Start Something That Matters
Start something that matters by Blake Mycoskie is a truly inspirational book on how making a difference in the world starts with a simple idea. Blake had an idea which came to him while vacationing in Argentina. He came to understand that there are so many people in this world without shoes and he wanted to start something where for every shoe that is bought there is one shoe which is donated to the people in need of a shoe. It is a great story and one that inspires me every time I read it.There are three questions I liked that can be applicable to all of us.
If you didn't have to worry about money what would you do with your time?What social cause are you seeking to serve?
What kind of work would you want to do to serve your cause?
I also liked the chapter on simplicity. Some of the ideas I liked are
Keep a notebook: We have too many things in our head. The best way to get clarity and to empty our mind is to write down everything that is occupying our mind.
Own as little as you can: This is basically advice to de-clutter your life. Throw away anything you haven’t used for a long time. If you don’t need a car then rent it? The point is once you buy something it takes more time to maintain it. This reduces complexity.
Schedule everything: We now know that things that don’t get scheduled don’t get done. For example if you need to exercise early in the morning then set the alarm to sleep a little earlier. Everything that you need to get done has to be in your schedule to get traction.
Don't let technology enslave you: Technology should serve us and not the other way around. This is easier said than done. Switch of notifications for all your social media and this gives you control. For example if you don’t have an app for Facebook the lesser you are bound to check especially if you log off after every check.
There is also a chapter on fear which I liked. Basically anytime we start anything new we have fear and anxiety. The best way to overcome a fear is to do the thing that you fear. The quote from Eleanor Roosevelt is great “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say “I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.”
The quote from Winston Churchill is great “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” Remember whatever t happens life goes on. Don't fear the unknown as you can't start anything if you have to know everything about it. Remember also that everyone makes mistakes. Don't spend any time worrying about what others think. When you feel fear coming on find out what if the worst possible outcome happens. Resolve to accept the worst should it occur and take action to make it not happen.
I found this read quite inspiring.
The views expressed here are my own and do not represent my organization.
If you didn't have to worry about money what would you do with your time?What social cause are you seeking to serve?
What kind of work would you want to do to serve your cause?
I also liked the chapter on simplicity. Some of the ideas I liked are
Keep a notebook: We have too many things in our head. The best way to get clarity and to empty our mind is to write down everything that is occupying our mind.
Own as little as you can: This is basically advice to de-clutter your life. Throw away anything you haven’t used for a long time. If you don’t need a car then rent it? The point is once you buy something it takes more time to maintain it. This reduces complexity.
Schedule everything: We now know that things that don’t get scheduled don’t get done. For example if you need to exercise early in the morning then set the alarm to sleep a little earlier. Everything that you need to get done has to be in your schedule to get traction.
Don't let technology enslave you: Technology should serve us and not the other way around. This is easier said than done. Switch of notifications for all your social media and this gives you control. For example if you don’t have an app for Facebook the lesser you are bound to check especially if you log off after every check.
There is also a chapter on fear which I liked. Basically anytime we start anything new we have fear and anxiety. The best way to overcome a fear is to do the thing that you fear. The quote from Eleanor Roosevelt is great “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say “I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.”
The quote from Winston Churchill is great “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” Remember whatever t happens life goes on. Don't fear the unknown as you can't start anything if you have to know everything about it. Remember also that everyone makes mistakes. Don't spend any time worrying about what others think. When you feel fear coming on find out what if the worst possible outcome happens. Resolve to accept the worst should it occur and take action to make it not happen.
I found this read quite inspiring.
The views expressed here are my own and do not represent my organization.
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