I’ve fallen completely in love with books that are as visual as they are motivational, educational, inspirational, and helpful. Guardians of Being by Eckhart Tolle with illustrations by Patrick McDonnell (creator of MUTTS) is a perfect example. I fell hard for that book and now I’ve fallen hard again.
The Skinny on Willpower, How to Develop Self Discipline by Jim Randel is a first-class example of a book that’s a lof of fun to look at and a lot of fun to read… yet, amongst all of the smiles is a great, great deal of useful and helpful information.
“Willpower isn’t something that gets handed out to some and not to others… it’s a skill you can develop through understanding and practice.” – Gillian Riley
The adorable stick figures in this book get into a whole mess of situations. You follow the skinny little characters as they learn about willpower and “making it happen.” Basically, The Skinny on Willpower, How to Develop Self Discipline is a great lesson on self-discipline and willpower told in a story format. You’ll find lessons, bullet points, and quotes throughout the book as well. The characters, through trial and error and with help from the author (moderator), they find the path to making their dreams come true.
The best part, of course, is we can find the same path. The author serves as the moderator for our lives as well. This book is honestly filled with fantastic advice – all presented in a way that’ll be completely fresh and new to each reader. Come on, I read as much as a cat sleeps – I’ve seen every kind of book there is. And as much as I love books, they can sometimes become monotonous. You’ll be halfway through the book and have to look at the cover to see which book it is you’re reading. There have been times when I would have sworn I’d read a book before – when, in actuality – it was a new book… just old material and worn out thoughts.
With The Skinny on Willpower, How to Develop Self Discipline, I certainly didn’t have to look at the cover any! This book is a very refreshing and fun read. I hope you’ll find a copy asap and devour every word. It won’t take long to do so as the book reads incredibly fast. But it stays with you forever.
I’ll end with an excerpt from the book, itself. In one of the strongest parts of the book, the author lays out the three key steps you need to take in order to prepare yourself to be able to sustain the resolve you need to accomplish a goal. The first step he gives is, “Take Your Temperature.”
Page 67: TAKE YOUR TEMPERATURE:
No, not that kind of temperature. What we mean is ask yourself how badly you want to achieve your goal. One of the most famous self improvement authors (Napoleon Hill) speaks to the need for “a desire of white-hot intensity,” In other words, do you really, really want to achieve your goal? The good news is that if you do, you can almost stop reading.
You know the expression, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”? Well, many achievement authors would say the same thing a little differently.
“Where there’s a will, there’s willpower.”
In other words, if you want something badly enough, your internal programming (for survival) will kick in and help you find the self-discipline you need along the path to your goal.
But don’t kid yourself. If your temperature is not high enough – if you do not want something badly enough – why bother? Your willpower will fade when the going gets tough – and whenever you seek something of value, the going will always get tough. The Skinny on Willpower, How to Develop Self Discipline
by Jim Randel – pages 66 – 67