One Big Problem:

I read for pleasure, but I also read to help me lead, learn, research, and grow. I also highlight new or interesting ideas and make notes in the apps that help me to implement what I have uncovered. The problem is I couldn’t always find that idea or that quote I was looking for. It was trapped somewhere in a vast digital book pile.

I tried all the tricks I’ve read on the internet: make notecards in the Kindle app, import clips into Evernote, copy and paste into a working document.  Each solution has merit and also several limitations like a publisher’s restrictions on the amount of text you can view/copy from Kindle.

I even tried creating my own personal database of quotes and passages (who has that kind of time?) and realized that there has to be a better solution.

The App for Readers:
I came across Readwise.io and it changed the game for me. It helps you sort, tag, and remember those quotes from the books you read this year and the last 3 or 4. I use it to organize and recall all manner of information. Need a quote about passion? Just type it in the search bar and you have highlights across all your books to help tie together your thoughts. They say this about their product:

Readwise is software built on top of existing reading platforms — such as Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, and Instapaper — that conveniently resurfaces all the things you found important while reading. This interrupts the natural process of forgetting, creating repeated opportunities to actually do something with what you’ve read.

I’ve been using it for quite some time now, it save times and helps me recall so much more of what I’ve read over the years. Some of the books on your shelf may have some popular highlights others have uncovered, so as an added bouns- they can throw some of those in for you too. Readwise is a great tool to have as a leader in any organization.

“Genuine, healthy self-esteem develops when caring adults identify children’s strengths but also allow them the satisfaction that comes only from trying and failing. Effort, failure, and eventual triumph builds great emerging adults.”

We all have a fear as parents that our kids will continue to get older but never become mature enough that they are able to stand on their own. We see so many posts from young adults talking about the difficulties of “adulting” and we nod along with a grin.

There came a point in my imagining the future for my kids that I thought, “What if this is not a joke, and my kids actually struggle to do the most basic adult things?”

I came across Tim Elmore over a decade ago and I love the work he does across the country in teaching leadership principles to schools, non-profits, and parents. He wrote a book called 12 Huge Mistakes Parents Can Avoid which addresses some basic things we do as parents that actually are mistakes and can hinder them from becoming strong and resilient.

The introduction from Tim helps frame the conversation in the pages that follow:

Here’s the bottom line. I believe we need to face some new issues as parents. We must define what kids need from us to mature in a healthy way. We must figure out what hinders their growth and what equips them to be great adults. We must become both nurturers and trainers, knowing that we are not raising children, but future adults. I offer this book as a reference guide as you face your toughest challenges and attempt to get kids ready for life as they leave your home or school. Here’s to correcting our mistakes along the way—for their sake.

This is a book worth reading and, more than that, worth applying (it’s never too late to help your kids). The mistakes we can avoid are:

MISTAKE 1: We Won’t Let Them Fail
When we remove the possibility of failure, we dilute kids’ motivation to excel.

MISTAKE 2: We Project Our Lives on Them
When we project, kids are pressured to become someone they are not.

MISTAKE 3: We Prioritize Being Happy
When happiness is the goal instead of a by-product, it is elusive and disappointing.

MISTAKE 4: We Are Inconsistent
When we are inconsistent, we send mixed signals and breed insecurity and instability in kids.

MISTAKE 5: We Remove the Consequences
When we remove consequences for actions, we fail to prepare kids for the future.

MISTAKE 6: We Lie About Their Potential and Don’t Explore Their True Potential
When we distort, disillusionment results from dreams that don’t match kids’ gifts.

MISTAKE 7: We Won’t Let Them Struggle or Fight
When we eliminate the struggle, kids are conditioned to give up easily without trying.

MISTAKE 8: We Give Them What They Should Earn
When we give them too much, they don’t learn the art of working and waiting.

MISTAKE 9: We Praise the Wrong Things
When we affirm kids’ looks or smarts instead of their virtues, their values become skewed.

MISTAKE 10: We Value Removing All Pain
When we take away pain, kids’ ability to endure hardship or loss atrophies.

MISTAKE 11: We Do It for Them
When we do things for kids, they can become lazy, unmotivated to grow, and disabled.

MISTAKE 12: We Prepare the Path for the Child Instead of the Child for the Path
When we prepare the path, kids’ childhoods work fine, but their adulthood looks bleak.

There is practical application and real-life examples throughout the book. Worth taking a chance on, one word of caution though, it may require that you change too.

Pick up the book.

Tim’s Organization: Growing Leaders