STRENGTH SENSEI BOOKSHELF
Life 101
A look at one of Charles R. Poliquin’s favorite self-help books
Although the Strength Sensei focused on teaching the art and science of strength coaching, occasionally he would step outside the box and recommend self-help books to deal with the mental and spiritual challenges of life. One such book was Life 101: Everything We Wish We Had Learned About Life In School — But Didn’t.
Life 101 was written by Peter McWilliams, a self-help author who died of cancer on June 14, 2000, at age 50. He was best known for The TM Book, which discussed the value of Transcendental Meditation, which he co-authored with Denise Denniston. It was published in 1975 and landed at the top of the New York Times bestseller list for three weeks.
He was also an advocate for the legalization of marijuana. He wrote Ain’t Nobody’s Business if You Do: The Absurdity of Consensual Crimes in Our Free Society, which was published in 1993 and endorsed by the Libertarian Party as it favored the legalization of drugs.
McWilliams wrote 40 books that could be considered easy reads, and often you would find gems of wisdom packed in a few sentences. Here are some examples:
“Be willing to be uncomfortable. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It may get tough, but it’s a small price to pay for living a dream.”
“To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the biggest mistake of all.”
“Mistakes show us what we need to learn.”
“If you’re not actively involved in getting what you want, you don’t really want it.”
“What’s more important – your goal, or other’s opinions of your goal?”
If you like such advice, then Life 101 is for you. It’s filled with commentary about all things related to our attitudes and behaviors (although most are general comments with little depth), supported by famous quotes from those in a variety of fields. For example, in a section entitled “Learning,” McWilliams quotes Harry S. Truman:
“I have found the best way
to give advice to your children
is to find out what they want
and then advise them to do it.”
Life 101 is divided into the following five sections:
Part One: Introduction To Life
Part Two: Advanced Tools For Eager Learners
Part Three: Master Teachers In Disguise
Part Four: Tools For Successful Doers
Part Five: To Have Joy And To Have It More Abundantly
These parts are divided into subcategories and often the content overlaps). The subcategories get right to the point, sometimes being labeled with just one word. In Part 3, you will find the subcategory “Mistakes.
This contains three short passages on the topic and four quotes.
The book can be read from cover to cover, but the material is presented in small chunks that can be read independently. Thus, you can flip through the book and when you find something that interests you, read it, and move on.
Life 101 was first published in 1991 and McWilliams followed it up with several reprints and revisions. Whatever version you chose, you’ll find it contains timeless wisdom that Charles R. Poliquin embraced to help him and his followers succeed in all areas of his life. Pick up a copy and see what it can offer you! (TSS)
[You can purchase Peter McWilliams Life 101: Everything We Wish We Had Learned About Life In School — But Didn’t in hardcover, paperback, and audiobook formats through Amazon.com.]
