Book Review - 9 Things you Simply Must Do

I finally finished another non-fiction book. If I can get through one or two of these a year, I am lucky. I just think too much and must digest the information, unlike a fiction novel where the words just wash over me. I think that I learn a lot that way, but I must be intentional on occasion.

I finished, 9 Things You Simply Must Do by Henry Cloud. I found it to be a fascinating analysis of how successful people are successful. The best way to do this is give you a synopsis of the 9 things and leave it at that.

Principle 1: Dig It Up! This chapter was about finding your passion, your dream. Find out what excites you and pursue it. He discusses the pitfalls of doing this – how we pursue other peoples desire for us – especially if we are people pleasures, etc.

Principle 2: Pull The Tooth! This chapter said that successful people do not hang onto bad stuff for long. Get rid of the bad stuff. Our bodies do it naturally, but emotionally we just hang on and it hurts us. This principle is what caused me to finally get my tailbone checked out. At this point I am glad since the pain is gone. Why did I let it go so long? Successful people act and get rid of the bad stuff right away.

Principle 3: Play The Movie! Here is what Cloud says, “Any one this you do is only a scene in a larger movie. To understand that action, you have to play it out all the way to the end of the movie.” Just a reminder that the choices we make will have lasting effects. I just agreed in this chapter. This came naturally to me in my education. I could see a better life at the end with a college degree in my hand.

Principle 4: Do Something! This chapter says that successful people ask “What can I do to make this situation better?”. They do not play the victim but do something to change the situation. I am working on this one.

Principle 5: Act Like An Ant! They (successful people) achieved their goals by taking tiny steps over time. Start doing a little bit – don’t try to save a million dollars today. But if you save a little bit every day the money starts to add up. Every big project can be done the same way – do a little at a time and eventually it gets done.

Principle 6: Hate Well! I was not real comfortable with the title of this principle, but here is how Cloud explains it, “ What we hate says a lot about who we are…Character is in part formed by what we hate, because we move to be different from whatever that is.”. This chapter explains the difference between hating well and just hating.

Principle 7: Don’t Play Fair! Strange title as well. But, to be “fair” means that what you give is what you get. Good for good, bad for bad. The idea is that if we make a mistake, we don’t want people to get back at us, but help us get better and not make the mistake again. So to not play fair means to give back better than you are given and it will stop any cycle of “tit for tat”,

Principle 8: Be Humble! Seems simple and biblical doesn’t’ it? It simply means to not pretend to know more than we do and not having a need to be more than you are. Even if you are the president of a company – you don’t know it all. The willingness to say you have things to learn will help you learn those things as well as make those that work for you better as well.

Principle 9: Upset the Right People! This is probably the hardest for me. This principle is about not making decisions based on the fear of other people’s reactions. Cloud says that, “ What you should do, and what someone’s response is going to be, are two very different issues.”

I recommend this book. It has good examples and easy to read – the application process is a different story.

Blessings! Thanks for reading.