Do Hard Things – by Steve Magness

It’s easy to say that we must push ourselves if we want to achieve worthwhile things—and it’s also easy to push ourselves into an early grave by overreaching. So, how to do the former, without doing the latter?

That’s what this book’s about. The author, speaking from a background in the science of sports psychology, applies his accumulated knowledge and understanding to the more general problems of life.

Most of us are, after all, not sportspeople or if we are, not serious ones. Those few who are, will get benefit from this book too! But it’s mostly aimed at the rest of us who are trying to work out whether/when we should scale up, scale back, change track, or double down:

• How much can we really achieve in our career?
• How about in retirement?
• Do we ever really get too old for athletic feats, or should we keep pressing on?

Magness brings philosophy and psychological science together, to help us sort our way through.

Nor is this just a pep talk—there’s readily applicable, practical, real-world advice here, things to enable us to do our (real!) best without getting overwhelmed.

The style is pop-science, very easy-reading, and clear and comprehensible throughout—without succumbing to undue padding either.

Bottom line: this is a very pleasant read, that promises to make life more meaningful and manageable at the same time. Highly recommendable!

Click here to check out Do Hard Things, and get the most out of life!