While I have completed a book and then had it published too, it does not mean my communication is over. In one sense it is, the fundamentals in it really are done. What remains is more of each of those fundamentals - their development. My book is titled, Mental Health for Everyone,
One of the chapters describing schooling is the key to making a major dent in the problem of manic-depression and the other extreme of putting people to sleep. My sample or example in that chapter comes from the sport of track.
Since writing the book, I think the key point using track is solid, but I should have developed my approach in contrast two approaches. There are essentially three approaches to the mind's handling of relationships. They are:
fast and steady
fast and variable
slow and steady.
I should have used the story of what I will call my reformed school one mile race. In high school, I ran a race against two runners from a reformed school. One was fast and steady and the other was slow and steady. I was the one who was fast and variable.
The fast and steady runner took off in the race like it was a 400 meter or 440 yard race. He collapsed after a couple of laps. I mean he literally collapsed onto the track.
His teammate on the other hand ran steadily slow until he realized it was the last lap. Then he at the last moment took off in an effort to catch me.
Personally, I was lulled into running too slow myself by his approach to the race and by his activities leading up to the race. I call it the zombie effect. Until he took off after his procrastination in the race I had been running a too relaxed pace myself. Fortunately, a teammate let me know I should get going since the guy was coming up on my fast.
I took off harder myself with 300 meters or 330 yards to go. I in the end held him off since I had run fast, but variably based on my distance.
In this race, I knew I had to vary my pace from what I would do for 400 meters. That way I did not collapse. But I also knew to run fast still, since too slow of a pace could also lose the race. That is what happened to the second runner.
In the United States we have young people especially who are trapped by a world that is only fast and steady and eventually collapses - too often in the form of suicide or some form of breakdown. We also have many who procrastinate until the race is lost and it is too late to win the prize.
I could further the ideas in my book by developing this story. So I am doing it now. This will likely go into a second edition, if I am fast enough to get that opportunity.
The good thing is that I finished my book - I did not collapse and not finish. Likewise, I didn't drag it out until the last gasp and end up getting it out too late - I still have things left over to improve next time. I didn't engage in fruitless procrastination.
My book titled, Mental Health for Everyone, is available through Amazon and through Barnes and Noble. To get to my book simply type in my full name or the full title or both. You will find it.
If you want a bit of a preview beyond that found at Amazon.com, then you can go to youtube and watch the following (you might have to copy and paste this to your browser):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC5XDFly3GA
Have fun! Remember, it is fast and variable wins the race. Go get 'em and let's win this race!
Sincerely,
Jon Westlund
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Communication Basics: A Quick Update
It has been some time since I made an entry on this blog. My goal had originally been to resume submitting posts in August of 2014. Now we are fair distance from that time frame. So I want to offer a quick update.
My book, Mental Health for Everyone: In Captivating, Motivating, Inspiring, Meaningful Pictures is very near completion. The pictures in the book are what have me excited. Before long, I will be sharing something about at least one of them, before the book arrives on shelves.
I wish I had time today to do that, but I have to get back to writing and finishing that race before I begin another. Let me say this quickly - the book has huge implications for communication.
Imagine this - you could summarize the smarts of the two authors of the Johari Window, of Vince Lombardi in Instant Replay and John Wooden's Pyramid of Success, the wave diagrams for manic-depression and hyper-activity, and the work on education and translation by Benjamin Bloom and by Eugene Nida all on one page. Now that is something to be excited about, isn't it?
I have been very fortunate to simplify all this material to where it is now accessible from the starting line on one page! You only have to see the back side of the same sheet to picture the finish line!
That is what is in my book. The danger in a book is that the person gets lost in the forest due to too many trees. I and my editors will be working hard to make sue the pictures (or diagrams) in the book remain the focus.
Please pray that I can hasten the project along. That is enough for now. It is coming soon, I pray!
Sincerely,
Jon
P. S. Don't be too late to the start and too soon to the finish!
My book, Mental Health for Everyone: In Captivating, Motivating, Inspiring, Meaningful Pictures is very near completion. The pictures in the book are what have me excited. Before long, I will be sharing something about at least one of them, before the book arrives on shelves.
I wish I had time today to do that, but I have to get back to writing and finishing that race before I begin another. Let me say this quickly - the book has huge implications for communication.
Imagine this - you could summarize the smarts of the two authors of the Johari Window, of Vince Lombardi in Instant Replay and John Wooden's Pyramid of Success, the wave diagrams for manic-depression and hyper-activity, and the work on education and translation by Benjamin Bloom and by Eugene Nida all on one page. Now that is something to be excited about, isn't it?
I have been very fortunate to simplify all this material to where it is now accessible from the starting line on one page! You only have to see the back side of the same sheet to picture the finish line!
That is what is in my book. The danger in a book is that the person gets lost in the forest due to too many trees. I and my editors will be working hard to make sue the pictures (or diagrams) in the book remain the focus.
Please pray that I can hasten the project along. That is enough for now. It is coming soon, I pray!
Sincerely,
Jon
P. S. Don't be too late to the start and too soon to the finish!
Monday, October 13, 2014
Communication Basics: My Most Famous Mentor
My Most Famous Mentor
It is hard to choose any one person from those who have
mentored me, but my most famous mentor is former UCLA Bruins Head Coach, John Wooden. I think he chose to mentor me because of my
“famous” landlords in the LA area, Rod and Marge Rood.
Rod had been a personal friend of former President Dwight D.
Eisenhower. Rod signed the papers in
France for the 1984 Olympics to come to LA.
Marge is personal friends with
people like Vin Scully. These two UCLA
alumni were incredibly generous people.
So I want everyone to understand they gave me unimaginable open doors. It was like that magical closet in that
movie. I hope I have been grateful
enough for all that they gave me.
Coach Wooden was a very generous man himself. He answered me two major questions as a
coach. The first was this: “What are the
fundamentals of basketball?” The second
was this: “Should I be coaching or should I be doing something else with my
career?” I know personally why his
former players all look up to him.
His answer to the first question was his “Pyramid of
Success”. It consists of 15 building
blocks of success. I have been
privileged now to take those 15 blocks and then add his favorite four letter
word – love – to create an action packed diamond from it. The diamond pictures better the advantage of
the traction of action that should increase everyone’s mental health.
His answer to my second question was his life story of
coming from Indiana. He wanted to pursue
baseball, but coming out of Indiana he naturally became a basketball coach. I guess that is why coming from Wisconsin and
the land of Vince Lombardi, I naturally chose football over all the rest.
Take care.
Sincerely,
Jon
Communication Basics: My Manuscript for My Book has Been Submitted
I have not been writing as frequently on this blog or my other major blog due to my needing to complete a book manuscript for publication. It will hopefully be out by the end of the year.
The book's title is: Mental Health for Everybody: A Field Guide. I don't think I have to argue for its relevance. I might have to argue for its content.
It is a book that will bring basic scientific studies (including psychology) down to the average person's level (but not by bypassing, but by using high level expertise). I can't wait to hold the first copy in my hands.
It will define the meanings of words like teaching, coaching, schooling, and educating in ways that will foster people's basic mental health. Remember, it is a field guide.
I did my best to follow the rule of K.I.S.S. It means "Keep it Simple Silly". Take care. I will give updates as good new arrives on my book.
Sincerely,
Jon
The book's title is: Mental Health for Everybody: A Field Guide. I don't think I have to argue for its relevance. I might have to argue for its content.
It is a book that will bring basic scientific studies (including psychology) down to the average person's level (but not by bypassing, but by using high level expertise). I can't wait to hold the first copy in my hands.
It will define the meanings of words like teaching, coaching, schooling, and educating in ways that will foster people's basic mental health. Remember, it is a field guide.
I did my best to follow the rule of K.I.S.S. It means "Keep it Simple Silly". Take care. I will give updates as good new arrives on my book.
Sincerely,
Jon
Monday, July 28, 2014
Communication Basics: Being Satisfied (A Tutoring Story)
C. S. Lewis once said we are far too easily pleased. I think we would agree that this also means people are far too easily satisfied. I tend to agree with him. That is, if I can believe the opinions of some of my students when I was a tutor. I asked one of my smarter tutoring student to give me an assessment on his fellow students.
Communication Basics: Being Ready (Tutoring in a Trilingual Context)
On one occasion I was called in to tutor a young student from a trilingual home situation. One parent spoke French as their first language. The other spoke Spanish as their first language. English in a private school was going to be a challenge. Thankfully, the assessment I did (that had been passed along to me by another tutor) on that occasion pointed directly at the challenge of English to this young person's mind.
I also functioned with the rule that it is best to work on their struggles in the context of their books and assignments from school without me adding further material. I always felt that extras could overwhelm the student through violating the K.I.S.S. (Kept It Simple Silly) principle. I also felt that their context needed to be real. I had to see what they were seeing.
So I had this student read from the text and then tell me in their own words what it meant. The student read eloquently for their age, but understood little of what they read. So I worked hard to raise the level of their comprehension through using not my current far better method of ARWAT, but using traditional grammar of all things. But it worked despite my shortcomings.
I'll never forget the day I was let go. It was bittersweet. I had accomplished what I set out to do. I had raised the level of their comprehension and the span of their comprehension. Her grades demonstrated their readiness for the challenge of English. All the grades were going up.
I guess when they are ready to go it alone, I've got to be ready to let go. It truly was exhilarating and bitter at the same time. But I could tell by the look on their face that they felt differently about themselves. Maybe they now felt accepted by their teachers and peers because of their new level of school performance.
Knowing that family, I bet you that student never looked back again. It is funny what a little acceptance and a little logical understanding of a third language can do to a person's life. Take care to know where acceptable is for you.
Sincerely,
Jon
I also functioned with the rule that it is best to work on their struggles in the context of their books and assignments from school without me adding further material. I always felt that extras could overwhelm the student through violating the K.I.S.S. (Kept It Simple Silly) principle. I also felt that their context needed to be real. I had to see what they were seeing.
So I had this student read from the text and then tell me in their own words what it meant. The student read eloquently for their age, but understood little of what they read. So I worked hard to raise the level of their comprehension through using not my current far better method of ARWAT, but using traditional grammar of all things. But it worked despite my shortcomings.
I'll never forget the day I was let go. It was bittersweet. I had accomplished what I set out to do. I had raised the level of their comprehension and the span of their comprehension. Her grades demonstrated their readiness for the challenge of English. All the grades were going up.
I guess when they are ready to go it alone, I've got to be ready to let go. It truly was exhilarating and bitter at the same time. But I could tell by the look on their face that they felt differently about themselves. Maybe they now felt accepted by their teachers and peers because of their new level of school performance.
Knowing that family, I bet you that student never looked back again. It is funny what a little acceptance and a little logical understanding of a third language can do to a person's life. Take care to know where acceptable is for you.
Sincerely,
Jon
Communications Basics: Be Seeing (A story of Refereeing)
When I became a referee after having been a player and a coach previously, it opened my eyes to how difficult being a referee was. But I didn't realize then how important a job the referee had, when it came to dealing with anger. I'm not talking player anger, I'm talking about fan anger.
It was at a tournament of some kind when I first ran into a fan who tried his best to frazzle me by berating my knowledge of the game of basketball. I remember at one point taking out the officiating manual and pointing out to him that the rules had changed. Anyway, the angry shouts over every supposed mistake I made in the game got to the point that others were telling me I had every right to remove him from the gym.
I felt instead I should give him some slack since I too at one time had been harder on officials than they deserved, so I gave this gentlemen a break. I know, he wasn't behaving like a gentleman.
A few years later, I was no longer wearing my officials uniform and was in a new position as a program director at a camp, when you might guess came in the door with a large young contingent. I recognized him. I never asked him, if he recognized me. He probably did.
But you know we became very good friends. I guess using a soft answer to turn away wrath really does work. I kept my peace and for not throwing him out on an occasion, I made a friend.
We've all probably been there at some time. Really angry at someone. And what did we do? Well, at least some of the time we probably made ourselves look rather unintelligent. We weren't seeing our anger or someone else's anger. And in the end the emotion of peace is linked to the logic of things. But in the end where these two meet, it comes down to us seeing things from another significant person's point of view.
If I had not seen how that man could be so angry, then I think we would not have become friends. I would have instead likely raised his anger to a whole new level. I'm glad I was able to see, to keep my peace, and to keep a friend. Unfortunately, I have not always done as well as I did that time. Take care and watch your seeing. Make sure you see what you ought to see.
Sincerely,
Jon
It was at a tournament of some kind when I first ran into a fan who tried his best to frazzle me by berating my knowledge of the game of basketball. I remember at one point taking out the officiating manual and pointing out to him that the rules had changed. Anyway, the angry shouts over every supposed mistake I made in the game got to the point that others were telling me I had every right to remove him from the gym.
I felt instead I should give him some slack since I too at one time had been harder on officials than they deserved, so I gave this gentlemen a break. I know, he wasn't behaving like a gentleman.
A few years later, I was no longer wearing my officials uniform and was in a new position as a program director at a camp, when you might guess came in the door with a large young contingent. I recognized him. I never asked him, if he recognized me. He probably did.
But you know we became very good friends. I guess using a soft answer to turn away wrath really does work. I kept my peace and for not throwing him out on an occasion, I made a friend.
We've all probably been there at some time. Really angry at someone. And what did we do? Well, at least some of the time we probably made ourselves look rather unintelligent. We weren't seeing our anger or someone else's anger. And in the end the emotion of peace is linked to the logic of things. But in the end where these two meet, it comes down to us seeing things from another significant person's point of view.
If I had not seen how that man could be so angry, then I think we would not have become friends. I would have instead likely raised his anger to a whole new level. I'm glad I was able to see, to keep my peace, and to keep a friend. Unfortunately, I have not always done as well as I did that time. Take care and watch your seeing. Make sure you see what you ought to see.
Sincerely,
Jon
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