July’s Book Recommendations

Here are your choices of books for July. In addition to a summary for each book, I’ve included one of my key takeaways from each book.

Somerset Grove

Somerset Grove is about three generations of the women in the Wright family. In each generation the women  all dream of leaving their home in a small Jamaican town, but they each encounters obstacles that keep her from living the life each woman wants. The characters are relatable and you can recognize them either in our own families or in the families of others.

My Key Takeaway:
There are often patterns of behavior that shape our relationships with family, friends and our lives. It’s important to figure out and explore the patterns then see how they affect each relationship and seek to improve through honest reflection and communication. It’s not always an easy task but it’s usually important.

Guaranteed Goals

Guaranteed Goals: How to Guarantee You Succeed At Any Goal You Set In Advance is based on 3 principles: authenticity, accountability and activation.

Guaranteed Goals is a new way of creating and succeeding at accomplishing your goals, one goal at a time in 30 days or less. Jullien argues that a whole year is too long a check point or time frame to meet your goals. Instead he suggest 30 days or less as a good cycle for “any size goal, whether breaking a goal into 12 pieces” or doing one thing you want to do within the 30 days. After reading this book you will learn how to replace New Years Resolutions for “New Months Resolution” which will help you achieve your goals faster.

My Key Takeaway:
The number 1 reason goals don’t get accomplished is because the purpose, the why is not clear or compelling enough. Your authentic why should be more compelling than any excuse that might come up. I’ve used the Guaranteed Goals model for the past 6 months and the results have amazed me. I’m able to focus on my priorities as it aligns with the month’s goal.

ReWork

Rework is written by the founders of the popular BaseCamp Software, is not your average business book.  Unlike most business books, it’s an easy read, and the authors give straightforward advice on you how to succeed in your business.  The book disrupts  what’s considered the “normal” way to start and run a business.

My Key Takeaway:
Coming up with a product or service is a matter of: “Scratch [ing] your own itch: The easiest, most straightforward way to create a great product or service is to make something YOU want to use. That lets you design what you know – an you’ll figure out immediately whether or not what you’re making is any good….If you’re solving someone else’s problem, you’re constantly stabbing in the dark. When you solve your own problem the light comes on. You know exactly what the right answer is.”

If you’re looking to start a business or already own a business or side hustle, you should read this book.  It is a great playbook with valuable information.