Virtual Indie Business Book Club – The Compound Effect

“When you hit the wall in your disciplines, routines, rhythms, and consistency, realize that’s when you are separating yourself from your old self, scaling that wall, and finding your new powerful triumphant, and victorious self.”

The above quote is my favorite (among many) by Darren Hardy in his book, The Compound Effect.

I recently finished my first ‘virtual’ book club with an amazing group of women, including Donna Maria Coles Johnson, founder of The Indie Beauty Network and The Indie Business Social Network and who started this Indie Business Book Club . In the past I’ve thought about joining a book club, but was hesitant due to time constraints. So, when I received a post by Donna Maria about her virtual book club, I checked it out and joined.

Thanks to technology, including conference lines, social media and apps like iBooks, the worry of the book club consuming a lot of my time was no longer a problem. Plus, the book that was going to be read, The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy, sounded like something I really needed to read! And boy was I right!!!

One of the many aha moments I had while reading this book was that you can be compounding negative habits and not even know it (Chapter 3 called, HABITS). If you are not aware of all your dirty, little non-productive habits, they will keep compounding and before you know it, these little gremlins will start wrecking havoc in your life.

This chapter brought into my awareness the habits I have been compounding for a few months including:

~ staying up later and later every night

~ waking up later than I want to (because I kept going to bed later and later)

~ staying on the computer too late (a big reason why I was staying up too late)

~ not getting what I wanted to get done each day (the compound effect of getting up late)

It’s amazing what you find out about yourself when you really commit to digging in and discovering what’s running your life. I want habits that I consciously choose with awareness that will make my life adventurous, free-flowing, productive and just down-right amazing – not habits that will make my life feel lazy, unproductive, unhealthy and overwhelming. I can feel the energy shift in my body just reading these two different life-habit scenarios.

In the Indie Business Book Club, we all supported each other throughout the process of inching away from our undesirable habits, and compounding the tiny steps we each took toward our goals. It was, and still is, motivating to have my book buddies cheering me on and celebrating all the compounding I’ve been doing. Plus I love supporting and cheering others on too.

Along with the book, Darren Hardy supplies you with a huge amount of free resources to help you along in the compounding process. One of my favorite resources is The Wheel of Life worksheet in respect to discovering my current balance in the different areas of my life as well as how my top 10 goals (which I discovered during this process) are represented in each of these life areas.

Check these two pics out……….they are a bit different, aren’t they?

The balance I have in my life (the second pic) seems pretty balanced, even though I could reach to higher levels in some areas of my life including Lifestyle, Business, Financial and Relationship areas.

But the real eye opener for me is how my goals are not balanced at all throughout the areas of my life (first pic). I became aware that I favor certain areas of my life and seem to avoid others, which I now am aware of, thanks to reading this book. What a strange, unbalanced wheel that is, wouldn’t you say? It’s not even complete! I totally fell flat in the goal setting area of relationships….the goals were non-existent! This really helped me realize why I struggle in certain areas of my life and with this awareness I can, if I choose to,  strengthen these areas of my life that are falling flat.

Another great resource if the Weekly Rhythm Register. This is what Darren Hardy says about the weekly register:

“The rhythm of daily action aligned with your goals creates the momentum that separates dreamers from the super-achievers.”

I wrote down the behaviors and actions I want to compound daily so that I can pave the road to become a super-achiever!

Guess what my very first action/behavior is? To get up every weekday by 7:30 AM, at the latest, and be happy and energized about it!

I’m still working on it, but that’s why being a part of the Indie Business Book Club is so valuable…….my buddies keep me motivated and accountable!

I highly recommend The Compound Effect. This book has been an amazing resource that has helped me become aware of how I am functioning in my life so that I can make the choice to change it and the book provides tools on how to keep that momentum going.

Speaking of momentum, it just reminded me of what Donna Maria told me about one part of the book, of many, that stuck out to her. In chapter 4 called MOMENTUM, Darren Hardy referred to how it takes a lot of steam to get a steam locomotive train to start moving its wheels, but once the train gets rolling, the wheels of the train get into a certain rhythm that allows the train to gain momentum. Once that momentum is moving, look out because nothing can stop it now! Donna Maria likes to refer to this metaphor to help her stay excited and motivated to maintaining her own rhythm. I like to use this vision too – it’s very powerful and empowering.

I cannot wait to read the next book, Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh. I am so glad that Donna Maria has started this book club because that means I will be reading more books (another goal of mine) and I will be sharing and learning insights with my book club buddies as well as gaining knowledge………..this steam locomotive, (me), is determined to keeping this momentum going!

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