Winning Habits

By Dick Lyles
Reviewed by Kellie Fowler

Admittedly, I am a compulsive reader. It starts with the cereal box in the morning, carries me through several newspapers (which I read front to back with a protein bar and juice), onto work where I read, write and edit for a living, then into my evening where I relax by reading and writing even more. That’s right. I actually read and write to relax from reading and writing all day!

I share this with you in an effort to make a point about the book I reviewed for this month’s newsletter, "Winning Habits: 4 Secrets that Will Change the Rest of Your Life", by Dick Lyles. The point is this: the book is good, easy to read, and actually shares “secrets” that can make a difference. As a compulsive reader, I recognize a good, easy read and can appreciate its ability to hold my attention, offer me new information, and end, all in a single day.

Written as a parable, the book is comfortable and easy to relate to. It can be read, as the author Dick Lyles claims, on a single flight (and no, it doesn’t have to be an international one). The lead character, Albert, learns the “four secrets” from a wise old admiral, making the book a fun, fast, informative read.

Both in his pre-taped interview and throughout the book, Lyles stresses the importance of moving away from society’s common prevailing theory of “it’s never going to be enough.” Instead, he recommends replacing such negative thoughts with the fulfillment and satisfaction that are brought on by contributing more and asking for less.

While I will not detail Lyles’ “four secrets,” I will tell you that he stresses that we all show up every day, put our best foot forward and go above and beyond – always! “With every job, every responsibility I take on, I create a foundation, a track record,” Lyles says. “Get out there first, stay late and create a good, solid foundation.”

Sounds great in theory, but can it really work? Admittedly, implementing Lyles “four secrets” is a daily task, at first. After working on these for a few short weeks, they have become second-hand, and the results are real. OK, so I haven’t won the lottery, but I have been working more effectively and I catch myself long BEFORE I even think about making an excuse – for anything.

I confess that I used little reminders to make these “secrets” a part of my life. I made notes in my calendar, left Post-it® notes for myself, etc. But, this only lasted a few short weeks. Before I knew it, the four secrets had become useful, productive, even life-changing habits.

Even Lyles admits that implementing four new “secrets” can seem cumbersome at first. After all, we’re all busy and most of us multi-task just to get through the day. “Think in terms of ‘I’m going to do this tomorrow,’” Lyles explains. “Think about what opportunities tomorrow may bring that allow you to implement these habits. At the end of the day, evaluate where (you did) well and where (did you) have problems. Finally, consider where you can improve tomorrow.”

Lyles also wisely recommends focusing our energies on doing a few things well, instead of stretching ourselves thin by doing a great deal, none of which can be done well. Trust me, it works.

In summary, this Amazon.com bestseller stresses more than quality over quantity, it gives good, strong advise, with Lyles personal favorite emerging as “Be the first on and the last off – always!” Lyles, who stresses added value, says that the biggest mistake we make today is adopting the damaging attitude of “appreciate me first, I’ll show you later.” I couldn’t agree more.

For more information on Winning Habits: 4 Secrets that Will Change the Rest of Your Life, by Dick Lyles, go to www.Amazon.com.
 

Where to go from here: