ushering in 2013 with three new books (and a trip to Birmingham)

I'm back from a wonderful three week technology sabbatical! Key learnings from my computer-free time?  I missed the community-based connection (blog, Twitter, etc). I did not miss email one bit. 

I spent the holidays resting, playing, reading, and painting with my kids and parents. It was exactly what I needed. There are three books that totally grabbed my attention and I'd love to share them with y'all (and yes, those are my new reading glasses). 

Dan Pink and Seth Godin both have new books out and they're fascinating. 

Dan's new book, To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others is an eye-opener. My first reaction was, "I'm not in sales and I don't even like being pitched - I'm not sure this is for me." I was wrong.

Dan writes, "We devote upwards of 40% of our time on the job to moving others - this is non-sales selling - it's cajoling and convincing others in ways that don't involve anyone making a purchase. And it is critical to our professional success." This makes so much sense to me - I think we all want to move others in some way. 

You can learn more about To Sell is Human here and check out the great trailer.

 

I probaby don't have to tell you how excited I was when I got this box in the mail:

And, let me tell you that the inside was as thought-provoking as the outside! Seth Godin's new book, The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly is all about courage, art, and why we need to fly a little closer to the sun. I love this:

Art isn't pretty.
Art isn't painting.
Art isn't something you hang on the wall.
Art might scare you.
Art might bust you.
But art is who we are and what we do and what we need.
Art isn't a result; it's a journey. The challenge of our time is to find a journey worthy of your heart and soul.

Need I say more? You can check out The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly here! 

 

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Seth's other new book is V is for Vulnerable: Life Outside the Comfort Zone. It's a full-color ABC book for grown-ups. It's full of powerful messages about doing great work. It highlights twenty-six of Seth Godin’s principles about treating your work as a form of art, with illustrations by cartoonist Hugh MacLeod. 

You know it makes me happy to see that V is for vulnerable and S is for shame! 

You can learn more about V is for Vulnerable here.
 

To celebrate 2013 and the possibility of more art, more vulnerability, and moving people, I'm giving away three sets of these books. Leave one of your favorite words in the comment section (e.g., A is for Awesome) and I'll draw names on Thursday. Mine is D is for Daring! 

Also - if you're in Birmingham, come out and join us on Thurday, 1/10. I'll be St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Info and tickets are here.