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Reflections from Our Bookshelf: Musings on how we view reading a bit differently

 Chasing Excellence

By: Ben Bergeron

Reflection By: Erik Mizell

Why I read it?  I was drawn to read this book because of my interest in hearing the perspective of a coach of two of the fittest humans on the planet, and how they maximize their capacity.  I wanted to know, are they really just “gifted” or is there something else going on?

What is it all about?  The story is told through the lens of what feels like a documentary from the 2016 CrossFit games.  However, once you peel back the layers, there are several mindset takeaways that anyone could apply to everyday life.  The author does a fantastic job of detailing concepts that can create awareness in everyone from the elite athlete to the business executive to the busy parent.  He expounds upon topics including grit, commitment, humility, and maximizing minutes.  The constant theme of the book is that no one is simply born excellent, you must work really, really hard to develop it.

What caused me to pause?  The topic that caused me to pause in this book was the explanation of the spectrum from complacency to competence to excellence.  People tend to go through life hoping to be excellent in their chosen career, while in reality, they simply are working to be competent.  The difference is generally the willingness to focus on attacking the daily grind with a relentless effort and a refusal to quit until the job is done.

How will this book change my habits or influence me?  This book has changed my outlook on the daily habits that I have put in place to help me achieve the goals that I have set for myself.  The journey of life lies in the daily process, not the results of the effort.

“Vision without action is a dream.  Action without vision is a nightmare.”  -Japanese Proverb

Read this book if…  You are someone who is looking for insight into how making intentional changes of your daily habits can put you in position to truly discover what being excellent actually means.

Pickle Rating: 5/5 

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