The Power of Moments
(Simon & Schuster)
Here's why a moment can change everything...
Author: Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Genre: Business/ Self-Help
Reader Appeal: Adults
Think of a defining moment in your life. Was it by chance...or was it arranged?
The premise of The Power of Moments is that you CAN arrange defining moments in life. Chip and Dan Heath explore this idea through subjects such as:
• Hotels that, on the surface, are one-star worthy--but because of a few special created moments they become five-star rated hotels.
• Teachers who, while watching ESPN, come up with an idea that changes the lives of their students.
The Power of Moments is full of stories that inspire like these. There are of course moments that are negative and those stories are covered as well. Each chapter ends with what the authors call a clinic: ideas you can implement in your business or personal life.
The Heaths also explore four elements that create a moment, noting that some moments contain one, some contain all four of the following:
1) Elevation: such as love letters or your children’s homemade gifts.
2) Insight: books or quotes that moved you or changed your perspective.
3) Pride: awards, recognition letters. and
4) Connection: things you’d grab if your house caught fire.
The Power of Moments could have got bogged down in research, charts and graphs but Chip and Dan include enough stories that the book doesn’t become dry. Some of the stories will inspire you, some will make you tear up, and some will make you look back on some of your own moments and maybe even thinking of ways to create moments for someone else.
An interesting read!
Let's Talk About It
Use these questions to spark discussion among family members who are interested in this book:
• What are some experiences from your childhood that you remember? Which of the elements made those experiences worth remembering?
• In thinking about moments in your life which element do you respond to the most?
• How would you create a moment for someone close to you? Get to it!
--JH
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