Living A Life in Full Quarterly Summer 2016

2. Dr. Chris Stout, Editor Note from the Editor Do you know the feeling when you've read a great book or seen a great movie or the need to forward a great video? That's how I feel about many of the things I have experienced, read, learned. I've been a graduate or medical school professor for 30 years and I L-O-V-E to teach and engage others in sharing cool finds and helping to make them better, smarter, and more successful. A Life in Full now brings these passions together to a wider audience. I am sharing my life’s work to augment yours. Please be in touch and let me know how I can be of help. This Quarterly magazine is a heavily curated collection of the best-of-the-best ideas, thinking and content available—all in one handy, actionable digest. Always free, all the time. Should you like the content in this magazine, you can get more frequent contact and participate in our Facebook group with over 2300 folks at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ALifeInFull and you can also learn more at http://ALifeInFull.org Back issues are available on ISSUU: https://issuu.com/dr.chrisstout/stacks/8e788a1387b843b899b7dd4e1cfd38ca And: http s://www.pinterest.com/drchrisstout/a-life-in-full-quarterly-magazine/ If you found this issue to be helpful you may be interested in accessing exclusive, members-only curated content that doesn’t appear in this Quarterly or the website links. A one year All-Access Pass Subscription is $75 or a One-Time/Life-Time Subscription is $150. Just send an email with your request to DrChrisStout@gmail.com and you’ll receive the PayPal instructions and your “Library Card” for immediate access. You have a 30 day, money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with your Subscription for any reason, no questions asked. We’ve got your back! Please let me know what more you’d like to learn about and I guarantee the top requests will be thoroughly researched and published herein. You have the power to become what you want to become and to do. The following content is just what you need. I’m happy to share and help! Buckle up, here goes… Thanks! Chris

3. Travel “Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” Gustave Flaubert 10 Huge Mistakes People Make When Booking Flights Tips from a pro on when and how to book your air travel. By RAMSEY QUBEIN When it comes to air travel, the frustration begins long before that wrap-around-the-corner security line. But luckily, there are a few simple tips that can reduce the fear of forking over more hard- earned cash to the airline than necessary. Here are some of the most common mistakes that people make and how you can learn from them. 1. Searching directly on an Airline's Website I am often asked what the best website is to search for air travel. Here it is: ITA Software’s Matrix Tool. That’s not what you thought I was going to say, is it? While you cannot book travel using this site, it is a comprehensive search engine of flight prices. It is even willing to combine airlines into one reservation (something many airline sites are reluctant to do). It is easy to filter results by class of service, departure time, nearby airports, and even the specific airline or connecting city you want. Once you find the preferred flights, use the airline’s website to book the ticket. If it involves multiple airlines or the same price isn’t on the airline’s website (hint, try using the multi-city tool), then try Orbitz. If you find it on ITA Software’s Matrix tool, chances are Orbitz will sell the same fare. Other popular options include Kayak or the map search tool on Google Flights. 2. ...Well, Sometimes Airlines like Southwest and Allegiant do not list flights on other sites to save on internal costs. This means that lower prices might be available, but it requires searching each airline’s own website.

4. 3. Going for the Low-Hanging Fruit So you got a good deal on Spirit or Allegiant, but bring your credit card. Fees for everything from seat assignments to carry-on bags can add up, and savings you scored on the ticket might be eliminated once you land. Do your homework and study an airline’s fees before the hitting purchase button. Those that travel light and without specific seat preferences will fare best on these carriers. 4. Not Being Flexible with Airports Don’t forget to search multiple area airports when booking a ticket (most websites have this option). Alternative airports exist in many markets: New York has six (Islip, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Newburgh/Stewart, and White Plains). Miami residents can tack on Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach as options. Be sure to factor in the cost required of getting there, and if needed, the parking costs. Families stand to save the most with this option if buying several tickets. 5. Falling for the “Pay for Premium Seats” Trick If the only free seats available to reserve are middle seats, it can be tempting to pay for a preferred seat. But, not all preferred seats are actually worth it. Some of American’s planes inherited from US Airways sell seats closer to the front of the plane despite having no leg room. How do they get away with that? They explain that you can get off more quickly (but is that worth $50!?). Keep in mind that airlines often block seats or reserve certain rows for frequent fliers. Instead of paying for a preferred middle seat, just don’t assign one at all. At the airport, you will be assigned one automatically (sometimes at the last minute). You have a better chance of scoring one of those blocked seats. The worst thing is that you get that same middle seat in the end. Of course, families or couples traveling together cannot always risk being separated. 6. Giving into the Fear Factor Many websites use language like this “only one seat left” to convince you of dwindling availability. While it is true that seats in that “fare bucket” may be limited, chances are this is just a marketing ploy since an airline may release more cheap seats based upon algorithms from revenue

5. management folks. Even if you do purchase a ticket because you’re worried the fare might rise, time is on your side. U.S. airlines and most travel domestic travel websites give you a 24-hour grace period to cancel. Until recently, American Airlines did not (in favor of the option to hold a seat online for 24 hours), but they have since joined the bandwagon. 7. Not Knowing about the Cookie Monster Be sure to clear Internet cookies after an online fare search (or at least use an incognito window, different browser, or different device). Airline websites sometimes deposit cookies to tell if you've been searching for a particular ticket, and occasionally, they will hike up the price after a couple searches. The intent is to make it appear that the price is rising quickly to encourage you to book a ticket. So clear those cookies, and always double check ITA Matrix before booking to make sure it is the best deal (low-fare carriers like Allegiant and Southwest excluded). 8. Not Considering Airport Taxes Some airports charge outrageous taxes to fund improvements or pay for regional expenses. It can save you cash to avoiding some airports over others. For example, Germany has high airport taxes; avoiding a flight connection there can shave money off the overall cost. Flying from U.K. airports incurs additional tax cost, too, especially if in a premium cabin. Savvy travelers to Europe might fly into the U.K., but choose to fly back from a non-British airport to avoid as much as $200 in taxes. 9. Ignoring the Benefits of Flexibility While this is especially important when booking award tickets, it also applies with paid tickets. Flights can be busier on some days over others when airlines may charge a premium. Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays can be especially busy on high-traffic business routes. In the case of leisure destinations like Las Vegas, Saturday and Sunday can be busy with weekending visitors. Be flexible with your travel plans by using the calendar search function available on many websites. Learn to be spontaneous. Websites like The Flight Deal and Secret Flying post amazing deals (including the occasional mistake fare) for those that can act quickly. 10. Making Silly Errors Beware the “autocorrecting” airport. It is probably better to type in the airport code when searching fares rather than typing city name. Who wants to buy a ticket to Portland, Maine (PWM) when your destination is Portland, Oregon (PDX)? These mistakes could be pricy if not caught within 24 hours of a reservation. Also, pay attention to departure times. It is not unusual for flights to leave in the wee hours of the morning, especially overseas. Showing up at 1pm for a 1am flight could really hurt when it comes to paying a change fee. SOURCE: http://www.afar.com/magazine/10-huge-mistakes-people-make-when-booking- flights?email=cstout%40uic.edu&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Resend%20413%20flight%20book ing%20mistakes&utm_term=Weekday%20Wander%20Newsletter

6. Growth 40 Amazing Places to Learn Something New Every Day Learn something new and get smarter with these awesome sites and courses. By Larry Kim Founder and CTO, WordStream @larrykim A few decades ago, when you wanted to learn something new it typically meant spending a couple of evenings a week at a local school, taking a photography or bookkeeping class from a bored night school instructor. Today, the worlds of learning and personal or professional development are literally at your fingertips. The open learning movement has made the opportunity to get smarter in your spare time completely accessible to anyone with an internet connection, and it's exploded in recent years. On one of the more popular online learning sites, Udemy, there are over 30,000 courses available...and that's just on one site! So here's what I want you to do: Challenge yourself to learn something new every day. It can benefit your career, your personal life, and your mental well-being, making you a happier and more productive person overall.

7. To help you get started, here are 40 amazing places to learn something new: 1. Lynda.com: Where over 4 million people have already taken courses. 2. Your favorite publications: Make time to read and learn something new every day from your favorite blogs and online magazines. 3. CreativeLive.com: Get smarter and boost your creativity with free online classes. 4. Hackaday: Learn new skills and facts with bite-sized hacks delivered daily. 5. MindTools.com: A place to learn leadership skills (see more great places to learn leadership skills online here). 6. Codecademy: Learn Java, PHP, Python, and more from this reputable online coding school. 7. EdX: Find tons of MOOCs, including programming courses. 8. Platzi: Get smarter in marketing, coding, app development, and design. 9. Big Think: Read articles and watch videos featuring expert "Big Thinkers." 10. Craftsy: Learn a fun, new skill from expert instructors in cooking, knitting, sewing, cake decorating, and more. 11. Guides.co: A massive collection of online guides on just about every topic imaginable. 12. LitLovers: Practice your love of literature with free online lit courses. 13. Lifehacker: One of my personal favorites! 14. Udacity: Learn coding at the free online university developed by Sebastien Thrun. 15. Zidbits: Subscribe to this huge collection of fun facts, weird news, and articles on a variety of topics. 16. TED Ed: The iconic TED brand brings you lessons worth sharing. 17. Scitable: Teach yourself about genetics and the study of evolution. 18. ITunes U: Yale, Harvard, and other top universities share lecture podcasts. 19. Livemocha: Connect with other learners in over 190 countries to practice a new language. 20. MIT open courseware: To learn introductory coding skills; plus, check out these other places to learn coding for free. 21. WonderHowTo: New videos daily to teach you how to do any number of different things.

8. 22. FutureLearn: Join over 3 million others taking courses in everything from health and history to nature and more. 23. One Month: Commit to learning a new skill over a period of one month with daily work. 24. Khan Academy: One of the biggest and best-known gamified online learning platforms. 25. Yousician: Who said when you learn something new it has to be work-related? 26. Duolingo: A completely free, gamified language learning site (find more language learning sites here). 27. Squareknot: Get creative with other creatives. 28. Highbrow: A subscription service that delivers five-minute courses to your email daily. 29. Spreeder: How cool would it be to be able to speed read? 30. Memrise: Get smarter and expand your vocabulary. 31. HTML5 Rocks: Google pro contributors bring you the latest updates, resource guides, and slide decks for all things HTML5. 32. Wikipedia's Daily Article List: Get Wikipedia's daily featured article delivered right to your inbox. 33. DataMonkey: The ability to work with data is indispensable. Learn SQL and Excel. 34. Saylor Academy: Offers a great public speaking course you can take online, and see more free public speaking courses here. 35. Cook Smarts: Learn basic to advanced food prep and cooking techniques. 36. The Happiness Project: Why not just learn how to be happy? I'd give five minutes a day to that! 37. Learni.st: Expertly curated courses with the option of premium content. 38. Surface Languages: A good choice if you just need to learn a few phrases for travel. 39. Academic Earth: Offering top quality university-level courses since 2009. 40. Make: Learn how to do that DIY project you've had your eye on. There's no reason you can't learn something new every day, whether it's a work skill or a fun new hobby or even a language! SOURCE: http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/40-amazing-places-to-learn-something-new-every- day.html?cid=em01016week10a

9. Fitness Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity. John F. Kennedy Finding Workout Motivation: How to Stop Saying No to Your Goals By Steve Kamb You’ve decided the time for talk and half-measures is over, and you’re finally ready to take action: you want to lose fat, pack on some muscle, and look in the mirror with pride. Gladiator, I salute you. Now, my first question is this: What’s different this time? Be honest: how many times in the past have you said “I’m finally ready to get in shape” only to flame out weeks later when life gets in the way? I love that you’ve chosen to step into the arena again, to retake control of your life, but we need to talk about what will make this attempt different from all the others. After all, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results. Today is the first day of the rest of your life, and it starts by understanding how we are going to win with three key truths about us as humans: ● We are creatures of habit. ● We are products of our environment. ● We are the average of the people we associate most with.

10. Build a Habit System to Win I read a great quote on Quora when somebody asked a question regarding their waning motivation: The number one response? “F*** workout motivation, cultivate discipline.” If you’ve watched Joe Rogan, you’re probably pretty freaking motivated right now. And motivation is a great place to start: it’s why the gym is so crowded for the first two weeks of January – everybody is motivated to get in shape! Motivation can get you started. However, motivation is fleeting and unreliable – this is why the gym is a ghost town come February. Once motivation disappears, it’s very tough to get ourselves to exercise instead of sleeping in/playing more video games/eating another pint of ice cream. If you want to get in shape and you’re serious about it this time, stop relying on motivation and instead focus on building a system that sets you up to win. If you only exercise when you’re motivated, or only went for a run when you felt like it, or only ate healthy when it was convenient, it’ll never happen! It starts with a system. Systems don’t rely on motivation, willpower, or inspiration to operate once they’re set up. They are emotion-free. So let’s put a workout system in place in your life. Let’s say you want to build a habit of daily exercise. Make this a very small hurdle that you can jump over every day. Don’t say, “I’m gonna go to the gym for an hour every day”. This is a massive hurdle to overcome. Instead, make it something that can be done in 5-10 minutes every morning. Our goal here is to build something into your life permanently. We’re not doing 90-day “get-fit- quick” or 30-day detoxes. We’re after something like “get strong and healthy forever.” Here’s an example: “I will do 3 circuits of 10 push-ups, 10 pull-ups, and 10 squats every morning when I wake up.” Or, “I will go for a 10-minute walk when I wake up.” Remember, we want lifelong success. Building a 5-minute daily habit that you can do is indefinitely better than a 60-minute habit that you give up on after 2 weeks. I want you to be a lifelong badass. Change Your Environment When we’re building new habits, our bodies and brains will always look for the path of least resistance. The good news is that when you build a new habit, your brain will learn to expend less and less energy to complete that task.

11. You are currently composed of a collection of automatic habits that you’ve built up over years and years and years… both the good and bad. Like how driving a car has become an automatic, mindless activity for you, so too might be coming home from work every day and plopping down on the couch to drink a beer and watch sports or play video games. You’ve done it so many times that it’s now an automatic activity. Changing your environment can get you a huge portion of the way to “exercising is now so easy, it’s mindless!” We need to make two key adjustments to our environment: ● Decrease the number of steps between you and the new good habit you’re looking to build. ●Increase the number of steps between you and the old bad habit you’re looking to break. Sounds too simple to be true, right? In addition to making your habit so small that it can be completely daily, we’re going to hack your environment so it becomes almost automatic for you to complete. Let’s look at both of those things individually: Decrease steps between you and the healthy habit you want to build: ●Eat healthier: prepare all of your meals on Sunday, so that every day at work you can simply heat up a quick healthy meal for lunch. ●Run every morning: sleep in your workout clothes and put your alarm clock across the room so you HAVE to get out of bed to turn it off. ●Go to the gym: pack your gym bag the night before and put it in front of your door, so you never forget it on the way to work. ●Do more pull-ups: Buy door frame pull-up bars and put them in each doorway in your house. Every time you walk through a door, you have to do 1 pull-up. Increase the steps between you and a bad habit you want to break: ●Watch too much TV: cancel your cable! Unsubscribe from netflix. Unplug your television. Trust me, life will go on. ●Eat too much junk food: get it out of your house. Throw it all away. ●Eat too many snacks at work:don’t keep junk food in your desk, and avoid Susan from accounting who keeps candy on her desk to get people to talk to her. ●Eat too much fast food:Change your route home from work so you don’t drive past Fast Food restaurants and you won’t be tempted.

12. In short, understand that your body and brain WANT to be lazy, and use that laziness to your advantage! Focus On Big Wins Now we’re talking. Like Neo in The Matrix, you’re beginning to believe. Are you familiar with the Pareto Principle? It’s a concept that 80% of your success will come from 20% of your decisions. You’ll notice up to this point I haven’t talked about bicep curls, supplements, or super-secret tactics to sculpting your calves or hitting all three heads of your triceps. Remember, we’re lazy and our brains want to be lazy. So rather than focusing on the tiny details, we’re going to use that information to focus on the 20% of our decisions that will result in 80% of our success. Generally speaking, 20% of your day will revolve around eating decisions. What to eat for lunch, to snack or not to snack, what to have for dinner, and so on. And yup, believe it or not, how you eat will account for 80% of your success or failure when it comes to getting in shape. So focus on as many of these big wins possible: ● Every meal should have a protein source: bacon and eggs for breakfast, salmon for lunch, chicken or grass-fed steak for dinner. ● Every meal should have 1-2 servings of vegetables: add spinach to your omelet, make your lunch salmon on top of a salad, and add asparagus or broccoli with your dinner. ● Cut back on sugar and processed carbs. Soda, juice, and other liquid calories are ruining your waistline. Get rid of them. ● Don’t eat like an idiot. You know what healthy food is. You know what junk food is. Ask yourself with every food decision: “is this getting me closer to my goal?” If the answer is no, eat it rarely. Once you’ve developed a nutrition strategy that you can live with (big wins), you can look at big wins for your workouts too once you’ve developed a solid habit of daily exercise. Especially if you are a beginner to working out, focusing on the big movements is the best way to minimize your time at the gym and maximize your result: squats, deadlifts, push-ups, pull-ups, rows, and overhead presses.

13. Get REALLY strong at those three exercises, and combine it with a Big Win diet strategy, and you’ll be on a path to a dramatically healthier life. Who’s In Your Army? I’m going to leave you with one final thought –you’re not alone in this journey. Just like the heroes in our favorite stories always have a sidekick or group of allies helping them out, so too should you! In other words, you are the average of your allies. If you hang out with lazy people that eat like shit and don’t exercise, you are being subtly (or not so subtly) influenced every day to drift closer to their lifestyle. They might mock you for picking a salad at dinner, or yell at you to come meet them at the bar every day after work. They mean well, but they also just want to pull you back down so that they can avoid changing themselves. Conversely, if you hang out with people, stronger, healthier, and happier than you, you’ll be influenced to be more like them whether you realize it or not. I have a coach that I have to report to, friends that keep me accountable, and a private Facebook group of people supporting me to live a better life. Sure, I still have other friends that just want to play video games and don’t care about eating better. I try to minimize my time with them or make sure I also spend enough time, online and in the real world, with people that are influencing me to be a better person too. It sounds cool to be “an army of one,” but why do it if you don’t have to? Surround yourself with people that want you to succeed and make you better. Putting it All Together There’s a lot of info above, so let’s go ahead and break it down into simple actionable steps you can take today.

14. Understand that your environment is influencing you: ● Add ONE step between you and a bad habit – unplug the TV, throw away your junk food, give your playstation for a friend. ● Decrease ONE step between you and a good habit – sleep in your workout clothes, cook all meals for the week on sunday, pack your gym bag the night before. Understand that big wins are more efficient and easier to implement: ● Make an adjustment to your diet – cut out soda or cut back significantly. Swap out veggies for fries when you go out to dinner. ● Focus on compound movements at the gym: get strong with squats, push-ups, and pull- ups. Keep it simple. Don’t leave it up to motivation or willpower: ● Build systems that keep you going even when you don’t want to. Recruit allies to help you on your cause: ● Minimize time spent with people who want to pull you back to your old life. ● Maximize time spent with people who positively influence you on your journey. Remember, this is a lifelong journey. No detoxes, no cleanses, no 90-day sprints. We want lifelong success, daily improved strength, and momentum working for us. Source: https://www.onnit.com/academy/finding-workout-motivation-how- to-stop-saying-no-to-goals/ If you’d like to learn more or watch videos of more exercises, please use this link: https://www.onnit.com/academy/basic-to-beast- complete-bodyweight-workout- program/?a_aid=DrChrisStout and you can also signup for Onnit Academy. Check out Onnit for the best tools to optimize your workouts and your life. If you are serious about fitness, then you'll love this site...! https://www.onnit.com/?a_aid=DrChrisStout

15. IMAGE: Getty Images Productivity 65 Top Tips to Sharpen Your Time-Management Skills One of the most important keys to personal and professional success lies in how you spend your time. Here are 65 of the best ways to manage it. By Lolly Daskal President and CEO, Lead From Within@LollyDaskal Every day, each of us has 24 hours to spend. Some of us make better use of that resource than others. Learning to manage time and spend it wisely is among the most significant things you can do to build personal and professional success. Here are 65 of the best ways to manage your time: 1. Know yourself. First and foremost, you have to know who you are. You can't structure your time effectively if you don't understand your dreams, strengths, challenges, and priorities. 2. Create an action plan. When you plan to do something, create an action plan and give it all your focus. 3. Construct a system. Whether it's electronic or paper-based, centered on tasks or goals or events, something you purchase or develop on your own, find a system that works for you. 4. Focus on your goals. If you have goals but you tend to get distracted, start by focusing on what you need to achieve and what it will take to make it happen.

16. 5. Understand your patterns. Maybe you get a burst of energy in the mornings, hit your stride after working out at lunchtime, or think best in the late-night quiet. 6. Structure your time. Focus your energy on doing your most important activities when you're most productive. Save routine chores for low-energy times. 7. Do the hard things first. Difficult tasks require more discipline. If you commit to doing the hardest things first, you will end up doing them with greater consistency. 8. Lace it with passion. Passion will move you beyond your limits and your shortcomings. 9. Create optimal deadlines. It's crucial to create deadlines for yourself to help you achieve your goals. Think through what you want to accomplish and make your deadlines challenging but realistic. 10. Overcome procrastination. Procrastination is the top enemy of achievement, standing in the way of countless worthwhile goals. Get serious about becoming a person who gets things done. 11. Overcome fear. Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. Don't let what is false keep you from getting things done. Convert it instead to Face Everything And Recover. 12. If it's important, put it on a schedule. It's the best way to keep yourself on track. 13. Prioritize your to-do list. You can't do everything, so learn to prioritize the important and let go of the rest. 14. Don't obsess over unimportant details. Trying to make sure that every detail is exactly as you want it to be will bog you down. 15. Choose your battles. You win some, you lose some. Pick what is most important to hold on to and be willing to let go of the rest. 16. Stay motivated. Learn what keeps you motivated and inspire yourself daily. 17. Maintain momentum. Learn what it means to stay in motion no matter what comes your way. Momentum is key.

17. 18. Stop worrying. Don't waste time worrying about things that may not even happen. Focus instead on what you know and how you are going to be successful. 19. Manage your stress. Stress management is life management. Whether it's exercise, meditation, prayer, family time, or social life, find what destresses you and schedule it regularly. 20. Stop multitasking. If you think you are being efficient by multitasking, think again. Focus on what you are doing, get it done, and move on to the next thing. 21. Initiate a routine. Routines increase productivity by making it easier to identify shortcuts and efficiencies. 22. Take notes. Save time by taking good notes, electronically or on paper. Develop a system to flag things you need to remember or act on. 23. Have an accountability partner. Communicate your schedule and goals with each other and meet regularly to keep each other accountable. 24. Think positively. Where your attention goes, so goes your emotional energy. Don't think about what might go wrong; think about what could go right. 25. Delegate tasks. You may be able to do anything, but no one can do everything. 26. Pay people to do things that would cost you time. For everything you don't like to do, there is someone you can hire who will enjoy doing it well. 27. Take breaks. Being busy doesn't make you productive. Take a break to reset your energy. 28. Act now. If you read an e-mail, respond immediately. If you open a letter, act on it or throw it away. If you need to speak to someone, pick up the phone. There is great power in now. 29. Time yourself. If you tend to get distracted or procrastinate, time yourself. Set a timer for 25- minute intervals and commit to work without stopping or distraction in each block.

18. 30. Turn off notifications. Every notification you get on your computer or phone is an interruption that diverts your attention from your work. They're almost impossible to ignore, so turn them off. 31. Manage distractions. Silence everything that distracts you so you can fully focus and be as productive as you can be. 32. Eliminate time wasters. If there are things that you do that completely waste your time and are not productive, eliminate them. 33. Create an email system. Use a system when you check your email: once in the morning, once at lunchtime, and again in the evening. Being attached to your email and responding to messages all day interferes with your productivity. 34. Limit social media. Unless you are using social media to grow your business, limit the amount of time you spend on such sites as Facebook and Twitter. 35. Value your time. When someone asks for a block of your time, be clear on boundaries. Show others that you value your time, and they will be more respectful of it. 36. Don't start projects you don't plan on finishing. Don't start a side project before you've learned what's involved and identified the amount of time that it will take to be successful. 37. Take small steps. All big things start with taking small steps. Breaking a big project down into smaller steps makes it achievable and easy to accomplish. 38. Plan for the unexpected. Build some flexible time into your schedule so when the unexpected happens--which will--you won't be thrown off. 39. Leverage technology. Make use of apps that can help you be productive. My recent article on 75 apps for the busy professional is a good place to start your research. 40. Be concise in your communication. When you make a request, be clear and concise in your communication to make sure you get what you need.

19. 41. Build proficiency. Learn how to be more proficient in your daily tasks, because the better you get at them, the less time they'll take. 42. Back it up. Make sure all your files are backed up onto an external hard drive. Anyone who has learned this lesson the hard way wouldn't wish it on anyone. 43. Manage your meetings. Poorly run meetings are time wasters. Show your respect for all parties by managing your meetings in a productive way. 44. Don't stop everything. If someone says it's important, make sure it's important before you drop what you're doing. 45. Learn to do less. Make a point of learning how to work efficiently. Can you learn a new skill? Can you ask someone to help? 46. Find a mentor. Find someone you can learn from who has done it before so you can waste less time trying to figure it all out. 47. Solve a problem. Be proactive and address problems while they are small and manageable rather than putting them off to deal with later. 48. Get into a flow. When you get into a flow state, things get done in less time and the work goes easier. 49. Study best practices. Learn from what others have done before and practice those things yourself. 50. Know your limits. When something is out of your expertise or skill set, find some help to get it done. 51. Stop obsessing over perfection. Learn to work at your highest level of performance without obsessing and backtracking. 52. Refine the way you make decisions. Establish a decision making process that allows you to accurately and authentically make good decisions.

20. 53. Avoid putting off decisions. When you have a decision to make, make it. Otherwise it will take up too much bandwidth in your mind. 54. Don't keep revisiting the past. If something didn't work in the past, don't keep revisiting it. Learn to move on and forward. 55. Have a nightly ritual. Get everything ready for the next day by having a nightly ritual. 56. Do things that make you feel good. Do the things that make you feel good, and you'll also become more productive. 57. Reward yourself. When you complete a set of tasks, give yourself a reward. 58. Take time to recharge. A constant state of stress and overwork slows you down. Make sure you schedule time to refresh and recharge your batteries. 59. Learn to say no. Saying yes to everyone is saying no to yourself. Know your priorities and your limitations and don't commit to anything that doesn't align with them. 60. Take pride in what you do. Take pride in how far you have come, and have faith in how far you can still go. 61. Manage your energy. Manage your energy, not your time. No car goes anywhere without fuel. 62. Get enough sleep. Sleep is the foundational element that ties our health together. When you sleep enough, you have more energy and happiness. 63. Never renegotiate the time you spend with your loved ones. Family time is off limits. 64. Enjoy your time. Leave room for fun and play. 65. Become the best manager. Don't just learn how to manage your time. Learn how to manage your actions, projects, distractions, attention, and habits. Because either you manage your time or time will manage you. SOURCE: http://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/65-of-the-best-time-management-tips-that-will-work-for- you.html?cid=em01016week08a

21. Leadership The 100 best leadership and success books to read in your lifetime, according to Amazon By Shana Lebowitz Learn how to make your dreams a reality. Amazon's editors released a list of 100 leadership and success books to read in a lifetime. "We chose books to help people plan for their futures and/or deal better with their present," said Chris Schluep, senior books editor at Amazon.com. "The same book won't work for every situation, or every person, so you'll see titles sitting beside one another that might not normally share shelf space." In other words, while this list does include books by traditional business people, you'll also find works by outspoken entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, and Hollywood producers. What each of these authors shares is a desire to help people find out what they really want — and to make their dreams a reality. Check out the full, ranked list below, and learn more about the top 25 here. 1."#Girlboss" by Sophia Amoruso 2."A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle 3."Andrew Carnegie" by David Nasaw

22. 4."Awaken the Giant Within" by Tony Robbins 5."Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert 6."Business Adventures" by John Brooks 7."Change Your Brain, Change Your Life" by Daniel G. Amen 8."Chicken Soup for the Soul" by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Amy Newmark 9."Choose Yourself!" by James Altucher 10."Crush It!" by Gary Vaynerhcuk Amazon 11."Do Over" by Jon Acuff 12."Drive" by Daniel H. Pink 13."Eat That Frog!" by Brian Tracy 14."Elon Musk" by Ashlee Vance 15."Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman 16."Essentialism" by Greg McKeown 17."Execution" by Larry Bossidy, Ram Charan, and Charles Burck 18."Find a Way" by Diana Nyad 19."First, Break all the Rules" by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman 20."Flow" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 21."Flying Without a Net" by Thomas J. DeLong 22."Freakonomics" by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner 23."Getting More" by Stuart Diamond 24."Getting Things Done" by David Allen

23. 25."Getting to Yes" by Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton 26."Give and Take" by Adam M. Grant 27."Good to Great" by Jim Collins 28."How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie 29."How Will You Measure Your Life?" by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth, and Karen Dillon 30."Influence" by Robert B. Cialdini 31."Leadership on the Line" by Martin Linsky and Ronald A. Heifetz 32."Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg 33."Made to Stick" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath 34."Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl 35."Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius 36."Mindset" by Carol Dweck 37."Misbehaving" by Richard Thaler 38."Oh, The Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss 39."Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell 40."Personal History" by Katharine GrahamAmazon 41."Predictably Irrational" by Dan Ariely 42."Quiet" by Susan Cain 43."It Worked for Me" by Colin Powell and Tony Kolt 44."Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse

24. 45."Start With Why" by Simon Sinek 46."Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson 47."Strengths Finder 2.0" by Tom Rath 48."Stumbling on Happiness" by Daniel Gilbert 49."Superforecasting" by Philip E. Tetlock 50."Talent is Overrated" by Geoff Colvin 51."The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing" by Al Ries and Jack Trout 52."The 48 Laws of Power" by Robert Greene 53."The 4-Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferriss 54."The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey 55."The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho 56."The Art of Happiness" by Dalai Lama 57."The Art of Stillness" by Pico Iyer 58."The Art of Strategy" by Avinash K. Dixit and Barry J. Nalebuff 59."The Art of the Start 2.0" by Guy Kawasaki 60."The Art of War" by Sun Tzu 61."The Big Short" by Michael Lewis 62."The Black Swan" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb 63."The Charisma Myth" by Olivia Fox Cabane 64."The Checklist Manifesto" by Atul Gawande 65."The Confidence Code" by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman 66."The Effective Executive" by Peter F. Drucker

25. 67."The Essays of Warren Buffett" by Warren E. Buffett and Lawrence A. Cunningham 68."The First 90 Days" by Michael D. Watkins 69."The First Tycoon" by T.J. Stiles 70."The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" by Patrick Lencioni 71."The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz and Janet Mills 72."The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown 73."The Happiness Advantage" by Shawn AchorAmazon 74."The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin 75."The Hard Thing About Hard Things" by Ben Horowitz 76."The Innovator's Dilemma" by Clayton M. Christensen 77."The Intelligent Investor" by Benjamin Graham 78."The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow 79."The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries 80."The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo 81."The Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod 82."The Now Habit" by Neil Fiore 83."The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg 84."The Prince" by Nicolo Machiavelli and N.H. Thompson 85."The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran 86."The Road Less Traveled" by M. Scott Peck 87."The Road to Character" by David Brooks 88."The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne

26. 89."The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" by Deepak Chopra 90."Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman 91."Titan" by Ron Chernow 92."Triggers" by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter 93."Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom 94."Turn the Ship Around!" by L. David Marquet 95."Uncertainty" by Jonathan Fields 96."Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman 97."What Got You Here Won't Get You There" by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter 98."Willpower" by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney 99."Year of Yes" by Shonda Rhimes 100. "Zero to One" by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters SOURCE: http://www.businessinsider.com/amazons-top-100-leadership-and-success-books-2016-2 Some of my Favorites are at: http://www.slideshare.net/drchrisstout1/banned- books-59945400

27. Money Management & Investing The Biology of Good Investing By Duncan Gilchrist, PhD Investment pundits – ourselves included – write a lot about how checking your portfolio too frequently is hazardous to both your financial and mental health. The evidence is overwhelming that those who check their portfolios on a daily basis tend to underperform those who check their portfolios less frequently. The reason is simple: On any given day, there’s almost a 50-50 chance the market will be up or down. Because people dislike losses more than than they enjoy gains – a behavioral finding known as loss aversion – people who check their portfolios daily find the process painful. And just like your gut reaction to pain is to draw away from the source of that pain, your gut reaction to seeing an investment lose money is to make a change. To sell. To panic. To act. Changing your portfolio, or market timing as our Chief Investment Officer Dr. Burton Malkiel calls it, is an investor’s Most Serious Mistake. So what’s the solution? Just check your portfolio less often, right? Unfortunately, things really don’t get much better if you check less frequently. We looked at historical market data going back as far as possible (1871, to be precise) to ask what the probability is that the market is down depending on how often you check. Over the last 144 years, there was a 39% probability that an investor who checked her portfolio once a month would see the market down. Even if she looked once a year, there’s still a 31% chance that the market will be in the red.

28. Credit goes to Justin Wolfers for inspiring this chart. The data come from Professor Robert Shiller’s Yale University website. What’s an investor to do? Even if you control your curiosity and only check on your investments once a year, you’re going to spend a third of your life fuming at the results! It isn’t your fault: The human body simply isn’t built for making good investment decisions Loss aversion isn’t driven by mental weakness; it’s a biological phenomenon. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that loss aversion is primarily driven by the amygdalae, two almond-shaped parts of the brain that are key components our limbic system, which is responsible for most of our emotional life. The study found that people with damaged amygdalae aren’t loss averse. Does that make you want to get rid of your amygdalae? Scholars of evolutionary psychology actually believe that loss aversion is one of the reasons we are here today. Recent research suggests loss aversion became an important part of human nature tens of thousands of years ago, when we were foragers (McDermott, Fowler, and Smirnov, 2008). Running out of food was fatal, so if our ancestors ended up in a location where there wasn’t enough food they had to react quickly and change plans. Those who weren’t loss averse didn’t survive. What’s important to realize is that a loss in your investment portfolio isn’t the same as running out of food. Running out of food is an immediate problem; a temporary loss in your investment portfolio isn’t. In fact, it’s a problem that tends to even itself out over time. As the chart below shows,$1 invested in 1871 is worth nearly $34,000today. It just took some bumps along the way. At Wealthfront we try to make very clear that our investment approach is only appropriate for the long term. Please see What Defines Long Term Investing for more information on what that means. The best investors know they must have a long term perspective and find ways to make investing less emotional.

29. What to do? Find strategies to divorce emotion from investing Research shows there is something you can do to make it easier. Specifically, the best approach is to make a single rational plan and commit to it, and then use that commitment to ride out the emotional ups and downs. That means doing things like: Setting up a repeating deposit, so that you’re always investing … whether the market is up short-term or down. Committing to an automated investment service or solid financial advisor … to take your hands off the trigger. Training yourself to think about market pullbacks as opportunities to buy more at lower prices … to prepare yourself for the inevitable. It isn’t easy, bucking basic biology. But if you take a moment while you’re calm to firmly commit yourself to investing early and often, it will pay off long-term. Check out Wealthfront, they’re here to help. They work every day to improve our service to help guide you in your desired direction. That means requiring you to do less and warning you before you make a mistake. They’ve optimized our site to make it seamless, and we take care of the annoying stuff, like automated rebalancing and dividend reinvestment, so you don’t have to check- in as often. And they’ve created what we believe is the best automated daily tax-loss harvesting process to soften the bumps from the inevitable pullbacks. To paraphrase an old saying: Investing is simple. It just isn’t easy. References De Martino, Benedetto, Camerer, Colin F., Adolph, Ralphs. (2009) Amygdala Damage Eliminates Monetary Loss Aversion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(8): 3788—3792. McDermott, R., Fowler, James H., Smirnov, Oleg. (2008) On the Evolutionary Origin of Prospect Theory Preferences. The Journal of Politics, 70(2): 335—350. Shiller, Robert. U.S. Stock Markets 1871-Present and CAPE Ratio. Retrieved Dec 17, 2015. Disclosure Nothing in this article should be construed as tax advice, a solicitation or offer, or recommendation, to buy or sell any security. The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. While the data Wealthfront uses from third parties is believed to be reliable, Wealthfront does not guarantee the accuracy of the information. There is a potential for loss as well as gain. Actual investors on Wealthfront may experience different results from the results shown. Source: https://blog.wealthfront.com/biology-good- investing/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonuavJZKXonjHpfsX57ewsW6O/lMI/0ER3fOvrPUfGjI4AScJqI%2BSLDw EYGJlv6SgFTbjEMbJqz7gOWhk%3D

30. Productivity Tool Kits Interested in learning about cool tools to help you travel the world, get really fit, become a published author, start up your own company (or invest in one), experience unique situations, do unusual things, improve your clinical practice, living an adventuresome life, helping others, making a difference in the world, or all the above? Then you will enjoy the free collections of tools and tips on an ever-growing set of topics, just click here: https://issuu.com/dr.chrisstout/stacks/b0d30622ccb64ecc948dd558c192ef25

31. Intellectual Fun 23 Best Movies On Netflix You Haven’t Yet Seen It is very easy to become lost in Netflix land and believe you've already seen everything worth watching. Rest assured, there is very little chance you have. For the second time, we have curated a list of the best highly-rated, little-known movies on Netflix. The purpose at “agoodmovietowatch”is to reference movies you haven’t yet seen, that you can watch immediately and love. To do this, we only recommend movies that have received a high rating on IMDb combined with a high score on Rotten Tomatoes. This means that these movies have been appreciated by both critics and viewers, so you can trust that they’re awesome. We also only suggest movies that didn’t make a huge splash at the box office or which didn’t get the attention they deserved, so there is little chance you have already seen them. (Click on the images to go to the links.) 23. A Most Wanted Man (2014) Based on the book by John Le Carre, this slow-burning thriller tells the story of a half-Chechen, half- Russian immigrant suspected of terrorism, who is suddenly spotted in a big German city trying to get his hands on money that was left to him. Gunter (played Philip Seymour Hoffman) is the head

32. of an international counter-terrorism unit created after 9/11 to spot threats like these early on. Whether this man is a terrorist or not, what he is doing in Germany, how he fits in the grand scheme of things, and whether Gunter will succeed in his efforts – all of these are questions you will be begging to find answers for. Witty, supremely acted, and with a very provocative story line, A Most Wanted Man is perfect if you’re in the mood for a sharp thriller. 22. The World’s Fastest Indian (2005) You know Anthony Hopkins as the evil Hannibal Lecter, but in this film he gives a warm and heartfelt performance portraying real life New Zealand motorcycle legend Burt Munro who set a land speed record in 1967 on a hand-built 1920 Indian. It’s a story of never giving up on your dream even in the face of ridicule and opposition. Hopkins’ performance turns what could have been just another schmaltzy formulaic story line into true gold. You’ll be cheering for Burt/Anthony by the end! 21. Fish Tank (2009) A sincere portrayal of the gritty British working class life through the coming-of-age story of a girl who loves rap music and dancing to it. It features a stunning and powerful performance from

33. newcomer Katie Jarvis who had no acting experience whatsoever, and who was cast in the street after she was spotted fighting. She plays Mia, a 15 year old teenager whose world changes drastically when her mother’snew boyfriend (played by Michael Fassbender) turns his eyes to her. Don’t watch this movie if you are looking for a no-brainer, definitely do watch it if you are interested in films that realistically portray others’ lives and let you into them. 20. [ICYMI] Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Two twelve year olds, Sam, an introverted Khaki scout (Jared Gilman) and the sharp yet sassy Suzy (Kara Hayward), fall in love and run away to their own personal paradise they call “Moonrise Kingdom.” The younggirl’s parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand) call the authorities. A search party compiled of the local Sheriff (Bruce Willis), Khaki Scout Troop Leader (Edward Norton) and his scouts along with an assortment of other characters try to track down the young runaways through the wilderness. The characters are as bright, quirky and colorful as their surroundings. The film’s trademark stylistic handmade art direction and clever camera choices add character to the storytelling itself. Even with its sweet and playful wrapper, major real world issues such as bullying and infidelity are touched upon. Moonrise Kingdom is a delightfully charming film with a meticulously executed plot and sophisticated humour. 19. Electrick Children (2012)

34. Electrick Children is the debut film for director Rebecca Thomas and one of the most unique and visually stunning films I’ve seen in a while. This gem is about a teenager born and raised in a religious community who believes she has been impregnated with the son of God from a cassette tape she listened to. She decides to run away to neighboring Las Vegas in search of the real father, “the man who sings on the cassette tape.” Heavy stuff, man. Electrick Children is one of those films you see once and it stays with you. It deals with teenagers so delicately and accurately, depicting the butterflies, the excitement, the romance, the heartbreak, the trials and tribulations of this age and beyond. Its cinematography is hypnotizing and its soundtrack is divine (listen to Top of the Hill by Conduits on repeat and it’ll start to have an impact on your life.) Its plot is completely fresh and is able to grab and keep your attention from the first second until the very end. Watching this film made me want to go back in time and fall in love all over again. It made me feel lusty and gave me butterflies and made my heart flutter unlike any other film I’ve seen. You can’t pass this one up. 18. Nebraska (2013) Nebraska is a poem distilled into a film. Peter Travers from Rolling Stone says “is it a comedy or a drama? Both at the same time, as life itself.” Everything about it is perfect: the acting, the photography, the story. In case that’s not enough and you need to know the plot to get convinced, I’ll tell you that it’s a road movie about a senile old man and his son. If you still want more information, you can Google it, but come on! You’ll just be wasting time that would be better spent on watching this masterpiece. 17. Blue Ruin (2013)

35. Blue Ruin is a superbly acted, visually striking drama about a man’s poignant and brutally violent journey for revenge when the culprit responsible for the murder of his father is released from prison. While it might seem like any other revenge tale, it is so well-told and smart that any other similarities with its crowded genre gently fade away. The first 15-20 minutes are pretty slow, but the pay-off is hot fire. 16. Your Sister’s Sister (2012) The acting… oh the acting! Your Sister’s Sister is a fantastic comedy which makes great use of the amazing talents and suitability of its cast, including the criminally underused Emily Blunt. Far smarter, quicker and grown-up than most other Rom-Coms, it’s a film built on secrets, lies and, yes, love, sex and family. 15. The Kids Are All Right (2010) Sit back, relax, and wait for the feels. With amazing performances from the ensemble cast including Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo and Annette Bening, as well as excellent directing; The Kids Are Alright is a highly realistic yet entertaining take on family, growing up, and witnessing children grow up. Two kids meet the sperm donor who enabled their mothers to have them, and develop a relationship with him. This confuses everyone as to how it redefines their status, from the mothers who add a major issue to their already delicate relationship, to the laid-back and

36. lovingly goofy sperm donor (portrayed perfectly by Ruffalo). The Kids Are Alright is beautifully emotional, funny, and just overall a pleasant watch. Nominated to four Oscars and winner of two Golden Globes. 14. Life in a Day (2011) A documentary where people all around the world were asked to document their day on July 24th, 2010. 80,000 clips amounting to 4,500 hours were submitted from 192 countries, eventually being put together in a 90 minutes film to show what it is like to live a single day in today’s world. Produced by Ridley Scott, and directed by Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland, State of Play); the film-making effort is nothing short of extraordinary. The succession of simple yet deep moments will give you an unprecedented look into just how different or similar your life, struggles, and aspirations are from the rest of the planet. It’s moving, and extremely beautiful. 13. Mr. Nobody (2009) Based on a beautiful premise, sprinkled with artistic vision, it is an intelligent man’s sit back and relax movie. The film explores the life and times of Nemo Nobody, the last mortal man on earth, as he reflects on important choices he took. Each of these choices are presented as branching pathways of what could have been, utilizing innovative non-linear cinematography. In addition to the film’s

37. winning structure, its soundtrack is considered a masterpiece, perfectly fitting the plot via looping and trilling melodies. The film garnered 6 Margaritte awards, and has slowly been developing into an indie cult classic. 12. The Imposter (2012) The impossibly true story of a mysterious Frenchman that claims to be the 16 year old son of a family from Texas that went missing three years prior. This movie is shot so well with a story so unbelievable that I had to look it up to believe that it was a real documentary instead of a fiction film played as true. Expect twists and turns at every corner, with brilliant storytelling from the real life people that lived through the whole thing. If Christopher Nolan created a 48 hour story, it would pale in comparison to this film. 11. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008) You’ve probably watched and heard about enough Holocaust films to expect a formula, but you might want to put all that aside going into The Boy in Striped Pajamas. Bruno, the son of a WWII Nazi commandant forms an unlikely friendship with a Jewish kid his age in his father’s concentration camp. The film is World War II told through Bruno’s eyes, and while you might not get why this movie is so highly praised in its first scenes, the twisting and profound second half will have you recommending it to everyone in need of a moving story well executed, or quite simply a good cry.

38. 10. Headhunters (2012) A nasty little chase film with dark humor and balls to the walls action sequences. It is slightly insane, has some brutal fights in it and is completely beyond belief. The thing that keeps it going is its sheer pace; often circumstances shift so quickly the whole film seems a little surreal, which is part of its charm. The only point at which the film does slow down is when it hits incredibly suspenseful moments, which are stretched to near infinity. As it’s from the continental tradition, expect all the raw colors, emotion and slightly off kilter characters reminiscent of a violent Norwegian Lars Von Trier. 9. Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (2010) Get ready for one hell of a journey. From the writer of City of God, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within is a poignant and powerful action-packed movie. Set in Brazil, the film follows two seemingly opposed characters (one a police officer, one a professor) as they both work to treat the systemic social ills that corrupt the country. As much a social commentary as it is an action-packed drama (think The Departed and The Wire), Elite Squad will take you on a whirlwind journey that will leave you considering the larger issues of poverty, crime, and “doing good” in the world.

39. 8. Beginners (2010) An American romantic comedy, Beginners is told through a series of flashbacks telling the story of Oliver and his complicated and difficult relationship with his father. The film is gorgeously heartbreaking, demonstrating how hurtful we are to those we love, while showing the ties of mutual need that bind people. In the way it also takes on the process of finding one’s happiness, through the character’s eyes and his father’s, what that process has in common for both, and how one is inspired from the other. Beginners is lovely, funny, interesting, and above all very enjoyable. 7. The Hunt (2013) Once again, Mads Mikkelsen gives us an unforgettable performance in this Danish thriller. Lucas is a new teacher in a small town. He is just starting a new life after a divorce and the loss of his last job. One day, a child from the class he is teaching accuses him of an unforgivable act. The lie will spread throughout the small community and will tear Lucas’ life apart. The Hunt, or “Jagten” in its original version, is one of those rare thrillers that will haunt you for days, and make you question everything in its aftermath. Extraordinary!

40. 6. Virunga (2014) A documentary that is immediate and plays out like a thriller. Beautifully shot in Virunga National Park in the Eastern Congo, the story focuses on the struggles between Park Rangers and a list of adversaries including poachers, oil company goons, and an Islamic revolutionary army. The stories of the endangered gorillas and the people who struggle to protect them will break your heart and at the same time give you hope in humanity. On top of this, the editing is superb and gives the film an intensity that rivals any recent thriller. 5. The Station Agent (2003) The Station Agent is about loneliness, change and friendship. Sounds corny right? It’s not. The characters are developed, they have their own reasons for the choices they make and nothing feels forced, neither actions or conversations. It’s a small and wonderful movie about a little man that moves out of the city and his comfort zone when his only friend dies, moves to said friend’s old train station and sets his life there. From there on it follows his social interactions with a slew of people, the relationships he forms with them. Oh, and the little man? Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), who pulls off a great performance, albeit a quiet one.

41. 4. Fruitvale Station (2013) The true story of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old black man on the last day of 2008, where his will to change is challenged by his past, surroundings, and the police. You’ve probably read and heard a lot about young black men’s sad recent encounters with the police, and for this reason you might feel like skipping this film. Don’t. Produced by Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, it is so compassionate and powerfully told, that it surpasses the sadness of its subject matter to almost be a celebration of life. It is an extraordinary and important watch. 3. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) You will not come out of this movie the same person you were going into it. Get ready to cry your eyes out, scream in anger, and rejoice that such a powerful love can exist in our world. DO NOT READ ANY SPOILERS OR SUMMARIES BEFORE VIEWING! This loving documentary about the father of a young boy is one of the best movies of this decade! We can’t recommend this film enough!

42. 2. Beasts of No Nation (2015) An instant classic, Beast of No Nation is a unique and uniquely-paced war drama which ranges in patterns from explosive visual storytelling to calm character studies. A child joins a rebel group consisting almost entirely of children and led by a charismatic leader credited as Commandant. As you get to witness the conflict through the child’s eyes, his own development and his commander’s, the film unfolds as an exploration of the never ending, pathetic state of war in Africa. From there it takes you to varying conclusions, most of which you will have trouble admitting you've reached. As Commandant, Idris Elba is transfixing, proving once more that he is one of the best actors of our time. The whole cast of almost entirely non-actors, as well as the deeply authentic staging by True Detective and Sin Nombre director Cary Fukunaga, are both mesmerizing. 1. Short Term 12 (2013) Short Term 12 is exactly like being injured in a part of your body where you didn’t think it was possible to get injured before. It will hurt but it will make you care. Natural and understated by budget and by purpose, it is powered by perfect performances that will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride you will never forget. It is at times sweet, at times depressing and at times hilarious. The thing is, without even taking into consideration its small budget or the importance of the issues it talks about – we would still consider Short Term 12 as one of the best movies of the past 20 years. Source: http://agoodmovietowatch.com/netflix/23-best-netflix/

43. Humanitarian Tools Many of you know me from my work at the Center for Global Initiatives, a 501(c ) non-profit, nongovernmental organization with a focus on global heal and helping provide tools and resources freely to those also working in that space. We have a monthly newsletter (Tools for Change) that’s available for the asking (DrChrisStout@gmail.com) and back issues are archived here https://www.pinterest.com/drchrisstout/tools-for-change-the-cgi-newsletter/ If you’d like to access our free tools and library, then please visit the site http://centerforglobalinitiatives.org/ And you can get more immediate updates and share your own posts at our Facebook page, where over 2400 other likeminded folks participate: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CenterForGlobalInitiatives/ http://centerforglobalinitiatives.org/ Note about curated content: Photos and content were sampled from public, non-subscription websites and are thus assumed to be in the public domain. All original authorship is properly attributed and transparently sourced and this document serves as yet another avenue to publicize the authors’ works and is noncommercial. Disclosures and Fine-print