The Get to Principle

March 2, 2020
Executive coach Larkins (Get to Be Happy) offers concise methods for building a positive mindset in this upbeat self-improvement guide. Most people approach the world with an “I have to” outlook, Larkins argues, and see life as a series of tasks on an endless to-do list. “We’ve forgotten that each moment alive on the planet as a human is a miracle,” he writes before walking readers through strategies to shift from “I have to” to “I get to.” In the first part, he analyzes the negative effects of living in a “have to” culture of stress and fear; he then provides advice on how to shift from victim thoughts (being angry, taking things for granted) to “get to” thoughts (having appreciation, being grateful). Exercises and self-reflection questions give readers tools for exploration, and insights from inspirational figures including Napoleon Hill, Elizabeth Gilbert, Desmond Tutu, and the Dalai Lama round out the text. While Larkins can lapse into platitudes (“Believe that change is possible, and anything can change”), his straightforward writing style makes the concepts easy to digest. Readers in search of inspiration will find plenty of solid advice.