The Time Paradox by Philip Zimbardo and John Boyd
Summary: Your every significant choice -- every important
decision you make -- is determined by a force operating deep inside your mind:
your perspective on time -- your internal, personal time zone. This is the most
influential force in your life, yet you are virtually unaware of it. Once you
become aware of your personal time zone, you can begin to see and manage your
life in exciting new ways.
In The Time Paradox, Drs. Zimbardo and Boyd draw on thirty
years of pioneering research to reveal, for the first time, how your individual
time perspective shapes your life and is shaped by the world around you.
Further, they demonstrate that your and every other individual's time zones
interact to create national cultures, economics, and personal destinies.
You will discover what time zone you live in through Drs. Zimbardo and Boyd's
revolutionary tests. Ask yourself:
• Does the smell of fresh-baked cookies bring you back to your childhood?
• Do you believe that nothing will ever change in your world?
• Do you believe that the present encompasses all and the future and past are
mere abstractions?
• Do you wear a watch, balance your checkbook, and make to-do lists -- every
day?
• Do you believe that life on earth is merely preparation for life after death?
• Do you ruminate over failed relationships?
• Are you the life of every party -- always late, always laughing, and always
broke?
These statements are representative of the seven most common ways people relate
to time, each of which, in its extreme, creates benefits and pitfalls. The
Time Paradox is a practical plan for optimizing your blend of time
perspectives so you get the utmost out of every minute in your personal and
professional life as well as a fascinating commentary about the power and
paradoxes of time in the modern world.
No matter your time perspective, you experience these paradoxes. Only by
understanding this new psychological science of time zones will you be able to
overcome the mental biases that keep you too attached to the past, too focused
on immediate gratification, or unhealthily obsessed with future goals. Time
passes no matter what you do -- it's up to you to spend it wisely and enjoy it
well. Here's how.
Angie's Comments: Another great New Year Resolution book! The Time Paradox explains the different views
of time that people have and how those views influence people’s decisions. I
found this was good for understanding myself, but it was best for understanding
others. Sometimes I have a hard time understanding why someone has made the
decision that they did. I have a much greater appreciation of others after
reading this book.
The main issue I had with the book
was its length – I wish it had been shorter. The graphs/lists were not explained
very well.
I would recommend this book especially
to people who want to understand other people better. Do you have a friend or relative
who makes odd decisions? This book might help you understand them better.
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