A Way of Life by William Osler is the text of an address that Sir William Osler gave at Yale University in 1913, which capitalideasonline posted. First an Capital Ideas Online excerpt followed by a little on the book.
A Way Of Life
“A Way of Life” is a Yale address made by William Osler. It is full of wisdom. William Osler was referred to by Charlie Munger in one of his talks:
“It wasn’t just Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B) that had this attitude about master plans. The modern Johns Hopkins [hospital and medical school] was created by Sir William Osler. He built it following what Carlyle said: “Our main business is not to see what lies dimly in the distance but to do what lies clearly at hand.”
This are some parts that I have marked:
1) “Your life is really a train of events, great and small. To state it very simply, life is a habit – a success of actions that become more or less automatic.”
2) “In the words of Aristotle, “habits of any kind are the result of actions of the same kind; and so what we have to do, is to give a certain character to these particular actions.”
3) “Character is nothing more than a long-standing habit.”
4) “Qualities such as honesty, integrity, and excellence, then, are not so much acts as habits. We become what we do!”
5) “The way of life proposed in this little book is really a habit – a habit to be acquired gradually by long and steady repetition. What is this marvellous, life-changing habit? It is a practice of living for the day at hand only, and for that day’s work. It is living life in day-tight compartments – essentially, one day at a time.”
6) “Charles Dickens once wrote that “I never could have done what I have done without habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time.”
7) “No doubt Dickens lived in day-tight compartments, focusing on one subject at a time – one day at a time.”
8) “Kind Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, advised us not to “boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”
Full article here on capitalideasonline more on the book below
A Way Of Life – Description
A Way of Life by William Osler
“A Way of Life” is the text of an address that Sir William Osler gave at Yale University in 1913. He recommends approaching life as a series of “day-tight compartments,” which he likens to the water-tight compartments that keep a ship afloat. (an Interesting analogy just a year after the sinking of the Titanic sank). William Osler’s point is that worrying about either the past or the future is a burden that does nothing but reduce your effectiveness. If you focus your attention on what you have to do today, then over time, a string of successful days will make for a successful life. He quotes Thomas Carlyle: “Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.” William Osler primarily attributes his own success not to talent or intelligence, but to good habits, consistently practiced, day after day after day. This is a small book filled with simple, eloquent wisdom that is every bit as applicable today as it was in 1913.
A Way Of Life – Reviews
Dale Carnegie and Stephen Covey, to name two self-help authors, were quite impressed with Dr. Osler’s plan for a happy, successful life, which is summed up by the maxim: “Live in day-tight compartments.” Full of flowery classical references, Dr. Osler’s speech to the Yale graduating class of 1913 remains pleasant and inspirational, and if you’d like to know just a little bit more about Osler than his physical sign of endocarditis, it makes a fun read.
A Way of Life a “charming little book,” practically new-polished with the rough pumice stone (reading Ivy League commencement addresses makes me quote Catullus. So sue me) – and it’s pretty, bound in tan vinyl. I really would take exception to the type face, though, a too-cute number called Goudy Mediaeval. It looks like something an old lady fond of antimacassars would call ‘elegant.’
Would make a super gift for a college – or med school – grad! – Life in day-tight compartments by neurotome
A Way of Life is the text of an address that Sir William Osler gave at Yale University in 1913. He recommends approaching life as a series of “day-tight compartments,” which he likens to the water-tight compartments that keep a ship afloat. (Interesting analogy just a year after the Titanic sank.)
His point is that worrying about either the past or the future is a burden that does nothing but reduce your effectiveness. If you focus your attention on what you have to do today, then over time, a string of successful days will make for a successful life. He quotes Thomas Carlyle: “Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.”
Osler primarily attributes his own success not to talent or intelligence, but to good habits, consistently practiced, day after day after day. This is a small book filled with simple, eloquent wisdom that is every bit as applicable today as it was in 1913. – One day at a time by Bill S.
A Way of Life was a lucky find a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. The notion of living your day as it happens one step at a time is a simple and smart philosophy. It just puts life back in its perspective. Develop good habits and reinforce them on a daily bases will give you the required end result. Grasp the philosophy of Sir William Osler and seize the day. A worthwhile read – Needle in a Haystack by Gary long
A Way of Life by William Osler
