ReInventing Yourself Steve Chandler Career Press (1998) This enjoyable little book is all about "owing the spirit" in order to reinvent yourself and achieve whatever you desire from life.  Start with your words. Book Review © Dr. Terry J. van der Werff, CMC

The velocity of change in today's turbulent business world compels us to reinvent ourselves and our businesses more regularly than most of us might wish.  Yet, surviving and thriving require it.

Throughout my life I have read self-improvement books of many genres.  Most were syrupy claptrap not worth the cost of the book.  A vital few transformed my life.  ReInventing Yourself is not one of my vital few (at least not yet), but it is a solid invitation to grow.

Its central premise is to "own the spirit" that is within each of us - to unleash it and thereby reinvent ourselves - rather than to be a "victim" of external events.

It is all about attitude.  As we think and speak, so we become.  Chandler contends (rightly, in my view) the starting point is the words we use.  These, in turn, shape our attitude and how others see us.  Words and attitude create both happiness and achievement.  In the immortal phrase from Strunk and White, "Words tell."

Simple substitutions of words will transform us:

            Old word/phrase                       New word/phrase
            they, them                                    we, us
            I should do                                    I want to do
            swamped                                      focused

Words, commitment, and optimism are all choices, which are strengthened by practice. Do, and do often, and you will become whatever you desire. The ancient Chinese proverb comes to mind: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  It is up to you to choose to take the first step and to choose the direction of that step. ReInventing Yourself is a useful guide on how to do it.

---

For convenience, you may order this book from:     amazon.com    Borders    Barnes & Noble

Sign up for e-mail alerts to new postings.