life. Empathy, open-mindedness and curiosity rise to the top of the prescription for wisdom. And rehearsing mentally or processing questions and problems out loud can cue the brain to sharpen its focus or recall a memory. The book contains dozens of simple yet effective techniques for boosting our wisdom. I have used some of these techniques myself and can attest they work to align intentions and initiate change. I am thrilled to discover from Beth Burgess’ work that these practices I use for manifestation are also making me smarter. Ever wonder why laughter is contagious? Get ready to find out what happiness can do for your brain!
Managing to be both professional and humorous in tone, Burgess often pokes fun at the human condition or her own foibles. Her writing style is unique in that she likes to communicate in short, one- or two-sentence paragraphs. It took me a minute to adapt to the style, but I ended up liking it and enjoying her logical divisions of thought. The book’s format and organization are impeccable. The content is divided into sections and subsections that make sense and reflect the thesis of the book. Burgess evidently used a professional editor, as I found only one error. There is really nothing that misses the mark in this book. A couple of sections in the second half moved a bit slowly, such as a long section about children’s brains, which seemed to diverge a bit from the author’s thesis. But this was a minor departure from the impressive list of solid tools offered in the book.
If her personal successes aren’t evidence enough, Burgess backs up her advice with scientific research. And yes, research shows that exercising contributes to learning ability and other cognitive processes. Guess it’s time to dig out that treadmill. Overall, this book succeeds in imparting quick, simple techniques for boosting our capacity for wisdom. I gladly rate Instant Wisdom 4 out of 4 stars. It is the first in the author’s Wiseism series, and I look forward to subsequent issues. If you are looking for some good research on how to boost your smarts, this is your book. An essential first step in shifting the brain into learning-efficiency mode arises from simply considering someone else’s point of view. And it’s not a bad idea, anyway. This book will make you smarter. Truly. I’m off to catch some shut-eye which – as you might guess – is on the list of things that will make me smarter.
******
Instant Wisdom
View: on Bookshelves | on Smashwords
Like Eva Darrington's review? Post a comment saying so!