RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE

Book Title: RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE

Author: Orrin Woodward

Genre: Personal Development

Sub-Topics: Leadership, Friendship, Success

First Edition: October 2011

Published By: Obstacles Press, Inc.

Book Rating: Must Read

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I’m going to start this book review by listing the 13 resolutions in order so that we can establish a frame of reference for the breadth of material this text covers. From there we will examine rather or not the content of the book is valuable and some of the more unique resolutions. We will also take a look at the format of the book and a few of issues with RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE.

Orrin Woodward’s Thirteen Resolutions from RESOLVED

1.) Purpose: I resolve to discover my God-given purpose.

I know that when my potential, passions and profits intersect, my purpose is revealed.

2.) Character: I resolve to choose character over reputation anytime they conflict.

I know that my character is who I am, and my reputation is only what others say that I am.

3.) Attitude: I resolve to have a positive attitude in all situations.

I know that my beliefs determine my attitudes which leads to my results.

4.) Programming the elephant: I resolve to align my conscious (ant) with my subconscious (elephant) mind towards my vision.

I know that ending the civil war between them is crucial for all achievement.

5.) Game Plan and Do: I resolve to develop and implement a game plan in each area of my life.

I know that planning and doing are essential parts of the success process.

6.) Keeping Score: I resolve to keep score in the game of life.

I know that the scoreboard forces me to check and confront the results, making the needed adjustments in order to win.

7.) Friendship: I resolve to develop the art and science of friendship. (Read More)

I know that everyone needs a true friend to lighten the load when life gets heavy.

8.) Financial Management: I resolve to develop financial intelligence.

I know that my wealth is compounded when incomes are higher than expenses over time.

9.) Leadership Resolution: I resolve to develop the are and science of leadership.

I know that everything rises and falls based upon the leadership culture created within my community.

10.) Conflict Resolution: I resolve to develop the art of conflict resolution. (Read More)

I know that relationship bombs and unresolved conflict destroy a community’s unity and growth.

11.) Systems Thinking: I resolve to develop systems thinking.

I know that by viewing life as interconnected patterns rather than isolated events, I improve my leverage.

12.) Adversity Quotient: I resolve to develop Adversity Quotient. (Read More)

I know that AQ leads to perseverance in overcoming obstacles and setbacks.

13.) Legacy: To reverse the current of decline in my field of mastery.

I know that a true legacy leaves the world a better place than I found it.

Does RESOLVED Hit The Mark?

This book is jammed packed with principles from classic books in the same genre as well as personal expereinces from the author. Resolved is heavy influenced by books such as Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Jim Collin’s Good to Great. These and other timeless personal development books are evident in Resolved’s text and make up a large part of the core principles. The most valuable part of Resolved is the way the material is presented and formated in a sequential and logical order.

Even though the book draws heavily from other material, dont be fooled into thinking that there is nothing unique here. Resolved is literally framed by the author, Orrin Woodward’s personal experience in leadership and running a large people-focused company. Because of this, the reader gets some of the best wisdom from a successful entrepreneur / leadership guru within the bounds of the fundamentals for success and personal development.

Best Resolutions from RESOLVED

My favorite resolutions from the book were Friendship, Conflict Resolution and Adversity Quotient primiarly because each contains a systematic approach towards improvement. I have written more in-depth articles covering these resolutions, which you can view by clicking on each above.

RESOLVED’s Format

I believe the most useful element of Resolved is the format in which the material is displayed. Not only is the content given in a sequential natural progression but is also framed by three successful men of resolution; George Washington, Ben Franklin and John Edwards. The books even has an appendix with each man’s list of resolutions, maxims or virtues they used to become more successful. On top of this each resolution is capped by a historical example to reinforce the material being covered. From Sam Walton on Keeping Score to Ray Kroc on Systems Thinking, the validity of the text is secured by giving real-world 3rd party examples where the resolution in action produced successful results. This is a simliar format to Launching a Leadership Revolution also by Orrin Woodward with co-author Chris Brady.

Issues with RESOLVED

The issues with Resolved are fairly minor when compared with the great elements contained in the book, but are still worth noting. First off, Resolved is a difficult read for two reasons; first the material is heavy, but second the text is littered with grammatical and spelling errors as well as run on sentences. I am the first one to admit that I suffer from these same issues in writing, however when you are reading a book of this caliber it can really take you out of the material when a glaring grammer error is present. Another challenge with this book is that sometimes the point that Woodward is trying to make gets muffled in the mix of historical example, personal example and citied reference. This tends to be Orrin Woodward’s speaking style and is never an issue when listening to one of this audios because he can use cadence and tonality to emphasize different elements. This however is not possible in written text so at times the book can seem jarring or loose.

Another element to be aware of, is that this text is heavily slanted towards an individual who is working in a people focused business. This would include Orrin Woodward’s business LIFE or that of a business owner or even CEO of a large corporation It may not lend as well to an independent professional, athlete or individual contributor. The book I believe is even used in a “Mental Fitness Challenge” which is a business element to Woodward’s company. There is nothing wrong with the book being partial or a little one-sided and it does not lower the value of the material, principles or resolutions presented. It is something to be conscious of when reading the book, as more interpretation or thinking may be required for complete understanding.

RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE Summary

All in all Resolved is a Must Read book with timeless principles and a unique “study guide” format that will help you in your personal development journey If you enjoy books such as The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Good to Great, Wooden, The Ant And The Elephant or Attitude is Everything; there is no doubt that you will find tremendous value in RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE.

Follow this link to purchase or download RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE on Amazon.