Punch fear in the face, Escape Average, Do work that matters. Book by Jon Acuff
‘Start’ is a short practical read written by Jon Acuff. At the time of the writing Jon worked for Dave Ramsey. Since that time, Jon has moved on but the book is still available from Dave Ramsey site. Regardless, the book is about moving above your average and getting into a cycle of starting something new, learning, mastering, profiting, teaching then repeat. The main theme I took away from the book is motivation.
Motivation
Loosely quoting from the book, “Don’t try and find your purpose, live with purpose,” “Believe in your work,” “Masters of their craft repeat over and over to become experts.” The book is full of examples from others’ experience or from Jon’s, giving you motivation to start your dream. There is nothing wrong with that, I do feel however that main message of the book is better communicated in a verbal speech. After reflecting on the book, I think it would be better to sit in a seminar and learn from Jon than to read this book. He seems very likeable and personable. However, I’m not sure about enjoying the read of the book, it feels repetitive. Nonetheless, I did get some good takeaways.
Key takeaways
The man who made angry birds, that was his attempt number 52 at an app. That is big information and motivation for me. I have only developed and released three apps to date (December 2020). Truly, I have a long way to go.
I do need to conquer my fear of change. Within me is a fear advancing in the Navy. It’s strange, but I hold the higher ranks in high regard. I often don’t volunteer for additional responsibility. Regardless, if I want to be awesome in my Navy career, I need to put myself out to scrutiny and apply everywhere I can for advancement.
Create a list of 101 reasons not to quit. This is a good exercise because it makes you really focus on what is important so when you need additional motivation, you have it.
The Result
‘Start’ is a good easy read. The book is slightly repetitive. Jon Acuff seems like a nice guy but the message is better served through a speech at a conference. There is plenty of motivation within to remind you to start at your dream.
You can find the book here on Dave Ramsey’s site.
Check out my previous book review here.