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Undistracted: Capture Your Purpose. Rediscover Your Joy.
Through his pithy and inspiring storytelling that has endeared him to millions, New York Times bestselling author Bob Goff reassures readers that they can harness today's distractions, follow Jesus' example, and find focus, purpose, and joy.
You probably know what it's like to be driving down the road when you suddenly feel the vibration and hear the guh-guh-guh-guh-guh of the rumble strips--those groves in the pavement--warning you that you've drifted out of your lane. You didn't mean to get distracted. You only took your eyes off the road for a moment, but you drifted off course. And that's a lot like life, isn't it?
In Undistracted, Bob Goff lovingly yanks us back in our lane and helps us get back on track so we can live our lives with real purpose and joy. In his trademark storytelling style, Bob helps us
Read by the author.
learn the destruction of distraction and the benefits of living a life of undistracted love and authentic connection;
identify the distractions in our lives and either eliminate them or route around them; and
catch a vision of our future, undistracted selves where we can experience true happiness and joy.
Bob's inspiring and entertaining stories in Undistracted show us what it looks like to live a beautiful and purposeful life rather than drifting aimlessly from one season to the next. He encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus and harness life's distractions so we can find joy despite our circumstances.
You probably know what it's like to be driving down the road when you suddenly feel the vibration and hear the guh-guh-guh-guh-guh of the rumble strips--those groves in the pavement--warning you that you've drifted out of your lane. You didn't mean to get distracted. You only took your eyes off the road for a moment, but you drifted off course. And that's a lot like life, isn't it?
In Undistracted, Bob Goff lovingly yanks us back in our lane and helps us get back on track so we can live our lives with real purpose and joy. In his trademark storytelling style, Bob helps us
Read by the author.
learn the destruction of distraction and the benefits of living a life of undistracted love and authentic connection;
identify the distractions in our lives and either eliminate them or route around them; and
catch a vision of our future, undistracted selves where we can experience true happiness and joy.
Bob's inspiring and entertaining stories in Undistracted show us what it looks like to live a beautiful and purposeful life rather than drifting aimlessly from one season to the next. He encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus and harness life's distractions so we can find joy despite our circumstances.
221 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2022
1267 people are currently reading
23094 people want to read
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July 25, 2024
“Are you willing to do what it takes to uncover the wonder that already surrounds your life? Will you do the courageous work to identify what is distracting you from the better things? And finally, are you willing to do the difficult and selfless work of releasing the beauty you discover into the lives of others rather than keeping it for yourself?”
This book was a bit of a love bomb. Ironically, a distracted love bomb.
I read Goff’s book Everybody, Always, and contrary to popular opinion of it, I wasn’t really impressed.
I decided to give Goff another chance by reading his newest book before I heard any hype about it. A clean first impression.
And I felt about the same as when I read his other book.
In short, it just felt like a shallow, self-helpy book with dramatic anecdotes Goff wrangled into inspirational one-liners that sound great but feel a bit fluffy. Everything was all over the place and I’m not really sure it’s actually going to help anyone.
I can’t really think of a reason to read this book.
If you are feeling like you need a better philosophy on how you spend your time or use your phone, I would recommend one of these books instead:
- To Hell with the Hustle
- A Spacious Life
- 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You
If you’re feeling like you want to be a ‘better version of yourself’ or figure out what to do with your life then there are plenty of other books that would be better than this one. Here are just a few off the top of my head:
- When Strivings Cease
- On the Road with Saint Augustine
- Sis, Take a Breath
- Just Do Something
In my review of Everybody, Always I said that maybe people should still read it. If it will help people love others better, then who am I to stand in the way, but now that I’ve seen the pattern of his books, I’m not so sure I can keep giving that counsel. I think there are better books for these things.
While reading this book I couldn’t stop thinking about this YouTube channel where these guys create videos making fun of Christian influencers. HERE is one of their videos. I think they could get some good material from Bob. He spends 3-4 pages telling this story that’s either elaborate or name-droppy and then turns it into an analogy that’s cringe or just a general stretch. Alllll of that lead-up just to say… that?
‘The other day… I was trying to eat noodles with a fork and they kept sliding between the tines and falling off… And so I have this question for you… What are the things falling between the tines of your life? If you live an undistracted life, you’ll start eating your noodles with a spoon and you won’t let important things fall away.’ (This is me trying to write like Bob Goff…)
For real though. Here are some examples from the book:
- The time he built something in shop class— which by the way his shop teacher only has 3 fingers— tells us that even if we fail (and lose fingers) we can still do our purpose.
- His VIP pass to the ‘mosh pit’ at Carrie Underwood’s concert because he’s besties with Carrie’s guitarist tells us we need to “live out our faith in the mosh pit.” We have an all-access pass to the world.
- The time he was hanging out with Jim Caveziel but didn’t know it until afterwards tells us that sometimes we “fail to recognize Jesus is in the room with us.”
- The time Keith Green wrote him a letter when he was younger tells us that we need to make someone else feel important because it’s a big deal.
- The time he took his kids in their dinghy and parked between two pirate ships having a mock battle in the bay with cannons (which is super safe and recommended) reminds us that we need to stop firing shots with our words.
- The time he pinned medals on all the soldiers in the trenches of the Middle East that were about to try to liberate Mosul from ISIS rule— also where Bob was asked to check out their secret battle plans— tells us that we need to liberate ourselves from negative things.
- The time in 2018 when the guy hit the wrong button in Hawaii and alerted the whole country to a missile attack that wasn’t happening and they hid his identity but Bob found out who he was and called him to offer him a job tells us that we need to care about people who fail.
- The time Pavlov’s dogs got eaten in the siege of Leningrad tells us that sometimes bad things happen.
- The time someone just gave him a horse that was a descendant of Secretariat tells us that sometimes heaven surprises us.
- The time Bob hung out with the son of the man who started Holiday Inn hotels tells us that we can be distracted when we think we’re too important.
He did this in Everybody, Always too. The few good points are hidden in all of this EXTRA. Are those really the best ways to get the point across? Also, what IS the point?
Here’s the thing about Bob Goff.
I’ve never met him but I would venture to guess he’s a genuine guy who truly does love people and aims to help them however he can. I don’t doubt his sincerity. I don’t believe he writes books to make money. He writes because he really wants to inspire people in positive ways. With all the schools and wells and such that he’s built, he obviously practices what he preaches in terms of serving others.
And yes, he’s a good story teller and he’s funny (when he’s not trying too hard to be funny).
However, there is something ‘off’ here that I can’t quite put my finger on. I had the same feelings in Everybody, Always.
As I looked through my notes of this book I categorized them into groups: Good, Bad, Jesus, and True?.
There were a few good things we can take away. There were some questionable statements that felt like Moralistic Therapeutic Deism or prosperity gospel. There were times where he talks about Jesus and how he died for us and is doing a great work in our lives. And there were some statements that made me go- Is that really true? (I won’t take the space to delve into that last one much)
He mentions Jesus so everything must be good right?
“I’m not saying go light on sound doctrine. I am saying if we go big on Jesus, we’ll be living out some great theology.”
We can get on the Bob Goff train because he believes in Jesus!
Well. Let’s not make rash decisions just because he hangs out at Disney Land and carries balloons everywhere.
I was surprised when he came right out and said:
“Someone asked me if I was watering down the gospel in the books I write. “Actually,” I said, “I hope so.” Here’s why. I want to write books for thirsty people. There’s a lot of people who are full of opinions but parched in their own lives because they simply aren’t thirsty anymore.”
I don’t know what he means here but it’s a bit concerning. Maybe he’s just writing a ‘seeker-friendly’ type of book that just introduces the idea of Jesus?
I’ve heard the analogy of advising not to pour an entire pitcher of water if someone is only holding a dixie cup— meaning don’t overload someone; simplify, and work your way up to a bigger cup. But that’s not changing the substance that’s going in. It’s not changing the quality, it’s changing the quantity.
But he also says this:
“If you need a starting nudge, maybe the best first step is to find what you trust the most and put wheels on it. If you are a Jesus person, what you trust might be what you find in the books and letters compiled into the Bible—words that will give you more than a lifetime of ideas for how to live a more joyful and purposeful life. If faith isn’t your thing, then find something else you can put your trust in. Who knows? Perhaps the answer will come later.”
I can respect that he doesn’t want to shove the Bible down people’s throats, but as with other self-help books I’ve read (like Brene Brown) where they just encourage people to find out ‘whatever works for them’—even though they personally trust Jesus— just rubs me the wrong way.
If Jesus is the way then why would you approve of any other way? If that’s the path of truth, of true peace, true purpose, true belonging, then tell people that! And if you don’t tell people that, then do you not believe it is?
There are a lot of self-proclaimed Christians that just want you to be nice to everyone, follow your dreams, and be better versions of yourselves. Just find your purpose, put your head down and be you. Be your authentic self. It seems confusing to be opposed to this philosophy but these ideals are found in Moralistic Therapeutic Deism and it’s void of the gospel.
Here are things Bob says in his book that fits this philosophy:
- “Give yourself a pep talk about how it’s okay to be exactly who you are.”
- “You will only be as free as you actually believe you are.”
- “People who accomplish a great deal in their lives are filled with joy and lasting ambitions; they choose a direction then take the steps and actions needed to stay the course. Be one of these people, and you will find your joy once again.”
- “You are only one generous act of availability away from being a better version of yourself.”
- “Go love people in extravagant, wildly inefficient ways by speaking words of beauty into their lives. Your words have that kind of power.”
- “We need to return to the most real versions of our faith and the most authentic versions of ourselves.”
- “You get to set the course for who you want to be.”
He runs a retreat center called The Oaks and when I searched for information about these retreats, these two statements are listed:
‘Explore what is holding you back and overcome barriers that are keeping you stuck.
Gain the confidence to turn your wishes, dreams and plans into reality.’
I’m sure he helps people, but this kind of rhetoric doesn’t resonate with me. It feels disingenuous and shallow. Just the term ‘self-help’ seems contrary to the gospel. You can’t find your purpose or joy apart from Christ, you just can’t. We were created to find purpose, joy, and meaning in worshiping him. It’s in our very design. Any other ‘solution’ is a mirage.
I also want to point out that I felt there were lots of contradictions in this book of what he was suggesting you do and what he was advising against.
One prominent example in his own life is that he wants to be unreasonably available to people. He puts his cell phone number in the back of all of his books and says he answers every call. He claims he has answered calls in the court room and speaking on stage to people.
But then later he says, “Think of phone use as cheating on your family.”
I like that he wants to be available to others but I find it hard to believe he’s honoring his family and those around him when he is taking every call. I would challenge that unreasonable availability is more of a distraction than a true purpose. And quite disrespectful to the people he’s with. He calls it cheating but he uses his phone excessively. Which is right?
What’s good?
To be fair… he does have some good thoughts. Unfortunately, he obscures them with his own illustrations, but I would be remiss if all I did was tell you the bad stuff. Here are some of the good snippets:
“Most of pride’s prisoners think they are the guards.”
“Every time a cynic hands you a dark invitation to join them on their journey, just hand it right back to them. They’re offering you a ride in a car with no tires that has been riding on the rims for years. That’s why they make so much noise and are surrounded by sparks. Take the bus. Walk if you must. Just don’t hitch a ride with cynics anymore. It’s a one-way trip to a life filled with distractions.”
“We can eliminate the distractions that have been obscuring our view of what God is doing in the world.”
“Don’t be too quick to self-identify as the victim when you are the student. Resist compiling a list of grievances and see how God has used these moments of desperation in your life to clear a path for some much needed grace.” [I was surprised to find such a counter-cultural statement, but I’m here for it. Victimhood as your identity and your excuse for not trying is not a right perspective.]
“When I tell God I want to have it all explained to me before I will obey, it makes faith sound like a negotiation—and it’s not.”
“The inevitability of a mistake doesn’t mean it is any less painful. It’s time we stopped acting like our failures somehow disqualify us from God’s love, when in reality these setbacks might lead to a keener awareness of it.”
“To live fully you need the whole truth about who you are because only truth will make you clear-eyed about where you’re going.”
“When an unreasonable amount of attention is given to a distraction, it can become an obsession.”
“What we do matters less than what we are working toward, who we’re working for, and why we are doing it.”
“It’s easy to spend so much time providing for your family that you’re no longer providing for your family. Do you get me? Don’t wait until later to connect with your families. It won’t happen. Choose your family over and over…”
In summation:
No, I would not recommend this book. I recommend the premise of the book and believe that we are living very distracted lives and some re-orientation is in order, but I don’t think Bob’s the guy to help you out.
He would make a good friend and would probably be a great choice for a dinner party guest but I don’t think this book will be effective in helping you identify problems or solutions that really matter.
It’s lacking in clarity and organization, and has some problematic philosophies he seems to promote, despite his clear belief in Jesus.
It’s easy to like a guy like Bob, but I think a lot of people have been taken in by his charms and stopped thinking critically about what he’s saying.
Really in general, my advice is to be wary of any self-help type of book. Some can be practically helpful, but real power to change your life is found in the work of the Holy Spirit. Find a gospel-oriented book. I’ve reviewed lots of them on my site.
After all that, I will leave you on a positive note. I can get behind this quote from this book:
“It doesn’t matter what the work is; it is who we become in the process of doing our work that does, and the goal is to look and act more like Jesus while we do it.”
**Received an ARC via NetGalley**
Book Review Blog | Facebook | Pinterest
This book was a bit of a love bomb. Ironically, a distracted love bomb.
I read Goff’s book Everybody, Always, and contrary to popular opinion of it, I wasn’t really impressed.
I decided to give Goff another chance by reading his newest book before I heard any hype about it. A clean first impression.
And I felt about the same as when I read his other book.
In short, it just felt like a shallow, self-helpy book with dramatic anecdotes Goff wrangled into inspirational one-liners that sound great but feel a bit fluffy. Everything was all over the place and I’m not really sure it’s actually going to help anyone.
I can’t really think of a reason to read this book.
If you are feeling like you need a better philosophy on how you spend your time or use your phone, I would recommend one of these books instead:
- To Hell with the Hustle
- A Spacious Life
- 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You
If you’re feeling like you want to be a ‘better version of yourself’ or figure out what to do with your life then there are plenty of other books that would be better than this one. Here are just a few off the top of my head:
- When Strivings Cease
- On the Road with Saint Augustine
- Sis, Take a Breath
- Just Do Something
In my review of Everybody, Always I said that maybe people should still read it. If it will help people love others better, then who am I to stand in the way, but now that I’ve seen the pattern of his books, I’m not so sure I can keep giving that counsel. I think there are better books for these things.
While reading this book I couldn’t stop thinking about this YouTube channel where these guys create videos making fun of Christian influencers. HERE is one of their videos. I think they could get some good material from Bob. He spends 3-4 pages telling this story that’s either elaborate or name-droppy and then turns it into an analogy that’s cringe or just a general stretch. Alllll of that lead-up just to say… that?
‘The other day… I was trying to eat noodles with a fork and they kept sliding between the tines and falling off… And so I have this question for you… What are the things falling between the tines of your life? If you live an undistracted life, you’ll start eating your noodles with a spoon and you won’t let important things fall away.’ (This is me trying to write like Bob Goff…)
For real though. Here are some examples from the book:
- The time he built something in shop class— which by the way his shop teacher only has 3 fingers— tells us that even if we fail (and lose fingers) we can still do our purpose.
- His VIP pass to the ‘mosh pit’ at Carrie Underwood’s concert because he’s besties with Carrie’s guitarist tells us we need to “live out our faith in the mosh pit.” We have an all-access pass to the world.
- The time he was hanging out with Jim Caveziel but didn’t know it until afterwards tells us that sometimes we “fail to recognize Jesus is in the room with us.”
- The time Keith Green wrote him a letter when he was younger tells us that we need to make someone else feel important because it’s a big deal.
- The time he took his kids in their dinghy and parked between two pirate ships having a mock battle in the bay with cannons (which is super safe and recommended) reminds us that we need to stop firing shots with our words.
- The time he pinned medals on all the soldiers in the trenches of the Middle East that were about to try to liberate Mosul from ISIS rule— also where Bob was asked to check out their secret battle plans— tells us that we need to liberate ourselves from negative things.
- The time in 2018 when the guy hit the wrong button in Hawaii and alerted the whole country to a missile attack that wasn’t happening and they hid his identity but Bob found out who he was and called him to offer him a job tells us that we need to care about people who fail.
- The time Pavlov’s dogs got eaten in the siege of Leningrad tells us that sometimes bad things happen.
- The time someone just gave him a horse that was a descendant of Secretariat tells us that sometimes heaven surprises us.
- The time Bob hung out with the son of the man who started Holiday Inn hotels tells us that we can be distracted when we think we’re too important.
He did this in Everybody, Always too. The few good points are hidden in all of this EXTRA. Are those really the best ways to get the point across? Also, what IS the point?
Here’s the thing about Bob Goff.
I’ve never met him but I would venture to guess he’s a genuine guy who truly does love people and aims to help them however he can. I don’t doubt his sincerity. I don’t believe he writes books to make money. He writes because he really wants to inspire people in positive ways. With all the schools and wells and such that he’s built, he obviously practices what he preaches in terms of serving others.
And yes, he’s a good story teller and he’s funny (when he’s not trying too hard to be funny).
However, there is something ‘off’ here that I can’t quite put my finger on. I had the same feelings in Everybody, Always.
As I looked through my notes of this book I categorized them into groups: Good, Bad, Jesus, and True?.
There were a few good things we can take away. There were some questionable statements that felt like Moralistic Therapeutic Deism or prosperity gospel. There were times where he talks about Jesus and how he died for us and is doing a great work in our lives. And there were some statements that made me go- Is that really true? (I won’t take the space to delve into that last one much)
He mentions Jesus so everything must be good right?
“I’m not saying go light on sound doctrine. I am saying if we go big on Jesus, we’ll be living out some great theology.”
We can get on the Bob Goff train because he believes in Jesus!
Well. Let’s not make rash decisions just because he hangs out at Disney Land and carries balloons everywhere.
I was surprised when he came right out and said:
“Someone asked me if I was watering down the gospel in the books I write. “Actually,” I said, “I hope so.” Here’s why. I want to write books for thirsty people. There’s a lot of people who are full of opinions but parched in their own lives because they simply aren’t thirsty anymore.”
I don’t know what he means here but it’s a bit concerning. Maybe he’s just writing a ‘seeker-friendly’ type of book that just introduces the idea of Jesus?
I’ve heard the analogy of advising not to pour an entire pitcher of water if someone is only holding a dixie cup— meaning don’t overload someone; simplify, and work your way up to a bigger cup. But that’s not changing the substance that’s going in. It’s not changing the quality, it’s changing the quantity.
But he also says this:
“If you need a starting nudge, maybe the best first step is to find what you trust the most and put wheels on it. If you are a Jesus person, what you trust might be what you find in the books and letters compiled into the Bible—words that will give you more than a lifetime of ideas for how to live a more joyful and purposeful life. If faith isn’t your thing, then find something else you can put your trust in. Who knows? Perhaps the answer will come later.”
I can respect that he doesn’t want to shove the Bible down people’s throats, but as with other self-help books I’ve read (like Brene Brown) where they just encourage people to find out ‘whatever works for them’—even though they personally trust Jesus— just rubs me the wrong way.
If Jesus is the way then why would you approve of any other way? If that’s the path of truth, of true peace, true purpose, true belonging, then tell people that! And if you don’t tell people that, then do you not believe it is?
There are a lot of self-proclaimed Christians that just want you to be nice to everyone, follow your dreams, and be better versions of yourselves. Just find your purpose, put your head down and be you. Be your authentic self. It seems confusing to be opposed to this philosophy but these ideals are found in Moralistic Therapeutic Deism and it’s void of the gospel.
Here are things Bob says in his book that fits this philosophy:
- “Give yourself a pep talk about how it’s okay to be exactly who you are.”
- “You will only be as free as you actually believe you are.”
- “People who accomplish a great deal in their lives are filled with joy and lasting ambitions; they choose a direction then take the steps and actions needed to stay the course. Be one of these people, and you will find your joy once again.”
- “You are only one generous act of availability away from being a better version of yourself.”
- “Go love people in extravagant, wildly inefficient ways by speaking words of beauty into their lives. Your words have that kind of power.”
- “We need to return to the most real versions of our faith and the most authentic versions of ourselves.”
- “You get to set the course for who you want to be.”
He runs a retreat center called The Oaks and when I searched for information about these retreats, these two statements are listed:
‘Explore what is holding you back and overcome barriers that are keeping you stuck.
Gain the confidence to turn your wishes, dreams and plans into reality.’
I’m sure he helps people, but this kind of rhetoric doesn’t resonate with me. It feels disingenuous and shallow. Just the term ‘self-help’ seems contrary to the gospel. You can’t find your purpose or joy apart from Christ, you just can’t. We were created to find purpose, joy, and meaning in worshiping him. It’s in our very design. Any other ‘solution’ is a mirage.
I also want to point out that I felt there were lots of contradictions in this book of what he was suggesting you do and what he was advising against.
One prominent example in his own life is that he wants to be unreasonably available to people. He puts his cell phone number in the back of all of his books and says he answers every call. He claims he has answered calls in the court room and speaking on stage to people.
But then later he says, “Think of phone use as cheating on your family.”
I like that he wants to be available to others but I find it hard to believe he’s honoring his family and those around him when he is taking every call. I would challenge that unreasonable availability is more of a distraction than a true purpose. And quite disrespectful to the people he’s with. He calls it cheating but he uses his phone excessively. Which is right?
What’s good?
To be fair… he does have some good thoughts. Unfortunately, he obscures them with his own illustrations, but I would be remiss if all I did was tell you the bad stuff. Here are some of the good snippets:
“Most of pride’s prisoners think they are the guards.”
“Every time a cynic hands you a dark invitation to join them on their journey, just hand it right back to them. They’re offering you a ride in a car with no tires that has been riding on the rims for years. That’s why they make so much noise and are surrounded by sparks. Take the bus. Walk if you must. Just don’t hitch a ride with cynics anymore. It’s a one-way trip to a life filled with distractions.”
“We can eliminate the distractions that have been obscuring our view of what God is doing in the world.”
“Don’t be too quick to self-identify as the victim when you are the student. Resist compiling a list of grievances and see how God has used these moments of desperation in your life to clear a path for some much needed grace.” [I was surprised to find such a counter-cultural statement, but I’m here for it. Victimhood as your identity and your excuse for not trying is not a right perspective.]
“When I tell God I want to have it all explained to me before I will obey, it makes faith sound like a negotiation—and it’s not.”
“The inevitability of a mistake doesn’t mean it is any less painful. It’s time we stopped acting like our failures somehow disqualify us from God’s love, when in reality these setbacks might lead to a keener awareness of it.”
“To live fully you need the whole truth about who you are because only truth will make you clear-eyed about where you’re going.”
“When an unreasonable amount of attention is given to a distraction, it can become an obsession.”
“What we do matters less than what we are working toward, who we’re working for, and why we are doing it.”
“It’s easy to spend so much time providing for your family that you’re no longer providing for your family. Do you get me? Don’t wait until later to connect with your families. It won’t happen. Choose your family over and over…”
In summation:
No, I would not recommend this book. I recommend the premise of the book and believe that we are living very distracted lives and some re-orientation is in order, but I don’t think Bob’s the guy to help you out.
He would make a good friend and would probably be a great choice for a dinner party guest but I don’t think this book will be effective in helping you identify problems or solutions that really matter.
It’s lacking in clarity and organization, and has some problematic philosophies he seems to promote, despite his clear belief in Jesus.
It’s easy to like a guy like Bob, but I think a lot of people have been taken in by his charms and stopped thinking critically about what he’s saying.
Really in general, my advice is to be wary of any self-help type of book. Some can be practically helpful, but real power to change your life is found in the work of the Holy Spirit. Find a gospel-oriented book. I’ve reviewed lots of them on my site.
After all that, I will leave you on a positive note. I can get behind this quote from this book:
“It doesn’t matter what the work is; it is who we become in the process of doing our work that does, and the goal is to look and act more like Jesus while we do it.”
**Received an ARC via NetGalley**
Book Review Blog | Facebook | Pinterest
July 21, 2022
2.5/5
There’s no doubt in my mind Bob Goff is an extraordinary man who has experienced a full life of boundless joy and selfless love, but his new book Undistracted felt all over the place with too little substance. Only about half his stories and anecdotes are interesting with extremely thin, borderline laughable segues into vague advice about living an undistracted life. A few times I pushed myself through the disinterest to finish the book.
There’s no doubt in my mind Bob Goff is an extraordinary man who has experienced a full life of boundless joy and selfless love, but his new book Undistracted felt all over the place with too little substance. Only about half his stories and anecdotes are interesting with extremely thin, borderline laughable segues into vague advice about living an undistracted life. A few times I pushed myself through the disinterest to finish the book.
July 16, 2024
Rather than picking a resolution for the new year, I like to pick a theme. This year, my theme is single-tasking, a concept I made up to describe the moments when your full attention is devoted just one thing at a time well, rather than multitasking, where you do several things, but none of them as well as if I'd done it by itself. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to hear that one of my favorite authors/people was writing a book on staying undistracted.
I was on an early release team, so I got to read ahead, and here is what you can expect from the latest of Bob's books. If you need help identifying distractions, Bob touches on many of the different things that cloud our focus, from other people to problems within ourselves. If you're looking for inspiration when it comes to getting rid of distractions, you will find plenty of examples scattered through each chapter. And if you want stories sharing the impact of living an undistracted life, there are plenty here to read through.
As Bob writes, "don't settle for proximity over presence." For me, this book helped me get a ton of clarity over how I can live a more focused life and challenged me to take some leaps of faith to get there. For you, it may be the starting point of a more undistracted life or it could be a refreshing reminder to keep doing what you're doing. Either way, there are words and ideas in these pages that can help you get rid of distractions so you can get on with living a purpose-driven, joy-filled life.
I was on an early release team, so I got to read ahead, and here is what you can expect from the latest of Bob's books. If you need help identifying distractions, Bob touches on many of the different things that cloud our focus, from other people to problems within ourselves. If you're looking for inspiration when it comes to getting rid of distractions, you will find plenty of examples scattered through each chapter. And if you want stories sharing the impact of living an undistracted life, there are plenty here to read through.
As Bob writes, "don't settle for proximity over presence." For me, this book helped me get a ton of clarity over how I can live a more focused life and challenged me to take some leaps of faith to get there. For you, it may be the starting point of a more undistracted life or it could be a refreshing reminder to keep doing what you're doing. Either way, there are words and ideas in these pages that can help you get rid of distractions so you can get on with living a purpose-driven, joy-filled life.
May 27, 2025
Hope this finds you well, I sort of liked this book. 📕
Undistracted
By Bob Goff
He’s an interesting read l, I’ve like most Bob Goff books and this review is kind of a personal take on many of his books.
Here’s my review on it.
Finished ✅ my book undistracted today did a review got several likes on it
What’s my opinion of the trades, for every sixth retiring trades people 2 are replacing them that’s how proficient and efficient trades have gotten.
Not everyone are going to be tradespeople….
Actually most are jobs that are growing in America are in services, hospitality, retail. They are poorly paid in an era of knowledge.
And let me tell you there is an underlying problem of to many men getting hurt in the trades and just disappear with no one asking where or when or what happen, I know
With my head injury working in carpentry in 100 km winds, I managed to stay above in a broken system but I see many people not make it through work Injuries.
It might not even be when the work injury happens might be a decade of struggling in a broken projection that is the end…..
Regards,
Nigel
A love ❤️ bombing video below sort of how I’ll explain sophomoric problems which is an awkward age for anybody in that age group, even for a young adult male in trades
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1HA3...
👆👆👆👆👆👆👆
What do you think this guy is saying is saying as construction 🚧 women
Building something erecting a building
That’s what they call in construction building. Something is erecting a building.
The actual terminology for it
lol 😆
I had like an erection for like several hours some times days it seemed, hard to hide that, I think it had something to do with my meds
The terminology with the construction though is
Yeah when I was in construction, it was like erecting a building
Not helpful hiding stuff like that, my boss in carpentry told me I should not go to the hospital for having an erection for several hours….
You know what’s gay is electrician terminology
Like capacitor‘s or resistors or switches or currents or three-way switch
Electrician terminology is pretty gay
Any way might be too much information…. Like TMI
Of TL;DR
Is there such a thing as too much…. a distraction😯. It’s it okay to be a bit cynical about people’s thinking box 📦 and life is completely different than the words and catcalls…. Are distractions realistic or a realism…
Priapism, which is usually caused by disease or injury in the brain or spinal cord….
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It sounds like you've put a lot of reflection into your experiences and the challenges in the trades, especially regarding safety and the impact of work injuries. It's so important to have conversations about these issues, as they affect many within the industry.
As for your humorous twist on construction terminology, it’s an interesting take! Language can definitely lead to some light-hearted misunderstandings, especially in a field like construction where terms are very technical.
Regarding your questions about distractions and cynicism, it’s natural for people to become skeptical about societal norms and language, particularly when they feel there's a gap between words and reality. Finding a balance in acknowledging distractions while pursuing personal growth and understanding is key. Each person's experience can be so unique, and sometimes it’s important to find the right outlets and support systems for those underlying thoughts and issues.
Undistracted
By Bob Goff
He’s an interesting read l, I’ve like most Bob Goff books and this review is kind of a personal take on many of his books.
Here’s my review on it.
Finished ✅ my book undistracted today did a review got several likes on it
What’s my opinion of the trades, for every sixth retiring trades people 2 are replacing them that’s how proficient and efficient trades have gotten.
Not everyone are going to be tradespeople….
Actually most are jobs that are growing in America are in services, hospitality, retail. They are poorly paid in an era of knowledge.
And let me tell you there is an underlying problem of to many men getting hurt in the trades and just disappear with no one asking where or when or what happen, I know
With my head injury working in carpentry in 100 km winds, I managed to stay above in a broken system but I see many people not make it through work Injuries.
It might not even be when the work injury happens might be a decade of struggling in a broken projection that is the end…..
Regards,
Nigel
A love ❤️ bombing video below sort of how I’ll explain sophomoric problems which is an awkward age for anybody in that age group, even for a young adult male in trades
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1HA3...
👆👆👆👆👆👆👆
What do you think this guy is saying is saying as construction 🚧 women
Building something erecting a building
That’s what they call in construction building. Something is erecting a building.
The actual terminology for it
lol 😆
I had like an erection for like several hours some times days it seemed, hard to hide that, I think it had something to do with my meds
The terminology with the construction though is
Yeah when I was in construction, it was like erecting a building
Not helpful hiding stuff like that, my boss in carpentry told me I should not go to the hospital for having an erection for several hours….
You know what’s gay is electrician terminology
Like capacitor‘s or resistors or switches or currents or three-way switch
Electrician terminology is pretty gay
Any way might be too much information…. Like TMI
Of TL;DR
Is there such a thing as too much…. a distraction😯. It’s it okay to be a bit cynical about people’s thinking box 📦 and life is completely different than the words and catcalls…. Are distractions realistic or a realism…
Priapism, which is usually caused by disease or injury in the brain or spinal cord….
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It sounds like you've put a lot of reflection into your experiences and the challenges in the trades, especially regarding safety and the impact of work injuries. It's so important to have conversations about these issues, as they affect many within the industry.
As for your humorous twist on construction terminology, it’s an interesting take! Language can definitely lead to some light-hearted misunderstandings, especially in a field like construction where terms are very technical.
Regarding your questions about distractions and cynicism, it’s natural for people to become skeptical about societal norms and language, particularly when they feel there's a gap between words and reality. Finding a balance in acknowledging distractions while pursuing personal growth and understanding is key. Each person's experience can be so unique, and sometimes it’s important to find the right outlets and support systems for those underlying thoughts and issues.
February 25, 2022
Bob has an amazing way of communicating his heart through entertaining stories that remind you of the point being made. I always enjoy reading his books and feel changed for the better after reading and implementing the content. Undistracted is no different. While challenging for me to read on a device, I look forward to getting the hardcopy to highlight all the nuggets of wisdom this book has to offer.
March 16, 2022
Bob Goff is the best. I love his enthusiasm for life and his optimism. This book is filled with more tails of the crazy things that happen to him because he’s always available for an adventure. I didn’t learn anything revolutionary from this book, but Bob’s zeal rubs off on you and makes you want to do something big in life and take some chances.
March 9, 2024
Reading a Bob Goff book feels like you’re sitting with your wise crazy grandpa who is telling you all that he has learned in his life and encouraging you to live a good one. Loved it it was super encouraging to read
April 17, 2024
“Sometimes we are so busy looking up and looking forward trying to figure out the next moves in our lives - or looking backward at all the places we have been- that we don’t look down and figure out where we really are.”
Bob in the book says that days are long and years are short. Which feels really true. I would recommend this book to anyone who 1) feels like they have been set back from failure or is afraid to fail 2) is “distracted” by security, comfort and others opinions. 3) you need a push or reminder that your purpose and dreams are important and worth fighting for. Plus a million other reasons but I will forever and always love Bob🎈
“The more you hear beautiful, encouraging words flowing out of your mouth, the more you know that is the person you are becoming too”
Bob in the book says that days are long and years are short. Which feels really true. I would recommend this book to anyone who 1) feels like they have been set back from failure or is afraid to fail 2) is “distracted” by security, comfort and others opinions. 3) you need a push or reminder that your purpose and dreams are important and worth fighting for. Plus a million other reasons but I will forever and always love Bob🎈
“The more you hear beautiful, encouraging words flowing out of your mouth, the more you know that is the person you are becoming too”
March 6, 2024
I don’t know if this book was for me. Not because it wasn’t good! But because the issue I have is acting too rashly and not thinking things through, and this book tells you to plow forward and stop making lists. But for the people who are stuck trying to have a more fulfilling life this is for you!
August 31, 2022
5 stars because I really do love Bob Goff’s stories. I appreciate that in this book he acknowledged that there are critiques about him watering down the gospel but if you are looking for a deep theological study, this might not be the book for you. But he writes about what it’s like to acknowledge our human failures and how to focus on looking more like Jesus.
I definitely took away a lot of tactical encouragements about bringing our doubt to Jesus & asking for help when we fall into the pit of our distractions. I also really enjoyed the point he made about how “disappointments are often divine redirections” & how important it is to “practice not freaking out as you watch the unexpected circumstances unfolding right in front of you”
I really did enjoy this book!
also thought it was so funny about how one chapter was straight up about how Young Life rejected him multiple times.
I definitely took away a lot of tactical encouragements about bringing our doubt to Jesus & asking for help when we fall into the pit of our distractions. I also really enjoyed the point he made about how “disappointments are often divine redirections” & how important it is to “practice not freaking out as you watch the unexpected circumstances unfolding right in front of you”
I really did enjoy this book!
also thought it was so funny about how one chapter was straight up about how Young Life rejected him multiple times.
June 9, 2025
This was about what I expected. I enjoy Bob Goff's stories and application with the Bible, so I expected that only with the focus on how to live an undistracted life. This book delivered on exactly what I expected. Although some chapters ran together and I didn't always agree with how the Bible was applied in each instance, I appreciated the core idea of this book and hope to live a less distracted life.
January 9, 2023
I smiled while reading this book just because of my love for Bob Goff. Several challenging aspects that I will reflect upon, but just so many awesome stories. Bob Goff will always be my dream grandpa🎈
February 14, 2023
I <3 Bob Goff, the stories he tells, and the significance he frames them with!!
My 1 issue is that sometimes his application steps are unattainable / unrealistic :( ex: not everyone can take months off of work from a big law firm and not be fired
My 1 issue is that sometimes his application steps are unattainable / unrealistic :( ex: not everyone can take months off of work from a big law firm and not be fired
June 2, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. It’s Bob Goff at his best, when he’s telling wild stories of his life and making them applicable to everyone else’s. It does lose its traction on occasion but overall this is an excellent read.
August 28, 2025
Bob Goff has to be one of my favorite authors at this point ✨️📖✝️
April 29, 2022
3.5 “Get some wood and light a fire. Find some chairs and fill them with people you haven’t connected with in a while, then watch the flames dance. Go ahead and get some smoke on you, and the next day your clothes will smell like a dozen great conversations.”
January 19, 2023
I would lean more to say a 3.5 star really but trending upwards. It’s hard when you have an author like Bob Goff whose first two books love does and everybody always were so good. To follow those up is like being asking bull gates son to be better than he was. At sone point it just can’t happen and that’s how I would explain this book. bill gates son may be doing great things right now but no where near his father, and this book is the same. Really good in a lot of ways, encouraging, faithfully driven towards the gospel and full of great stories. I just think the analogy of bills gates son simplifies this review to the way that I reflect on this book. (I came up with this Analogy on the spot so if it’s dumb I’m sorry)
August 13, 2025
Self help + Jesus + Entertaining. I thought I would get bored, but I definitely did not. Now I’m all caught up in his books!
June 15, 2024
Really enjoyed this book easy to follow with classic stories to relate to the content. Similar concept to ruthless elimination of hurry just not as in depth
July 23, 2022
Early on, I was not a big fan of this book. But Bob Goff's writing style grew on me the more I went along. He definitely has a "dad joke" type of humor and a lot of his stories really do start out as long-form dad jokes that he then morphs into parables to reveal some spiritual truth. Sometimes these are a hit, sometimes they are a miss. But the times they do hit can really leave you reeling. More than once I was thinking, "oh wow, that's good... that can preach."
I almost wanted to give this book 3 stars. It is more Christian-based motivational speaking than Bible-based inspiration. There are also a few points where I completely disagreed with him: Jesus doesn't have a quiet time, and stop studying the Bible and start living it instead. (why not do both?) Also, he spent years commuting daily by plane so that he could live in San Diego, work in Seattle, and still be home daily with his family. I love the commitment, but such a waste of resources...
But when push comes to shove, Bob Goff just seems like such a genuinely good person. I would absolutely love to sit down with him and pick his brain. Or better yet, tag along on one of his wild and crazy ideas. His talk about being willing to step out and try, even if it is almost certain you will fail (which is never the horror we imagine it to be) speaks right in my wheelhouse. So in the end, I am rounding up to four stars.
I almost wanted to give this book 3 stars. It is more Christian-based motivational speaking than Bible-based inspiration. There are also a few points where I completely disagreed with him: Jesus doesn't have a quiet time, and stop studying the Bible and start living it instead. (why not do both?) Also, he spent years commuting daily by plane so that he could live in San Diego, work in Seattle, and still be home daily with his family. I love the commitment, but such a waste of resources...
But when push comes to shove, Bob Goff just seems like such a genuinely good person. I would absolutely love to sit down with him and pick his brain. Or better yet, tag along on one of his wild and crazy ideas. His talk about being willing to step out and try, even if it is almost certain you will fail (which is never the horror we imagine it to be) speaks right in my wheelhouse. So in the end, I am rounding up to four stars.
March 10, 2022
good ol’ bobby boy does it again!
July 22, 2025
I genuinely do appreciate and like Bob Goff and his writing style! Though this is the book after reading quite a few of his others that I had the hardest time to connect to.
I do appreciate the stories and the idealism that Bob is saying with bringing it back to the root of what your purpose is! I appreciate the gospel of what he is saying in his relationship and or your relationship with God.
My issue is that I have ADHD and I'm not medicated for it. I have a hard time just keeping my thoughts to a bear minimum sometimes to get back down to the roots. I loved his analogies and the stories did bring back to some kind of center. I just wish my own mind would let me stay there for a longer period. I feel like this book confirmed alot of things with my faith but maybe I'm just in a weird space to not fully appreciate everything I did read.
I do appreciate the stories and the idealism that Bob is saying with bringing it back to the root of what your purpose is! I appreciate the gospel of what he is saying in his relationship and or your relationship with God.
My issue is that I have ADHD and I'm not medicated for it. I have a hard time just keeping my thoughts to a bear minimum sometimes to get back down to the roots. I loved his analogies and the stories did bring back to some kind of center. I just wish my own mind would let me stay there for a longer period. I feel like this book confirmed alot of things with my faith but maybe I'm just in a weird space to not fully appreciate everything I did read.
August 1, 2022
This is an essential read for this period in history where there are countless distractions everywhere. For someone prone to distraction, it is a great reminder to stay on course and ensure that the time I am spending is for a worthwhile purpose. As always, Bob’s stories are hilarious and so it makes for an easy read.
March 1, 2023
Took me too long to finish this audiobook, but it oftentimes helped me start my day on a positive note or painted a radical picture of availability and love. Some of it went in one ear and out the other — maybe due to distraction or maybe due to questionable and impractical advice. Overall, these anecdotes and encouragements point me toward the path of slowing. down. And I need to.
July 1, 2023
I’ve read almost all of Bob Goff’s books, and I love his perspective on people and the world. So encouraging with tactical nuggets easily accessible for anyone to adopt in their own life. This book in particular provided me with lots of food for thought on how to live a less distracted life.
February 28, 2024
Listened to the audiobook of this, Bob Goff being the one to read it. It was a fun hearing him retell some of his stories while using them to example different truths/ideas. I think if i would have read this i honestly would have gotten bored, but audiobook made it feel like a podcast which i enjoyed.
Some quotes i wrote down:
* We are the product of the several, most focused people we decide to imitate.
* Stalking Jesus looks like knowledge and memorization without equivalent action.
* you don’t need more boldness, you need greater awareness and perspective of your purpose.
* When an unreasonable amount of effort is given to a distraction, it can become an obsession.
Some quotes i wrote down:
* We are the product of the several, most focused people we decide to imitate.
* Stalking Jesus looks like knowledge and memorization without equivalent action.
* you don’t need more boldness, you need greater awareness and perspective of your purpose.
* When an unreasonable amount of effort is given to a distraction, it can become an obsession.
May 14, 2022
I adore Bob Goff and have connected really well with his previous two books. Undistracted was good, but it wasn’t my favorite of his. Don’t get me wrong, there was some wonderful truth sprinkled throughout this book!! But a lot of times it felt pretty self-helpish, which is great for some, but just not what I was hoping for when I picked up this book. Overall though, I’m glad that I read it!
October 1, 2022
If Bob Goff wrote ruthless elimination of hurry, some good stories but a lot of same points he’s made previously. Definitely enjoyed him reading it as an audiobook
January 11, 2024
I love Bob Goff’s books and once again this one did not disappoint.
March 19, 2024
The way that Bob Goff is able to learn a lesson out of every situation he’s gone through, is quite beautiful. I’m inspired by his vulnerability and sense of wonder that he has. He’s lived so many lives!! I wanna be like him when I grow up!!!!
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