STAR Performance!

Catherine Jewell
Success Address Press (2003)
ISBN 097016081X
Reviewed by Kathleen Dowdell for Reader Views (6/06)

This book challenges you to look beyond who you presently are to the person you can become, both at work and in life. It forces you to look deeply within and focus on the talents with which you can build a career. You are expected to manage your career and the way to do that is to become a “Star Performer.” The days of minimum performance to just get by are over. No matter what talent you have you can expand on that talent and reach new levels of greatness.

Performing as a star takes commitment and the ability to see beyond the present in order to prepare for the future. Catherine Jewell allows each of us to discover our hidden talents and act on the principles, or paths, that order our work life. By recognizing repeat performance we find our true passions. This small book is filled with big chunks of useful information that can be applied to anyone. In the chapter titled “77 Flavors of Talent”, you can choose from seventy-seven words that identify themes in careers.
 
While Jewell admits to being a four-time career changer it is obvious she took the skills she learned in each of those careers and incorporated them into a life reframe to adapt to the ever changing informational world. Often we are overwhelmed with choices but this book allows us to keep life simple by noticing what comes easiest. By way of clear explanation she gives a good analysis of what the American work life has evolved into over the past thirty years and suggests using a new approach in looking at old ways of doing things. By reframing, staying in action and on track, we learn how to evaluate bad situations and understand why bad things sometimes happen.

 I would recommend this book to anyone who has recently been down-sized or changed careers. With its uplifting contents it will motivationally urge you to do some soul-searching to help you discover your true talents. After I finished reading the book I reviewed the seventy-seven words and applied each of them to myself. I was amazed that the “talents” I use on a daily basis are special and truly a part of my being. As many motivational speakers will tell you, find something you are passionate about, and then build a job around that passion.

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