Excerpt from The 6As  by Zachary S. Brooks (Dr. Z) – Art Art serves as a practical and usable metaphor for Academic research as often times the person engaged in Art or Academics is exploring space without a clear objective. For example, a researcher in an optics1 lab may look to have everything under control with sophisticated graphical representations of statistical models on multiple computer monitors and touchpad panels that control 3D microscopes, polygon scanners, and laser spectrometers. Underneath the mask of control, the researcher has spent all night calibrating one of the tools and somehow stumbled across a method without which the entire experiment could not succeed. Once this method is documented, it may look tidy and organized but much of science is Artistic exploration of time and space on task. Art serves as a practical and usable metaphor for entrepreneurs as both are trying to solve problems that are often under-defined by instinctually precise. For example, an entrepreneur may be bothered by low educational standards in her school district. To address this issue, she decides to create a non-profit school raising money privately through friends and family. She has never started a school before, or raised money before, but after finding success then applying for a state-grant that helps schools like hers, she is able to provide better education to kids and families most in need. At each step, the entrepreneur is like a sketch artist in front a terrifyingly blank piece of paper, but at each turn turns blank paper into papier-mâché. Art serves as a practical and usable metaphor for athletes. Think of an ice skater who has trained relentlessly for years to perfect the axel jump that requires preparation, take-off position, jump in the air (lift-off), rotation, and landing. Though each move is very mechanical the ice skater herself elevates these coordinated movements into something we call Art. Art expresses an ephemeral and practical application of the first three As – Athletics, Adventure, and Academics. About Dr. Z Zachary S. Brooks, PhD, or as his students call him, Dr. Z is an author, speaker, and podcaster. In his book, The 6As: a practical philosophy for living life with meaning and purpose, Zachary shares his secrets to life success. Dr. Brooks played soccer in college and in Europe and regularly competes in international competitions, travels the world and has learned four languages and his working on his fifth, finished his doctorate studying bilingual decision making at the University of Arizona, acted in Hollywood (imdb.com), serves a Board Director for the World Transplant Games Federation, and he’s keenly fascinated in helping the world through the 21^st century as a two-time kidney transplant recipient from his father and mother.

Dr. Z finds the most fulfillment when he is engaged in one of the 6As of life – Athletics, Adventure, Academics, Art, Advocacy, The Human Algorithm and in his first book of the 6A series he launches his philosophy and brand.