A Review of 'Your Dreams'

"Let's start with a simple question... Why do you live?" ~ Jonathan Mead

There is a good reason why I do not review many books on this blog -- because I only share things with readers (you) that I feel has great potential to impact your life in a positive and meaningful way.  Today I would like to share with you just such a book.  Actually, it's an e-book, called Reclaim Your Dreams, by Jonathan Mead, the author of one of my favorite blogs, illuminated mind.

I knew I enjoyed Jonathan's blog; however, his e-book, Reclaim Your Dreams, successfully captures and communicates his writing themes in one cohesive and digestible unit.  These themes and ideas empower the reader to pursue meaning and purpose in their lives in a deliberate way:

• Social Conventions:  Most of us are not following our own path -- we are following in the path of Social Conventions -- the path formed by societal norms, our parents, our schools and the language we adopt from others and use in our daily lives.  Common sense does not always make sense for the individual.  As Jonathan says, "We need uncommon sense.  We need to follow our hearts."
• Self-Help:  Unlike most personal development books, Reclaim Your Dreams does not provide specific steps that only defeat the purpose of the book -- to help the reader help them self.  Instead, Jonathan inspires readers to define terms, such as success, strength and weakness, for themselves, which is the beginning of finding one's unique path in life.
• Self-destruction:  Most of us are too busy to notice that our behaviors are more self-defeating than self-promoting.  Reclaim Your Dreams profoundly states the obvious truth that most of us overlook everyday when he teaches the reader to "Make the commitment to go with yourself, instead of against yourself."

For a better taste of Reclaim Your Dreams, here are a few quotes from the e-book:

It's time for a new definition of success:  The person that's most alive, not living for something yet to come; not placing their happiness on some future event.

Not sabotaging yourself does wonders for your success rate.

But is the purpose of living to simply get things done?  If you're living this way, you've lost sight of the point of being productive in the first place: To create more time for things you love.

Give yourself permission to be ridiculous.

Always do what you are afraid to do.  The more you do this, the more you'll find doors where you previously only saw walls.

To be quite honest with you, I was particularly struck by how similar Jonathan's thinking is to my own.  I do not say this for egotistical reasons but to express to you that, as a reader of The Financial Philosopher, you are almost by default an ideal candidate for reading Reclaim Your Dreams.  I also highly recommend reading Jonathan's blog, illuminated mind, which is quite aptly named, and will further aid in reclaiming your dreams...