I'm so grateful for everyone who got a copy of Ikigai, and especially for the reviews. My share goes to charity - the reviews are what I get a big selfish kick out of.
Veronica Sicoe's is my favorite so far. I like it because Veronica isn't a long-term reader of the site. Long-term readers often write about how great it is to have a nice compilation which I super-appreciate, but these don't as much brief someone with "fresh eyes" for the work. Enter, Veronica -
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"Grab life by the balls"
by Veronica S.
"Who am I? I'm a little crazy, to tell you the truth. You kind of have to be to get anything done in the world."
This is how Sebastian describes himself in Ikigai, and it's basically what drew me toward him and this book. I like people who get things done, who move things, who shift views and change perspectives, and Sebastian Marshall is very much this type of person. Sure, he talks much, but he's got much to say.
Ikigai is a smart compilation of blog posts and articles that captures the essence of Sebastian's drive and vision in a simple, straightforward manner. It's a "stream of consciousness" type of book, more like a personal diary than a blog, and most definitely not a literary piece of work---but who the hell cares, it's the message that matters. If you're unwilling to grasp the useful ideas in this book because it doesn't shove big words and fancy formatting down your throat, it's your loss dude. And shame on you.
There's a lot of information in here about how to optimize your entire existence, from your daily schedule and habits to your effectiveness, your career and your passions, your relationships and your ultimate goals. It's not warm and fuzzy, and you need to have done some previous hard thinking about yourself to even understand how brilliant Sebastian's tips are. But if you're already actively pursuing ways to improve your life and gain more control over the outcome of your hard labor, then this book is definitely for you.
My favorite quote?
Embarrassment and errors are part of doing meaningful things. It's not such a big deal, really. Keep in mind you're going to die. It puts things into perspective. Mild discomfort? Who cares, you're going to f***ing DIE at some point. DO SOME COOL STUFF BEFORE THAT HAPPENS.
So, are you still scrolling through the reviews? Buy the book, it's worth its money. Besides, Sebastian's share goes to charity. How cool is that?
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Thanks, Veronica. Wow.
Now, go get a copy of Ikigai so that your life is changed.
(And please leave a review. Seriously, like, it'll be pretty easy to twist my arm into picking up the check if we're ever at dinner together if you leave a review, so it's a great use of five minutes from a selfish perspective too. Just click on the stars at Amazon. So yeah, review, review, review please.)