Just went down recently to Tulipmania 2017 at the Gardens by the Bay for some flora shots. What’s cool is that this year theme and flower arrangements are modeled after the works of my favorite artist Vincent van Gogh. Since I have already shared tulips on my previous flora post, I decided to share this beautiful Clematis from the shooting session instead.

I came across an interesting term recently called the “Paradox of Practice”. In short, what it essentially means is when someone tries to teach something that they themselves are not capable of practicing. It is like the fat guy teaching at a bodybuilding workshop, or an investment expert that doesn’t make money from his own investments. I see this everywhere. From the miracle gel saleswoman that promises flawless skin to the guy who knows nothing about photography selling camera equipment. It is especially so in the finance arena, where everyone is trying to teach you to be rich by selling you some sort of strategy. The problem is that if their strategy works, they won’t be selling it to you; they would be too busy employing their own strategy.

I love books. There was a time when I would just read everything on a certain topic that I am interested in. The thing is you only have so much time in a day. You just can’t possibly read everything. That is when you start sifting, to find the gem among the stones. Now I only read books from a handful of authors. In an age of information overload, you are bound to find ample examples that tick the paradox of practice. Yes, even in books. We use to think that if an author can publish a book, he must be an authority in whatever he preaches. Nowadays, I am not so sure.

One of the main reasons the paradox of practice happens is because it is easier to say than do. There are many that preach but not many that practice.

Rather than just following blindly, look at who you are following.

Learning fitness from a couch potato?

Sometimes all it takes is just a little common sense.