What it feels like to do a pre-read of a world-class business book just before it is published!

MacMillan today published "Intrinsic Motivation" by Stefan Falk , a successful Executive and Coach who has summarized his best ideas on personal motivation growth in a new book. It is the first time I have had the opportunity to read a book before the official publishing date! Join me for a 72-hour summary of an adrenaline-filled journey.

Monday, a digital pre-release of the book arrived in my inbox, together with an appointment for a follow-up call 72 hours later. How should I be able to sink my teeth into the book during an intense work week? The clue is in the central theme of the book. You can consistently achieve more than you think as long as you are ready to pursue stretched goals and are willing to learn. I place an order for a physical copy of the book. I prefer paper books I can write in and even more so for the opportunity to get the book signed by the author.?

Tuesday, an early wake-up call to be at the airport at 6 AM, a full day in the home office, and an evening planned for reading in front of a PC. After reading for over three hours, I am ready for bed. I hit chapter 13, "When you think you have too much to do - don't prioritize." In this chapter, the author describes how he carves out time for twenty-six interviews in three weeks in an already packed calendar. A chapter so exciting that you wish they sold highlighter in spray cans. Here I realize I will push hard to read as much of the book as possible over the next 36 hours.?

The book gives me insights into how my motivation system is working. The book is a toolbox with tools categorized into easy, medium, or difficult to embrace and adopt, and the more complex, the higher impact they have. Half of the tools I am familiar with, and the other half I can see strong reasons for adopting. Reading about personal motivation and being so motivated to adopt the ideas feels strange.?

As I read the book, I had many reflections;??

• I push to learn from stretched assignments, but I don't proactively try to make all assignments stretched by the way I set goals.?
• I write notes continuously, but I only write a journal occasionally. Pen and paper make new learnings stick better in your mind.?
• I am good at writing detailed problem formulations but need to go deeper to enable the best results.?
• I learn from myself but need an established buddy system to learn from others, not only from my mistakes and experiences.?

I have a personal commitment on Wednesday night after work and end up in the midnight-oil territory. I am happy to have been able to push myself to read faster than usual. I knock off the second section before I go to bed, knowing I need to find two more hours for reading before the 3 PM follow-up call.?

Thursday, The third section contains the most valuable tools for me, representing areas where I can get the most significant leverage. I am happy interacting with colleagues and sharing the positive feeling of reading this exciting book. I almost make it to the end and take the follow-up call with one chapter remaining to read.?

It is fascinating to have a whole box crystal clear in your head and discuss with the author where the insights came from that I have motivated myself to implement. I struggled all of last year to read a professional book a month, and here I am, having completed my February task in less than three days.?

My key takeaway is that this book represents the polar opposite of quiet-quitting and that quiet-quitting is self-destructive. The alternative to take control and own your motivation is way more fun and rewarding, an option too valuable to be left on the table.?

Thank you for reading this little story all the way through. You have likely opened a second window to order your copy of the book hot of the press.

Thank you, Stefan, for the opportunity to tap into your pearls of wisdom, written to be adopted. They feel as sharp and relevant as the first pieces of advice you gave me back in the late 1990s when we first met.?

#PersonalDevelopment #Motivation #QuietQuitting #IntrinsicMotivation?

Daniel Pink | steve gerras | John Arden, PhD, ABPP