Thursday, January 6, 2011

The Power Based Life by Mike Flynt

I had never heard of Mike Flynt before I picked up this book. However, as I read about his life and his convictions, I remembered that he was the man who returned to college football at the age of 59 to complete his senior year. He mentions his college playing days in his book The Power Based Life: Realize Your Life's Goals and Dreams by Strengthening Your Body, Mind, and Spirit. However, that is not the focus of the book. This book talks about different areas that can become power bases for you to help you live a more loving, productive, healthier life. Flynt discusses aspects of life such as mindset, visualization, commitment, compassion, and more.

For each aspect of life, Flynt dedicates a chapter to define what the aspect means to him and how it can be cultivated to better your life. He talks about its impact on your life and practical ways you can learn from yourself. Flynt also references Scripture and the impact God's word should have on you as you become the best person you can be.

I appreciated Flynt's honesty and style of writing as he shared personal stories of his past to help the reader understand grace and the idea of overcoming your past. However, at times, his writing almost felt too optimistic and preachy. In several chapters, it seemed simplistic. If you would just follow his advice and read your Bible, you would be able to make the changes he has made in his life, and your outlook will be better. I felt that his intentions were good, but sometimes it sounded too simplistic and trite. There is more of a struggle to improve in the areas he talks about than he lets on in some of his writing.

Overall, the book is worth the read. Some of the advice is practical and adaptable to your particular situation. He extols the virtues we know we should have, and he frequently ties wellness into a relationship with God. He challenges readers to work toward becoming better people and investing in goals, relationships, and spiritual facets of life. I appreciated his purpose and found the book enjoyable, although I would have liked more practical advice in some areas. I would recommend this book in particular to people who are athletically-inclined and need some motivation to work toward self-improvement.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”