At the close of each month, I share a few of the resources helping me grow. Why do I do this? One reason I do it is that I want to do all I can to help you become the best you can be. Perhaps something I write will encourage and fuel you when things get tough, but nothing I share on this blog will help you like the books and resources in this monthly posts. They give you the wisdom and knowledge to navigate life well.
“What you study,” Richard Foster said, “determines what kind of habits are to be formed.” I hope the books and resources I share in these posts help you develop good habits. Habits that carry you through to new and greater heights.
How Bad Do You Want It? by Matt Fitzgerald
“Hard physical limits, do exist, of course, but no athlete ever reaches them because the purely psychological limit of perceived effort tolerance is always encountered first.” –Matt Fitzgerald
You’re in the middle of a workout or training session. You’ve already pushed the envelope and now your lungs burn. In fact, your legs now feel heavy and move at what feels like a glacial pace. Your body tenses up and no longer moves with the relaxed coordination it did only moments before when it felt fresh. Your thoughts now drift from the sunny skies, and sweet smells in the air. They instead turn inward to lob accusations and encourage you to stop. You try hard to block it out, but with each passing moment the volume goes up and up until these negative thoughts are all you hear. As everything reaches a fever pitch, you’re faced with a decision.
This book is about the decision you make when that moment comes. Its aim is to make you aware of the power of your thoughts and help you see that, “There is no experience quite like that of driving yourself to the point of wanting to give up and then not giving up.”
Revolutionary Parenting by George Barna
“Parenting is hard work with no guarantees.” – George Barna
The job of parent is the primary role one holds. It is the most important work one will do in life. Few others have the lasting impact of parenting. With so much riding on ‘getting it right’, one must approach it with energy and most of all intention.
While there are zero guarantees, doing your best matters. Part of doing our best entails acknowledging we don’t have all the answers and asking for some help. Our community group recently did just that. We raised our hands and asked each other to help us develop a game plan for raising our children. We are reading Revolutionary Parenting and working through the accompanying workbook, as a guide in our efforts.
Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell
Jack Carr is a new favorite author of mine. I stumbled upon his work listening to Jocko Podcast 183. In recent months he has shared several of the books that influenced his writing. One such book is Richard Connell’s Most Dangerous Game. This classic tale of hunter and hunted explores the dark side of mankind. It is a quick and enjoyable read. One I can’t wait to see make its way on to the pages of Carr’s next book Savage Son.
Brad Thor
Blowback
First Commandment
Last Patriot
What would a good month of reading be without several Brad Thor novels? These three latest reads were nothing but pure adrenaline spiking stories. One of my favorite aspects of Thor’s writing is his blending of fact and fiction. The story line of Blowback in particular led me to researching infectious diseases, especially the curious similarities between the symptoms of rabies and tales of vampires.