Jul 18 2008
Changing Your Course
“Changing Your Course The 5-Step Guide to Getting the Life You Want”
This book gives readers concrete direction, tips and steps to guide them through the process of implementing life changes. The authors, Bob and Melinda Blanchard authors of “A Trip to the Beach” and ”Live What You Love: Notes from an Unusual Life” have come up with an acronym for their five step plan, It’s DREAM.
D Decide what you want to change.
R Research the course you want to take.
E Evaluate: How feasable are your goals?
A Act in order to make your plan real.
M Maintain your dream.
The authors are realistic, clear, inspiring and honest about what it takes to create the reality of any dream. They talk about the work, determination and planning that are required. They motivate the reader to look closely at each step and to have a clear plan with a break down of realistic tasks and financial responsibility. At the same time their experiences and inspirational tone of writing keep the reader focused and motivated.
This couple has created successful ventures in a variety of fields and places in the world. They are a wealth of insightful knowledge. They guide their reader through the process of deciding upon the best course of action, evaluating options and taking the necessary steps to make a dream reality. I particularly liked that each section has a Problem and Solution page where they discuss real life issues from readers of their other books. One example; from the book: ”How can we justify forcing our children to change schools and make new friends just because we need a change of scenery? Shouldn’t we wait to make a major move until they graduate from high school?”
Another plus in each section is a Remember page. On this page the reader is reminded of things to Do and Don’t Do. Example; “Do concentrate on your most important priorities first. Don’t allow other people’s expectations to steer your life.” Don’t simply verbalize your priorities. Write them down.” I also love that they have a few quiz pages in the book where you are asked to answer a series of questions to help you determine your needs. One is called “What’s Your passion score?”
In order to decide which part of your life needs adjustment, it’s important to examine how you feel about the way you spend your time. Here’s a quick exercise to help you evaluate how much passion is in your day-to-day life and help you pinpoint which areas need to change. Rate your answers to the following statements. using the scale of 1to 5 below.” The reader is then asked a series of ten questions to determine the passion in their life and what really should change.
I particularly loved how the Blanchard’s talk about the fact that people continually grow and change and that it’s essential to keep evaluating goals, dreams and expectations along the way. They suggest that readers “check in with yourself periodically so you know where you stand and when it’s time to adjust.” This book is a wonderful guide for anyone contemplating change or anyone who is in the process of making changes. It’s filled with excellent tips, strategies and the many life experiences the Blanchard’s have to offer their readers.
