The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy

My rating: 4/5 stars

Personal development/self help books can be a hit or miss for me but this one was definitely a hit because I found it to be very practical. At the end of each chapter there are exercises that allow the reader to put into practice/create an action plan based on what was just read. You can also download the worksheets and exercises for free from the website which I found super helpful.

This book focuses on a number of areas, ones that came up a lot were:
– Habits: creating them, developing them, tracking them.
– Routine: creating and sticking to a routine that works for you
– Goals: setting clearly defined goals in ALL areas of your life

What I liked about this book and the exercises/worksheets is that it really requires you (the reader) to be open and honest with yourself and to be intentional with your decisions and choices. Your daily actions and inactions affect your life and over time these will have a compounding effect. It could be a positive effect or a negative effect – it all depends on the type of decisions you are making.

The Book of X by Sarah Rose Etter

My rating: 4/5 stars

Cassie is born with her stomach twisted into a knot, so was her mother and so was her grandmother. They are the only ones in history with this genetic mutation and at the time of Cassie’s birth there is still no cure for this or means of ‘fixing’ it.

From a young age we see Cassie struggle with accepting her body – this isn’t made easier by her mother’s constant attempts at trying to ‘fix’ her. Cassie’s insecurity ultimately leads to a lifetime of seeking perfection. Her lack of confidence from a young age leads her to accept being mistreated by many people especially boys and as she grows older, men.

This book is quite poetic in the way that it’s written. I believe the overall theme of this story is to highlight the impact of societal expectations and the idea that true happiness can only come from within.

The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger

My rating: 5/5 stars

“That may be the hardest but also the most necessary lesson to keep in mind, that wherever you are along the path, you’re the same person you’ve always been.”

The Ride of a Lifetime

(Take my rating with a teeny tiny smidge of bias even though it’s totally well deserved.)

I’ve been a huge fan of Robert Iger for such a long time and an even bigger fan of Disney for much longer.

However, what I can say without bias is that this book is SO well structured and by far exceeded my expectations. Each chapter tells a different story about Iger’s life but still connects with the overall theme of leadership and work ethic. He talks about his early beginnings – starting out at a small ABC newsroom department making $150 per week to eventually becoming the CEO of the Walt Disney Company.

I enjoyed so many things about this book. It was so interesting reading about the behind the scenes conversations that led to major decisions like Disney’s acquisition of Pixar, LucasFilms (StarWars franchise), Marvel and 21st Century Fox. The ‘scandals’, difficult conversations, backlash, criticism, pressure etc there was just so much tea (but not in a trashy way..very classy tea) lol.

Even if you’re not a fan of Disney as a company; if you’re a Manager or in any senior position at work or if you’re trying to move up in life/your career then I’d recommend this book. It never drags on and it never once reads like a bragging list of achievements.

From start to finish it reads like genuine advice, it’s introspective, it’s reflective, it’s honest and you get a true sense of Iger’s personality and values.