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Hi, reader!

The Personal Mastermind community continues to grow, and our groups are having fascinating and in-depth conversations about what we're reading, and how we're applying it in our lives and work.

We now have two different books on the go across the groups: 'Think Again', by Adam Grant, and 'Emotional Agility' by Susan David.
In 'Think Again', Adam Grant introduces four types of approaches to thinking:
  • Preacher: "I'll convince you I'm right"
  • Prosecutor: "I'll show you you're wrong"
  • Politician: "I'll say whatever makes you like me"
  • Scientist: "I'll follow the data and update my beliefs based on what I learn"
Photo of 'Think Again' a book by Adam Grant
Then he shows us how to "re-think" things as individuals and with others, so that we can escape our natural tunnel vision.
Cover image of 'Emotional Agility' by Susan David
Susan David's concept of 'Emotional Agility' is about how we can get ourselves unstuck from our rigid patterns of feeling, thinking, and behaving.

She explains how we get "hooked" by emotions, offers techniques for unhooking ourselves and shares two key principles to help us move on: tiny-tweaks and the see-saw.
She approaches her subject with lots of warmth and humour, sharing her own stories of moving between rigidity and agility, and inspiring hope that change is possible.
While these two books might seem to be about radically different topics (thinking and emotions), they share a common thread. They both emphasise how important it is to regularly take a step back to review whether our habits are serving or hindering us, and to check whether we are blindly following old patterns, or are adjusting our approach as we encounter new information and insights.

So, in the spirit of the books, why not try the start, stop, less, more exercise? Set aside 10 minutes, grab a piece of paper and a pen, and ask yourself these questions:
  • What's one thing I can start doing to support my goals?
  • What's one thing I will stop doing so I'm less likely to get in my own way?
  • What's one thing I can do more of to accelerate my progress towards my goals?
  • What's one thing I can do less of so I've got more time and energy to work towards my goals?
Take a few minutes with your answer to each question, and try to imagine in vivid detail what it would be like to start, stop, do more, and do less of each thing.

How might you feel? What words might you use? What might you think? What changes might you notice in yourself and others? How might these changes affect your pursuit and achievement of your goals?

Coming up...

We'll be reading 'Emotional Agility' and 'Think Again' through until the end of July. We have lots of other amazing books in our reading plan too, which we'll be sharing about as the year progresses.

In August & September, we'll be working through Oliver Burkeman's excellent and thought-provoking book 'Four Thousand Weeks'.

If you'd like to find out more about joining a Personal Mastermind group, reply to this email and we'll set up a time to chat.
Four Thousand Weeks
We're based in Aotearoa New Zealand, and our one-hour meetings have start times between 8am and 11am - use this timezone meeting converter with 'Auckland' as the first city to convert to your timezone.
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