Six Impactful Books I Read in 2017

Reading actual books is one of the habits found among the successful. Because reading and thinking go hand in hand. 

Reading is key to becoming the very best version of yourself. It fills your mind and shapes your character like nothing else can. 

Too many sit on the couch, and binge on Netflix, rather than turn off the glass box and get after it instead. 

“The man who does not read good books,” Mark Twain said, “has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.” 

I don’t want these words to characterize my life and I know you don’t either. For that reason, I’d love nothing more than to share the books that impacted me most this year with you here. 

What follows are those books that challenged my mind, and encouraged my heart most. Books that helped me grow, learn and develop more and more into the man I’d like to be. 

Extreme Ownership by Jocko Wilink and Leif Babin - It’s easy to say a book changed your life. You hear it all the time and may have even uttered it once or twice yourself. It is almost never the truth, but when that rare occasion comes it is worth taking note. I did that by sharing 21 Things I Learned From Reading Extreme Ownership earlier this year. 

Chasing Excellence by Ben Bergeron - “The mindset of a champion,” Bergeron says, “is not some innate character trait that you have or don’t have based on DNA, fate or sheer dumb luck.” This book is about building character and embracing the process that’ll get you to the top. It is an approach you can deploy in every area of your life. One that will transform you if you let it.     
 
Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon - “Art,” Pablo Picasso said, “is theft.” These words form the theses for Austin Kleon’s classic flip book on the creative’s journey. Everything the artist creates is a mash-up of everything they’ve experienced. In short, “there is nothing new under the sun.” This small book is about answering the questions every creative asks themselves. In finding a path forward you'll soon realize you have all the permission you need to do great things. 

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the World by D.A. Carson - Our community group is walking through the Gospel of Matthew. We are taking our time and working through the text a verse at a time. The chief aim is to move beyond “quiet times” and have God’s Word change us. D.A. Carson’s work on Matthew 5-10 has been a tremendous help in digging deeper. 

The Story of Reality by Greg Koukl - Every worldview is an attempt to make sense of the world. Yet, not every worldview deals with the way the world actually is. In The Story of Reality, Greg Koukl sets forth how Christianity answers fundamental questions about life, death, evil and why we are here. He provides a concise and winsome encapsulation of the Christian worldview. One that I trust you'll find a helpful and compelling companion on your journey to find and know the truth. 

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney - “Ours is an undisciplined age.” V. Raymond Edman said, “The old disciplines are breaking down…Above all, the discipline of divine grace is derided as legalism or is entirely unknown to a generation that is largely illiterate in the Scriptures. We need the rugged strength of Christian character that can come only from discipline.” Penned atop page one of Donald Whitney’s modern classic are the above words. They serve as far more than a primer to the Spiritual Disciplines, but a call to modern man. A call to something bigger, deeper, and greater. A call away from the entangling enticements of our day and back to the life and character that are only achieved through discipline. 

Honorable Mention  

The Way of the Writer by Charles Johnson

Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley

Romans 1-7 For You and Romans 8-16 For You by Timothy Keller 

The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller

Where Do You Find Inspiration?

“Every artist,” Austin Kleon said, “gets asked the question, “Where do your ideas come from?” The honest artist answers, “I steal them.” Inspiration is that spark of genius that sets your heart to racing, and your hands to moving. It propels you forward as you strive to create something genuine and true. At least, that’s the way I see it. You may have a varying take on what inspiration is, but there it is striking as it will. It has no master, no owner. It comes and goes as it wishes, leaving behind only that which we make of it.

My sister-in-law gave me a copy of Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon for Christmas. I’ll share some of what I’m enjoying and learning from this great read with you in a few weeks. Today I want to talk about another product Austin’s put out there, The Steal Like An Artist Journal. It's filled with exercises and creativity prompts to bring out the creative in each of us. I noticed it online while reading Steal Like An Artist, and decided to order it.

I’ve always struggled to call myself an artist, writer, or creative. It’s been a lack of confidence on my part, with a dash of imposter syndrome thrown in for flavor. Who am I to publish? Who am I to claim the mantle of an artist? Doubts like these have plagued me, as I’m sure they have you at one point in your life.

The greatest help I've found is to show up every day and put something down on paper. It gives me confidence, and hope that I’m getting better. Sitting down to create something—anything—is more important that the finished product. The journey is more important than the destination.

The journal has served as a helpful tool in training my mind to be on the lookout for new and different ideas. To make connections between things that at first glance have nothing in common. “We are all having ideas all the time.” Philip Pullman said, “But I’m on the lookout for them. You’re not.”

The Steal Like An Artist Journal has helped me improve at being on the lookout for good ideas. In short, it is where inspiration finds me each morning before I write.

Enough about me and my journey for one day. What about you? Where do you find inspiration? Are there any tools, or routines that you find helpful?

Monthly Mash Up (March 2017)

March was an amazing month in the Hagaman home, as we welcomed our first born, Hudson, into the world. As we celebrate his arrival, and try to figure out life anew, I’d like to share with you what I'm reading, pondering and enjoying. This was something that only email subscribers received, but is now a main stay on the blog. The last Monday or Thursday (or Friday as this week would have it) of each month I peel back the layers even more than usual to share the things that had the greatest impact on me that month. I hope the resources I share with you are helpful and brighten your day. If you do enjoy it, feel free to pass it along to family and friends.

Verse I'm Chewing On

“Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.” - 1 Samuel 12:24

I’ve been meeting with a group of guys each Monday over the past month or so. We are reading through Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life together and encouraging one another to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness. One way we have done that is through the memorization of Scripture. 1 Samuel 12:24 is one of the verses we memorized this month. It has been a solid reminder of God’s faithfulness to His people.

What I'm Reading

1. The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller - We continue to read this with our community group. It has been awesome so far. It’s served as a reminder of things we learned in Merge.

2. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg - Long has this book been upon my reading list, which I finally picked up this month. The ending appendix entitled A Reader’s Guide to Using These Ideas may be all you need.    

3. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney - I continue to read this with a group of guys and am loving it. This past week, we read about silence and solitude which is a discipline I certainly should lean into.

4. The Way of the Writer by Charles Johnson - My wife has long known that I’m a sucker for good design and marketing. Chalk this one up to a well designed cover. As I fanned the pages I soon found myself thankful for Johnson’s counsel on the craft and the flow of ideas that came my way with the turn of each new page. The chapters are small—most of which can be read in a single session—and brimming with helpful advice on among many things the delineation between teachers and mentors, and the risks a writer takes.  

5. Night School by Lee Child - I’ve been a reader of the Jack Reacher novels for the last several years. In fact, I credit their oozing forth from the brain of Lee Child with my return to the fiction reading world. That said, any new release containing Reacher soon finds its way on my reading list. While not my favorite Reacher book, it still gets the job done in quintessential Jack Reacher style.  

What I’m Listening To

1. The Cheerful Visit - Our deer friend Andi launched a new podcast this month. In it she interviews believers all across the creative landscape about their journies, work and faith. Andi was kind enough to interview Hannah and I a while back, which you can now find up on show. Enjoy!  

2. Back In Black - You’d quickly realize I listen to a broad array of music, if you were to take a look at my Spotify listening history. This past month’s training was powered by the stylings of AC/DC. I’d turn on Back In Black and crank the dial all the way up, with each heavy set.

New Practice I’m Trying

Keeping a Writer’s Notebook - Charles Johnson mentioned the keeping of such a book countless times throughout The Way of the Writer. A writer’s notebook is where we capture, “images, ideas, scraps of language, character sketches, overheard dialogue, and so forth,” to be used as we revise and rewrite our work. More than just a notepad for writing down things to do, it serves as a repository of language and thought to be dipped in and drawn from as we sit down to construct prose and story alike.

My most recent entries have been new words I’ve learned of late. I’ll share two of these new entries to my vocabulary with you here.

Oeuvre - the works of a painter, composer, or author regarded collectively; body of work

Raconteur - a person who tells anecdotes in a skillful and amusing way

From the Internet

1. Why You Should Not Be Running by Mark Rippetoe - Most of us associate exercise with some form of endurance activity. Perhaps it’s time to rethink that paradigm and associate it with the lifting of heavy things. I know that’s not popular, but it might be exactly what we need.

2. Permission by Austin Kleon - I’ve read so many books, but the ones that have impacted me the most, have been those that have left me with a feeling of freedom to be, do or pursue something I previously thought I couldn’t. In a word, they gave me permission; which is a different way of saying that they inspired or gave me the kick in the pants I needed. Austin’s book, Steal Like An Artist, did this for me in January, and his blog continues to do the same on a more regular basis.

3. Weekly Questions - This is an oldie, but a goodie. Hannah and I were first introduced to this set of questions as we went through Merge a little of five years ago. They have been of great help to us these last several years, as we have sought to pursue one another relationally and otherwise, and build a strong marriage.

How To Build Better Habits And Reach Your Goals In Just 30 Days

You no doubt took a few moments as the clock counted down the end of another year to consider what you wanted out of 2017. Maybe you want to lose a few pounds, make a few extra dollars, or learn a new skill. That’s as far as things go for most people. They spend year after year holding on to vague hopes about the things they’d like to change. But you’re not the average bird. You didn’t stop with pleasant sentiments, you created goals, resolving to make this year different.

You got off to a roaring start hitting every target you set. You were excited, energized and hopeful. Things were looking up. You were rockin’ along, the wind in your hair, nothing gonna get in your way. This was going to be your year.

The calendar turned to February or if you were extra diligent, March. Life happened. The shine wore off, excitement faded and stuff got in the way. By now your dreams and hopes for making 2017 different, are all but dashed.

Instead of getting down, throwing a pity party, and giving up, let’s get back in the game. It doesn’t matter how poorly things have gone these first several months. You still have time to reach your goals. Remember Petey from Remember the Titans—the running back with the propensity to fumble the ball? He worked hard, carried a football from class to class and did his best every day, but still dropped the ball in the big moment. What happened to him? Coach Yoast saw something special in him, and did all he could to bring it out.

I see something special in you. You’re not meant to sit around wishing you could do this, or wanting to do that. No, you’re meant to get off the couch and out into the real world and make things happen. “Team work,” they say, “makes the dream work.” And I’m on your team. I want great and glorious things for you this year. That’s why I’m going to let you in on a secret—I struggle with the same things you do.

I fail to reach goals with astonishing regularity. I focus on where the magic happens however, instead of worrying about all the things I desire to happen. Where does the magic happen? It happens in the small everyday routines and habits of your day. Up to 40% of what you do every day isn’t based on any decision you’ve made, it’s purely a result of habits you’ve formed.

I’m working to rig the game, instead of worrying about missing targets. The best route I’ve found to reaching new goals is to decide what daily habits I need to develop to make it happen. I love to write for example. It gives me life, energy and feeds my soul. So what do I do with an already packed schedule? I get up at 5am every day and sit down in front of my computer to face another blank page. The habit I needed to focus on wasn’t directly related to the practice of writing. It was getting up earlier so I had time to write. That was the right habit for me to focus on.

Habits don’t form themselves. They take a lot of hard work and intentionality. Depending on the complexity of the habit, it can take anywhere from 30 or more days to develop a new one. There are thirty days in a month so 30 days is an easy number to latch hold of. Grab it with all you’ve got and wring from it fresh and invigorating habits that carry you down the path to accomplishing new things.

Below you’ll find a 30 day challenge sheet to help you create new habits. I found it tucked neatly inside The Steal Like An Artist Journal, and it’s been such a helpful way for me to focus on developing better habits. Austin did us all a favor by creating it but one 30 day challenge isn’t enough, I need a new one every month. After several moments online I couldn’t find a printable copy anywhere, so I created my own.

Download it. Print it. Share it. But most of all, use it to make 2017 an awesome year.