Indahnya Mencari Ilmu

 

Kemiskinan, bukan alasan dalam mencapai kecemerlangan ilmu: Imam Syafi’I (w. 820 M), adalah seorang anak yatim dan miskin, telah menghafal al-Qur’an ketika berumur 7 tahun, dan menghapal pula kitab Fikih Imam Malik ketika berumur 10 tahun. Beliau juga telah dianggap layak untuk membuat fatwa ketika berumur 12 tahun (Anwar Ahmad Qadri, 1981, Islamic Jurisprudence in the Modern World, Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, hlm. 124). Sewaktu dewasa beliau biasa menghabiskan 1/3 malam belajar. (al Ghazali, Ihya Ulumiddin, terjemahan N. A. Faris, 1979, The Book of Knowledge, Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, hlm: 59).

Kecacatan, bukan alasan dalam mencapai kecemerlangan ilmu: Abu Hasan al-Tamimi (w. 918 M) adalah seorang yang buta, tetapi kecintaannya pada ilmu menjadikan beliau belajar melalui pendengaran saja sehingga menjadi ulama fiqh mazhab Syafi’I yang terkenal. (George Makdisi, 1981, The Rise of Colleges, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, hlm: 99).

Situasi Sosial Politik yang Tidak Stabil, bukan alasan dalam mencapai kecemerlangan ilmu: Ibn Taymiyyah (w. 1328 M) yang dilahirkan ketika keadaan politik umat Islam kacau balau di bawah keganasan Mongol dan Perang Salib, hidup dalam iklim keilmuan keluarganya. Beliau mempelajari al-Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh, matematika, sejarah, sastra, imu kalam serta filsafat dan tamat pada belajar  ketika berumur 21 tahun. (Qamaruddin Khan, 1985, Political Thought of Ibn Taymiyyah, Islamabad: Islamic Research Institute, hlm: 2-4).

Kesenangan Hidup juga tidak menjadikan diri menjadi Malas untuk mencapai kecemerlangan ilmu: Ibn Hazm (w. 1064 M) yang dilahirkan di Qordoba dan Ibn Khaldun (w. 1406) yang dilahirkan di Tunis, keduanya berasal dari lingkungan keluarga yang berada, berpendidikan dan berpengaruh. Mereka yang dibesarkan dalam suasana kelimuan yang biasa dialami oleh anak-anak seperti itu mempelajari semua bidang agama dan filsafat. Bidang kajian Ibn Hazm lebih luas lagi sehingga sampai meliputi perobatan (kedokteran) yang beliau tidak amalkan secara serius mungkin karena terpaksa berpindah pindah disebabkan suasana politik yang tidak stabil. (A.G. Chejne, op.cit,, hlm: 36-43 dan Ibn Khaldun, Muqaddimah, terjemahan Franz Rosenthal, hlm: vii-xii).

Kedudukan dan Umur bukan faktor penghalang untuk terus belajar: Imam Abu Hanifah, walaupun sudah mempunyai pengikut dan masyhur, ternyata masih belajar lagi dengan Imam Malik yang 13 tahun lebih muda daripadanya. (Shibli Nu’mani, 1982, Imam Abu Hanifah: Life and Work, terjemahan M. Hadi Hussain, Lahore: Institute of Islamic Culture, hlm: 30).

Al-Jahiz (w. 869 M) adalah seorang budak hitam, sekaligus berprofesi sebagai penjual roti dan ikan, ternyata beliau mampu mencapai ketinggian ilmunya bukan hanya sekedar dengan cara menghadiri kuliah (ceramah-ceramah/halaqoh) tetapi dengan cara bergaul dengan ilmuwan di Mirdad, yaitu sebuah kawasan terbuka di pinggir Basra. Mirdad adalah tempat pertemuan para kabilah dan para ilmuwan yang saling bertukar berbagai ragam bahasa Arab Badui. Al Jahiz juga sering mengunjungi masjid dan mempelajari hal-hal yang berguna daripada para pengunjung masjid yang lain (masjidiyun). Kisah kematian beliau mencerminkan kehidupan yang benar-benar cinta akan ilmu. Beliau yang lumpuh tubuh badannya meninggal dunia tertindih oleh buku-buku yang selalu tersimpan di sekelilingnya. (Charles Pellat, 1969, The Life and Works of Jahiz, Berkeley/Los Angeles: University of California Press, hlm: 3-9).

Abu Rayhan Al Biruni (w. 1048 M) menguasai berbagai disiplin ilmu, ahli sains, ahli perundangan, ahli perbandingan agama dan menguasai berbagai bahasa seperti Arab, Parsi, Turki, Yahudi dan Sambani, dan ketika mengikuti Mahmud Ghaznawi ke India selama 14 tahun, beliau mempelajari bahasa Sanskrit untuk menulis tentang agama dan budaya orang India. (G. Allana, 1979, “Abu Rayhan Muhammad Ibn Ahmad al Biruni: A Restless Genius in Search of Knowledge”, dalam Al-Biruni Commemorative Volume: Proceedings of the International Congress, Hakim Mohammad Said, (ed.), Karachi: Hamdard National Foundation, hlm: 149-157). Ternyata ketika beliau sakit parah masih mendesak seorang sahabatnya yang menziarahinya, agar memberikan jawaban terhadap satu persoalan fiqh yang beliau rasa belum mendapat jawaban yang tepat. Sahabatnya dengan nada kasihan bertanya kepada al Biruni: Apakah ini waktu yang tepat untuk membahas tentang persoalan fiqh sedangkan engkau dalam keadaan seperti ini? Al Biruni menjawab dengan tegas bahwa beliau tidak mau meninggalkan alam fana ini dalam keadaan jahil (tidak tahu/bodoh) tentang penyelesaian persoalan tersebut. (Ahmad Shalaby, 1945, History of Muslim Education,Beirut: Dar al-Kashshaf, hlm: 179).

Ibn Rushd (w. 1198 M) hanya bercuti (libur) 2 hari sepanjang hidupnya dari kerjanya yaitu mengajar, menulis dan memberi fatwa sebagai Qodi, yaitu pada hari kematian bapaknya dan dan pada hari perkawinannya. (Miguel Cruz Hernandez, 1989, “Ibn Rushd dan Musa Ibn Maymun-Ahli Falsafah al-Andalus”, Kurier UNESCO, no 11, hlm: 9).

Ibn Sina (w. 1037 M) yang hidup di Iran disekitar abad ke-10 dan ke-11 Masehi, telah menerima pendidikan al-Qur’an dan kesusasteraan ketika masih kecil. Setelah sampai pada usia 10 tahun beliau telah mengkhatamkan al-Qur’an dan banyak kitab kesusasteraan. Sejak kecil beliau dan saudara kandungnya telah ditunjukan kepada perbincangan filsafat tentang masalah akal dan roh, geometrid an ilmu hisab India. Beliau dihantar oleh ayahnya mempelajari ilmu hisab India dan matematika daripada seorang penjual sayur yang menguasai bidang ini. Kemudian beliau juga giat pula mempelajari ilmu Fiqh dan menguasaiya. Setelah itu beliau mengkahi filsafat, khasnya kitab Isagoge karangan Porphyry, seorang tokoh filsafat Yunani Kuno. Beliau belajar ilmu logika dengan cara otodidak sampai menguasainya. Kemudian beliau juga memabca sendiri teks dan komentar tentang sains kedokteran dan metafisika. Beliau juga membaca kitab perobatan dan mengatakan bahwa ilmu perobatan tidaklah terlalu sulit. Oleh karenanya, dalam waktu yang singkat telah menguasainya dan tidak sedikit para pakar perobatan yang belajar kepadanya. Beliau merawat orang-orang yang sakit dan mendalami lagi ilmu perobatan. Pada usia 16 tahun, beliau melibatkan diri dalam ilmu perundangan dan sering berpolemik tentang hal tersebut.

Kemudian, selama satu setengah tahun beliau belajar dan mengkaji tentang filsafat dengan mendalam. Apabila merasa letih dan mengantuk ketika belajar, maka beliau akan meminum jus buah-buahan untuk menyegarkan badan dan meneruskan bacaan. Beliau banyak bersembahyang di masjid dan berdoa agar Allah memberikan penjelasan terhadap persoalan yang sukar dipahaminya. Beliau melaksanakan hal tersebut secara istiqamah sehingga semua bidang ilmu seperti logika, sains kedokteran dan matematika dikuasainya. Kemudian beliau membaca kitabMetafizika karangan Aristotle sebanyak 40 kali tetapi masih belum memahaminya sehingga akhirnya beliau menemukan ulasan (penjelasan) al-Farabi tentang kitab metafizikanya Aristotle. Beliau merasa sangat gembira ketika dapat memahami kitab yang hampir 500 halaman tersebut, lalu beliau mendirikan sholat sunat dan banyak bersedekah. Ketika beliau dipanggil untuk membantu Sultan Nuh al-Mansur di Bukhara, beliau mengambil kesempatan buku-buku di perpustakaan besar kepunyaan sultan itu dan telah selesai menguasai semua bidang ilmu setelah berumur 18 tahun. (William E. Gohlman, 1974, The Life of Ibn Sina: A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation, New York: SUNY Press).

Syed Muhammad Naquib  Al-Attas: Ketika beliau sedang menyiapkan penjelasan tentang karya Hujjatul Siddiq oleh Syeikh Nurudin al-Raniri pada awal 1980an, al-Attas membuat kajian di Perpustakaan Universiti Chicago. Dalam beberapa pertemuan dengan Prof. Dr Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud di sana beliau mengakui amat sukar tidur sebab memikirkan maksud penulis kitab tersebut. Bahkan, karena kesungguhan beliau dalam memahami maksud kitab tersebut sampai-sampai beliau seakan-akan berbicara dengan al-Raniri sendiri. Beliau pernah menyatakan kepada Prof Wan, bahwa ketika menulis tentang episode-episode sejarah, beliau seolah-olah dapat melihat dengan mata hatinya rentetan-rentetan semua peristiwa penting dalam episode berkenaan. Hal yang sama juga berlaku ketika beliau merancang dua kampus ISTAC di Jalan Damansara dan Persiaran Duta yang indah dan berperibadi unik itu. Beliau dapat membayangkan setiap sudut dari bangunan itu dan semua yang ingin diletakkan di dalamnya seperti seorang penghias dalaman dan juru lanskap. (Prof. Dr. Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud, Artikel: Falsafah dan Metodologi Pengkajian Sejarah Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas pada Seminar Khas Sejarah Alam Melayu: Antara Fakta dan Khayalan, anjuran CASIS di Bilik Jemaah UTM International Campus Kuala Lumpur,  9hb Sept 2011).

Masuklah salah satu dari 7 golongan teristimewa

oleh Aid Abdullah al-Qarni

Abu Hurairah ra menuturkan, aku mendengar Rasulullah shallahu alaihi wassalam bersabda, "Tujuh macam manusia yang akan mendapat naungan Allah dalam naungan-Nya pada hari yang tidak ada naungan selain naungan-Nya. Mereka adalah seorang pemimpin yang adil, seorang pemuda yang tumbuh berkembang dalam ibadah kepada Allah, dua orang yang saling mencintai kerana Allah, berkumpul kerana Allah, dan berpisah karena Allah, seseorang berzikir kepada Allah dalam kesendirian dan kemudian bercucuran air matanya, seseorang yang hatinya terpaut pada masjid-masjid, seseorang yang bersedekah dan menyembunyikan (sedekahnya) itu hingga tangan kirinya tidak tahu apa yang disedekahkan oleh tangan kanannnya,seseorang yang ketika digoda oleh seseorang wanita yang bermartabat dan cantik jelita, ia menjawab, "Sesungguhnya aku takut kepada Allah, Tuhan semesta alam".

 Adapun golongan pertama, adalah golongan pemimpin yang adil. Mereka itu adalah setiap orang yang berbuat adil terhadap orang-orang yang dipimpinnya.Bahkan,menurut sebagian ulama, seorang guru yan berbuat adil terhadap murid-muridnya  maka ia termasuk orang yang adil, sebagaimana dimaksud oleh hadith ini.Ketika seorang guru menguji murid-muridnya, misalnya kemudian ia menilai hasil ujian mereka dengan adil, maka ia termasuk orang yang akan mendapat naungan Allah pada hari yang tidak naungan lain selain naungan-Nya.

Setiap mukmin hendaklah berusaha sebaik mungkin agar dirinya memiliki salah satu sifat dari ketujuh golongan ini. Lebih baik lagi jika ia mampu memiliki dua, atau tiga dari ketujuh sifat itu.Ia sangat mudah bagi siapa saja yang dimudahkan Allah bahkan sangat ringan bagi siapa yang dirinya diringankan Allah Ta'ala.

Perkataan Rasulullah shallahu alaihi wassalam ini adalah pernyataan bahwa pada hari kiamat kelak tidak ada tempat bernaung satupun selain naungan Allah. Begitulah, pada hari kiamat kelak tidak ada naungan, tak ada pohon, tak tempat berteduh, dan tak ada sesuatu pun yang dapat melindungi manusia dari bahang terik matahari yang pada saat itu terlampau dekat dengan kepala seluruh manusia.

وعن الْمِقْدَادُ بْنُ الأَسْوَدِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ: " تُدْنَى الشَّمْسُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ حَتَّى تَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ كَمِقْدَارِ مِيلٍ ». قَالَ سُلَيْمُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِى مَا يَعْنِى بِالْمِيلِ أَمَسَافَةَ الأَرْضِ أَمِ الْمِيلَ الَّذِى تُكْتَحَلُ بِهِ الْعَيْنُ. قَالَ « فَيَكُونُ النَّاسُ عَلَى قَدْرِ أَعْمَالِهِمْ فِى الْعَرَقِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَكُونُ إِلَى كَعْبَيْهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَكُونُ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَكُونُ إِلَى حَقْوَيْهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُلْجِمُهُ الْعَرَقُ إِلْجَامًا ». قَالَ وَأَشَارَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- بِيَدِهِ إِلَى فِيهِ" أخرجه مسلم .

Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad mengatakan, "Aku mendengar Rasulullah shallahu alaihi wassalam mengatakan, "Matahari, pada hari kiamat kelak, akan sangat dekat dengan kepala manusia, dan bahkan, jarak antara matahari dan manusia saat itu, hanya satu batu ( mil ) saja. Sulaim ibnu 'Aamir berkata, "Aku tak tahu apa yang dimaksudkan dengan ukuran batu di sini.  Adakah ia jarak satu batu atau 'mil' yang digunakan untuk celak mata. Sabda baginda lagi, " Lalu keadaan manusia berpeluh ketika itu pun mengikut kadar amalan masing-masing. Ada yang peluhnya sampai ke mata kaki,  ada yang sampai ke lututnya, ada yang sampai ke pinggangnya dan ada yang sampai peluhnya masuk ke mulutnya- sambil Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wasallam menunjuk ke mulut baginda.

Disebutkan, pada hari itu Yang Maha Perkasa nampak dengan segala keagungan-Nya dan kebesaran-Nya duduk di singgahsana yang amat agung. Menurut sebuah riwayat, saat itu, singgasana Allah ini dipikul oleh lapan malaikat dan Allah berada di atasnya dengan segala keagungan, kebesaran, kemuliaan-Nya yang tiada bandingan sedikitpun. Semua itu tidak dapat dilukiskan dengan kata-kata. Entah bagaimana, di mana, seperti apa, dan laksana apa? Yang jelas, Dia akan bertahta di singgasana-Nya sebagaimana disebutkan dalam al-Qur'an.

Kemudian, dari atas singgasana-Nya itu, Allah akan menyeru dengan suara-Nya yang terdengar oleh mereka yang dekat dan mereka yang jauh. "Akulah  Maharaja dari segala maharaja" - yang Mahasuci lagi Maha Agung. Dialah Raja, yakni sebagaimana ditegaskan dalam al-Qur'an, "Yang menguasai Hari Pembelasan". (QS : al-Fatihah : 3). Ertinya, tidak ada raja selain Dia.

Dalam sebuah hadith Qudsi, disebutkan Allah Ta'ala, berfirman : "Akulah  Raja, di manakah raja-raja dunia?". Kemudian Dia mengulanginya lagi hingga tiga kali, "Akulah Sang Raja, dimanakah raja-raja dunia?".

Lalu Dia bertanya, "Milik siapakah kekuasaan pada hari ini? Milik siapakah kekuasaa hari ini? Miliki siapakah kekuasaan pada hari ini? Lantas, Allah menjawabnya sendiri seraya berkata, "Hanya kepunyaan Allah Yang Maha Esa lagi Maha Mengalahkan". (QS : Ghafir : 16)

Sesaat kemudian, Allah Ta'ala mengawali panggilannya. Dia berkata, "Mana orang-orang yang cinta-mencintai dalam kebesaran-Ku? Pada hari ini, aku akan menaungi mereka dalam naungan-Ku,sedang hari ini tidak ada naungan selain naungan-Ku".

Hadith ini diriwayatkan oleh Abu Hurairah ra. Menurut riwayat ini, ketika seluruh manusia - dari sejak dahulu kala, hingga akhir zaman nanti - dikumpulkan menjadi satu, Allah aka menyeru mereka. Dia akan berkata, "Mana orang-orang saling mencintai dalam kebesaran-Ku? Pada hari ini, aku akan menaungi mereka dalam naungan-Ku. Maka, bangkitlah orang-orang itu menuju Allah Azza Wa Jalla

PPSMI: It is the concept, not the language

by Feizrul Nor Nurbi     Original article

October 30, 2011 Lately, it is interesting to note the shift in stand by proponents of Teaching of Mathematics and Science in English (PPSMI) generally, and specifically the group calling itself Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE). No, not that they somehow understand the folly of their campaign in reintroducing PPSMI in Malaysian schools, but rather the refocusing on their raison d’être - from  arguing that PPSMI will improve the standard of English in Malaysian schools - to the argument that PPSMI will help to empower the nation in the field of Science and Mathematics. Firstly, it is worth noting that on PAGE's website - there is no specific and clear objective regarding the direction or the 'fight' undertaken  by the body, just a broad mission statement that the body acts as a platform for parents to voice their concerns regarding educational issues. With this very broad statement, it is peculiar why PAGE chooses to champion the PPSMI cause when there are other pressing 'educational issues' that warrant higher attention. How about the issue of the diminishing quality of educators and teachers that are the backbone of the country's education system? How about the diminishing appeal of teaching as profession of choice by the bright and talented? How about the inadequate syllabus fed to our students that ill-prepare them for the challenges in university and also in the working world? How about the outdated rote-learning methodology still used in classrooms today that kills critical-thinking and inquisitivity amongst school children today? Believe me when I say that our country's education system is rotten to the core, and those four concerns highlighted above barely being the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Thus, it is peculiar that PAGE focuses its hard work and attention on something of less importance such as language of instruction, when the underlying causes of the decay are not even given a cursory glance. Perhaps it's a classic case of 'missing the forest for the trees'? Back to the main point - will learning Mathematics and Science in English empower the country's pursuit of excellence in those two fields? To argue this point it is pertinent that we understand that to excel in these two subjects at the school level, it is of utmost importance that one is highly adept in the  understanding of the concepts and principles. Take the most basic concept of Mathematics - the numbers. It is easy to memorize the numbers in it language form - albeit in English or any other language - but to understand the concept of numbers is another different thing altogether. The concept of what the number represents, the mathematical usage and practical place of  numbers in our daily life. Perhaps we should go lower to something more basic than numbers - the concept of 'zero'. Seems simple, but try explaining the concept of 'zero' to preschoolers or even early primary students. Even those of the teaching profession will find it hard to articulate their understanding of the concept 'zero' to those new to the subject. Even making it harder is trying to explain this simple yet essential concept in a language unfamiliar to the children. English prowess Hence, it is in my view, that to excel in these two highly technical subjects, one must be able to hold a strong grasp of the concepts and principles dominant in the learning of Science and Mathematics. And there is no easier way to understand these than to teach the students in their mother tongue, as the oft-quoted UNESCO study suggests. Perhaps, one might argue - what happens when the students go to university, and to one that uses English as medium of instruction? Here is where their prowess of the English language will be tested. When I say 'prowess' it mean the overall strength in the whole language, and not necessarily the jargons and terms unique to those two subjects. To demonstrate - a student, who learns Mathematics and Science in Bahasa Melayu and scores 100% in both papers, will definitely struggle in a full-English environment, if somehow he or she only scores the bare minimum in the English paper. Also - a student who learns Mathematics and Science in Bahasa Melayu and scores 100% in both and combined with a 100% score on the English subject will definitely find it a breeze when learning the two subjects in English later in university. How about a medium-grade student of Science and Mathematics , who is incidentally a product of PPSMI - will learning the two subjects in English during the school years turn him or her from a medium grade student to an excellent one in a full-English learning environment? Therein lies the problem - it is rather logical to deduce that it is not the language of instruction that dictates the success achieved in learning the subject, but it is more on the understanding of the concepts and principles in whatever language that the subjects are delivered. Simply - master the concepts. A change in the medium of instruction will only require a minimal effort for the smart to remain successful. Thus, the folly in the direction taken by PAGE and the proponents of PPSMI in championing the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English. To me it is clear that the students will respond better when learning these two subjects in their mother tongue, thus leading to better prospect for the nation in these two arena. It is of no use  to learn both subject in English just because 'the reference books are in English' or whatever excuses thrown by the PPSMI proponents when learning them in English  may cause the concepts being lost on the bewildered mind unfamiliar with the language. Perhaps, it is time for PAGE to re-examine its direction and objectives, also the fight it chooses to undertake. Perhaps there are more pertinent 'educational issues' requiring the grunt and perseverance demonstrated by PAGE, rather than wasting the effort on a policy that is haphazard in both its inception and implementation, and questionable in its achievements. How about restoring the quality of the teaching profession - isn't it a nobler cause to fight for? * Feizrul Nor Nurbi is a Harakahdaily reader

Thomas Edison’s Top 5 Tips for Success

by HENRIK EDBERG. 

Thomas Alva Edison was one of the most famous and hard-working inventors in history. When he died in 1931 he held 1093 patents in his name (though a lot of his inventions were collaborations).

Some of his most used inventions are of course the light bulb and the gramophone.

He also did quite a bit work to improve x-ray machines for while (until he almost lost his own eye-sight and an assistant died due to radiation poisoning). And he had a AC/DC-current war with the odd and fascinating inventor Nikola Tesla.

Here are a few of my favourite tips from Edison. They are all about success. And what kind of work and mindset achieving such a thing may require.

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

One of the problems in life is that people just give up too soon. I think quite a big bit of this because of social programming and the expectations set by society. It’s seen as pretty normal to try once or maybe a few times and then give up.

There is also a ton of products, books and commercials that promises us that we can “Earn 20000 dollars in just 4 weeks” or “Easily lose 30 pounds in 30 days!”.

And we hear these messages over and over throughout life.

No wonder it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that everything should work out after about three tries or so.

When the promise of a quick fix is sold to us all the time and people around us are buying into it then it becomes easy just do the same thing. And align our expectations of the world around how things “should” work rather than how they work.

If one does not give up so quickly but tries perhaps 20-30 times or more there is a pretty good chance that success will come. If one keeps at it for not 3 weeks but 6 months then the likelihood of success often increases.

If not, then you may spend a lot of time in a cycle where you try a new quick fix, get discouraged quickly and give up, spend some cash on the next quick fix and getting overly enthusiastic and then continue the cycle by jumping from one magic bullet to another, never achieving much of a result. You can read more about this problem in One Big Mistake a Lot of People Make.

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Now, how do you reframe failure? How do you look at it so you don’t feel overwhelmed and give up? Well, you can look at failure as a part of a process. You look at it as ways that won’t work. You draw lessons from those ways. Then you let that go, focus on the present and try again (this time perhaps in a different way).

If you look at failure as something big, like it’s the end of the world you’ll probably be quite a bit afraid of it. And so it can feel too painful to go on after a few failures. Or you may never even try, since your mind is projecting all these horrible and painful future scenarios of what will happen if you try and fail.

Also, if you come from a place of abundance then failure has less power over you. Failure can be really useful if you learn to redefine it for yourself. The key is to develop an abundance mentality – where there is always an abundance of opportunities – instead of a more common scarcity mentality where there is always a lack. If you start to think about your world this way failure becomes less painful and the fear of missteps lessens.

Because with an abundance mentality you believe that there are more good opportunities out there even if you experience failure. So you are less inclined to give into fear and to pull away from taking a chance.

Failure still hurts even if you think about things this way. But then you think about what you can learn from the failure. And then you start over again. And in retrospect you often discover that your previous failure provided some very useful, perhaps even necessary lessons, for your latest project to grow as well as it does.

This way – seeing it as a process and have an abundance-mentality – is one way to reframe failure to keep yourself from giving up. If you look at it this way you’ll be less prone to lie down and just give up.

“The value of an idea lies in the using of it.”

Useful information is good. But you have to put it to use sometime or you’ll never reap any benefits or success. This is a pretty common problem when you for instance get interested in personal development. You get a lot of books, programs etc. and you study them. And then you get more.

Always looking for the magic bullet that will give you success without you having to do anything. Confusing yourself and feeling like you are making progress by reading another book.

That emotional high is dangerous because it can fool you into thinking that things are progressing.

But then a few months later nothing much has happened, except you have a lot of knowledge (and have probably forgotten half of it because your mind couldn’t retain it because you weren’t putting it into action). To get results you need to take action. That’s also the best way to really understand the information you have absorbed and possibly find ways to tweak and use it in an even better way for yourself.

“Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.”

But just going for it, taking action and doing something isn’t enough. You have to ask yourself if what you are doing is useful? Or is it just another way to keep yourself busy, to keep yourself from doing what you really want to do?

You need to think about what you really want to do. You need to make plans. Then throughout your normal day you can remind yourself, by for instance using external reminders like written notes, to stay on track. To not get lost on the wrong track or in the busywork that is perhaps a normal routine or an easy escape from the things you’d like to do but that require more perspiration.

“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

There is a myth that geniuses mostly just are geniuses and can do great things pretty much as easily as you and I tie our shoelaces. But what is seldom mentioned or seen is how much the really successful people work. And how far the people that just practise, practise, practise can go.

I think natural talent certainly plays a role. But I also think that it can become an excuse to slack off and never come close to your potential. To find something you can become really, really good at – perhaps even be regarded as genius at – I think you need to find something you really, really like to do. Otherwise, your inner motivation and passion will run out and you’ll probably show up less and less. Until you one day just give it up.

Maybe it wasn’t the thing for you. Maybe you grew apart from it.

And if that happens then you can try to find another thing that you really, really like to do.

If you like this article, please give it a thumb up in Stumbleupon. Thanks a lot! =)

Soda Linked To Teen Violence, Study Says

http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_m44/soda-drink-violence.html
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/crime/study-heavy-soda-drinking-linked-teen-violence


Violence towards peers rose from 35 percent to 58 percent while violence towards siblings rose from 25.4 percent o 43 percent. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in an interview with The Associated Press. The report was published after researchers asked about 1,900 Boston public high school students how many non-diet sodas they drank during the last week. The researchers then looked at potential links to violent behaviour in this group, by asking if they had been violent towards their peers, a sibling, or a partner, and if they had carried a gun or knife over the past year. ^[1]High-school students in inner-city Boston who consumed more than five cans of non-diet, fizzy soft drinks every week were between nine and 15-percent likelier to engage in an aggressive act compared with counterparts who drank less. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," said David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. ^[2] Now, in a latest study, experts have attempted to identify the relationship between consumption of carbonated drinks and violence among the young students. These drinks have also faced a huge criticism for causing a number of health complications. During the study, the scientists have observed that youngsters who prefer to consume these fizzy drinks are more likely to behave in an aggressive manner or keep a weapon along with them. The experts have warned that the consumption of non-diet sugary drinks can cast a significant impact to increase the level of violence among the teens and claimed that adolescents who tend to consume two or more cans of the drinks every day are more likely to enjoy violence, particularly with their siblings, friends as well as with companion. An expert from the Harvard School of Public Health, David Hemenway, had attempted to explain the findings and notified: "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were". In addition to this, David Hemenway also insisted that the carbonated drink lovers are more likely to show episodes full of violence even with dating partners, family members as compared to other counterpart. ^[3]

The researchers suggest that sugar or caffeine could lead to aggression. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," said David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. "It was shocking to us when we saw how clear the relationship was," he said. ^[4]

"Adolescents who drank more than five cans of soft drinks per week (nearly 30 percent of the sample) were significantly more likely to have carried a weapon and to have been violent with peers, family members and dates," researchers wrote. Frequent soda drink consumption was associated with a 9 to 15 percent increase in the probability of a teenager engaging in an aggressive act, even after controlling for other factors including gender, age, race, sleep patterns, alcohol and tobacco use, and whether the teenager has dinner with their family. "It was shocking to us when we saw how clear the relationship was," David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, told Agence France-Presse. ^[5] Teen violence had a "significant and strong" link with soda drink consumption in a new study by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health. Boston high school students were asked how often they drank non-diet soda drinks, and whether they had taken part in violence with a peer or carried a weapon. ^[5] SCIENTISTS have reacted with scepticism to a U.S. study which has found a link between the high consumption of soft drinks and violence in teens. The study, carried out by the Harvard School of Health, reported high-school students who consumed more than five cans of non-diet, fizzy soft drinks every week were between nine and 15 per cent more likely to engage in an aggressive act compared with those who drank less. It was based on answers to questionnaires filled out by 1878 public-school students in inner-city Boston aged 14 to 18, where crime rates are much higher than in wealthier suburbs.^[6]

Just under one in three (30 percent) respondents fell into the high consumption category. The more soft drinks the teens consumed, the more likely they were to have reported violent behavior. For those teens who were heavy consumers of non-diet sodas, the probability of aggressive behavior was 9 to 15 percentage points higher than that of low consumers. Just over 23 percent of those who said they drank one or no cans of soft drink a week carried a gun/knife, but just under 43 percent among those drinking 14 or more cans said that. The percentage of teens who reported perpetrating violence towards a partner rose from 15 percent, in those drinking one or no cans a week, to just short of 27 percent, among those drinking 14 or more. It's possible that an underlying condition, such as low blood sugar, may result in both high soda consumption and aggressive behavior, the researchers said.^[7] What emerged, said Hemenway, was evidence of "dose response," in other words, the more soda was consumed, the likelier the tendency towards violence. Among those who drank one or no cans of soft drink a week, 23 percent carried a gun or a knife; 15 percent perpetrated violence towards a partner; and 35 percent had been violent towards peers. At the other end of the scale, among those who drank 14 cans a week, 43 percent carried a gun or a knife; 27 percent had been violent towards a partner; and more than 58 percent had been violent towards peers. ^[8] What emerged, said Professor David Hemenway, was evidence of "dose response", in other words, the more soda was consumed, the likelier the tendency towards violence. Among those who drank one or no cans of soft drink a week, 23 per cent carried a gun or a knife; 15 per cent perpetrated violence towards a partner; and 35 per cent had been violent towards peers. At the other end of the scale, among those who drank 14 cans a week, 43 per cent carried a gun or a knife; 27 per cent had been violent towards a partner; and more than 58 per cent had been violent towards peers. ^[6]

Overall, teens who were heavy consumers of sugary fizz were between nine and 15 percentage points likelier to show aggressive behaviour compared with low consumers, even when ethnicity and other confounding factors were taken into account. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," said Prof Hemenway. "It was shocking to us when we saw how clear the relationship was." He stressed that only further work would confirm - or disprove - the key question whether higher consumption of sweet sodas caused violent behaviour. ^[6] Overall, teens who were heavy consumers of sugary fizz were between nine and 15 percentage points likelier to show aggressive behaviour compared with low consumers, even when ethnicity and other confounding factors were taken into account. This is a magnitude similar to the link found, in previously researched, with alcohol or tobacco. Hemenway said the study had included a couple of questions aimed at taking a children's home background into account, including whether the teen had taken a meal with his family in the previous days. As it was only intended as a preliminary investigation, the questionnaire did not ask what kind of sodas the teens drank, he said. "This is one of the very first studies to examine" the question, said Hemenway. "We don't know why (there is this strong association). There may be some causal effect but it's also certainly plausible that this is just a marker for other problems - that kids who are violent for whatever reason, they tend to smoke more, they tend to drink more alcohol and they tend to maybe drink more soft drinks. ^[8]

The legal strategy became known as the "Twinkie Defense," and the precedent raised a number of questions that persist, despite years of research on the subject. A 2006 study in found that teens who drank lots of soft drinks suffered from worse mental health compared to those who drank fewer. A study published earlier this year found higher levels of antisocial behavior in American college students who drank the most soda. ^[9] White's lawyers argued that the crime wasn't premeditated because White was hyped up on junk food and Coca-Cola. Other studies have further probed possible effects of unhealthy food, with one study finding poor mental health among Norwegian teens who drank a lot of soft drinks. Another study found antisocial tendencies among U.S. college students who consumed a lot of soda. ^[10]

BOSTON -- Teenagers who drink a lot of soda are more likely to get into fights and act violently, according to a new study. Harvard researchers asked more than 1,800 students in Boston public schools about their experiences with violence, including if they had carried a knife or gun the previous year. The students were also asked how much non-diet soda they drank in the past seven days. ^[11] The study is published in the Oct. 24 online issue of Injury Prevention. The researchers asked about 1,900 Boston public high school students how many non-diet sodas they drank during the last week, as well as whether they carried a weapon or had been violent toward family members or peers. Nearly 43 percent of teens who drank 14 or more cans of soda a week said they carried a weapon at some point, compared with 23 percent of teens who drank less than one can of soda a week. ^[10] Researchers from the University of Vermont analyzed survey responses from 1,878 teens from 22 public schools in Boston. Teens were asked how many sodas they had consumed over the past week, and whether they had been violent towards their peers, their siblings or people they had dated, or if they had carried a gun or a knife in the past year. The responses were divided into two groups: those who said they drank up to four cans over the preceding week (low consumption); and those how said they drank five or more (high consumption). ^[7]

For the latest study, Hemenway and colleague Sara Solnick surveyed more than 1,800 students in Boston public schools. During 40-minute sessions that covered a range of topics, kids answered questions about how much non-diet soda they had gulped down in the past seven days, whether they had been violent towards others, and if they had carried around a knife or gun in the previous year. ^[9]

Teens in the study who drank more than five cans of non-diet soda per day were significantly more likely report behaving violently towards others, and more likely to report having carried a gun or knife in the past year, the researchers said. ^[7] Teens who drank five cans of non-diet soda or more each week were more likely to behave aggressively than kids who reported drinking no soda, the researchers reported in Injury Prevention. They found that those who drank a lot of soda were 9 to 15 percent more likely to be violent toward others or to engage in aggressive activities.^[11] Teens who drank lots of soda were also more likely to be aggressive toward a sibling -- 45 percent compared with 25 percent among teens who drank little soda. The authors were able to control for a number of factors including gender, race and tobacco and alcohol use but not for some other important factors that could affect the likelihood of violence, such as quality of parenting and poverty. Those who reported drinking lots of soda were also more likely to have also used alcohol or smoked cigarettes. Nearly 30 percent of the ninth to 12th graders said they drank more than five cans of soda a week. It's possible that the association is explained by the soda itself, researchers said. ^[10]

There was a similar "dose relationship" on other measures of violence. About 27 percent of teens who drank 14 or more cans of soda a week admitted to violence against a romantic partner, compared with 15 percent of those drinking less than one can a week. 59 percent of those drinking 14 or more cans a week had been violent toward peers, compared with 35 percent of those drinking one can or less.^[10]

The study found that 23 percent of those consuming one or no cans of soda a week carried a gun or knife, while 15 percent had been engaged in violence toward a partner. In comparison, among those who consumed 14 or more cans a week, 43 percent carried a gun or knife and 27 percent had been violent toward a partner, the researchers found. ^[1] Most students were either Hispanic or African-American. Factors measured were how many cans of soda drank per week, if the person carried a gun or knife, if they had been violent towards their partner, and if they had been violent towards peers. Students were grouped into those who drank zero to one can per week, and those that drank around fourteen per week. ^[12]

Among the questions were how much carbonated non-diet soft drink, measured in 12-ounce (355-millilitre) cans, the teens had drunk in the previous seven days. They were also asked whether they drank alcohol or smoked, carried a weapon or showed violence towards peers, family members and partner. ^[8] Twenty-three percent of teens who drank fewer than one soft drink a week reported carrying a weapon, for example, compared to 43 percent who drank five or more cans a week.^[9]

Th researchers also saw an association between soda and weapons even when kids drank less than 14 cans. About 33 percent of teens who drank two to four cans a week said they'd carried a knife or a gun at some point, as did 38 percent of teens who drank five to seven cans of soda. ^[10] Researchers surveyed almost 19,000 14 to 18-year-olds from 22 Boston schools. They found 43 percent of kids who had 2 or more cans of regular soda a day carried a weapon. That's compared to 23 percent of non-soda drinkers. ^[4]

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found a "shocking" association between teen violence and soda drink consumption, according to a study published in Injury Prevention journal. ^[5] "We were surprised at how large the effect was," said David Hemenway, director of the Harvard School of Public Health's Injury Control Research Center in Boston. "It was maintained even when we controlled for alcohol and tobacco and family stuff like eating dinners together," he said. "There was a very strong, stable relationship between more soft drinks that people said they drank and more fights with things like pushing and shoving." ^[9]Michael Moore,CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA), said the findings probably tell us more about the people who drink a lot of soft drink rather than suggesting a causal link between soft drink and anti-social behaviour. "The study really cries out for more research to understand why heavy use of soft drink may be an indicator of poor behaviour and what are the social conditions that lead to such heavy use," he said. "Such a study would also need to look at the impact of alcohol, caffeinated drinks and illicit drugs which we do know have both an indicator and a causal link." Professor Mike Daube, Director of the Public Health Advocacy Institute and the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth said he would "suggest an exceptional degree of caution in interpreting these findings". ^[6]

Teenagers who drink lots of soft drinks get into more fights and carry more weapons than their peers who drink less, found a new study. ^[9]

Violence towards peers rose from 35 percent in the low-consumption group to 59 percent in the heaviest soda-drinkers. It's far too soon to claim that soda causes violence, and the new study only shows a correlation, said Bernard Gesch, who researchers diet and behavior at the University of Oxford in the . ^[9] More than 58% of high soda consumers were violent towards peers, while only 35% of low soda drinkers displayed peer violence. Remember this is a correlation study and does not prove any one part of the soda is directly linked with violent behavior. ^[12]

Drinking lots of soda may increase the risk of violent behavior in teens, a new study suggests. ^[7] Teens who drink lots of soda could be missing important micro-nutrients found in healthier foods, according to background information in the study, or could be drinking soda to combat low blood sugar, which is linked to irritability or violence. ^[10] The study, which was published in the journal Injury Prevention, found that the teens who drank five cans of nondiet soda or more each week were more likely to behave aggressively than kids who reported drinking no soda. ^[1]Nearly 30 percent of respondents reported consuming more than five cans of soda each week, the researchers reported in Injury Prevention. Heavy soda drinkers didn't seem to get less sleep than anyone else, but they were more likely to have indulged in alcohol and tobacco over the previous month. Even when the researchers controlled for alcohol, tobacco, BMI and other details, though, they found a steady rise in violence alongside higher levels of soda drinking. ^[9]

There is also good evidence that people who perpetrate violence tend to have abnormalities in that glucose-digesting process. Consuming massive amounts of sugar could set those people up to commit violent acts. In his own research, Gesch found a 26 percent drop in discipline-worthy offenses among prisoners who were given nutritional supplements, while behavior stayed the same in a group that was randomly assigned to take placebo pills. A similar study by Dutch researchers showed a 48 percent drop in bad acts with supplementation. "The evidence that links diet with heart disease could easily fill a warehouse," he added. ^[9] In 1979, U.S. lawyers successfully argued that a defendant accused of murder had a diminished capacity to understand his actions as a result of switching to a junk food diet, a legal precedent that became known as the "Twinkie Defense." It's possible that thecaffeine and sugar in the soda may directly affect teens' behavior, the researchers said. It's also possible that people who violent have a penchant for soda. ^[7] Soda consumption, for example, may be a marker of heightened violent tendencies already present in the teen, or of poor parenting, the researchers said. ^[10]

Even if soda consumption doesn't cause violent behavior, it may be a useful marker for aggressive, the researchers say. ^[7] Overall, frequent soft drink consumption was associated with a 9 per cent to 15 per cent increased likelihood of engaging in aggressive behavior, researchers said. ^[1] "There was a significant and strong association between soft drinks and violence," researchers concluded. "There may be a direct cause-and-effect relationship, perhaps due to the sugar or caffeine content of soft drinks, or there may be other factors, unaccounted for in our analyses, that cause both high soft drink consumption and aggression." ^[5]

While the study couldn't determine whether soft drinks actually cause violence, the findings add to a growing - yet still controversial - body of research on the effects of nutrition on behavior. ^[9] One researcher says the study says more about the people drinking the soft drinks than the drinks themselves. ^[6]

"We don't know why. There may be some causal effect but it's also certainly plausible that this is just a marker for other problems - that kids who are violent for whatever reason, they tend to smoke more, they tend to drink more alcohol and they tend to maybe drink more soft drinks. ^[13]

While there's a chance that the sugar and caffeine from carbonated drinks contributes to violent behavior, the study shows an association, not a cause-and-effect. ^[10] The results held even after the researchers took into account other factors that have been linked to violent behavior, including age, alcohol and tobacco use, and the frequency of family dinners. ^[7]

Sara Solnick, a co-author of the study, said there's no reason to think that drinking soda causes teens to be violent and the study was intended to better understand factors that lead to youth violence. ^[11] A recent study conducted in Boston shows a correlation between high soda intake and violence among teens. ^[12]

MONDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Teens who drink lots of soda seem to be prone to violence, new research suggests. ^[10] The studies on the effect of caffeine and sugar on behavior are inconclusive, said another expert. "There's no definitive explanation that this explains how or if this might affect behavior," said Dr. Alan Manevitz, a psychiatrist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "soda could be showing that this person is not having a healthy diet or they don't have a great upbringing," Solnick said. "Those things are connected to violence." ^[10]

Paris - Researchers in the U.S. said on Tuesday they had found a "shocking" association - if only a statistical one - between violence by teenagers and the amount of soda they drank. ^[13]

Teens who consumed fourteen cans of soda per week were far more likely to carry a gun or knife and be violent towards others. ^[12]



The new study was based on answers to questionnaires filled out by 1,878 public-school students aged 14 to 18 in the inner Boston area, where Hemenway said crime rates were much higher than in the wealthier suburbs. ^[8] The research has also exposed a higher crime rate among wealthier suburbs than other children of same age. David Hemenway claimed that the study has also pinpointed the need to study the impact of home environment along with factors such as tendency of kids to enjoy meals with the family. ^[3]

SOURCES

1. Grabbing a second soda? New study says think again | The State Column
2. Sugary Soda | Violent Teens | The Daily Caller
3. Carbonated Drinks Increase Aggressive Behavior, Says Study | TopNews New Zealand
4. Sugary soda makes teens more violent, researchers claim
5. Teen violence linked to soda consumption: study - GlobalPost
6. Study links teen violence to soft drink consumption | News.com.au
7. Soda Consumption Tied to Aggression | Teen Violence | My Health News Daily
8. Teen violence linked to fizzy drinks | News.com.au
9. Study: Drinking Soda May Cause Teen Violence | Fox News
10. Soft drinks linked to violent tendencies in teens
11. Soda Linked To Teen Violence, Study Says - Health News Story - WCVB Boston
12. Soda Linked to Teen Violence
13. Teen violence linked to soda: News24: Sci-Tech: News