Wednesday, December 12, 2012

20,000 Days and Counting by Robert D. Smith

We all want meaning. We all want our lives to count for something, to make a difference that outlives our time here. When I first saw 20,000 days and Counting, a new book by Robert D. Smith, I was curious and skeptical. Curious as to what the 20,000 days represented and skeptical primarily because of the subtitle which says the book is "the crash course for mastering your life right now."  I have read many books (far too many,actually) about life meaning and making the most of your life, living a life that counts, etc.so when I here THE crash course, I was questioning if the author was making some sort of claim to his course being the definitive course in life planning or maybe it is just the only "crash course" he knows of. After brief research, I agreed to read and review the book. And I liked it.
So what is 20,000 days? Smith recounts how in his 54th year of life, it hit him that he had been alive almost 20,000 days. On his 20,000th day, he celebrated the occasion by putting himself through a crash course in planning his next 20,000 days. The result is contained in this book.

Smith explains in the beginning that he wrote the book so it could be read quickly ( I finished it in about 30 minutes or so). His short chapters and straight-to-the point writing style help to make it a fast read.  He did this "because this could be your last day...and you have important things to do." I was impressed that he doesn't want us passing time reading his book. His desire is for us to grasp the concepts and principles quickly and get busy living them out.

I found this book to be beneficial in bringing clarity to some problem areas in life planning. His steps, questions and "things you can do now" are helpful to get me moving. Reader will find something in this book that connects, whether it be his words about motivation being a myth, the importance of eating dessert first, or the story of William Borden and his "No reserves, No retreats, No regrets" life.
Whether or not this book helps you master your life will depend on how serious you are at changing and how quickly you implement Smith's point that you have only two choices which encompass every decision you make for your life. You can decide yes or no. He quotes Yoda from The Empire Strikes Back: "Do  or do not: there is no try."

Great gift for people struggling with finding meaning or needing a nudge to get over a hump or lull in life. People like me. I will keep this one handy for when I need a nudge.

I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze Blogger Program in exchange for an honest review.

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