Speakers Corner Book Club: Motivational Stories to Kick Start the Year

We love jumping into the New Year feet first full of optimism and excitement and this month’s book club is no different.

We’ve pulled together this diverse collection of reads all themed around the topic of motivation, featuring books by the incredible Bonita Norris, Jez Rose, Sophie Bennet and Jim Lawless.

Whether you are more interested in a story full of motivation, or practical strategies that can be implemented in the workplace, there is something here for everyone!

Have a read through this month’s book club, and see which stories light a spark in your eyes.

Helena Horesh  - Getting Extra-Ordinary Results from Ordinary People by  Jez Rose

How can you can get extraordinary results from ordinary people? Jez goes about answering this magnanimous question in his book, Getting Extra-Ordinary Results from Ordinary People.

With his huge personality and approach to life shining through the pages, Jez gives rules for being amazing and Purple Banana Principles alongside some incredibly inspiring examples around the world of where ordinary people have become extraordinary.

He advocates that just a small 10% change can make an easily achievable goal a reality – such as in weight loss or customer service. His anecdotes and obvious love of life and studying human behaviour made this such a wonderful read.

It is a great addition for audiences who are lucky enough to hear Jez speak, and he guarantees that if by the end of the book you genuinely don’t feel or think any differently, then he will refund the cost in full!

“Dare to seek new knowledge, have confidence and believe”

Poonam Douglas  - Taming Tigers by  Jim Lawless

In a very frank and conversational style, Taming Tigers provides 10 rules on silencing, or overcoming, the voice of doubt in your mind – the Tiger. Jim Lawless uses his own real-life examples to describe how he has overcome his personal Tiger, some of which include becoming a horse jockey and breaking a record in freediving. He’s not dictating these rules, he’s living them!

Written for a business audience, this book can also be applied to personal goals. There are case studies throughout from ordinary people, discussing how they used the rules in their lives to overcome their Tiger, giving further context to each rule and chapter.

Whether you have a Tiger to tame, or not, this book provides guidance on how to set yourself realistic goals in order to achieve anything you set your mind to. Not only is it an inspiring read but an important reminder that we should be maintaining a positive mental attitude and not giving up at the hurdle’s life throws our way.

“You can buy a nice self-help book... if you want to feel warm and fuzzy. Taming Tigers is about being ALIVE”

Abigail Watts  – Find Your Flame by Sophie Bennett

I read Sophie Bennett's Find Your Flame where she delves into the characteristics of why certain high performing people are good at self-motivation. She dives into her 5 Flames of Motivation, consisting of Flow, Inclusion, Results, Expression & Discovery, and explains in depth the idea behind each flame. With case studies of some of the world’s best self-motivated and successful individuals who have attained Sophie Flames, there are many takeaways that can be applied instantly.

My favourite chapter of the book was the application of the flames to your life, and I feel like after reading this book there will be elements that you are either already doing in your life and can accentuate, introduce some new ways of motivation and in time radically change the way you self-motivate in order to achieve the best results.

“We are all motivated by something but if we don’t pay attention to the moments that matter, we could miss our greatest calling.”

Matt Wetherall  - The Girl Who Climbed Everest by  Bonita Norris

The Girl Who Climbed Everest is an autobiographical book centred around one singular focus for Bonita, that one day she will summit Everest. A feat that she would conquer at just age 22, the youngest British woman to do so at the time.

Bonita’s story is full of interesting characters she encountered along her journey, all of whom we experience through Bonita’s lens. You understand her burning and stubborn desire to summit Everest despite the freezing cold, battering winds, treacherous climbs, and thin air. Part of joining Bonita on this trek, you are constantly reminded of the internal self-doubt she must overcome to achieve her goals.

Bonita’s story is a real, and a reminder that someone who considers themselves an ordinary person can go on to do extraordinary things. Thanks to Bonita, this is the first year I’ve begun my New Year’s resolution the year before!

“I had to do things that nourished the real me”.

We hope this reading list has inspired you to start the year in the best way!

For further information or to book a speaker, call us on   or email  info@speakerscorner.co.uk .

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