The Power of Beliefs – Shawn Achor
BOOK REPORT (think like in high school) on The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life by Shawn Achor, New Your Times Bestselling Author of THE HAPPINESS ADVANTAGE. Before we get started ...
SPOILER ALERT: This book is all about the lens through which you view your world (p. 110)
I was given this book by Chy Davidson who is a PASSIONATE Shawn Achor fan. (think NY Jets fans) Given our shared interests, my lover/co-pilot Kelli Darlin agreed to read the book as the same time as I did.
Best case we would agree to share our respective "thoughts, reactions, responses" over a glass of wine during a beautiful Key West sunset. Worst case: wine & sunset.
We had no expectations or assignments... and certainly no intention of co-writing and publishing this book report blog. BUT ... here we go!
Please note: we make no attempt to attribute who said what about what. We conflate our thoughts with Mr. Achor's when trying to make a point. If you want to know what he really says/mean ... you read the damn book yourself (possibly with a someone special on the dock while drinking a $17 bottle of Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigo?)
Do you want more success? peace? money? love? time? energy? passion? beauty? luck?
Do you want better physical and mental health? grades? faith? relationships?
Do you want to live longer?
then ... BELIEVE YOUR BEHAVIOR MATTERS
Okay, so here's what's coming. Kelli and I both read this book independently ... quick read ... not a technical tome, but there are several references to hoity-toity research which we did NOT fact-check.
This blog includes the "compelling points/ideas" that we BOTH independently underlined/highlighted. Given our generational gap, I read a hard cover book with an ink pen while Kelli read it on her Kindle with "highlight" function. #suchislife
We took iphone pictures of our mutually-agreed upon points worth pondering and/or celebrating. See below ... under each photo is our 2 cents on the matter/subject/point being made.
Got it? Still here? Let's go to work.
Beliefs are not facts. Beliefs are not undisputable. However, beliefs are real, even when they are not true. Even when they are not fact based, beliefs are real. When beliefs are contrary to prevailing scientific evidence ... beliefs are still very real.
They are mental constructs the brain manufactures based on several internal/external factors. As such, what matters is that YOUR beliefs factor into your understanding of what's going on around you ... AND sets the stage for your alternatives analysis when determining which decision tree path you should take.
Your beliefs can bend your reality like a football/soccer corner kick. Beliefs have a quantifiable impact on your expectations and results. Our beliefs can hold us back or release us to become our best selves.
When choosing to focus on aspects of our beliefs that will result in positive outcomes for success, we are not lying to ourselves or simply putting on rose-tinted glass. We are leaning into the momentum of a positive mental attitude.
Achor's 7 core power beliefs are a Snapit Toolkit (think red box at service station ... do they still exists?). To our way of thinking, these tools help one gather facts, solve problems, and tell a compelling/complete story.
While we can debate the sequence and relationship between the CPB's, seems like the essential hammer, wrench, screwdriver (flathead and phillips), pliers, saw, drill, and safety glasses (with 2.5 magnification) are present for a lifetime of work and success.
Here's a possible reordering:
Tony McLean Brown
A Western NC hillbilly through and through, Tony McLean Brown was born in the small town of Enka-Candler outside of Asheville. His parents re-named him when he was 3 years old to Tony (a nickname provided by his grandfather) McLean (middle name of his Uncle Michael) while retaining his legal surname Brown.
Throughout his career, Tony McLean Brown worked as a farmer, computer programmer, and management consultant – in his adventurous years – author, song-writer, bass player, poet, pilot, mountaineer, certified scuba diver, and competitor in professional bull riding, NASCAR late model racing, Toughman boxing, Crossfit Open, Ironman, pole vaulting, marathon and ultra-marathon running, as well as parenting.
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