Surrounded by Setbacks by Thomas Erikson is a book about how we approach our setbacks and continue to achieve success. I have read another book by this author called Surrounded by Idiots.
Erikson states, "The single most important factor for avoiding problems and creating a bright future for yourself is the ability to take responsibility." There are 3 types of responsibility: Everything that you do, Everything you create or allow to happen to you, and Everything you don't do. Think about the things you complain about or make excuses for. Erikson puts a chart in the book to think deeper about what triggers the complaining and what can we do to solve the problem.
Next we learn about a place called Laterville. Laterville is inside every person. It is the place where we wait, plan, think, and remain passive. It's our comfort zone. There is no change going on here, just ideas of doing things later. People in Laterville can work hard but they are stuck. Their present jobs aren't meaningful, they dislike their co workers and boss, their personal relationships are on auto pilot. They grumble about the small things and spend hours in front of the tv every night, but can't find the time to workout, read, or cook nutritious foods. They plan their vacations in more detail than they plan for their career. Yikes! This sounds like a terrible place to be, yet we have all been in Laterville.
Winnerville is where all the successful entrepreneurs live. The Winnerville people believe in themselves and strive to make their visions come true. They don't gossip or complain about other people, they are too busy discussing ideas, possibilities, and the future. Winnerville people make mistakes, but they chose to learn from them rather than let the setback ruin their goals.
Time is the most limited resource we have. We can never get it back or replace it. Those in Laterville have the illusion that there is endless time. Those in Winnerville use time to their advance and work smarter. 24 hours a day, that's all we get. Let's think about how we use our time. What is important to us?
Researchers have found 3 things that attract joy and happiness: Money, Marriage, and Children. If we have those 3 things, we will feel successful. The study said the happiest Americans earned $75,000 a year and those above or below that weren't nearly as happy. Marriage and kids makes people happy because they are surrounded by those who love them.
Erikson talks about gratitude. He says to make a list of successes and positive things daily. This helps us to appreciate the life we have and keep negative thoughts away. Focus on one achievable goal at a time. Make small steps and surround yourself with those who will support you. The right people in your circle will accept and embrace change even when it's uncomfortable. They will help to encourage you and want you to grow as a person.
Your attitude determines your success. "Your view of yourself and your own potential has a huge impact on the outcome of your efforts." I've experienced these moments for myself when I had to meet with a difficult person that I did not want to see. They were challenging, mean, and mentally exhausting. I found that the times when I changed my attitude to be more positive and took a moment to breathe, the meeting seemed to go better than I thought. When I went in already mad or defensive, then the meeting would go just as I thought it would... bad.
I liked this book and would recommend reading it. I enjoyed when he talked about Laterville and making the most out of your time. Continue to learn and read. Grow as a person and don't stop. Don't get comfortable with your life. Push the limits and don't get stuck saying that you will do it later. To achieve success we need to demand a lot of ourselves through focus and hard work. You are the only one who can decide what your definition of success looks like. At the back of the book, the author had 2 pages of further reading recommendations. Yay, the book nerd is me was thrilled to see more ideas for my book blog!
I had a conversation with a successful business owner who had recently retired. I was expecting her to give me advice on bringing in more leads or increasing profit. I was wrong. Her number one thing to Kevin and I was to prioritize your health to be around for our kids and our company. Taking care of ourselves by being active and eating nutritious food. Make time for our family and create memories with each other. After this conversation, I went away with a different perspective of what it means to be successful. And I will forever be grateful for this conversation. It's not about the money, fame, or things you have. It's the moments and time that you are present for family and friends you love.
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