From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life
Original price was: $28.00.$15.40Current price is: $15.40.
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
The roadmap for finding purpose, meaning, and success as we age, from bestselling author, Harvard professor, and the Atlantic’s happiness columnist Arthur Brooks.
Many of us assume that the more successful we are, the less susceptible we become to the sense of professional and social irrelevance that often accompanies aging. But the truth is, the greater our achievements and our attachment to them, the more we notice our decline, and the more painful it is when it occurs.
What can we do, starting now, to make our older years a time of happiness, purpose, and yes, success?
At the height of his career at the age of 50, Arthur Brooks embarked on a seven-year journey to discover how to transform his future from one of disappointment over waning abilities into an opportunity for progress. From Strength to Strength is the result, a practical roadmap for the rest of your life.
Drawing on social science, philosophy, biography, theology, and eastern wisdom, as well as dozens of interviews with everyday men and women, Brooks shows us that true life success is well within our reach. By refocusing on certain priorities and habits that anyone can learn, such as deep wisdom, detachment from empty rewards, connection and service to others, and spiritual progress, we can set ourselves up for increased happiness.
Read this book and you, too, can go from strength to strength.
From the Publisher
Publisher : Portfolio (February 15, 2022)
Language : English
Hardcover : 272 pages
ISBN-10 : 059319148X
ISBN-13 : 978-0593191484
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 5.75 x 0.9 x 8.55 inches
10 reviews for From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life
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Original price was: $28.00.$15.40Current price is: $15.40.
frequent traveler –
Strengthen your Life
This book is a great roadmap for the sometimes scary journey from an active striving career to “retirement”, or a second act. A. Brooks lays out a readable journal for a fulfilling, second stage of life. Jump, while you say his seven words of wisdom.
P. J. Owen –
Must read for middle-aged professionals.
I’ve been reading Arthur Brooks’ Atlantic articles on happiness for some time and have always loved them. He offers sensible and practical advice for finding happiness, backed both by scientific evidence and centuries old wisdom from philosophers. His articles are both informative and fun, and almost always spurs reflection. So, as a fan of Brooks, as well as being someone in my early 50’s, I had to read his new book, which is specifically about finding happiness in the second half of one’s life.Brooks starts here with brutal facts of aging and its impacts on your career. As a person approaches their late 40’s and early 50’s, their cognitive abilities will decline. This is a fact and a source of frustration for many strivers and successful professionals who try to keep up in their professions but find doing so increasingly difficult. This is obvious in some professions, such as athletes, who rely more on their physical abilities. But it is also true for just about any profession, and it is the cause of much unhappiness in middle age.The upside to a person losing their fluid intelligence, as Brooks calls the more rapid and agile intelligence of youth, is that at the same time there is an increase of crystallized intelligence, which essentially translates to wisdom. The key to happiness in middle age and beyond then, according to Brooks, is the transition from relying on fluid intelligence for your success to utilizing your crystallized intelligence to find a higher purpose. And Brooks is here to help you with that.As with his articles, Brooks’ writing is engaging and a joy to read. What he writes here makes sense, and as someone in my early fifties, resonates a lot. His advice is practical and seems a little scary but also achievable. He backs his points up with both scientific data and the wisdom of the great philosophers. He refers frequently to the importance of faith in the process. He gives someone who is suffering through this transition hope. Most importantly, he shows us his vulnerability by sharing his own journey through this process, which led to the writing of this very book.I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone in middle age who feels stuck in their careers or life in general. From Strength to Strength is a great place to start getting back on track.
Spencer –
A Thoughtful Book on Accepting the Limits and Blessings of Middle Age
The book begins with Brooks telling the story of someone well known (he does not identify him) melting down on a plane because he felt like all his work had been for nothing. Having been at the top of his game, in his later years he knew he no longer measured up to that standard and judged his past accomplishments by his present ability. This is a warning. Brooks follows this anecdote with a chapter demonstrating that most people hit their decline much sooner than they recognize professionally.The bad news is that the decline comes sooner than we would expect. The good news is that it is a particular type of decline. In general, younger people tend to be more adaptable and experience a higher degree of fluid intelligence. This is why software “upgrades” becomes “frustrating changes” at some point in life. On the other hand, there are new intelligences that open up. People tend to become wiser––having messed more things, perhaps––and they also tend to become more articulate. Some professions, especially humanities, tend to gain in acumen as time goes on, largely because of the volume of background knowledge that must be obtained. So, the bad news is tempered by some good news, as long as we are prepared to accept it and adjust ourselves to its reality.Brooks argues that to age gracefully we must adapt our expectations. It simply isn’t feasible for a fifty year old to expect the same results with the same effort as someone in their mid-twenties. In fact, we are likely to work ourselves to death is we try to even those things out. That is why burnout around middle age is so common. Rather than crash and burn, we should attempt to adjust our expectations gradually. We should remember that we are going to die and live with both the anticipation of what that means and the realization of the limitations that brings. As a result, we should focus more on deep relationships, our spiritual journey (which for Brooks is a blend of Eastern religion and Roman Catholicism), be honest about our changing expectations with those around, and ultimately look for new opportunities that can best use our changing abilities.This is a useful book. There is wisdom in much of what Brooks writes, and this is no exception. As someone who has experienced real decline in several areas of his life, Brooks is speaking as one who is on the journey and is seeking to encourage on the road. From Strength to Strength may be just the sort of book that helps someone struggling with decline from despairing when the inevitable changes come. On the other hand, for those still on the rise, this may be the sort of warning that drives people to reconsider the path they take to make the decline less precipitous.
Alex –
very good insights!
I have been looking for a book (or some guidance) like this, since I turned 50, a few years ago. It really touched me in multiple ways and opened my eyes in how to prepare myself for the second half of my life.
Martha Davis –
Haven’t read yet
I saw the author on tv. This looks like a good book to have ,read and share.
Koen Cardon –
Strength to Strength is a book that gives great insight and persoective on managing the second half of your life. It tells you why you should stop running after that speed train. The combination of some scientific background and real life stories mske for an excellent read.
JK –
Enjoy the book. Hard to put it down. Could easily read it in one sitting because it is so good.
Kayla –
A little bit of science, a dash of humor, and a heap of wisdom coalesced into advice to give you a new source of strength in the second curve of your life. Good news– (almost) everything is better later. I truly believe that. 🌲”Workaholics” / ambitious folks– this book may bring grace to the second half of your life.
Henrik Kj�r –
Maybe too many words….still very inspirational
Ross Demirel –
As 52 year old, timing of this book was excellent. Authors views with great examples was hypnotising. Happiness requires understanding of when change is necessary.