An inspiring book with useful tips and quotes to guide others in need of motivation

This was my forty-first book I chose via the Reedsy Discovery program, for which I am the single approved reviewer for this new book. This review also appears on Reedsy.

If you’re interested in becoming a Reedsy reviewer (and have the chance to get paid “tips” to review books!) check it out here.

The Premise

Athlete and marathon runner Jack Perconte shares the mindset and beliefs that have contributed to his success, offering encouragement to others to embody these principles and achieve their own goals.

The Pros & Cons

This was an inspiring book with useful tips and quotes to guide others in need of motivation.

Author, athlete, and experienced marathon runner Jack Perconte shares his expertise and advice he has learnt from decades of his craft. A major aspect of this is goal-setting. He highlights that an “all-in” attitude of commitment, along with a combination of goals of all sizes, is required to achieve a big dream:

The critical takeaway is that energy and purpose result when one has short, medium, and long-term aspirations happening simultaneously. Most people try quick attempts, and some attempt the intermediate ones. But most people spend a lot of time thinking of their deep-seated dreams but never act on them.

He interweaves famous quotes and song lyrics by authors, athletes, musicians, and other renowned persons, and also mentions his experience participating at different marathons. I liked reading the “Marathon Legend capsules” and about the various events he attended, and was thrilled to learn of his background that is often spent in service of admirable causes. Being a coach is such an important role to inspire others.

There is a lot of practical advice, such as how to prepare for a marathon by establishing routines with the same exercise times, balanced foods, etc.; and he highlights the importance of safety e.g. using the right shoes, practicing caution while using a treadmill, ensuring you research good trails that do not have uneven surfaces, focus on your surroundings in unknown areas rather than listening to headphones, and charging your phone before you head out, as this can become your lifeline in case of emergency. Also (and I totally agree!), it is good practice to be courteous to other runners.

He uses candid, direct language to engage the reader, and it is easy to read. Overall I really liked the premise of the book, and my only suggestion is that I wished it could have been more structured. There are a lot of useful points here, but at times they seem to be a bit scattered rather than following a cohesive thesis or overall framework of principles that would have helped to differentiate it more among its market of similar books. Nevertheless there is a lot of valuable information here, and the seemingly “scattered” anecdotes may appeal to those who read short bits on a regular basis, as this can serve as their motivational focus for their daily practices.

Conclusion

This was an enjoyable book, and I am glad to have gotten the chance to learn so much from a veteran sportsperson and coach. I would recommend to others, both athletes as well as anyone who may need an extra boost of motivation to find their purpose and make intentional changes in their lives. I thank the author for taking the time to produce this collection of advice and strategy, and look forward to his further works.

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