Rarely can the audience for a book be accurately described as "everyone, at every age and stage of life"--but this is true for The Achievement Habit by Bernard Roth (professor of engineering and the co-founder and academic director of Stanford University's design school). Having taught for 52 years, Roth is a gifted instructor sharing what he has learned about how to create a life with meaning. His primary recommendation is to stop trying (which requires force) and instead take action (which is empowering). Roth then provides concrete examples and exercises for accomplishing any goal in any area of life.
In the spirit of Stanford's d.school, Roth challenges readers' assumptions in order to reveal hidden possibilities. He believes that achievement "can be learned. It is a muscle, and once you learn to flex it, there's no end to what you can accomplish in life." He encourages readers to escape limiting excuses and become "doers" by changing our language (moving from "but" to "and"), building resiliency (by reframing setbacks), focusing on the present moment, collaborating with others and learning from personal experiences. He recommends continually asking the questions "Who am I?" "What do I want?" and "What is my purpose?" and allowing the answers (which will change over time) to dictate our intention and then attention. By reframing problems into opportunities for growth, he believes true success is inevitable. While many of these ideas are not new, Roth's method for achieving them is fresh and applicable for all ages. --Kristen Galles from Book Club Classics