Book 1: the Alone Advantage by Terri Savelle Foy
A few years back, I decided to explore reading. I started off reading any book that people would recommend but as time went on, I found that I enjoyed self-help books. Until today, reading is a part of my daily routine.
This is a book review blog, where I share some of the lessons I learnt from The Alone Advantage written by Terri Savelle Foy.
Did you know that most people are afraid to be alone? Their schedules are always full and they always look for things to do, people to meet up with and never take time out to be by themselves. This is especially true now in the social media world. Whenever we are alone, whether waiting in line at a shop or waiting for our next meeting to start, we grab our phones. We start scrolling through Instagram or play video games to keep ourselves entertained.
There is a difference between being alone and being lonely. Sarah Adler, PsyD says "Being alone is actually just a state; it means that you are not with other people. Loneliness is an emotion, which describes a feeling of sadness attributed to not having connection." That means being alone, is where you intentionally decide to physically detach from people. I read this book to find out what successful people in the moments they decide to take time to be alone, away from the noise.
Here’s 5 things I learned and applied from this book
1.Listen: We all can hear, but listening requires effort and focus. The book talks about how important it is to take time to be alone and listen. To listen to God's voice and to positive messages that build our mental strength. A lot of fear and doubt is brought up by the many things we find ourselves listening to. It has a way to kill our dreams, and we end up carrying a lot of negativity with us. There is a lot of information; everyone has something to say, but the book taught me that successful people are intentional about what they allow to enter their mind through their ears. Ever since reading the book, I have made it a goal to either play a podcast, motivational message, or sermon every day.
2.Win the battle with the bed: Many successful people say they wake up between 3 and 5 a.m. For years, I tried to be part of the 5am club, but I was never consistent. The biggest secret that the book taught me is that waking up early depends on how early you go to bed. We often say we do not have time to work on our dreams and create the future we want, but if we track how much time we spend sleeping, we can find some time there.
3.After speaking to God, speak to yourself: Before the world tries to define them and tell them what they can or cannot do, successful people speak positive things about their lives, their families, careers, finances, etc. It is good to have accountability partners, mentors, and coaches, but what happens when no one is there to encourage and cheer you on? The book taught me that doing affirmations is a way of being my own encourager. Before I wait for external affirmation, I need to do that for myself. I have sticky notes everywhere—in my car, in my mirror, on my phone—and it is to encourage myself to keep going.
4.Use a timer to organize your life: If you try to book an appointment with a millionaire, you will probably get a slot in 6 months time. This shows how intentional they are about how they use their time. They use a timer to read for at least 45 minutes each day to exercise and learn new skills. Terri shares how this success principle can be used to also our work space and homes. Setting aside 15-20 minutes each day to organize your bathroom cabinet or book shelf doesn't feel as overwhelming as trying to sort out your entire house in one day. Once a week, I choose a certain area in my home to organize and remove anything we no longer need.
5.Keeping a dream book: Anyone who is successful at what they do got there by taking time to plan out their lives. Steve Harvey is known for quoting, "Write the vision and make it plain." Harvey says that writing down everything you want from God and reading it every day can change your life. When we take time to write our goals, cutting images from magazines or the internet and putting them on a vision board helps you see what is possible for you. I have always had a big vision board, but that made it hard for me to see them each morning, night, and throughout the day. The book taught me about vision books. It is similar to a vision board except you use a book and get to carry it around with you everywhere you go.
The book touches on many practical things that the top 1% people do that separate them from the rest. It is these small habits, such as taking time out to sit quietly and listen to God's voice, conquering the covers, speaking positive declarations over their lives, using 20 minutes to organize their work space, and keeping their dreams in front of them, that have helped them to be the best in what they do.