T.J. Addington’s, “Live Like You Mean It: The 10 Crucial Questions that Will Help You,” was worth reading. It was very personal and was the culmination of going through hard times and nearly dying from a rare strain of pneumonia. Going through a near death experience certainly gives your life clarity and Addington spent the next year while he was going through rehabilitation writing, “Live Like You Mean It.” It’s been said that everyone ought to live life as if they are terminal
He writes about a professor by the name of Randy Pausch who was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer who wrote a book, “The Last Lecture,” which was a culmination of lessons learned from his life experience. Millions of people were influenced by his book. I got the sense that T.J. Addington had the same thing in mind when he wrote this book since it really gets at some of the important issues in life.
The ten questions he deals with are:
- Why am I here? (Pinpointing your Purpose)
- What is my sweet spot? (Understanding How You Are Wired)
- What will I leave behind? (Looking Toward Your Legacy)
- What really matters? (Establishing Clear Priorities)
- What is my plan? (Determining Effective Ways to Grow and Develop)
- How do I best recharge? (Recognizing the Rewards of Refreshment)
- How can my life have a ripple effect? (Influencing and Inspiring Others)
- How do I relate to God? (Deepening Your Spiritual Connection)
- Will I say Yes to God? (Responding to God’s in Good Times and in Bad)
- What shall I do next? (Creating a Plan for the Years Ahead)
The ten questions were designed to help you (1) Clarify Your Purpose, (2) Live Intentionally, and (3) Make the Most of the Rest of Your Life.
The book is solidly grounded in Scripture, but doesn’t come off as “preachy.” I found his questions not only valuable on a individual level, but also on a organizational level as well. Addington is dead on when he writes, “Most individuals live life without much of a target.” Anyone that takes his ten questions seriously won’t have that problem. I found the tenth question, “What Shall I Do Next?” to be the most practical and valuable chapter in the book and I plan to implement some of his ideas right away.
I received this book free from Multnomah Books as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”