From blaring pitches to mesmerizing jingles, ads crowd the media around us with promises of the secret to success. Cultivate your image. Worm your way into powerful company so your contacts will promote you. Develop innovative concepts. Build a tribe. Create million-dollar product launches, dynamic videos . . .
Each boasts a blueprint for prosperity. Pitch men display spreadsheets of their vast earnings. But there’s always a caveat. Deep in the fine print, you’re bound to find a phrase about atypical results and null guarantees.
What if a real key to success existed? I just read a book which offers this very treasure. And it doesn’t require me to shell out a fortune on a training program.
Turns out, the secret lies in something we cultivate within ourselves. Success begins with character transformation.
Matt Keller’s new book, The Key to Everything, lays out the journey of developing the foundation for success. He reveals our most vital trait for prosperous living–teachability. At first, the premise seemed to oversimplify life. I’m an avid learner, but knowledge hasn’t fattened my bank account. The book reveals how teachability reflects more than an appetite for learning. It’s a lifestyle choice. Despite my initial concern, the book examines the intricacies of reshaping human nature.
Developing teachability involves a complex process of character transformation. The Key to Everything breaks this down into three parts. The first section identifies five major roadblocks. Chapters encourage readers to break down obstacles and pursue success. Keller includes personal experiences, as if drawing up a chair to chat with his audience over coffee. He sprinkles in quotable wisdom nuggets such as, “Playing it safe is never safe where your dreams are concerned.”
The second portion defines the five central characteristics of a teachable person. Keller delivers frequent calls to action to promote cultivation of these traits. His talents as a pastor and leadership coach shine from the page as he invites readers along on a heartfelt journey. He addresses the audience with compassion while challenging them to grow. “Don’t write off feedback from people you don’t happen to like . . . If you find it difficult to separate the message from the messenger, try thinking to yourself, ‘If this was coming from my best friend, how open to hearing it would I be?'”
The concluding section maps out five ways to foster a teachable lifestyle. Keller offers brilliant insights such as, “A person with great strengths and weak character is dangerous.” This flavorful book serves a powerful concept to a broad range of readers. Business people, volunteers, community members. Those in ministry as well as those who wouldn’t darken a church door. Keller includes Biblical references as case studies, rendering cozy stories readable by believers and non-believers alike.
The Key to Everything makes an enormous promise and delivers on it with style. Keller seasons his conversational writing with humor. I’m grateful for this refreshing read amid the musty shelves of dull self-help books. I recommend Matt Keller’s delightful writing and vital content with confidence.
Check out The Key to Everything, and let me know what you think. Enter a comment below for a chance to win a brand-new hardcover edition! I look forward to hearing from you.
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Be Encouraged,
Tina
