4 out of 4 stars
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Standing at a crossroads in my career, unhappy and too afraid to reach for my goals, From Drift to SHIFT by Jody B. Miller couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. This book is the most useful piece of writing on the topic of change and happiness in work and life that I’ve read in a long time.
Unlike many self-help and motivational books, which attempt to teach the reader through “How-To” guides how to achieve the results they are looking for, Miller uses the engaging, raw stories of people who have laid it all on the line to shift achieve their greatest dreams, to illustrate Why, When, and How to shift (parts one, two, and three in the book) — and then what happens once you’ve shifted (part four). The book begins with Miller’s own shift story, realized when, newly divorced, she decides to throw out her grandmother’s heirloom dishes. When the dishes crash at the bottom of the garbage bin, Miller’s inner emotions also crack, allowing her to ask and honestly answer the tough questions holding her back from all of her potential. Miller then takes us on a journey through the stories of other people who figured out how to shift and achieve what we all deserve — true, full joy in our lives, relationships, and careers. As she tells these stories, she sprinkles in more inspiration from the lives of historical figures, from past presidents to biblical characters to Michaelangelo. And, the reader is provided with plenty of personal, intimate examples from Miller’s own life, too. Unfortunately, these asides sometimes break the main story of the chapter, and in some cases cause a bit of confusion. I found chapter six especially hard to follow, when the story jumped between different points in history rather than following a chronological order.
A major thread running through the book encompasses the humble, difficult beginnings of most of the people whose stories are featured. This is inspiring — if someone with literally nothing could climb out of the abyss — so can I. It was also eye-opening. I’ve often found myself wondering why I can’t obtain success when so many who have started off with much less than I have — broken and living on the streets or on friend’s couches — are now multi-millionaires. The answer is quite simple really. As Miller puts it, when you’ve had nothing, you’re not afraid to have nothing again. You know you’ll climb to the top again, because you’ve done it before — and, really, up is the only way you can go. Indeed, relative comfort and fear of losing things are often the major culprits holding a person back from achieving their life goals. When the individuals in Miller’s book experience the freedom of release from this fear, I heaved a sigh of relief and joy with them. I physically felt my shoulders getting lighter.
The only part of the book that I did not enjoy at all was chapter three, the story of the Achuar tribe in the Amazon. I feel like this was a brilliant, yet lost opportunity to add some diversity to the storyline and emphasize a unique story of rising above the odds to success. Unlike the other stories in the book, this one does not really describe a situation in which the tribe has had to shift yet. Most of the chapter instead seems to be Miller’s own personal story of how the tribe has taught her to shift. She also appears to be the stereotypical American unable to leave the comforts of home to fully experience another culture. She is advised not to bring a hairdryer on the trip but does anyway, and then blows out the generator at the eco lodge the group is staying in. As she tells the story, she puts a single word — “sorry” — at the end of the paragraph. It achieves the presumably intended dry humor, but also made me shake my head. Other phrases, words, and attitudes expressed throughout the chapter only emphasize the stereotypical image of ignorant outsider. Throughout the rest of the book, Miller’s voice is one of an incredibly intelligent, worldly woman. The culturally insensitive and somewhat immature woman in chapter three was therefore quite surprising, and disappointing, to me. The book could have done without the entire chapter altogether.
In contrast, I was delightfully thrilled with the final portion of the book, the “what now,” in which Miller brings the reader back to her personal story and lessons learned. It is in this section that I really feel I get to know the author, no strings attached. In some places, her words seem like my own, and I really connect with her on a personal and intimate level; for example:
“As I sat there, I decided to brush my guilt aside for just a few moments and wonder who else might have eaten in this very old social gathering place. What did they wear? I pictured them in layers of velvet and linen that were too hot for a humid Paris afternoon. How did they eat? Did they use forks and knives or just rip the meat off a turkey leg with their teeth? I became so curious that I let my mind wander and imagine people from hundreds of years ago sitting across the table from me. I heard how they spoke just by letting go and letting my imagination take over.”
Overall, the book is written well, in plain, baggage-free English, although I did note a few mistakes — a couple of spelling errors, oddly placed commas, and misused apostrophes. Each chapter also ends with a bullet list of take aways, which I found a nice touch, though a bit academic. The appendices, which provided in-depth information about each of the people and organizations that appeared in the book as well as additional anecdotes and resources, were also a very nice touch.
It was very difficult for me to give this book a star rating I was happy with. I was so unimpressed with chapter three that I had made up my mind to give this book three stars. But, the overall utility of and inspiration in the book, as well as the truly outstanding closing, made me want to give the book four stars. In the end, I’ve decided that the sin of one bad chapter is not sufficient to punish what is otherwise a truly fantastic book, and I give this book four out of four stars. Anyone who is stuck in life — whether in school, a relationship, or their career — will truly benefit from this book. This book will also be a breath of fresh air for those tired of reading “how-to” guides with no tangible examples of how real people achieve true joy and happiness in life. I left off reading this book with a new sense of motivation, and I’ve already seen results in my own life.
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From Drift to SHIFT
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