Showing posts with label goal-setting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goal-setting. Show all posts

August 05, 2021

The Power of One Thing (Randy Carlson), A Review by Susan Barclay

 

Carlson, Randy. The Power of One Thing: How to Intentionally Change Your Life. Tyndale House Publishers, 2009.

In The Power of One Thing, author Randy Carlson’s goal is to help readers intentionally change their lives. With the academic credentials to go with over 25 years of counselling experience, Dr. Carlson is well-equipped to help people improve in the five essential areas of life: faith, family, health, finances, and work.  As President of Family Life Communications Incorporated, he oversees the ministries of Intentional Living and Family Life Radio, where he fields numerous calls from listeners dealing with problems in one or more of these spheres. 

Divided into two parts, the book’s primary arguments are that you’re only “one thing” away from a better life and that changing one thing at a time is the most sensible approach. Most of us have tried to ameliorate our lives by biting off more than we can chew in one mouthful (I know I have!). Carlson encourages us to see the power in doing just one thing differently. If, for example, the idea of writing a full-length novel has struck you with writers’ paralysis, why not keep your sights on the next 1,000 words and produce them daily?  If you’re spending too much time on social media and failing to accomplish more important work, why not limit social media time to an hour each night? Can you think of other ways to use this principle to improve your writing life?

Overall, Carlson covers nine things to consider changing, and you can start wherever you need to most. Do you need to change your thinking or attitude, how you deal with emotions, or the words that come into your mind and out of your mouth? There are chapters on each of these. Do you need to change your use of time, the state of your house, the friends you choose? How about the questions you ask yourself and the way you make decisions?

        Change is possible. Look to the power of one thing. 

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You can find out more about Susan Barclay's writing at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com.