Review: How to Create the Life You Want
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 19, 2014
Eddie de Jong's primer shows readers how they can build a balanced, meaningful life through setting targeted, clearly expressed goals. He begins by suggesting use of a "life wheel," where each of eight key life areas makes up one spoke, and rating satisfaction level on each one to identify any imbalances/needs. Alternatively, one could look at the different roles in his life and how effectively he is performing in each.In setting a goal to improve a life area, de Jong directs readers to think SMART: make the goal SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE, RELEVANT and TIME BASED.  He offers examples of how to do this and how to get the best start by writing down the goal in the clearest possible terms.While the methodology employed is rather rigorous, the author doesn't forget the human factor. He has a long chapter called "Sh*t Happens" that talks about picking yourself up from the rubble after your best laid plans fall to pieces.The introduction to the book is a bit long, but as this is the first volume of a series, it doesn't undermine the whole.