Best Self: Be You, Only Better by Mike Bayer - #review

Best Self: Be You, Only Better by Mike Bayer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow!

I thought carefully about what book would be my first read in 2019. I am SO PLEASED that I made it "Best Self: Be You, Only Better" by Mike Bayer. Definitely an auspicious way to begin the New Year! I started reading shortly after midnight, stopped for a nap at page 259, then read the rest of the book by 6:30 am!

Now, I'm looking forward to go back and work through the exercises, because, dang, it's 2019 and it's high time! My life has expanded and contracted in waves over the years, and has been just ... stagnant ... for some time. I finally have a map to navigate my way out of the clouds towards the life I was meant to live. And that's a GREAT feeling!

So, why am I waxing lyrical about what could be thought of as a list of directions? Because Best Self is so much more than that. Coach Mike knows and cares about his audience. You can tell it by the language he uses. It's clear, direct and finds each person where they are. He is humble, not in competition with others over who's best, just working on becoming his own Best Self, too. He knows that every person's path looks different.

It reminds me of an old dresser I refinished years ago. It had been painted a creamy white and speckled all over with black and brown paint. Someone had covered up some gorgeous wood and a marble top! No matter where you are in the 'restoration project' of your life, if you just need some polishing here and there, or you need to undo past mistakes and 'start over', I believe Best Self: Be You, Only Better by Mike Bayer can point you in the right direction.

Like many people, I love to travel and see new places. This trip I take at the start of 2019 may be my best trip e.v.e.r.!

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AUTHOR LINKS

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This book helps me fulfill the following 2019 readathons and reading challenges:

2019 #Wintersrespite Readathon
2019 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge (January)
2019 PopSugar Reading Challenge (#26 published in 2019)
2019 GoodReads Reading Challenge
2019 You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge

Two Kinds of Days That Change Your Life

By ---=XEON=---  [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

     There are two kinds of days that change your life (in a good way).  The first is when you wake up in the morning, and you 'know' that something is coming; maybe it's your graduation or wedding day, or maybe there's just a feeling in the air.  The other kind of day that changes your life in a good way is one where you don't know the day is any different from any other day.  Then something sparks and your day goes from mundane to miraculous.

     I had just such a day about a week ago (the started-out-mundane kind of day).

     A big brown truck (you know the kind) pulled up in our driveway and was enthusiastically greeted by several of the family dogs.  The nice driver handed me a package while I tried to explain to the oldest canine that she could not accompany the man in his truck.  (Personally, I think she is sweet on him!)

   So why am I making such a big deal about that day, that truck and that package?  Because inside that package was my launch team copy of Jeff Goins' new book:

(Oh, BTW, I was having trouble with a full drive, so I *ahem* 'stole' this image from a post made by KC Proctor in the Launch Team Facebook Group.)

It is not uncommon for me to receive books via UPS.  But when I saw it was this particular book, I raised my hands in one of those 'touchdown' signals (book in one hand, envelope in the other) and cheered, loudly.  I was almost embarrassed for myself, but so happy to have gotten the book.  (That was for dang sure the highest note I've hit in a.g.e.s!)

You see, I started out college in Musical Theatre.  By the end of the first  year, one of the professors told me I should find something else to do, that I would never be able to earn a living in theatre. (Yeah, I know..., "OUCH!")  And I switched to a Business major - which pleased my mother to no end.  But my heart wasn't in it.  So I dropped out in the middle of my sophomore year.  Ten years later I went to a different college and started acting in plays.  Over the next several  years, I was doing at least 5 plays a year ... and some of them were even paid roles!

I eventually got a 'magna cum laude' degree in finance and had various jobs, including tutoring other students in statistics and calculus, graduate students and undergrads alike.  But I still didn't care for 'business'.

It wasn't until round about 2015 that I came upon a book that business was not just a greedy rat race:  a little book titled, "The Art of Work".  Want to guess who wrote it?  (And you better get it right!) LOL  It literally restored my faith in business and commerce, that they could be worthy pursuits for reasons other than the pursuit of wealth.  (Not that that would  hurt, though, am I right?")

Real Artists Don't Starve is an exciting flip side to The Art of Work, especially for those whose lifework leans toward the creative side of things.  Now this can be a physical art, or a performing art, or just about anything really.  Whatever your contribution to the world is supposed to be.  Which reminds me of something Eric Liddle's father said in the movie "Chariots of Fire":  "You can praise the Lord by peeling a spud, if you peel it to perfection."

So many of the voices creatives hear (including their own) tell us that we should work at something with better future prospects.  Something that has a steady income, and insurance.  Now those are good things, but it's like the time my aunt made me eggs sunny side up for breakfast.  I despise fried eggs, but I ate them with a smile on my face, and thanks to her afterwards.  If your work doesn't make your heart sing ... maybe you're in the wrong job!

Jeff tells us that it is possible to earn a good living as a creative ... and then he describes just how to do that in the pages of RADS.

In 2015, The Art of Work changed my life; now in 2017, Real Artists Don't Starve is going to change it again.  It might not be easy, but it will be worth it.

Have you read one or more of Jeff Goins' books?  If so, which one(s)?  Let me know in the comments!  If Jeff is a new-to-you author, give yourself a gift, and buy Real Artists Don't Starve!