I am an avid reader. Like, as in, biggest chunk of my budget goes towards books.
This is my effort at a virtual book club where no one comes and looks at me funny or refuses to leave my house at the end.
I started 75 hard (again) recently (more on this later), and so have leaned a little heavily on my non fiction TBR (to be read) shelf to fulfill my ‘10 pages in a non-fiction book’ requirement. I just finished the book 5am Club by Robin Sharma, and I have seen this book on a few recommended reading lists so I thought I’d share my own thoughts.
I want to preface this by saying Paulo Coelho is one of my favorite authors, and I love a book that is a story with a moralistic undertone. Coelho actually endorsed this book, which is a main reason I picked it.
The premise of the book is a story about 2 individuals and their journey towards self actualization:
self-ac·tu·al·i·za·tion
/ˌselfˌak(t)SH(əw)əˌlīˈzāSH(ə)n,ˌselfˌak(t)SH(əw)ələˈzāSH(ə)n/
noun
the realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potentialities, especially considered as a drive or need present in everyone.
It follows the individuals and their quest, along with 2 teachers and mentors. The main sticking point is that by upgrading your routine and getting up at 5am, you are reaching your true potential.
I would not put this in the same category of Coelho, no matter how well endorsed or regarded the author. It was a difficult read, though mildly entertaining. I could barely get my 10 pages in, though sometimes was able to push through to 20 or so (and can usually finish a book in a day or 2.) The conversations were pages long, including a lot of pontificating, and the quoting of famous figures was forced and contrived in a way that was not enjoyable. Did I get some great new quotes for instagram? Absolutely I did. Do I think I’ll recommend this book to others? Unlikely. Do I think I’ll be getting up at 5am every day? Perhaps…
If the goal of the book is to get you to jumpstart a change in your life, it definitely got me thinking about adjusting my routine, though not in an enjoyable format (and it probably could have done so in fewer words). It reinforced a lot of ideas that I already held about getting up early, and added a few new motivators. But it did not offer much that I didn’t already know.
The characters were cute, but also very hard to connect to and at times cheesy.
If you’re looking for a self help book on motivation and getting up early, I would maybe recommend something different. But if you just like to read everything on the lists of books that everyone reads, go ahead and knock yourself out.
2/5 stars.
On the TBR stack: The State of Affairs by Esther Perel, What Makes Love Last by John Gottman, Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab, The Art of Quiet Influence by Jocelyn Davis, Never Finished by David Goggins, and I’ve preordered Jay Shetty’s new book!