「諮詢」是進入限時飲食實踐的重要門徑，未來我們將需要更多分布各地的諮詢助教，協助初學者進行身心狀況的基礎評估與記錄。

當學員詢問諮詢所需的時間，我通常會說約需一個半小時，但其實真正關鍵在於釐清動機。動機明確者，半小時內便能結束；遇上健談者，時間則可能拉長。

諮詢是一場平等的對話，我會在能力與時間範圍內，盡力聆聽學員的心聲與想法。

有人習慣搶話，有人無法耐心聆聽。對我而言，最大的挑戰，是如何投資時間於對方的生命敘事中。若缺乏足夠傾聽，諮詢的完整性將大打折扣。

這也是每位真心投入教育工作者的共通處境：工作並不止於上班時間。許多教師願意家訪、課後輔導，甚至無償協助學生複習功課。

自律養生本身就帶有私塾的精神，它深入學員生活的各個層面，從睡眠與情緒到心智與觀念的升級。

 

動機有內在與外在之別，人情與學歷都屬於外在動機。例如學校的學分制度，常讓學生為了簽到而非學習而出席。我曾受邀至大學通識課程授課，親眼見證過這種現象。

養生的目的在於成為更健康的自己，因此，動機不能從外界而來，必須百分之百出自內在。雖然我們都明白這點，卻常選擇寬容那些來自人情壓力、不純正的動機，於是彼此虛耗時間。

回顧整體教育現場，只要學生的動機被太多外在環境牽引，只剩下大腦的被動接受，這樣的學習終將失敗。

因為真正留下印記的，不是知識本身，而是內心的觸動。

知識可以轉化為專業技能，但支撐教師教學熱情的，不只是專業，而是投入教育的初衷。

 

多數自律養生的學員平日工作繁忙，必須額外安排時間學習，而這份願意持續進修的「心」正是學習計畫是否能落實的關鍵。

學習的重心從來不是老師，而是自己動機的強弱。我個人的學習來源除了與人交流，最重要的是書籍，我的老師遍布世界各地。

時間是每個人最珍貴的資產，我們不該把它浪費在對自己無意義的人情或證照上。我們要學習釐清事情的優先順序，也學習尊重他人時間的價值。

自律養生的根本是教育，而教育的核心必然是學習。如果我們期望建立一個對社會產生正面影響的體系，教育的地基與支柱缺一不可。

現代人只要經濟允許，幾乎都會安排旅遊，對我而言，另一種旅行是逛書店。我希望餘生投入文字創作，也渴望閱讀更多以提升創作品質。每一家書店對我來說都是一處旅站，也各有其獨特的氣質。

我常鼓勵身邊的人養成閱讀習慣，深入閱讀能引導深入思考，經常閱讀會練就熟練的獨處能力，而獨處，是熟齡人生的必要修行。

若你對「做一個稱職的學習者」這句話有所感應，不妨望向天空，也俯瞰大地，衡量自己在生命各個階段的位置。請不要忽略閱讀，也請不要忘記持續進步。

 

我們之所以在睡眠中做夢，其實正是生物進化對「學習」的深刻重視，夢境是腦細胞突觸運作與延伸的演練。

長期不願改變、缺乏思考，往往與大腦運作停滯相關，而閱讀正是培養思考力的最佳方式。

當代人對睡眠的忽視，也直接影響了學習與思考的品質。透過長年實踐，我領悟到：若要讓思考力與學習力持續發揮，必須仰賴高品質的睡眠來儲備能量。

思考是睡眠的前提，睡眠則是思考的續航。許多人在夜間無法入眠，往往是因為將白天該進行的思考擱置到錯誤時段才開始運作。

我鼓勵培養每天閱讀至少半小時的習慣，重點不是讀完多少，而是讀到能激起思考的程度。如果你的工作常常需要思考，那麼你更該管理好時間與睡眠，否則將陷入反覆疲憊的惡性循環。

讓身體恢復元氣，配合持續學習與成長，就能創造正向循環。你可能以為彼此無關的兩件事，其實正是打造健康人生的黃金拍檔。

 

（學習的目的是成長，不同於我們的身體，我們的心智可以不停的成長，只要我們還活著。）

 

Becoming a Competent Learner

Consultation is an essential entry point into practicing time-restricted eating. In the future, we will need more consultation assistants distributed across different regions to help new learners assess and document their physical and mental condition at the foundational level.

When learners ask how long a consultation takes, I usually say about an hour and a half. But in truth, the key lies in clarifying their motivation. If the motivation is clear, the session can end within 30 minutes; for more talkative individuals, the conversation may extend. A consultation is a two-way dialogue. Within the limits of my capacity and schedule, I try my best to listen deeply to what learners truly want to express.

Some people habitually interrupt; others struggle to listen patiently. For me, the greatest challenge lies in investing time into another person’s life story. Without genuine listening, a consultation loses its depth and becomes incomplete.

This is a shared experience for all who are genuinely devoted to education: the work never stops when office hours end. Many teachers visit students’ homes, tutor after class, or help review material without compensation.

The spirit of selfasteam is much like a traditional private academy. It reaches deep into all aspects of the learner’s life—from sleep and emotional regulation to mental clarity and mindset transformation.

Motivation can be either intrinsic or extrinsic. Social obligations or academic credentials are examples of external motivation. Take university credits, for example—students often show up just to sign in, not to learn. I once gave a guest lecture at a university general education course and witnessed this phenomenon firsthand.

But the goal of wellness is to become a healthier version of oneself, and that motivation cannot come from the outside. It must originate 100% from within. We all understand this in theory, yet we often tolerate insincere motives driven by social pressure, wasting everyone’s time in the process.

Looking broadly at the education landscape, when a student’s motivation is shaped too much by environmental factors, and learning becomes a passive mental exercise, the system is destined to fail.

Because what truly leaves a mark is not the knowledge itself, but the emotional resonance behind it. Knowledge may be converted into technical skill, but what sustains a teacher’s vocation is not their expertise—it is the passion they bring to their work.

Most learners engaged in selfasteam are busy professionals who must carve out time specifically for learning. Whether or not this intention remains firm determines whether learning goals will be fulfilled.

The focus of learning has never been the teacher—it is the learner’s own motivation. Personally, my most valuable learning resources, besides people, are books. My teachers are scattered across the globe.

Time is our most precious resource. We should not waste it on social obligations or certificates that hold no true value for us. We must learn to clarify priorities, and also learn to respect others’ time.

selfasteam is rooted in education, and at the heart of education is learning. If we aim to build a structure that positively impacts society, both the foundation and the framework of education must remain solid.

In modern life, as long as finances allow, people often plan trips. For me, another form of travel is visiting bookstores. I hope to dedicate the rest of my life to writing, and I yearn to read more works that can elevate my own creations. Every bookstore is a stop on that journey—each with its own unique character.

I often encourage those around me to develop the habit of reading. Deep reading nurtures deep thinking; frequent reading cultivates the ability to be comfortably alone. And solitude is an essential spiritual practice in the mature stages of life.

If the phrase “becoming a competent learner” resonates with you, look up at the sky, then look down at the earth. Reflect on where you are in each phase of life. Do not neglect reading. Do not forget to keep progressing.

The reason we dream in our sleep is that biological evolution placed great emphasis on learning. Dreaming is the brain’s way of rehearsing the operation and expansion of neural synapses.

The refusal to change and the lack of reflection are often tied to cognitive stagnation. Reading is the most effective way to train the mind to think. In today’s world, people’s disregard for sleep has also weakened their ability to learn and think clearly.

Through years of personal practice, I’ve realized: to sustain learning and thinking abilities, one must rely on quality sleep to recharge. Thinking sustains sleep, and sleep extends thinking. Many people find themselves overwhelmed with thoughts at night simply because they delayed important thinking to the wrong time of day.

I encourage building a habit of reading at least 30 minutes a day—not just to finish a book, but to read until your mind begins to respond. If your work requires frequent thinking, then managing your time and sleep becomes even more crucial. Otherwise, you may fall into a cycle of constant fatigue.

By restoring your body and pairing it with continuous learning and growth, you can create a positive feedback loop. You may think these are two unrelated things—but they may in fact be the perfect partners for a healthy life.