I have known Christopher since he became friends with my younger brother in fourth grade. He was a fixture in our home, always there with a smile and laugh. We would take him on trips and welcome him to family dinners. He became another brother to me.
Chris is known as the “Big Guy;” not only in physical presence, but in spirit and generosity. He has a wicked wit and a self-depreciating humor that make you realize that you should never take yourself too seriously. When I found out that he wrote not one but two books, I was not surprised. He is a man of many talents: he started rehabbing houses right out of college and turned that into a successful real estate business extending into two states. He has a strong sense of family, with three children of his own (close in age to my own kids!) and a wonderful wife who is a partner to him in every sense of the word.
When I asked him about this book, he laughed and said that he wanted to start conversations. The title itself: “You Suck – Now Own It” makes you think that this book will take you down a path of destruction, but after just reading the introduction, you realize that he is trying to get people to move out of their own way. He explains, “… we are going to suck at a lot of things in our lives and that we are not going to be perfect . . . but that doesn’t mean that we can’t achieve great success or personal freedom or happiness in our lives.”
As a person who has feared failure and delayed trying new things, this book came to me at the perfect time. I hit the big 5-0 during the beginning of the COVID Pandemic and realized that while I had succeeded in raising an awesome family, I had never done anything for myself to make a mark on the world. This book gave me the push to try doing things differently.
From the first chapter, “You Suck at Personal Time,” Chris takes you on a journey through the poor understanding of how to be the best person you can be. He gives us permission to become the best person, by learning how to take care of ourselves. He explains, “self-care is vital. Make time for it. Even if it is only for a few minutes a day. Make it a habit. Doing this will be the foundation of moving you towards your goals and success.”
The subsequent chapters, “You Suck at Goal Setting,” “You Suck at Using Your Gifts,” etc., etc. take the reader on a journey to self-awareness. With wry humor and soul-bearing honesty, Chris gives us a glimpse of the struggles he has had through life to get to the place he is now. He asks the questions we should be asking ourselves: “…does pleasing others make you happy?”, “…do I need all the things I have?”, “…is there anything you can change about your situation?” These questions and the answers we honestly give ourselves allow us to become a better person and thus successful in life.
As Chris states, there are no secrets on the journey to success. There are hundreds of books out there to help you find the path to greatness. This one, though, takes you on the journey with a grin and a laugh. Enjoy it!
Buy the book here: https://wordwormbooks.com/product/you-suck-now-own-it/