Jon Acuff

Year after year, readers pulled me aside at events and said, “I’ve never had a problem starting. I’ve started a million things, but I never finish them. Why can’t I finish? According to studies, 92 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail. You’ve practically got a better shot at getting into Juilliard to become a ballerina than you do at finishing your goals. For years, I thought my problem was that I didn’t try hard enough. So I started getting up earlier. I drank enough energy drinks to kill a horse. I hired a life coach and ate more superfoods. Nothing worked, although I did develop a pretty nice eyelid tremor from all the caffeine. It was like my eye was waving at you, very, very quickly. Then, while leading a thirty-day online course to help people work on their goals, I learned something surprising: The most effective exercises were not those that pushed people to work harder. The ones that got people to the finish line did just the opposite— they took the pressure off. Why? Because the sneakiest obstacle to meeting your goals is not laziness, but perfectionism. We’re our own worst critics, and if it looks like we’re not going to do something right, we prefer not to do it at all. That’s why we’re most likely to quit on day two, “the day after perfect”—when our results almost always underper­form our aspirations. The strategies in this book are counterintuitive and might feel like cheating. But they’re based on studies conducted by a university researcher with hundreds of participants. You might not guess that having more fun, eliminating your secret rules, and choosing something to bomb intentionally works. But the data says otherwise. People who have fun are 43 percent more successful! Imagine if your diet, guitar playing, or small business was 43 percent more suc­cessful just by following a few simple principles. If you’re tired of being a chronic starter and want to become a consistent finisher, you have two options: You can continue to beat yourself up and try harder, since this time that will work. Or you can give yourself the gift of done.

Give Yourself the Gift of Done

Finish

Wall Street Journal best-selling author Jon Acuff reveals the steps to getting unstuck and back onto the path of being awesome. Over the last 100 years, the road to success for most everyone has been divided into five stages that mirror the decades of working life: Your 20s are a period of Learning. This is the decade of trying a thousand things, exploring a multitude of interests, and discovering what really motivates you. Your 30s are a period of Editing. This is the decade of sorting out interests, where you discover what you really care about and who you really are. Your 40s are a period of Mastering. This is the decade of narrowing focus, honing skill sets, and becoming an expert in your field. Your 50s are a period of Harvesting. This is the decade of reaping the benefits of good decisions and enjoying the highest income-earning period in a career. Your 60s are a period of Guiding. This is the decade of mentoring, training, and encouraging others on their own road to success. Every successful person has followed these steps regardless of their occupation. But three things have changed the path to success and erased the decades associated with them: Finish lines are dead – Boomers are realizing that a lot of the things they were promised aren’t going to materialize, and they have started second and third careers. Anyone can play – Technology has given access to an unprecedented number of people who are building online empires and changing their lives in ways that would have been impossible years ago. Hope is boss – The days of “success first, significance later,” have ended. A new generation doesn’t want to change the world eventually; they want to change it now through the wells they kickstart in Africa and the TOMS they wear on their feet. The value system has been flipped upside down. The result is that you’ve got an entire generation pushing down to start over, another generation pushing up to start for the first time, and in the middle of this collision, the tools to actually change the world. Experience years now trump chronological age. And while none of the five stages can be skipped, they can be shortened and accelerated. There are only two paths in life: average and awesome. The average path is easy because all you have to do is nothing. The awesome path is more challenging, because things like fear only bother you when you do work that matters. The good news is Start gives readers practical, honest, actionable insights to be more awesome, more often. It’s time to punch fear in the face, escape average, and do work that matters. It’s time to Start.

Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average, and Do Work That Matters

Start

Overthinking isn't a personality trait. It's the sneakiest form of fear. It steals time, creativity, and goals. It's the most expensive, least productive thing companies invest in without even knowing it. And it's an epidemic. When New York Times bestselling author Jon Acuff changed his life by transforming his overthinking, he wondered if other people might benefit from what he discovered. He commissioned a research study to ask 10,000 people if they struggle with overthinking too, and 99.5 percent said, "Yes!" The good news is that in Soundtracks, Acuff offers a proven plan to change overthinking from a super problem into a superpower. When we don't control our thoughts, our thoughts control us. If our days are full of broken soundtracks, thoughts are our worst enemy, holding us back from the things we really want. But the solution to overthinking isn't to stop thinking. The solution is running our brains with better soundtracks. Once we learn how to choose our soundtracks, thoughts become our best friend, propelling us toward our goals. If you want to tap into the surprising power of overthinking and give your dreams more time and creativity, learn how to DJ the soundtracks that define you. If you can worry, you can wonder. If you can doubt, you can dominate. If you can spin, you can soar.

The Surprising Solution to Overthinking

Soundtracks

From figuring out what your dream is to quitting in a way that exponentially increases your chance of success, Quitter is full of inspiring stories and actionable advice. This book is based on 12 years of cubicle living and my true story of cultivating a dream job that changed my life and the world in the process. It’s time to close the gap between your day job and your dream job. It’s time to be a quitter.

Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job & Your Dream Job

Quitter

"Starting on the first day you got paid to scoop ice cream or restock shelves, you've had the chance to develop the four elements all great careers have in common: relationships, skills, character, and hustle. You already have each of those, to one degree or another. Now it's time to amplify them and apply them in a new way, creating a Career Savings Account"--Amazon.com.

Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work, and Never Get Stuck

Do Over

#1 Wall Street Journal bestseller! Jon Acuff, New York Times best-selling author of Do Over, Quitter, and Start, offers strategies for anyone who's ever wondered, "Why can't I finish what I started?" According to studies, 92 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail. You’ve practically got a better shot at getting into Juilliard to become a ballerina than you do at finishing your goals. For years, I thought my problem was that I didn’t try hard enough. So I started getting up earlier. I drank enough energy drinks to kill a horse. I hired a life coach and ate more superfoods. Nothing worked, although I did develop a pretty nice eyelid tremor from all the caffeine. It was like my eye was waving at you, very, very quickly. Then, while leading a thirty-day online course to help people work on their goals, I learned something surprising: The most effective exercises were not those that pushed people to work harder. The ones that got people to the finish line did just the opposite— they took the pressure off. Why? Because the sneakiest obstacle to meeting your goals is not laziness, but perfectionism. We’re our own worst critics, and if it looks like we’re not going to do something right, we prefer not to do it at all. That’s why we’re most likely to quit on day two, “the day after perfect”—when our results almost always underper­form our aspirations. The strategies in this book are counterintuitive and might feel like cheating. But they’re based on studies conducted by a university researcher with hundreds of participants. You might not guess that having more fun, eliminating your secret rules, and choosing something to bomb intentionally works. But the data says otherwise. People who have fun are 43 percent more successful! Imagine if your diet, guitar playing, or small business was 43 percent more suc­cessful just by following a few simple principles. If you’re tired of being a chronic starter and want to become a consistent finisher, you have two options: You can continue to beat yourself up and try harder, since this time that will work. Or you can give yourself the gift of done.

L. E. Acuff

McRae Acuff

The Student's Guide to Tapping into the Superpower of Mindset

Your New Playlist

From the author of Stuff Christians Like comes a fresh take on a timeless subject, money. A member of the Dave Ramsey team, Jon Acuff offers a front row seat to all of the silly things we do when it comes to paying off debt, managing our money and everything in between.

Gazelles, Baby Steps and 37 Other Things Dave Ramsey Taught Me about Debt

Si cada que empiezas algo nuevo, por una u otra razón, siempre lo dejas a la mitad, este libro es para ti. Durante años, pensé que mi problema era que no me esforzaba lo suficiente. Entonces comencé a levantarme más temprano, tomé las suficientes bebidas energéticas para matar a un caballo, contraté a un life coach y comí más superalimentos. Nada funcionó. ¿Por qué? Porque el obstáculo más furtivo para alcanzar nuestras metas no es la pereza, sino el perfeccionismo. Somos nuestros peores críticos, y si parece que no vamos a hacer algo bien, preferimos no hacerlo. Las estrategias en este libro pueden parecer una trampa, pero se basan en estudios realizados por un investigador universitario con cientos de participantes y casos probados. Imagina que tu dieta, tocar la guitarra o tu pequeña empresa tuvieran 43% más de posibilidad de éxito sólo por seguir unos simples principios. Si estás cansado de intentar terminar tus proyectos y quieres tener constancia en tu vida, tienes dos opciones: puedes seguir dándote golpes y esforzándote más, "ya que esta vez funcionará", o puedes darte el regalo de terminarlos: con este libro sabrás cómo hacerlo.

Descubre la clave para lograr tus objetivos

¡Termina!

The Three Stages of Every Awesome Idea

Muitas listas de resoluções elaboradas e pensadas para o início de um novo ano não são concretizadas. Se pesquisar, você perceberá que tem maiores chances de conseguir uma vaga em uma instituição muito concorrida do que de cumprir suas metas. Você pode pensar que não se esforça o suficiente e, por isso, começa a acordar mais cedo, tomar grandes doses de energéticos, contrata um mentor e come superalimentos. Com isso, você apenas desenvolverá tremor nas pálpebras por causa de tanta cafeína. Jon Acuff, enquanto ministrava um curso online de trinta dias para ajudar as pessoas a atingirem seus objetivos, aprendeu que os exercícios mais eficazes não eram aqueles que conduziam a esforços maiores, mas os que aliviavam a pressão. O autor, então, compreendeu que o obstáculo mais traiçoeiro não é a preguiça, e sim o perfeccionismo. As estratégias de Termine são contraintuitivas e podem parecer trapaça. Entretanto, são baseadas em estudos, com centenas de participantes, conduzidos por um pesquisador. Você pode pensar que se divertir, eliminar regras secretas e escolher algo para falhar intencionalmente não funciona. Os dados, porém, apontam o contrário. As pessoas que se divertem são 43% mais bem-sucedidas. Divirta-se e Termine aquilo que se propõe a fazer

A alegria de acabar o que você começa

Termine

Using the same humor and honesty that galvanized more than a million online readers from more than 200 countries, speaker Jon Acuff brings his insightful take on Christianity to the book world with this new edition of Stuff Christians Like. Do you constantly find yourself towing the fine line between praying before certain types of meals and not others? This book is for you. Have you fallen in love on a mission trip, just to break up when you get home? This book is for you. Are you a unicorn of purity who ranks honeymoon sex slightly higher than the second coming of Christ? Guess what – this book is for you, too. It’s time to shake off Somber Christian Syndrome and embrace the quirks of being a member of God’s kingdom. This book will teach you how to: Break up with your small group Subtly find out if your new Christian friends drink beer too Recognize the shame grenade that is a Jesus Juke Avoid a prayer handholding faux pas Say something Christian-y without looking like a snake handler From prayer shot blocks to metro worship leaders, no stone is left unturned in this hilarious look at faith. “I never knew how much I needed Jesus until I found out I was judging people who use the table of contents in their Bible. This book saved me from looking like a bad Christian.” – Sister Mary Francis, Rhode Island. “It’s such a time saver to know that my Chick-fil-a from the drive-thru comes pre-blessed. I always knew I was making the right choice by choosing the Lord’s chicken.” – Dave L., South Carolina.

Stuff Christians Like

Quando você não gosta do seu trabalho, domingo não é um dia legal. É só o dia antes da segunda-feira. Você já deve ter reclamado com seu amigo mais de uma vez sobre quase chorar ao ouvir a música de abertura de certo programa dominical noturno. E se você pudesse reinventar sua carreira e realmente ficar ansioso pela segunda--feira? Isso é mesmo possível? Sim, caro leitor, você não está diante de uma utopia da ficção científica. Começando do seu primeiro dia de trabalho – seja pagando contas em bancos, seja reabastecendo prateleiras –, você teve a chance de desenvolver os quatro elementos que todas as grandes carreiras têm em comum: relacionamentos, competências e energia. Você já tem cada um deles, em um grau ou outro. Agora é hora de expandi-los e aplicá-los de uma nova maneira. Você pode praticar um Reinicie em sua carreira a qualquer momento. Leve, divertido e recheado de verdades que muitas vezes não notamos, este livro é mais uma pérola do inconfundível Jon Acuff, autor best-seller do aclamado Start. Aqui você encontrará recursos para se reinventar, soltar suas amarras e conquistar o trabalho que sempre quis.

Resgate a segunda feira, reinvente seu trabalho e nunca fique na mesma

Reinicie

Best-seller do The New York Times e do Wall Street Journal O mundo mudou e, embora nenhuma das etapas para o sucesso possa ser pulada, elas podem ser encurtadas e aceleradas. É fácil viver no caminho da média, porque tudo o que você precisa fazer é ficar parado. O caminho sobre o qual esse livro fala, o da excelência, é mais desafiador. O medo poderá incomodá-lo, mas ele só faz isso quando você trabalha em algo realmente interessante. START dá instruções práticas e eficazes para alcançar definitivamente sua satisfação pessoal e profissional. Não importa se você tem vinte ou sessenta anos, esse livro vai mudar a maneira como você vive seu trabalho e sua vida! Essencial para empreendedores e todas as pessoas que desejam se dedicar às suas verdadeiras paixões.

Wer kennt ihn nicht, den Friedhof der unvollendeten Vorhaben? Schon 92 Prozent aller Neujahrsvorsätze werden nicht umgesetzt – und auch im Rest des Jahres sieht es nicht besser aus. Millionen Dinge werden angegangen, aber nie fertig gemacht. Der Autor hat selbst die gängigen Ratschläge dagegen getestet: Früher aufstehen, nur noch Super Food essen und Energydrinks in einer Menge zu sich nehmen, die ein Pferd umgebracht hätte. Das Ergebnis: ein vor lauter Koffein irre zuckendes Augenlid, aber nicht ein erreichtes Ziel. Denn nicht Faulheit ist das Problem, sondern ein übertriebener Perfektionismuswahn und fehlender Spaß. Oder warum haben Sie das Klavierspielen aufgegeben? Gestützt von Untersuchungen belegt Jon Acuff, wie man mit etwas mehr Freude, dem Ignorieren von Regeln und einfach mal alles anders machen Ziele konstant

Wie man mit mehr Spaß und weniger Perfektion alle Ziele erreicht - und sich selbst belohnt

Bring es zu Ende!

Sometimes, we fall in love on mission trips even though we know well break up when we get back. Sometimes, you have to shot block a friends prayer because shes asking God to bless an obviously bad dating relationship. Sometimes, you think, ''I wish I had a t-shirt that said I direct deposit my tithe so people wouldnt judge me. Sometimes, the stuff that comes with faith is funny. This is that stuff. Jonathan Acuffs Stuff Christians Like is your field guide to all things Christian. Youll learn the culinary magic of the crock-pot. Think youve got a Metro worship leader-use Acuffs checklist. Want to avoid a prayer handholding faux pas? Acuff has you covered. Like a satirical grenade, Acuff brings us the humor and honesty that galvanized more than a million online readers from more than 200 countries in a new portable version. Welcome to the funny side of faith.

Jon Acuff

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