“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them” Albert Einstein
Bookstores, Amazon wish lists, and many Kindle devices are filled with ‘business how-to’ books where a myriad of authors promise to share their self-improvement secrets. Most are either overhyped or are a regurgitation of what another author said the previous year.
Allowing for this skepticism, my suggestion is not to avoid this genre entirely. In fact, I am drawn to books of this type and become very excited when I get my hands on one that stands out from the crowd.
- This book is different
Activators by Mark Green stands out via deep insight and useful tools. I went cover to cover in less than 24 hours (without the help of a long flight!) even while stopping frequently to jot notes. The subtitle is “A CEO’s guide to clearer thinking and getting things done”. Exactly. Any leader or aspiring leader will see themselves in the descriptions found throughout the book. And, if you are willing to challenge yourself with honesty, there are many opportunities to clarify your thinking….probably more than can be grasped in the first reading.
- Key takeaways
The chapter on fear is outstanding. We all operate from fear on occasion, even though if we stand back from the situation, we know that is usually a poor method for long term achievement. Mark provides a valuable tool for clearly identifying the fear (isn’t that the only way to get started?) and then managing it. If you write down the worst thing that could happen, estimate the likelihood of negative results, and build a plan to mitigate the worst case scenario, suddenly that fear is much more manageable.
Another inspirational chapter is titled “Leverage Your Past”. Everyone has a history blended with success and failure. As much as we would like to dwell on the wins, there is often more to learn from when things did not go as planned. The ability to improve from both triumph and tragedy serves is a key discipline to develop.
- First knowledge, then execution
There’s much more, so I strongly suggest that you pick up a copy of Activators, read through it, and take copious notes. You will find it to be not only a book, but also a workbook – providing both framework and tools to help you clarify and advance towards your personal and professional goals.