The Modern Maverick
Why writing your own rules is better for you, your work and the world
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- $18.99
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
Imagine designing a race that only you could win. Now imagine that race was your life. You're done with living by other people's rules. It's time to define your own version of success and set free your inner maverick.
Success is something that many of us are encouraged to pursue from a young age - but what defines 'success'? Many people are taught to set goals in pursuit of a generic definition of success that is dictated by society: chase money, pass exams, build profile, attract followers, or generate likes. Even if we do reach the top of the mountain, we often find it to be less than we expected. Living someone else's life is draining; individuals are tired and society is poorer as a consequence.
The Modern Maverick sets out a roadmap for a different way forward. A way that combines purpose and profit. A way that helps you figure out your own definition of success and gives you the courage and tools to pursue it. It moves beyond a general question around purpose, and instead focuses on identifying what you are truly passionate about, what you are uniquely good at, what you can get paid enough for - and how all of that dovetails with what the world needs.
Using a distilled set of 'Maverick' principles, the books presents a clear 4D process to help you create the life you want:
1. Discover - what are you uniquely able to do
2. Dream - about what is possible for your life
3. Do - create and put into action your Maverick plan
4. Develop - ensure the plan evolves and deepens
By helping you find the best version of yourself, your work and your relationships, the book shows you how to build your inner Maverick. By becoming clearer and more intentional about how and where you spend your energy and focus, you can create a life where you have positive impact, autonomy, choice and time. A win for you, but – crucially – a win for those close to you, and, over time, a win for society at large.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This underwhelming debut from career coach Haddon offers guidance on how readers can "close the gap between where you are now and where you want to be." He outlines a four-step program for achieving one's goals: identify "your version of success," decide how to best spend one's time, attain work/life balance, and establish a plan to follow one's dreams. To gain insight on one's priorities, Haddon encourages readers to rank their values and passions and ask themselves: "What upsets you, what makes you happy?" Unfortunately, the material on how to "balance" personal, social, and professional obligations amounts to cursory advice on diet ("Eat a wide variety of plant-based food"), love (time with one's partner "is key"), and finding a line of work (consider what professions one would pursue if given a free year to do so). Throughout, Haddon recommends using the SMART framework—which states that objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (having a concrete deadline)—when devising a plan to reach one's goals. There's not much here that's new, and Haddon's decision to touch on nearly every corner of readers' lives leaves his advice feeling unfocused. This bites off more than it can chew.
