The Rise
by Sarah Lewis
Why You Should Read This To paraphrase Brené Brown, my “perfectionist armour” was oppressing me and this book accelerated my ability to incinerate it from my existence so that I could rise to become the version of myself I wanted to be. This book resulted in the tectonic mindset shift that I needed and provided me with the vocabulary that I use today as anyone who heard my ABC Keynote speech knows. Here is the link to the Audible version of the book but I also recommend buying a physical book because you will want to reference the wisdom in it frequently and you will be in great company as Oprah, Rebecca Solnit, and The New York Times concur.
One must admire a person who writes such a brilliant book while compiling her doctoral thesis. Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Lewis’s book “The Rise: Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery” is eloquent and elegantly written and incorporates the concepts of Mastery over Perfectionism, Blankness, the origin of the meaning behind Failure and how it is imperfect as a word, Surrender, and importance of setting big audacious goals that are sitting on the horizon and not quite within our reach. It intertwines art, history, and stories of those who seek excellence in their work, but never succumbed to complacency due to their dedication to experiment and grow from their setbacks/opportunities to grow.
Dr. Lewis’s statements are indelible, contrarian, and soul piercing for those of us who were told since we can recollect that we must always be perfect and anything less than is an impossibility: “Mastery requires endurance. Mastery, a word we don’t use often, is not the equivalent of what we might consider its cognate – perfectionism – an inhuman aim motivated by a concern with how others view us. Mastery is also not the same as success – an event-based victory based on a peak point, a punctuated moment in time. Mastery is not merely a commitment to a goal, but to a curved-line, constant pursuit.”
“What we gain by looking at Mastery, Invention, and Achievement is the value of otherwise ignored ideas – the power of surrender, the propulsion of the ‘near win’, the critical role of play in achieving innovation, and the importance of grit and creative process.”
“It is a cliché to say simply that we learn the most from failure. It is also not exactly true. Transformation comes from how we choose to speak about it in the context of story, whether self-stated or aloud.”
How You Can Apply This Success is a sprint that is inhaled, but Mastery is a marathon where achievement is a journey that is savored. The greatest innovations throughout history came from the growth associated with trial and error. Mastery is always at the core of achievements, but it is the process of taping into your curiosity throughout your career that will enable you to rise and see options that you otherwise might not. I hope that you apply a healthy dose of curiosity to a situation in your work and life. Relish the opportunity to connect with others and open your mind to the multitude of options available. If you are fortunate, you can bring others with you on your path to Mastery and the achievement of your Big Audacious Goal that is formed through Mastery.
Additional Materials For Reinforcing What You Learned If you want to reinforce what you gained from this book by listening to a podcast, you might enjoy: Brené Brown ‘s Interview on YouTube. She details the need for excellence instead of perfectionism and replacing it with self-love. You may also want to conduct a deeper dive by reading any of the Harvard Business Review articles on Perfectionism and the 70 Hour Week. Lastly, listen to IAWA’s own member, Greg Principato, describe the importance of self-care and curiosity that lead to longevity as part of IAWA’s Podcast – Connect. Inspire. Lead
This book review was written by Shelley A. Svoren, VP – Leader Development for IAWA and who is the CEO + Founder of Infinite Branches. You can DM her on LinkedIn.