I thought as my next post I would share a book that has changed my life, Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex and Brett Harris. This book will change your life for the better. Some of the things in this book will push you to expand your comfort zone and do things you never thought of doing. This book is part of the reason why I started this blog. I am trying to push myself out of my comfort zone, I am trying to write for a living. I will not reach any of these goals by sitting and doing nothing, taking the easy way out of life. I realize that that statement is a little hypocritical because as I am writing this post I am sitting down. But I am pushing myself out of my comfort zone by sharing my life story to people I don't know, though I do hope to know you all one day.
If you get the newest edition then there are extra appendixes that are very helpful. They contain a gospel explanation, stories of people who did hard things,100 hard things, and a conversation guide. Five of my favorite quotes from the book are:
"The problem we have is with the modern understanding of adolescence that allows, encourages, and even trains young people to remain childish for much longer than necessary."
"Please understand that we are saved by faith alone, but true saving faith doesn't stay alone."
"The teenage years are not a vacation from responsibility."
"All effort...even failed effort...produces muscle."
"Our uprising is against a cultural mindset that twists the purpose and potential of the teen years and threatens to cripple our generation. Our uprising won’t be marked by mass riots and violence, but by millions of individual teens quietly choosing to turn the low expectations of our culture upside down."
If you enjoyed the book I encourage you to read it again or to read their add-on Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are. This book is only an extension of what they have already talked about in Do Hard Things. Their chapters walk you through what to do after reading Do Hard Things. The thought is that you are ready to do hard things and want to get started, but don't know what to do. As Brett and Alex explain it, "In other words, Do Hard Things marked the beginning of a movement. Start Here is your personal field guide to jumping in and getting involved." This outlines everything needed giving you examples of peoples lives who have done hard things, big and small. A few of my favorite quotes from the book are:
"Our first priority is to be faithful with what He's[God's] already given us to do."
"Do hard things in everyday things."
"Faithfulness in one season prepares us to step into the next season with strength."
"I had a vision of changing the future,...,but I realized that I would have to change myself first."
"You are chosen by God, and targeted by Satan."
"Difference between busyness and fruitfulness."
"But if we view responsibility as what it is-a muscle to be strengthened-then being responsible now is not premature at all."
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