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FUEL! (Fully Energized Life) Newsletter

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QUOTE

The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what the man or woman is able to do that counts.

~ Booker T Washington

DON'T BUY ANOTHER SELF-HELP BOOK!

Please take this one question / one click survey about this article to help me tailor this newsletter to what you really want to know!

How many self-help books have you bought over the last, say, ten years? Of those, how many had a significant impact on your life?

If you’re anything like most people who buy personal development books, the answer to the first question is, “a bazillion or so,” and the answer to the second is, “not many.” Now, since the main purpose for buying a self-help book is positive change of some sort, what gives?

I can tell you the reason that happens for me. I read them cover-to-cover without stopping to really do the work it requires to get any long-term benefit (at best I tell myself I’ll come back and do the work). Then I hit the last page and I’m already reaching out for another one like candy.

Sure, the occasional idea or insight will sink in, but by and large there is a huge untapped treasure trove of potential sitting on my bookshelves in the form of already-read books.

How about you? How many half-read, marginally-implemented personal growth books do you have on your bookshelf?

I have a radical self-help idea. DON’T BUY ANOTHER SELF-HELP BOOK. (At least not yet.)

Instead of looking for the answer in a new book, try this: Take all the relevant books off your shelves and start thumbing through them. If something catches your eye, read it. Jot down notes on the ideas and actions that jump out at you. Think of it as filling a personal development treasure chest.

As the insights and action steps start to pile up, ask yourself:

  • What step can I take right now?
  • What process can I implement right now?
  • What one change can I make right now?
  • What one idea speaks to me the loudest? How does it apply to my situation? What one step can I take as a result of this insight?
Find one step, one idea, or one process that really speaks to you and put it to work. Then, as that one starts to take hold, go back to your treasure chest and pick another.

Part of how I make my living (in addition to coaching and speaking) is through writing, so I love words. But the words alone mean nothing unless you pick them up and actually put them to work in your life.

The reason most people continue to grapple with challenges is not because they don't have the information they need. It’s because they don't actually act on that information. They hope the words will somehow change their lives by osmosis, and when they don't, it's off to the next book.

Should you ever buy more books? Of course! But keep in mind why you’re buying them. If it’s just for the entertainment value, great. Don’t worry about mining your existing books for gold. Just keep plowing through the new ones.

But if you really want to make improvements in your life, the magic lies in taking those words and weaving them into your life. Is the answer you need waiting for you on your bookshelf?

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