*Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers for my fair and unbiased review.*
20,000 Days and Counting was recommended to me by a blogger I respect very much. I'll admit when I found it available for review, I was very excited and ready to take on the challenge no doubt contained within its pages. What I found, however, was not a silver bullet against apathy, but a proven course of action to make living a life of fullness possible no matter your circumstances.
20,000 Days and Counting is a straightforward book with very little extraneous material. The sub-title is that it is a "crash course" on mastering your life, and it is certainly that. The chapters are short and practical. There's no room for platitudes and cliche's. Mr. Smith is keen to make his point which I feel is summed up best in chapter 5: "If We Can Learn how to Die, We'll Know How to Live". Though an oft-repeated idea for fans of the film "Braveheart," the notion of a well-examined life is ancient and one worth taking seriously in the 21st century. Our days are limited, we can fill them with self-help books and fad diets, or we can focus our attention on the things which are most important in our lives. "You only have two choices," Mr. Smith admonishes his reader, and each day--every decision--is down to two options and YOU are responsible for making the best use of your decision.
This book was a quick read, but a powerful one. I found myself encouraged and challenged to make the decisions to take responsible control of the life I have been given. Section 3 is where the practicality really takes root, but without the philosophy and encouragement from sections 1 and 2 the simple, straightforward, steps will be be useless. Read this book through, put it in practice, and live in freedom.
