You already know all this . . . but you'd be a fool not to look again.

The Compound Effect is a great little book written by Darren Hardy.  It's an easy, quick read.  I read it in a week and that's just about a record for me.  So, you fast readers (or people without kids - haha) could probably read it in a day or two.

I'm a little torn on this one.  Not because I don't think it's good.  It's fantastic.  By far, the best book I've read in years.  My hesitation is not because the book lacks good content, but because the content is so incredibly simple.  Just yesterday, I texted 5 friends, who are great leaders, and recommended they read it.  Part of me felt like I was doing them a huge favor, another part felt somewhat embarrassed.  It's like I almost think they will read it and then call me up and say, "Well, I already knew all that."  But as the book's introduction states, "New or more information is not what you need - a new plan of action is.  It's time to create new behaviors and habits that are oriented away from sabatoge and toward success. It's that simple."

So, I'm holding onto this little book that's absolutely life-changing.  And believe me, I realize how overused that phrase is and I use it sparingly.  But this is a true example of life-changing . . . if you decide to engage your mind and actions. 

Here's the simple truth.  You are the sum total of every single decision you make.  I'm talking hundreds a day - most of them unconscious.  But that's one of the big problems.  You're living your life on auto-pilot when you should have your hands on the stick.  Each daily decision seems small - too small to matter, but each one does matter.  We can easily fool ourselves into believing "just one donut won't kill me" or "I can miss one workout and be fine" or "I can skip having that one more tough conversation at work that I really need to have."  They're all true statements.  That is, they are true if the "one" part is true.  But it's not.  If you make these statements and believe them daily, the truth becomes a lie and you are being sabatoged by the compound effect.  You see, the compound effect is like a law of nature.  It's always in effect. You can't choose to turn it on or turn it off.  You can only choose to leverage it for success or failure.  Tony Robbins said it like this, "Your decisions shape your destiny.  You future is what you make of it.  Little, everyday decisions will either take you to the life you desire or to disaster by default."

It all boils down to success.  Not just financial or business success, but success in whatever is important to you.  I actually hate that the subtitle of the book says, "jumpstart your income" because it makes it look like it's one of those "do this and get rich overnight" books, which I despise. Truthfully, it's more like a "do this and get rich over a lifetime" book. And when I say "rich", I mean in every sense of the word, not just financially.  Besides the simple principle-based writing in this book, Hardy gives tons of practical advice on how to translate the ideas into action.  It's also packed with worksheets you can complete to get yourself on track with many things you've probably been on auto-pilot with.

The bottom line is that I belive this is not only a great read, but a very important one, for anyone who is looking to do more than just exist and be taken here and there by life.  I hope you'll take that step.  If you do read this, please come back here and share your take aways with me.  I would love to hear your success stories!  Enjoy.

The Journey Is The Reward

Today's post is written around an excerpt (paragraph below) from my upcoming, yet untitled, book.  The manuscript is still a work in progress, but this idea is with me often because it's a regular struggle of mine.  My name is Jason and I struggle with "When Then Syndrome".  How about you?

I guess we all struggle to see the small victories for a variety of reasons.  We don’t see healthy children as a victory because they are making messes and breaking stuff in our house.  We don’t see our reliable car as a victory because it’s not one that turns heads.  We don’t see our profitable business as a success because our profits didn't reach projections.  We don’t see our personal health as a blessing because we don’t look good enough or we have some nagging aches and pains.  Can I tell you something?  You’ll never be as good or as strong or as rich or as famous as you want to be.  We all suffer from “when then syndrome”.  You know that condition.  When I make “x” amount of money, then I’ll be happy.  When my kids behave a certain way, then I’ll be happy.  When I can land that new job, then I’ll be happy.  When I have a bigger crowd at my church, then I’ll be happy.    Truth is, it’s all a smokescreen.  None of that will satisfy us because none of that is what was ever designed to bring satisfaction.

You know what brings the real satisfaction?  It's the journey.  Not the destination; the journey.  Perry Noble made a great comment, recently, when he said, "One of the greatest dangers for leaders under 30 is to focus on their desire to be discovered rather than developed." Is this even exclusive to those under 30?  I doubt it, but either way, can you relate?  The development is the journey. But, somehow, we neglect to appreciate that part of life.  We watch shows like American Idol and see kids whose hearts are broken because they didn't win.  Win?  That's one in a million.  Actually, it's one in way more than a million.  You know what else is one in a million?  The journey of development and experience they got to go on just being on the show.  Everyone's journey will look different, and though we all have a destination in mind, we'll never really reach it.  Or at the very least, when we do reach it, our desire for the destination will change.

What victories are there in your life right now that you’re missing?   What journey are you on that you can decide to embrace and enjoy instead of simply endure?  The truth that most of us miss is that the journey, not the destination, is the reward.