This year I want to be “better than good”. I want to thrive, not “survive”.

Friday night I started a book that spoke so much wisdom into my life. If it wasn’t a library book, that mofo would be 78% highlighted.

The book was titled, oddly enough, “Better than Good.” The author, famous motivational speaker Zig Ziglar,  writes from his heart to encourage us that we can lead a phenomenal, impactful life if we only trust God and give our all to our passion and purpose.

Zig’s passion to be a speaker started in 1950, but his true purpose and calling came on Independence Day, 1972 when he became a Christian. His passion, when placed against the backdrop of God’s truth and plan for his children, gave Zig a new outlook and zeal to help people achieve their best and to be a blessing to others. With his new heart and calling, Zig’s business (ministry, really) exploded and he has since helped hundreds of thousands of people reclaim their lives and live their dreams.

Woven into the book are story after story of people who beat impossible odds, or people who almost gave up but instead chose persistence and achieved amazing things that changed history. This book is big on telling our obstacles to get out of the way. I needed to hear that.

Zig stresses a few major points. Here are two of my favorites:

One, as we think, so we are. Our thought patterns become our future. This poem by Frank Outlaw says it perfectly:
“Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; for it becomes your destiny!”

This tenet spoke to me especially because it coincides with my month of mental and spiritual detox. I am trying to reach a point where my thought life honors Christ, so that eventually my words, actions, habits, character, and destiny will follow suit!

Two, failure does not have define your life. You just have to keep getting back up and trying again. Abraham Lincoln was rejected and knocked down over and over, yet he chose to believe that God created him for a purpose, and he led the nation through one of the most volatile times in our history.

The whole book is encouraging and inspiring, and I am so glad I happened upon it in the library last week. I honestly didn’t even know Zig was a Christian, and that fact alone made the book so much more personal and applicable for me. I can’t recommend it enough for anyone who has a dream (or wants one) but doesn’t know quite how to make that a reality. If I wasn’t back on my budget, I would buy ten copies and give them away, but since I am you’re on your own.

Order a copy and get like twelve highlighters. You’ll need them.

Love you!

Ang