Authors – Andy Cope & Gavin Oattes
Whats it all about? –
I had long been looking to read this book as I love what the authors are about. I have known Gav for a few years and have seen him perform locally in Aberdeen, know he is a funny guy so the content would be along that lines. If you haven’t googled him – he has a few TED talks which are amazing and with out warbling on – he makes me laugh and think. Two of the most important things someone can do to you.
The book comes with a health risk where it may be hazardous or fatal to your ego. A few side effects of lifting the world off your shoulders, putting a spring in your step and being able to breeze into work with a genuine smile on my face. Very powerful of a book to tell a physiotherapist subjective / objective measures because for sure I was going to hold them to it and re-test at the end of the book.
So did the book live up to its high reading risk. YES.
The book was easy to read, but hard to put down. It travelled with me to Finland and Canada on business trips. I found myself quoting the book and using the examples in my treatment. I found myself putting into place the philosophies they were suggesting and I found myself thinking…the best thing a book can do, leave you with more questions than answers.
Highlights were by far, the part about “Be Chris Tavare”. If you don’t know who he is, either read the book or google him. I loved this analogy. Sometimes you can be hypersensitive about how people feel about you, or some of the comments that may come your way. The chapter gives you great tools to deal with this including being Chris Tavare. He was a super slow cricketer as he never swung at any ball that he didn’t think was good.What I took from the analogy was that let some comments / situations go… you can’t react or try to deal with everything that is thrown your way so be more Chris Tavare.
The book is full of Tidbits – lots of take a ways that are fantastic and funny. Small quotes line the book – “ I want to meet the man who saw the turtle and said, people will love the ninja version of that”
Where the book is funny it’s also deep, including the last words of Gav’s dad, which in the most saddest part of life, he left a phrase that Gav has incidentally turned into a legacy and lives on in the book.
I am biased. I love Gav’s stuff, he inspires me and I can fully endorse this book for all. Teachers, physiotherapists and humans. Anyone that has a brain, has mental health, to exercise your mental health this is a great place to start. We all need tools to help our mental health and the #shine10 are great and I have them written down on a piece of paper in my diary so that when I need it it’s there.
Positives – all and everything
Negatives – None
Who is the book for? – Everyone with or without a brain
Stars – 5 / 5 and each of them shining