I was asked to do a book review of Marcus Buckingham’s book: Find Your Strongest Life. Determined to get it done by the end of 2009, I am squeaking this post in under the wire.
Oprah is a big fan of Marcus’s – which automatically put this book into suspicion for me initially. But I pressed on. I’m glad I did. Not that I agreed necessarily with everything in it, but it provoked a lot of thoughts about how I do the things I do – and more importantly, why.
He gives several examples of women who are satisfied with their life and women who end up dissatisfied. He defines emotionally strong women as women who are:
- successful,
- have a positive anticipation of the future,
- are continually growing and learning, and
- have their needs fulfilled.
He talks about the importance of not slipping into a role in life because we feel obliged to or because something might be expected of us – but rather to look with analytical eyes at the things that bring us a personal sense of accomplishment and happiness and building more of those activities into our lives. He has much to say about deepening relationships, finding passion, wanting more, conquering ego, making good decisions, creating balance – essentially building an emotionally strong life. He writes well and lays it out logically. His examples make sense. However, there is one component that, for me, was glaringly missing. The Holy Spirit. The source for the strength and power to do the things Marcus outlines for us to do lies in having a close relationship with God, through Jesus and empowered by the Spirit. Unless we get this first step right – lasting change in any area will be impossible.
Overall – there are definitely good suggestions and clearly defined steps for not remaining a victim of circumstance in your life. You do indeed have the strength and skills within you to do things that you were created to do. But first and foremost comes acknowledgment of where those strengths and skills originated. If you are seeking to build yourself up independently from a life with God – then this book would put you well on your way to doing that. But if what you crave is to be more Christ-like as you walk through this life; then, like I did, you too may feel that there is a missing piece to the puzzle as you read through this book.
~peace.