Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsA perfect read for anyone who has yet to start, and those who already have...
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on March 4, 2015
I read a lot - I'm a business coach and I enjoy learning what others in sport and business have to say. I read mostly books about business. And by *read*, I mean I listen via audio book.
After listening to the first three chapters, I loved it so much I bought the hard cover. Jon Acuff's book "START" was refreshing. Yes, it's about starting to live life with passion and do work that brings you joy. That said, Jon doesn't just promote magical results without doing the work... the hard work... the work the matters most, often begins every day at 4am - a note, my day starts at 4:50am ;-).
Whether you - the potential future reader - are thinking about going into business or you've already been at it for a while, Jon's book is relevant. Jon breaks things down into a few simple steps - Learn, Edit, Master, Harvest and Guiding. I found it interesting that in some parts of my life (I'm 45) I'm living in the phase of guiding... where as other areas of my live, it's very evident that I'm still learning and editing... other ares, I'm in mastery. There was a lot of clarity that came from listening/reading to this book.
Secondly, truth. No where in the book does Jon BS you into thinking success will be easy or simple. "Focus on 10 parts mastery, and 1 part promotion... not the other way around. Better yet, focus on 100 parts mastery and 1 part promotion."
Jon calls out the reader by calling out himself, describing times in his life when he began living with an entitled attitude. I realized I had done the same. Very humbling to read.
Lastly, I have never listened to an audio book like the way Jon narrates it. If you've ever listen to Simon Sinek, Seth Godin, John Maxwell, Malcolm Gladwell... the don't really bring a large scale of emotion to their narrating... which really doesn't bother me, it's just my observation. Simon Sinek puts a little more life into his audiobook than most... but Jon Acuff... I had a lot of laughs throughout the book. It was as if he recorded the book in front of a live audience, as if I were in the audience. Very cool effect.
Is this a serious book about business and the journey of mastery? Yes, absolutely. However, because Jon doesn't take himself so seriously, he speaks with humility and genuine care for the reader, I fear others will pass on the book. It's not "Jack Welch" enough. It's not "Jim Collins" enough. What I appreciate about Jon is he clearly understands and remembers "Rule Number 6" - never heard rule number 6? Google it.
Remember rule number six: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-HG6X6fpBM
Reader... remember that in order to live a life of awesome, you have to purposely live and do work beyond average. Not everyone is prepared to do that... are you?
