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During my sabbatical/limited retirement time, I have been able to spend a great deal of time reading. I usually have 3-5 books going at a time based on my current interests, challenges or needs for escape. Ironically, all the books I am currently engaged with seem to deal with motivation. The motivation of ourselves, our children, students, fellow church members or employees. I thought I would share them here for you to peruse yourself. Don’t wait to finish the books to tell me what you think. Comment below!
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink
Hilburn and I have been reading through this book together and meeting semi-regularly to wrestle through how to apply these principles of motivation to The Sparrow’s Nest. I have to admit I thought we would be through this one and on to the next one by now. So far, Daniel is creating more incredible questions than answers but I think I can speak for both of us, we are loving the intellectual challenge of this research. My biggest take home so far is how much of our society, schools, parenting, the legal world, workplaces, and churches really operate from extrinsic motivational techniques. This perspective is really shaping what I think about true behavioral change.
This is a second time read through for me. Even with the second time around, I am really being challenged to really peel back why I say yes to the things I am saying yes to. It’s a little embarrassing but Shauna through her own experiences has revealed in my lift how most of the things I agree to are to maintain an appearance or persona. I thought I had evolved in my maturity not to rely on the opinions of others to motivate me but I truly feel God is using this book again to show that is anything but the truth in my heart. I appreciate the opportunity to read it again through a slighter slower pace of life I am trying to create for myself and my family now than when I read it earlier this year when I was frantically trying to make every puzzle piece and everyone else’s puzzle piece of life fit into my life.
I am just a few pages into this one and almost every paragraph is highlighted! This concept of Collective Leadership is a new term for me. But again, it makes so much more sense than how we traditionally view leadership. The basic premise follows some assumptions I hold to be true. Simple things like Organizations should be viewed as systems rather than a machine and Leadership occurs most efficiently and effectively when it is assumed it occurs in connected, shared networks rather in a hierarchal pyramid where all decisions are made from the top down. I’m excited to see how these elements intersect with education and especially early childhood and early intervention. http://amzn.to/2hEByDM
In this stage of life, I am on the constant hunt for simplicity, peace, cleanliness, and less clutter in all aspects of life. I came out of this summer desperate for the goals and desires I had in my life to come to fruition without any further complication. I needed to apply this concept of de-cluttering to my spiritual heart, physical body, workspace, emotional well being, and living environment. I am a checklist girl. I am loving how this book really does keep the tasks to 10 minutes to declutter every part of your house. I really like how realistic they are that some room will require multiple 10-minute intervals but they give easy tips for not getting overwhelmed, staying on task, and returning our homes to places of solitude and rest. I purposely bought the Kindle version of this book, so as to not, you know, add any more clutter. 🙂
Let me know which one of these you pick up and continue the conversation below. I would love to know what you learn from any of these books.
The Rabid Mime 