To start off I really like the way that this book is structured! The book is titled “50 things They Didn't Teach You in School” and each one of those “things” is it’s own chapter. These days people have more to do than time in the day so having the book broken into small chapters like this made it really easy to pick up at any time and read a little. I didn't feel like I needed a half hour to be able to get something out of a reading session. If I had a few minutes here or there I could knock out a chapter and be better for it.
I also liked that it had more of a real life tone to it. It’s one thing to repeat a set of lofty mantras said by Warren Buffett, but it’s another to show that when you took certain steps they had specific effects in your life. He made the instructions seem so doable that I walked away from reading feeling like they were changes I could actually make in my life! For example, When Tim showed how by simply writing thank you notes to your peers, you will change both their life and yours for the better. He then gave examples of how he got ahead in life because he wrote them and I finished the chapter thinking, “Wow! I could totally start writing thank you notes… Holy crap, I can actually start to change my life!!”
I would say the biggest impact that this book had on me was giving a very realistic hope that I can be successful in my life. That it’s not a toss of the dice that you’ll being in the right place at the right time, and as long as you have a positive attitude it will all of the sudden just happen. Tim showed that success comes from actions like setting goals, looking for opportunities, working hard, and trying to increase the happiness of those around you. I really did walk away from reading this book feeling like success was obtainable for me. I’ve actually already written two thank you notes and started to write down specific goals on notecards that are hanging above my desk! I have the tools, now it’s just time for me to keep taking action!
Here's a picture with him, your book and his new license plate "SET GLS"
Mark Brummett