I just picked up How to take Smart Notes. In undergrad a lifetime ago, I remember feeling that my note taking skills were woefully inadequate. My notes became more scattered, less comprehensive, and on the whole less reliable to use as semesters went on.

I think there's something important here to learn, so thanks.

edit: This reading is relevant because I'm going back to school, but I'm part way through and can see this will also be useful for all the books I read about stuff I find interesting. The idea of a slip box to capture, refine, and connect information sounds fun.

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."

Have you read "Destructive Emotions" which I think was a collaboration between Daniel Goleman and the Dalai Lama?

The title may sound off-putting to some but it was a great book for me, following on from Emotional Intelligence (I second your recommendation on that one).

No, I haven't. I will definitely check it out, thank you!

Re. Dune:

"I must not fear, fear is the mind killer." ... possibly the single best piece of advice for prospering in western corporate environments.

Can be seen as a rephrasing of the SAS motto "Who dares wins", but with an added insight on how fear cripples your higher thought processes.