Book Review - It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden

Have you ever picked up a book that made you see things differently? That's exactly my story when I read It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden. 

Source Credit - medium.com

This is a little book that can help a lot. He has packed it with some of the biggest ideas that can really be revolutionary to your understanding about success and creativity. Let me go ahead and tell you about it.

Who's Paul Arden?

Lets first reflect on the author. Paul Arden was a giant in advertising. He was employed at the very prestigious Saatchi & Saatchi agency for many years, where he was responsible for the launch of the company's new advertising campaign and came up with ideas that changed the entire advertising industry. 

This is the kind of like getting a major advice from the one who did it. What made Arden better than most people was that he could lead his own career with a straight look amongst the many obstacles without fear. 

Arden used to emphasize that the thing that prevents us from moving ahead with certain projects is the fear of not being able to succeed, which is the fear of failure if we discuss this exactly on point.

Why This Book Is Special

You might be asking yourself the question, what makes this book special?. Here's why -

1. It's Short and Sweet

He does not wax lyrical on any subject it seems; instead, he makes every chapter so personal and down-to-earth that it looks like a leaf clover quickly handed to you by a friend.

2. Cool looks

The book uses large characters and interesting photos. It's not just but you need to devour pop art which makes it even more exciting.

3. You can Use the Knowledge in Your Daily Life

One of Arden's best pieces of advice is that you can benefit from whether you are trying to sell an idea, handling the situation where you mess up, or in any other life situation you are in.

Big Ideas from the Book

1. It's Okay to Fail

Arden informs that failure is not a setback, but a process through which one can learn. He writes, Failure is a key element of success. Try to compare it with the general case of riding a bicycle. You might fall quite a few times before getting it right. But every time you fall off, you learn something that helps you ride better on the next occasion.

2. Don't Worry About What Others Think

Most of the time, we just get scared and we do not do things just because we do not want to hear someone else's negative comments. Arden, on his side, states that it is better to concentrate on improving because of better results than on people's happiness. 

He prefers to do one thing if it cannot be one hundred times but in his words he pushes you to persevere through his schooling.

3. Be Different

One of the major ideas Arden talks about is the issue of creativity. He asks, Aren't all the hazards worth the thorough compensation of novel and brave? This is really a question that comes to my mind every day. 

We live in a world where it is very difficult to come up with totally new ideas because we are constrained with the guidelines set by different organizations. Conjuring up new ideas at your new job, or start with leveling your playing field by trying to introduce a new approach will make you stand out.

4. Make Your Dreams Real

Arden says that having big dreams is nice but you also need to do something about them. This is comparable to having a map but never going on the trip. The initiative would be for him to suggest you do something every day which will give you a better insight into what you want.

A Story About Taking Chances

However, Arctic New Design is the project that came up with the solution for the global warming issue. This project took inspiration from the masterpiece of Mellin- the floating concept of recycling plastic into building materials. 

The architectural renderings and 3D models we did for Arctic New Design of Mellin's building materials took these kinds of scenes and made them visually perceptible. 

The development of the design of those new advertising materials made the project become the winner of that challenge not by mistake, but rather by the magnitude of comparative advantages it provided into the products offered. 

This vividly demonstrates how the concepts of taking a leap of faith of Arden indeed can lead to a successful result.

Who Should Read This Book?

There are lots of people who can enjoy this book -

1. If you are an artist with complete oversight over ideas and looking for new ideas

2. If you are a working person who sometimes doubt himself but still wants to become a better person

3. If you want to understand how to be happy with yourself for a short while

It isn't important if you are at the beginning, blocked or you want to know how to be successful; there's a part in this book for you.

How to Use What You Learn

Finally, here are the ways you can benefit from Arden's thoughts -

1. Don't be afraid of feedback. Look at the way they help you feel the need to act after they get the suggestion/s. Hear it with an openness that may include words that are not comfortable-but are meant only for your improvement.

2. Aim to bigger objectives. Sit down and write down your goals. Make sure you write achievable and challenging goals. Putting them into action will help you achieve them step by step however long it takes you.

3. Celebrate small victories. Remember to award to yourself that small step that you have successfully made and consider as your first step to the great step of success.

4. Transform problems by innovative insights. How wrong do you? Instead, you should ask yourself the following question, What can I learn from this?

Final Thoughts

Thanks for reading about It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be. I hope you found it as interesting as I did. The book he presents the notion that you can become great at something once you truly desire to be. Whether you're brainstorming, taking risk, or just thinking about your desires in life this novel will come in handy.

Have you delved into the story? What was your opinion? Or are there any other books that you have in mind that brought about a change in the way you think? Let me know in the comments!

Written by Shivam Sharma 

This article has been authored exclusively by the writer and is being presented on Eat My News, which serves as a platform for the community to voice their perspectives. As an entity, Eat My News cannot be held liable for the content or its accuracy. The views expressed in this article solely pertain to the author or writer. For further queries about the article or its content you can contact on this email address - shivamsharma658448@gmail.com