Book Title:  Living in Full Swing

Author: Cathy Newton

Publishing Company:  Advantage

Year:  2007

# of Pages: 187

ISBN #:  978-1-59932-037-3

$14.99 USA

4 Stars

Reviewer:  Deborah Ground Buckner

In an age where government and society urges us more and more to play it safe, Living in Full Swing is an inspirational book urging the reader to take risks.  Cathy Newton, founder and president of PRT Consulting, Inc., is an educator, speaker, trainer and writer.  She has drawn on her insights from everyday life experiences to demonstrate the importance of taking risks in relationships, career, and personal growth.

One of my favorite features of Living in Full Swing is the inclusion of inspirational quotations from many great writers and thinkers, all helping to emphasize the points Newton makes.  I especially liked this from Indira Gandhi:  "I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles, but today it means getting along with people."  If you are a "quote collector," this book is a treasure. 

But even more, it is a useful resource in helping to make a self-evaluation and work to proceed in personal growth.  For example, there is a "HOW are you smart?" checklist.  Answering the brief list of questions identifies whether one's strengths are in math, words, nature, body, pictures, music, people, or self-awareness.  Helping to identify where the strengths are gives impetus and encouragement to pursue risks in those areas; identifying where the weaknesses may fall shows the points where a little extra effort and preparation may be necessary before embarking on a new enterprise.

Newton defines "Purposeful Risk Taking" as:  "you understand your investment, you seek the potential benefits, and you are willing to stretch yourself to meet the challenge."  The book is divided into sections that include:  Innovation - intellectual risk; Influence - social risk; Immediacy - physical risk; Integrity - emotional risk; and Inspiration - purposeful risks. 

With the helpful questions, encouraged reflections, and thoughtful insights provided by Newton, readers can find the needed inspiration to get on with the joyful, important risk-taking in life.  As Newton quotes Duke Ellington:  It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing.  "Enjoy being in the swing of life.  Use the strategies in this book to find your rhythm and expand your range of motion.  Take the right risks for the right reasons.  Get learning.  Get along with others.  Get healthy.  Get emotionally fit.  Purposeful risk taking will accelerate your performance, enhance your satisfaction, and boost your reputation."

So, go on!  Live in "Full Swing."