Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It

In my executive coaching and consulting work, I sometimes meet people who have their "mojo" compromised or significantly diminished. Lack of or no "mojo" is becoming a huge problem in our difficult economy. Marshall Goldsmith has his finger on the pulse of what really matters in business and in life in his latest book Mojo. This is a must read for anyone who feels their positive spirit is leaving them. Because Mojo is about happiness and fulfillment in life, it's also a must read for anyone who dreams about what their life could be. I highly recommend it! Mary Key, Ph.D. Author of CEO Road Rules: Right Focus, Right People, Right Execution

I have always known when my own mojo was up and when it was down. I never stopped, however, to define it, understand it or know how to modify it in a proactive way Marshall takes that very hard-to-define word and gives it a very specific meaning. He provides his readers with numerous ways to assess themselves. Each of these methods unpeels another mojo layer and provides action steps for the user. His questionnaires are well thought through and practical. They cause the reader to do some very important soul searching. Marshall gives us all a gift. I can't imagine anyone coming away from this book without leaving markers on many "return to" pages and making some (even small) commitment to change. Beverly Kaye

I was blessed to see Marshall Goldsmith speak in person this week in New York City. After hearing his remarks I couldn't help but dive into his latest book. He has struck gold again. Marshall has pulled together new research (done with his daughter) and all his 30 years of experience in coaching others to give us practical tips on how to succeed (defined as finding meaning and happiness both at work and at home). He blows away some of the age old myths (like the number of hours you work impacts your satisfaction) and replaces them with new inspiring beliefs ('Doing what matters has more impact on your happiness than pursuing stimulating activities'). He also provides specific insights into how you can effect sustained change in your life (which few people are able to do over time)- and thereby thrive (keep your MOJO) in a NOJO ('no joy') world. It is a must read for anyone striving to become better (and happier) in their life.

Years ago a consultant I respect said "one of the most important things I have learned in dealing with clients is not finding the right answer but finding a way to communicate the right answer so they accept it" I have not met Marshall Goldsmith personally but I presume he excels at this type of verbal communication because he has the rare quality to do this with the written word. This is why there is little doubt this book will be a best seller like his earlier book "What Got You Here Won't Get You There." Here are just 10 excerpts from Mojo that resonated with me. 1. "The good news is that nearly all of the challenges we'll deal with here have simple--although not easy--solutions (there is a difference between simple and easy)." Goldsmith provides these tools in the latter sections of the book. 2. "...but sometimes no matter how positive we feel about what we are doing, we fail at showing it on the outside. We are so focused on completing our task that we assume people can read our hearts and minds. We think our good intentions should be obvious. They can't possibly be misconstrued." 3. "...the Mojo Paradox...Our default response in life is to not experience happiness. Our default response in life is to not experience meaning. Our default response in life is to experience inertia...our most common everyday process-the thing we do more than anything else-is to continue doing what we are already doing." 4. "Very few people achieve positive lasting change without ongoing follow-up." 5. "As you go through your day...evaluate every activity on a 1 to 10 scale...on two simple questions. 1. How much long-term benefit or meaning did I experience from this activity? 2. How much short-term satisfaction or happiness did I experience from this activity?" 6. "One of the greatest obstacles to changing our Mojo is here-in the paralysis we create with the self limiting definitions of who we are." 7. "...we confuse our need to consider ourselves to be smart with our need to be considered effective by the world...One of the most pernicious impulses of successful people is our overwhelming need to prove how smart we are...I say its pernicious because the need to be "the smartest person in the room" often leads to some incredibly stupid behavior." 8. "A company named DDI did some fascinating research that showed the average American spends 15 hours a month criticizing or complaining about their boss." 9. "These four "losing" arguments all have the same results...only lower our Mojo... 1. Let me keep talking... 2. I had it rougher than you... 3. Why did you do that... 4. It's not fair." 10. "If I could write a headline that sums up the last ten years of the American (and other rich country's) workplace-and the next thirty years as well-it would be this: "That Job is Gone!" That's the cold water I'd throw in the face of every man or woman who thinks his or her future can be understood by looking nostalgically to the past." G

This book is amazing. With all the crises, problems, and catastrophic events going on in the world today--who in the business and leadership world takes even a minute to breathe? No one. It's a sad state of affairs when we're all running so fast that we can't even take the time to consider where we might find meaning and happiness. You only live once, and Marshall Goldsmith shows us how to make this life count. This is a wonderful book not just for business people and leaders, but for human beings who are trying to make their lives mean something and who want to be happy. If you don't want to find meaning and happiness, don't buy this book. Thank you Marshall Goldsmith for this wonderful book!