Find Your Strongest Life: A review

// October 6th, 2009 // Books, Daily Life, Success

OK. So you are probably wondering what I’m doing reviewing a book for women. Well, I’m married to one. I’m also rearing two daughters. When I had the chance to review Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently, through Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program, I thought it would open me up to a world that is somewhat of a mystery to us guys. Boy was I right. I asked my wife to read it first and I was going to do an interview style post, but I found enough information in it to warrant a review myself.

Marcus Buckingham has worked with the Gallup organization for several decades and has gathered a plethora of information on women and the struggles they face with self worth, value, and their place in society today. One particular topic that I found most interesting is how two seemingly identical women (in terms of life story, age, education, etc) could end up with such different paths, one being rather happy and fulfilled while the other was “dying” at her job, significantly unfulfilled. Marcus shares several factors in each woman’s response to the choices they faced and how those choices, not bad choices on the outset, affected their sense of happiness and success.

The book also contains a section on living a strong life. He’s developed a test called the Strong Life Test for women. The test shows which are your strongest life roles, with a lead role and a supporting role. My wife took the test and I thought I would to since I’d be writing about it. It was interesting and surprisingly confirming to see the results.

The best part of this whole experience is that it got us talking again about things that up to now we thought were differences or weaknesses in ourselves and each other. Now we see them as just different strengths. So I would encourage women and men to take a look at this book and learn what you can from it. For guys, it just might help you understand your wife a little better.