What's on Your Bookshelf?
“What’s On Your Bookshelf” is a personal and professional growth podcast exploring the intersections of passion, potential, and purpose - featuring multi-certified coach and leadership development consultant Denise R. Russo alongside Andy Hughes, Scott Miller, and Samantha Powell.
What's on Your Bookshelf?
87 - The Happiness Project - September
We also tackle the challenges of creating environments that foster creativity and productivity. Through personal anecdotes, Denise and Sam illustrate the critical importance of consistency and accountability, sharing stories about a friend’s stalled book-writing project and a child’s enthusiasm for sports-related books. These narratives highlight the role of interest in learning and the significance of small changes in our surroundings to spark big leaps in our personal projects. They remind us that dedication and passion are the cornerstones of achieving success and personal fulfillment.
Lastly, we reflect on the personal growth and evolution that comes from reading and sharing book recommendations. The origins of "What's on Your Bookshelf" are rooted in a simple idea that has blossomed into a platform for meaningful conversations and practical applications of our favorite books. Denise and Sam encourage listeners to embrace their true likes and dislikes, invest time in their passions, and share their progress with the community. Join us in this heartfelt journey of discovery and inspiration, as we all strive to live out the valuable insights from the books on our shelves.
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Welcome to what's on your Bookshelf, with your hosts Denise Russo and Samantha Powell.
Speaker 2:Hi everybody, welcome back. It's another episode of what's on your Bookshelf. This is a life and leadership podcast where we are living out loud the pages of the books that are on our shelves. Well, actually, we take those books off of our shelves and we try to incorporate them into our lives. My name is Denise Russo. I'm here with my friend and co-host, sam Powell. We are exploring a book called the Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. We're up to chapter nine one of my favorites September, because that's when I was born and this is all about pursuing a passion, which should be something we do our whole life. Long is pursue and be able to live into our passion. So I'm excited about this chapter with you today. Sam, how are you doing?
Speaker 1:I am very excited about this and her passion that she chose for the month of September is books, which is one of our passions that we share. So this resonated deeply with me. It was probably one of the shorter chapters in the book, but I don't think you could even remotely downplay pursuing passions, and I think she even says in here that this was one of the easiest resolutions to keep, because it's the thing you love, right? It's the thing that you would do for free any day of the week, because this is what you're passionate about. So she said that this one was the easiest for her to actually do, Like you could tell the ones she struggles with, because I feel like she just has a lot more to write about with those because she's writing about the struggle.
Speaker 1:This one was short because it's like here's how you know, like just it is what it is. I love this, here's how I leaned into it, here's how I, you know, accelerated it and I thought that was great. And the fact that she chose books and her four things for this month were write a novel, make time, forget about results and master a new technology. And this one was just fun, fun to read.
Speaker 2:Well, what she says is she sort of outlines a process, which I know you love that. And so she says to keep this month's resolution to pursue a passion. First she had to recognize her passion and then the next step was to make time for it. The next step after that was to find ways to integrate her passion into her ordinary days and next to stop measuring herself against some irrelevant standard of efficiency. And lastly, she wanted to learn to master some of the new technology that makes bookmaking easy. So her passion was that not only did she like to read, but she wanted to learn how to write and publish a book, which is super personal to me.
Speaker 2:But I thought it was interesting that she outlined this by saying step one is recognize even what you're passionate about. It may not be going to the library, it may not be sitting in your home and reading a book, but you do have a passion. So recognizing what that is and investing the time into that is so important. I know I've talked to many people who will say things to me like I really love to dot dot, dot dot, workout, play golf, play tennis, go to the beach, go wherever. And then the next question I'll ask them is when is the last time you did that for yourself? Well, I'm really busy. Well, my calendar is owned by somebody else at my job. Well, I don't have the time, money or energy to go do that thing that I said I'm passionate about.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think that you know we, it's that trap of someday I'll write like someday I'll do this, or when it gets to this point, or when I get a break, or when that vacation comes up, then I'll do the thing. But what we've learned from, overwhelmingly, from all these happiness books, is you've got to bring those passions, those things that light you on fire, into your day to day, week to week, not your month to month, your day to day, week to week, even if it's just little pieces of it right, Like are you going?
Speaker 1:to write a novel every month, right, could you? Maybe Sounds like you could pull it off. She lines that out here. But it's the how do you bring the joy of why you love the thing you love into you know, into today, into the present.
Speaker 1:And I loved this because she, you know, she did a little bit of debate here about like I could do these other things. But like, like, at the end of the day, I have to be Gretchen. Right, it's one of her rules for doing this whole project is she has to do this in a way that is really valid to who she is, that is, in integrity with her and her. You know her character and her values and her passions and everything like that. And so she was like, yeah, it'd be great to do these other things, but the other day, like I like reading, I like writing, that is what I like the most. So why do anything else? Right, like, the other things are your fun one-off stuff? Sure, like I'll go for a hike here and there, because that's great, but I'm going to do it with somebody, because what I really like is this with somebody. Part, right, but it's the things that stand alone. That you know, I loved it.
Speaker 1:That was step one you have to know what you're passionate about, right, and if you're not sure, get help. Talk to your friends, talk to your family, talk to your therapist, talk to your coach, talk to somebody, because other people see those passions in you. It's one of the things we get drawn to with people. It's one of the things that we connect with with. People is like oh, I could just tell you love this, and sometimes you can't see that you love that, right, that's where you gravitate towards and sometimes you little outside perspective if you feel a little lost, because sometimes we do feel lost, and she says this when she asked her blog, people were like I don't know what I'm passionate about, like I just I don't know. She did you know. But like I've been through that journey too of I wake up one day and I'm like okay, so I am a working mom and wife. What else am I? Right, like, what do I like? If somebody said what do you do for fun? What's my answer to that question?
Speaker 2:Right, and so you have to know that if you're going to go down this path of pursuing passions, what I thought was really cool about reading this chapter from her is that this chapter she was writing in order to write this book and this book that we're reading, the Happiness Project, which was like her first book, ended up to sell millions of copies. She went on to becoming a very well-known author, speaker, writer, expert in the power of living a life of happiness, and so it was sort of in this like weird surreal moment of I don't know this lady, but I follow her. I get her weekly updates sent to my inbox. I've been on her website you have her daily journal and reading how she went through this exercise in that September about doing something she was passionate about. She at that moment didn't know what it was going to result into years later to build a business off of her passion.
Speaker 2:And we talk about that a lot with the three P's, with our retreat, your signature story, which is that if you have a passion, which is the first P, what is it? And the second P is your potential. So how do you elevate it, how do you get better and stronger at it? And then, ultimately, the third P is almost really the first, which is the purpose, meaning what is your purpose in life and what is the thing that, if it was the only thing that could wake you up in the morning, is what you live for and why you think you were born on this earth, at this time, at these places, with the people that are around you. So passion's potential and purpose really resonated for me in reading this chapter, because she also says it was a huge amount of work to do this, plunked on top of everything else I needed to accomplish in my days. Did it make me happy? It sure did, but it took a lot of time and energy, but it gave me a substantial boost in happiness.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly. And she said, you know, tackling such a big project, right, she wrote a book in a month. She wrote a novel. That was what her big thing was and it was like, if you write this many words a day, by the end of the month you've got, you know, 50,000 word book or whatever, right, which is perfect for like a fun novel to read. But she said, tackling such a big project and carrying it through to the end in a single month contributed hugely to the atmosphere of growth in my life.
Speaker 1:It was thrilling to see what I could accomplish in a short time if I put my mind to it, and I love that thought process because you know, like, writing a novel is a huge thing, right, and most of us listening probably aren't going to I mean, you've done that to me but, like you know, most people are probably not going to do that in their life. But there are big things like that that you'd want to do. What is that thing? And then break it down to how could you accelerate right, in this short period of time, like all the race she founded this guide. That was like seriously, his the thousand word, like it was like 1900 words or something you needed to write a month like a day, and it's like if you just pursue this consistently, you're done with it. We're reminding me back to like atomic habits, right, like the things you do, the little things you do every day, add up to a whole novel.
Speaker 1:And when you accomplish something, right that big, when you take that goal of like, hey, I wanted to, like there's like a weight loss journey, right, I want to lose 30 pounds, well, I lose a pound and a pound and a pound and a pound and a pound and a pound and a pound.
Speaker 1:And then when you get to that number and that goal, like that sense of accomplishment, this thing she's talking about I felt that when I've hit big milestones of like, oh my gosh, like I can't believe I'm capable of this, right, and it makes you think, well, what's the next thing I'm capable of.
Speaker 1:And if it's something you're passionate about, it's easy to jump back on the train and be like, okay, like I love this now, right, like I lost the weight, but I love working out now. And so, now that I'm doing that, it's like, well, how much could I lift? Right, like could I up my personal best? Could I, you know, I don't know like whatever goals you have in that space, but like that sense of accomplishment to set out and do that and to do a little project like this right, especially as you're thinking about your own happiness project, which is what we want you to do. What is that one month where it's like I'm gonna push in my passion to achieve a big goal, because that sense at the end of it is something totally worth it and will give you such a boost in your self-confidence, in your personal growth and in your ability to grow.
Speaker 2:It's sort of making me think about something that would be super easy to do, that anybody could try, which is what if you opened a notebook on your phone or your computer, or if you're old fashioned like me and like to write on paper? And what if you just wrote down once upon a time dot, dot, dot and you sat there with a coach is is best. But if you're doing it alone once upon a time, what's your story? Where are you now? Where do you want to be? There will be stuff that happens. You know you have to slay dragons, you have to swim across the ocean all those things happen in the middle.
Speaker 2:But if you don't get past the three dots, then that story can never be lived.
Speaker 1:I love that right. You can never get to that happily ever after that end of the. You know that end of the tale.
Speaker 2:That's gets me thinking. I yeah, I mean it would not be hard just write down once upon a time find yourself in a place where there are no distractions. I was actually just yesterday telling someone that for me, the way that I get the most accomplished where I feel like I've really done a lot in my writing is I have to go away from my house, whether I go to a coffee shop, to the library or to even a hotel. I did this once I think I was even telling you part of this story where I once went to a hotel, at a place I really enjoy being, but I put myself in the room. There was an awesome view. I knew I was in surroundings that made me feel safe, secure and happy.
Speaker 2:I started writing and I got more done in 24 hours that I would have done if I sat at home and had a writer's block or got distracted by oh well, you know I'm starting to write this sentence, but oh, let me read this book on my shelf. Or oh, the weather looks nice outside and I have to mow the lawn. And now the dinger just rang on the laundry machine and somebody's home. Now it's time to make dinner. Get yourself out of the distractions so that you can focus. Unless the thing you need to focus on is inside your house, then by all means figure out. Do that, then you clean that closet out right yeah and that's what she's talking about in this.
Speaker 1:And the next thing she did was really focusing on making time, and sometimes you got to step out of your environment. Sometimes you have to shake up your environment. I'm somebody who my husband and I both share this. We talked about this a lot is like when we were growing up. Every once in a while, we'd get a little restless and like rearrange our bedroom, like just needed it to be different, to like refresh your perspective.
Speaker 1:And I still do that. I've rearranged my office. I don't know how many times my desk has been six different places and every time it's like this giant refresh. I get productivity of like, oh, it's just different, it looks, you know, like there's just something new to it, but it's that it's changing the environment which is important. But, like, what she's talking about here is making the time to do those things right.
Speaker 1:Making the time for your passions, making the time to do, you know, just to let love the things that make you really happy, and again, like, set you ablaze, set you on fire to really I don't know, just light you up and do the thing you love.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she actually had her blog readers share with her in the book their stories, and we won't read through the stories with you today, but just know that these are only a snippet, because everyone has a story. There's got to be a time where you were excited about something in your life that you just went after with gusto, but I would be curious to know did you do it? Or did something stop you? And it's even got me thinking about this one person that I've been talking with, who I'm not coaching, but is a coach. So what I'm about to share is that, even if you are talking with a coach, a coach is not perfect. A coach is a person, and in this story there's a friend of mine who's a coach, who has a passion for writing a book. That has nothing to do with coaching, nothing to do with that person's career, it's just a passion project of something that's been in the heart of this person, something that's been in the heart of this person, and so I recall having the conversation with the person and how excited they were when they were telling me about. You know, if I had a bucket list item, it would be to write this book, and I asked them well, why don't you just do it. And by the end of that first conversation they were so excited, so pumped up, and this is what happened and this is going to be, I hope, relatable to somebody.
Speaker 2:I thought I was recording the call with my friend and I said I'll share all the notes with you after our call so that you can take the next steps for the life of me, sam, I cannot find the recording of the call. I don't know if the call disappeared. I don't know if the call disappeared, I don't know if it didn't actually record, but nowhere is the recording of this call. So the person messaged me one time saying you know, hey, don't forget, please send me the recording. And then I later wrote back and said I'm so sorry, I just I can't find the recording, but don't worry, all of it's recorded in your mind. We just need to get started. Yeah, and don't you know, sam, that it has been months now that I haven't heard back from my friend, which likely, likely means not a page has been started in this passion project.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's. It's so easy to not make the time for it. Right, like I said, that's that, like it's this thing. Like you get that burning desire to go do something, but you just don't take the steps forward. And that's where, like that, you know, making the time is really about the consistency. Like, if there is one key to success, it is just doing it and doing it and doing it and doing it right. Like the way to fail every single time is to not start, is to not continue. Right, the only way to succeed is to start and to keep going. But it's so easy. We all fall into that trap. I've got, you know, tons of things started that like, well, you know, one day I'll get to it right, or one day I'm going to do it, but it's the make the plan, make the do. Find the accountability buddy. Who's going to say did you do it Right? Like is there, you know, that's. I mean, that's one of the huge benefits of coaching. That's why, that's why I have a coach for my business is somebody that, every two weeks, is going to be like did you do the things that you said you really wanted to do and you really cared about and were really important for you and it's like, no, or I scrambled to do them because I'm like, oh no, this meeting's coming up and like I have to get it done. And then it's like I did it, I'm moving forward, but it's that it's making the time is really making the consistency moving in that direction and if you're doing something you love, it's way easier. She has a quote in here which I loved because it resonated with me.
Speaker 1:With a nine-year-old son was when researchers tried to figure out what helped third and fourth graders which is what age my son is remember what they read. They found that students' interest in a passage was far more important than the readability of the passage 30 times more important. My son just finished, so they do like a lower elementary and an upper elementary, so he just finished the lower elementary. So he's had library in this building for four years Once a week or every five days or whatever he goes, and he gets library books. The only books he has ever brought home are all sports related. He has read every sports book that that library has, and some of them more than once, but it's the only books I can get him to read. It's the only ones. It's like it doesn't matter, he's reading because he's doing it right. And then, like he'd go for like a reading test, wouldn't care about. He's like I didn't read the passage. I didn't want to read the passage about the bird and the worm and the whatever he's like I don't care.
Speaker 1:I just tried to answer the questions. It's like you got to read the passage but there's no interest there, right? So we're talking about passions. We're talking about making the time for the things you love. If you love it, it should be 30 times easier to go do it than to do something you hate, right? This?
Speaker 2:is the same thing. Years older that happens. So my daughter and son are in college. My daughter was just telling me recently that why is it? Well, she was kind of asking, but in sort of like a thoughtful, questioning, philosophical way. Yeah Well, yeah, she was kind of asking, but in sort of like a thoughtful, questioning, philosophical way. Yeah Well, yeah, she's studying psychology. So very philosophical way of her thinking was she said why is it that when we go to college, it isn't until our last two years of our bachelor's degree? Let's say, because that's where she is now, in that period that we actually get to start studying the things that we came to college for, right, uh-huh period, that we actually get to start studying the things that we came to college for right. And she was talking about how exciting this one class is that she's taking and how interested she is and how much more alive and vibrant she's feeling in her major because now she's finally getting to study the things she wants to study at the age of 20 something years old, when you think about, why do we wait that long to do those things?
Speaker 2:I love that Austin is reading the sports book. Same for Vincent. Like Vincent, my son hates to read. Doesn't like it, unless it's the same type of thing.
Speaker 1:I love the irony of you and I both having children who hate to read. By the way, that is not lost on me, yep.
Speaker 2:Yeah, If I said to him, hey, let's go to the beach and read a book, he'd be like oh, poke my eyes out instead.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's exactly the exact reaction I would get.
Speaker 2:But there's certain books that Vincent likes Well, and you were talking about sports books. So Shoe Dog by Phil Knight is Vincent's all-time favorite book, which Phil Knight's the guy that invented or founded Nike led Nike for many years. And another book he has is called the Power of Money, and I don't know why that one is so fascinating to Vincent, but it's like his number two most favorite book. And then I think his next favorite book is truly a John Maxwell book. It might even be Intentional Living I'd have to ask him which one it is living. I'd have to ask him which one it is. But there's these. There are five or less books that he'll tell you that not only are his favorite but are the only ones he wants to read, and he doesn't want to read anything else. And so I would encourage you if there's a book that you find that your favorite, keep it on your shelf but not just close like, take it out and reread. There's books I have on my shelf that I will never in my lifetime get a chance to read all the books that are on my shelf, but I was, with certainty can tell you there's a couple up there that I've read more than once because they're my favorite or I have a passion for those books, and so the point of all of this goes into the next part of her chapter where she talks about it's not about the results that you get at the end of something, it's about the journey that leads you there. And I think what's so interesting about that part, when I think about our podcast, is we didn't set out to have a podcast, to just have a bunch of people listening and have a result. That would be what you would normally measure, like how many listens, how many likes, how many shares, how many comments, how many episodes. Forget about the results. What is the purpose of the passion that drove you to do this in the first place?
Speaker 2:And for me, it started out all because, when we were dreaming up the idea to have the podcast, I remember talking to Scott and Andy and you and we were talking about how we wanted to evolve, where we were to, where we wanted to go, and I can't, I'll never forget it, it's as clear as day as if it was yesterday. And Scott said well, you know, what are we going to do now that you're kind of transitioning and really everybody comes to you for recommendations with books. I don't know anybody that knows as many recommended books as you and they just want to hear what's on your bookshelf. And Andy said that's it. And I was like that's what. And he said that's the name of the podcast and that's how it came to be. What's on your bookshelf was birthed because somebody else knew that if they needed a book reference, they could call me and I would likely have a book I could correlate to whatever it was that they were looking for.
Speaker 2:But what I didn't think was that I would become the host of the show or that I would be the one living these books out loud. Because I played easy street. I could just say, yep, I've got this book on my shelf, I've read it before and it's a prescription. And here you go, it's bottled up for you to read and it will make you healthy in some sort of a way, instead of realizing that these books are books that I myself needed to live out loud. And that's why we always say at the beginning of all of our episodes that this is a life and leadership podcast, about living out loud the pages of the books that are on our shelves.
Speaker 2:This isn't about us advertising for other authors.
Speaker 2:It isn't about us doing a quick one and done and giving you just surface level content.
Speaker 2:This truly is not about the results, of how many people are hearing this, even though that's a blessing if that happens. This is about the journey of me and you, sam, taking the time to read a book with each other and come up with the ways that we're applying this into our lives. And so she says here that the thing that makes her passion enjoyable which for her was writing a book, and for us it's talking about these books is that you don't have to worry about the results, you don't have to worry about efficiency or outcomes, and you just want to focus on what the things are that make you happy. And so I know, for me, when I think about these weeks that we've been together are really now over a year together doing this. What makes me happy is not the day when we have our business meeting, looking at the charts and the numbers. What makes me happy is having this time to talk about these things, because this is how we apply this in our day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, absolutely, and I think I said this to you yesterday while we were chatting that you know, even if it was just you and I in a vacuum, I would still do this podcast, because this is a like. Reading is a passion of mine, personal growth is a passion of mine, and this is such a great way for the to make the time for it right, to be consistent, to check all these boxes that she checked, and the very last thing she did here was she like pursued some technology to like, enhance writing, books and things like that. But to me, that was just the concept of what could I do to make my passions easier, more accessible, accelerate them like. That kind of thing and this does that for me too of just. It sparked so many great thoughts and conversations and like. I am happier from going through this journey with you this year, and it sparked so many great conversations with friends and family who do listen right, like. That has been such a blessing and such a joy for me over the last year of having these conversations with my friends, with my family, that I would have never engaged in otherwise.
Speaker 1:Right, like, and it's just such an amazing thing that I will carry with me for ever. Right, that is just really, really something special. And I mean, at the end of the day, isn't that what your passion is about? Right, it's those things. That's like gosh, I just love this and I would do this if it was just me, all by myself, forever, and still would carry the, you know, carry this forward with me. And it should be easy, right, it should be an easy thing to do. Will it always be the easiest thing to do? Is it easy to write 1900 words a day, like she did to write a novel? No, there are days where it's a little harder, but on the average, when you're pursuing passions, it should be building you towards something that you just are on fire about.
Speaker 2:Let me ask you this question. So you like to read romance novels for your fun, and then we're reading this for our, our other parts of our life that elevate certain things. What would you say, sam, is different between the way you have changed your thinking, or you're doing or you're being, from investing the time in your hallmarky time, versus the time that you're spending on these books. Is there any difference if a book is a book or is a book not just a book?
Speaker 1:a book is not just a book like and I think our the conversation about our sons is a testament to that right like they just won't read something that they don't like, right, and I think reading is so important and you know all the research is there, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But for me there is a big difference. There are times where I am forcing myself to read these books because these aren't the natural passionate thing for me. The passionate thing for me is the romance novels and the love stories and the. You know that part of of humanity that I really do love and I can consume those like it's a we're. You know, over halfway through the year, I mean in that category, I've read over 200 books this year.
Speaker 1:Wow, in this category that you and I talk about, I've read the ones for our podcast. So three maybe I think you could, probably I think there's a fourth one I read just for myself too. But those feel more like more like an obligation. But the passionate part of it is this discussion, right, is the? What it does for me in my life is the perspective that it grows, is the change in me that it makes, and so like there are times where I'm begrudgingly reading these books to get to this conversation with you, because this is what I actually love about these types of books, whereas I don't need to talk to anybody about the 200 books that I read this year in the other category.
Speaker 1:Those are for me, those are my passion, that's what I do instead of watching TV Like that's, that's what I enjoy, and that doesn't need that, because that is itself sufficient. The passion is just the reading, the experiencing, the feeling, the love, right that kind of a thing, whereas the passion here is about the work that I put in, about the growth, about the living this out loud, and living this out loud with you specifically. So there is a difference, and I know what that difference is, and so the way I engage, the way that it looks, looks different, and that's okay right, because I can recognize what that is and can work through it.
Speaker 2:I love that. I love that. So, friends, think about. What are you passionate about? Take some time, invest the time this week to even just do one thing about it. The way Gretchen sums it up is, she says, of all the months so far, september resolutions had been the most pleasant and easiest to maintain. This showed me once again that I was happier when I accepted my own real likes and dislikes instead of trying to decide what I ought to like. I was happier when I stopped squelching the inclinations toward note-taking and bookmaking that I'd had since childhood and instead I embraced them. So find that thing that you love to do and don't let anything else disrupt you from at least doing something that gets you closer to that thing.
Speaker 1:Love that Great way to end.
Speaker 2:All right. Well, friends, thanks for being with us again today. We'd love to hear what that thing is that you love to do, and it would be even better if you shared with us that you actually did something about it. Scott has, in the show notes, ways for you to get in touch with all of us, and if this is helping you, please share it with other friends. It's exactly the reason we started the podcast was so that we could share what we were learning with other people that might get value from it as well. My name is Denise Russo and, on behalf of my friend, sam Powell, this has been another episode of what's on your bookshelf.