Self-help books, at their best, empower readers to become a better version of their self. In other words, they can raise readers’ self-esteem. This book – written by a Harvard-educated athlete turned lawyer turned career coach – aspires to do just that. He helps readers identify their “heart-of-hearts” and then to act out of it. He does so while remaining religiously and politically neutrally.
Lindner uses positivity as a method to bring forth one’s true self to contribute to the world around. While not forgetting the negative completely, he encourages readers to embrace positive emotions. He couples this approach with inspirational stories from his life that embody the messages he seeks to convey. Standard psychology that seeks to increase self-esteem and self-empowerment underlies most of Lindner’s messages.
While it’s hard to argue against being positive about whatever should come, Lindner takes a relatively silent line when it comes to handling criticism. Giving and receiving criticism are, for me, the biggest difficulties of a purely positive approach. Indeed, sometimes that very criticism is unfair and unjust, which makes responding positively even more difficult. I would have liked to hear more specific techniques about finding “love, positivity, and purpose” in the midst of hardship.
Overall, this book is an easy and accessible read. Its messages are reliable and helpful to build one up. It aspires to inspire through storytelling. Unfortunately, it avoids delving into difficult topics that one might encounter on this journey to being better.
Aspire Higher: How to Find the Love, Positivity, and Purpose to Elevate Your Life and the World!
By Ken Lindner
Copyright (c) 2021
Greenleaf Book Group Press
ISBN13 9781626349049
Page Count: 242
Genre: Self-Help, Psychology
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