Aaron Armstrong's Blog, page 36
March 27, 2019
Personality types and fictional characters, and books for every Enneagram type
Just like everyone else, we’re still talking about the Enneagram. We had a lot of fun talking with Jenaye in our first episode that we needed to make it a two-parter! Listen in as we discuss:
The right way to pronounce Ayn Rand’s first nameWhich book characters fit with which enneagram type (and shred a list from the Internet)Book options for every enneagram typeApple Podcasts Google Play Spotify Stitcher
Book Suggestions for Ones:
Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist It’s Not Supposed...
March 26, 2019
Help EPIC launch well in 3 easy steps!
My latest book, Epic: The Story that Changed the World, releases on April 1. As you can tell, I’m getting excited. This is the first time I’ve written for children, so I’m looking forward to seeing how kids engage with the book.
So, how can you help the book launch well? Here are three easy ways:
Pre-order Epic for your family. Right now, the best price is still LifeWay.com, Amazon has it for a great price as well. (And if you pre-order today, you’ll be able to get it the day it releases wh...March 25, 2019
Personality profiles, the Enneagram, and Chicken Dave Schroeder
There are a lot of different personality profiles out there. Some folks swear by Myers-Briggs (e.g. INTJ), while others the DiSC profile, StrengthsFinders, or one of the 78,000 other options out there to label ourselves. So on today’s episode, we invited our friend and colleague, Jenaye White to join us on the show to discuss the Enneagram. (Do we need a trigger warning?)
Listen in to the first of a two-part conversation where we discuss:
What Jenaye appreciates about the Enneagram (and how...March 22, 2019
Links I like (3/22)
Trevin is speaking my language.
Are You Writing Headlines for You or Articles for Them?Tim Challies:
I believe Buzzfeed very nearly ruined blogging when it mastered the ugly art of clickbait—articles whose foremost purpose is to generate revenue. The distinctive feature of clickbait is that it is defined by its headline rather than its content. The idea is to create a “can’t-help-but-click” headline even if the article it leads to is inaccurate or unhelpfu...
March 18, 2019
Leaders are Readers, But They’re Not If…
Harry S. Truman famously said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” (I mean, unless he didn’t, of course. It’s hard to find anything confirming it for certain.) But what if they’re not? On this episode, we’re joined by our friend, co-worker and fellow Canadian Daniel Im to dig into the truth behind this leadership cliché and try to help leaders become better readers. Listen in as we discuss:
Our best reading advice for leaders, and what they should really be readingThe...March 15, 2019
Links I like (3/15)
Jared Wilson:
And yet, the apostle Paul tells us in the opening verses of 1 Corinthians 15 that the gospel is of first importance. And I don’t believe he means initial importance but primary (central) importance. This is why he’s “reminding” the Corinthians about it. Over and over again, Paul instructs his readers to only hold true to what they’ve already attained, to lay hold of what has laid hold of them . . . and so forth. So I...
March 11, 2019
3-Word Descriptions, Retitling Books, and Keeping People from Reading Bad Books
It’s a tight, on-point conversation today on the podcast as we let the fine folks at Goodreads guide us once again. Listen in as we talk through the following big questions:
Describe a book you’re reading in three wordsWhich author would you choose to play your favorite sport with?If you could give a book a different title, what would it be?What do you tell your child or friend when they want to read a book that you know is terrible?A few of the (many) books mentioned in this episode:
18 Wo...March 4, 2019
Advice for aspiring authors, avoiding comparisons, when not to write
A couple of days before we recorded this episode, a fond memory popped up in my (Aaron’s) Facebook feed about starting the early work on what would become my first book, Awaiting A Savior. In honor of that memory, and because my next book is about to release, we decided to share some real, practical help for aspiring authors (but don’t worry, we still make fun of each other a fair bit). Listen in as we discuss:
Why aspiring authors need to make sure they have something to sayThe starting poi...February 25, 2019
How we read so much, cat-rants, and Dave’s new nickname
We’re dealing with some hard truths on this episode of the podcast as we address some bad habits this week. Listen in as we discuss:
Some important (sub-tweeted) listener feedback and Dave’s sinus issuesWhy Barnabas hate catsWhy dogs love AaronWhy there’s no such thing as a hero cat genreHow in the world we find time to read as much as we do while having families and jobsPlus, Dave gets a new nickname!
Apple Podcasts Google Play Spotify Stitcher
A few of the books mentioned on this episod...
February 22, 2019
Links I like (2/22)
Lore Ferguson Wilbert:
Any squabble in a preschool classroom will show us the main ingredient in moving on is a well placed, “I’m sorry.” But whether it’s to placate the offended party, bring just a moment of peace, or truly intended to help the offender see their wrong, an “I’m sorry” is still just one part of an apology. When I was a young teen the recipe for an apology changed in our household. Where my parents previously just made us say those two little w...
