Welcome to October! Didn’t I just ring in the New Year and spent my Sunday afternoon making my vision board for 2019? If you are anything like me, there are probably a few things still left on your list for 2019 that you are hoping to complete within the quarter. I agree, we had nine months to get them done, but maybe we thought we had more time. If you are looking to finish 2019 strong and start 2020 on a solid footing, these three books will help you get there.
Atomic Habits An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
“We all deal with setbacks but in the long run, the quality of our lives often depends on the quality of our habits.”
Every year there is a book that comes along that totally changes my outlook on life and shows me everything I have been doing wrong - Atomic Habits was this book for 2019. I cannot stop recommending this book, because I have seen first-hand how this works wonders just by following the steps outlined in the book. James Clear really gets to the heart of what it takes to build healthy habits and what it takes to get rid of the unhealthy ones. I think everyone could benefit from reading this book and putting into practice the advice given.
“It is so easy to overestimate the importance of one defining moment and underestimate the value of making small improvements on a daily basis.” This is a major thing for me. I get so caught up in having a defining moment that I lose sight of making small improvements daily that can lead to these defining moments. In Atomic Habits, James Clear talks about the process that leads to the goals, and how we need to focus more on putting processes and systems in place to achieve these goals.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling to put in place new, healthy habits and get rid of unhealthy ones, specifically for the New Year.
Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff
Remember how excited you were at the beginning of 2019? You could not wait to start a fresh year, to tackle all your goals, to make your vision board, and to finish the year strong. I am sure you started, maybe even started strong, but did you finish those goals? Did you complete all you set out to do for the year so far?
“According to studies, 92% of New Year’s resolutions fail. But though 100% start, only 8% finish. Statistically you’ve got the same shot at getting into Juilliard to become a ballerina as you do at finishing your goals. Their acceptance rate is about 8%.”
I am a serial starter, I am always ready to begin something new. I have had so many “firsts” and “day-ones” but I can hardly remember the finish. This book is exactly what I needed to read to get the last quarter of 2019 started. Jon Acuff gets to the heart of WHY we don’t finish what we started. According to Jon Acuff “developing tolerance for imperfection is the key factor in turning chronic starters into consistent finishers.” I have been letting perfection get in the way of finishing goals. If I mess up, I decide I need to quit and start over, on a Monday of course....
If you are having problems finishing, I highly recommend you give this book a read. It offers practical ways for you to get over those finish lines.
We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations That Matter by Celeste Headlee
Having meaningful conversations with those around us can change our lives and give our days deeper meaning. Then, why is it so hard for us to have conversations that matter? According to Celeste Headlee, “We spend a lot of time avoiding uncomfortable conversations and not enough time making an effort to understand the people who live and work around us.”
I first encountered the author when I came across her Ted Talk on ‘how to improve your conversations’. I felt that her talk was engaging and offered practical tips on how one can be a better conversationalist. I found out through the book that I am a “conversational narcissist” that is, I have this tendency to insert myself into a conversation, do most of the talking and turn the focus on myself.
I am sure I am not the only conversational narcissist out there. I am also sure there are a lot of people who are currently avoiding having conversations they should be having. This isn’t a book I would generally recommend but we all communicate daily, so why not be a better communicator?
Cindy Allman is a Caribbean Girl Reading the World. A Jamaican living in Trinidad and Tobago, she is a top Goodreads reviewer and hopes to inspire you with her passion for books. Follow her at www.bookofcinz.com or @bookofcinz on Twitter and Instagram