Review of Jeff Goins' Art of Work Course

Synchronicity smiled on me last week. I was on Facebook at the same time that Jeff Goins posted an irresistible offer: the first 10 people to post "I'm in!" got to review his 7-module course in trade for feedback.

I was in! In fact, I squeaked in as an alternate, so luck was definitely with me that night.

After noshing on the course for three days, I came away with 3 realizations:

I have a bit of crush on Jeff Goins.

Jeff is super engaging in the course. He anticipated my objections and addressed them. He was candid about where I'm fooling myself, and he told hard truths.

To illustrate his points, he tells compelling stories, including some pretty vulnerable stories about himself, and his willingness to bare his soul for the sake of others' growth endears him to me.

Module 4 has a story in it that gave me an epiphany.

Modules 5 and 6 have exercises that gave me profound insight.

And he quotes Anne Lamott and Mother Teresa. How can anyone do better than that?

Without structure, I won't do the exercises.

I promised Jeff I'd get through the course over the weekend, and I took our exchange seriously. I did every exercise so that I could get a true sense of its impact on me.

I wouldn't have done those exercises if I hadn't made a commitment to someone else to do them.

Raise your hand if you've bought an online course, watched some or all of the videos, and set it aside, truly expecting to return to it someday.

I've been aware of how much I'm consuming other people's content rather than creating my own, so I was seduced by the videos. That part was captivating and easy and fun.

The exercises? Not so much.

I actually had to look inside and reflect, and I didn't have a guide. It was just me, and my pen and pad of paper.

It was hard, and it was useful, and it was worthwhile.

We all need a champion, someone who will remind us of our dream.

Jeff speaks eloquently about why it's vital that we all reach within and get clear about what we want to create. He talks about starting before we're crystal clear. He says we'll fail.

Here's the punch to my gut: "It's a journey you're already on."

Yes, yes, I am. And you're also already on your journey.