Andy Stanley - The Principle of the Path

I received a copy of Andy Stanley's newish book "The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be" a while back to review. Thomas Nelson Publishing gave me this copy (free!) to review. It has taken me a while to read through this, not because of the book but because of my busy schedule and some other reading I needed/wanted to do.

I have read and listened to most of what Andy Stanley has put out in the last 10 years, so I went into this book with some preconceptions. This book was NOT what I expected, but it was good in a very different way.

Andy Stanley has put together what I would call a great framework for life in this book. It is written in his easy to follow and understand style. Essentially, this is Andy's self-help guide for how to live life. How to have success and peace of mind at the same time, which is important because one often costs the other.

I think the great thing Andy Stanley always bring to the table is clarity, and in this book that is still the case. He basically tells you much of what you already know, but he clarifies it, and somewhat systematizes it so that you can move forward in your life. His point is we have the ability to control and change the path we are taking in life. We don't accidentally arrive at our destination. But we do have to be active in shaping that path, in spite of temporary obstacles in our lives. Our choices shape our path.

I would recommend this book to anyone needing some clarity in life. I see it as especially useful to someone in a transition point in life, or someone looking for motivation. A recent college grad, an person unexpectedly unemployed in today's economy, someone thinking of getting married - they all could benefit from the the clarity that Andy Stanley provides.