Thursday, July 02, 2009

26/52: "What Kind of World Do You Want?" by Jim Lord

Book 26/52: "What Kind of World Do You Want?" by Jim Lord, 5/5 Stars
I will have to read this book many times in my life... and the version that I read was only the pre-publication one. If it gets better from here, then it will be on my list of books to read once per year.

There are so many quotes that I can take from this book, but the general take from it involves focusing on what you do right instead of what you do wrong. Take what you do right and do it more often.

"The key is how we look at the world, rather than the way the world is."

"It takes courage to break from our routines and bring our ideals, hopes, and dreams out into the open; to make them legitimate topics of conversation; to shift our sense of what is and what is possible by changing the way we talk about it."

I've struggled with this last quote because my dream is to become a writer. When people ask me what I do, I still too often tell them that I'm a "marketing guy." Is it possible that I will never be a writer until I believe that I am one? Yes, of course it is, and maybe that is the reason why it is taking me so long to finish my first book; the task of being something else keeps getting in the way.

"Small things influence the world more than we know."

Jim Lord talks about how it's good to make grand plans and dreamy aspirations, but let's not forget the little things, the person-to-person things that make up each and every day. I've really been focusing on this activity through asking those that look lost if I can help them find their way, even when I don't even live in that city. I've started leaving books in public places with notes that state they are free, please enjoy. I've asked those that follow me on Twitter (@zamees) to tell me about their #gooddeed.

"The ability to use our lives to say something important, however small or large--our actions, our contributions, or just showing up in our own way--can send a message that means something to others, and even to ourselves."

What kind of world to you want? And, what kind of world do you want to leave behind?

GOAL: 52 books in 52 weeks!

Book #25 = "The New Rules of Marketing & PR" by David Meerman Scott, 4/5 Stars
Book #24 = "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell, 3/5 Stars
Book #23 = "Lisey's Story" by Stephen King, 1/5 Stars
Book #22 = "My Favorite Place on Earth" by Jerry Camarillo Dunn, 4/5 Stars
Book #21 = "Wisdom 2.0" by Soren Gordhamer, 4/5 Stars
Book #20 = "Oath Of Gold" by Elizabeth Moon, 5/5 Stars
Book #19 = "The Age Of Engage" by Denise Shiffman, 3/5 Stars
Book #18 = "What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20" by Tina Seelig, 4/5 Stars
Book #17 = "Animal Farm" by George Orwell, 4/5 Stars
Book #16 = "Divided Allegiance" by Elizabeth Moon, 3/5 Stars
Book #15 = "The Curious Incident of the Dog..." by Mark Haddon, 2/5 Stars
Book #14 = "The Sheepfarmer's Daughter" by Elizabeth Moon, 3.5/5 Stars
Book #13 = "Love Is The Killer App" by Tim Sanders, 4/5 Stars
Book #12 = "Fight Club" by Chuck Palahniuk, 4.5/5 Stars
Book #11 = "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger, 5/5 Stars
Book #10 = "The Finder" by Colin Harrison, 3.5/5 Stars
Book #9 = "Veronika Decides To Die" by Paulo Coelho, 1/5 Stars
Book #8 = "By The River Piedra I Sat Down & Wept" by Paulo Coelho, 3/5 Stars
Book #7 = "Stiff" by Mary Roach, 2/5 Stars
Book #6 = "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, 1/5 Stars
Book #5 = "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, 3/5 Stars
Book #4 = "Eleven Minutes" by Paulo Coelho, 2/5 Stars
Book #3 = "The Good Guy" by Dean Koontz, 3/5 Stars
Book #2 = "My Ishmael" by Dan Quinn, 2/5 Stars
Book #1 = "The Zahir" by Paulo Coelho, 3.5/5 Stars


READ MORE!

2 comments:

Amy Shropshire said...

That's a great question to ask and I agree that its the smallest interactions that sometimes make the greatest impact. I liked your suggestion of asking people if they needed help if they looked lost. A friend and I did that once when I was living in DC and the women we helped asked for our business cards. Wouldn't you know it that the next day we got flowers with a thank you note saying how we made their day. =)

Robert Zamees said...

That's fantastic! With my iPhone, I can pretty much help anyone that looks lost in any part of the world... so, I take advantage of it!