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BOOKS

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

Ever year when school starts I recommend the same book to both kids and adults: Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

Why? Because I’ve read over 1000 books but my favorite book of all time has been the same since 3rd grade: JLS

Here are 8 brilliant and practical life lessons from the little book that's sold over 50 million copies:

1/ On Perfection

"You will begin to touch heaven in the moment that you touch perfect speed.

And that isn't flying 1,000 mph. Or a million. Or the speed of light.

Because any number is a limit. Perfection doesn't have limits.

Perfect speed, my son, is being there."

2/ On Persistence

"Ten times he tried, and all ten times, as he passed through 70mph, he burst into a churning mass of feathers

From 2,000 feet he tried again...wings stable.... It took tremendous strength, but it worked!

Jonathan had set a world speed record for seagulls!

3/ On Negative Thoughts

"I am a seagull like every other seagull, and I will fly like one...just another one of the Flock.

THEN

"Such promises are only for the gulls that accept the ordinary. One who has touched excellence in his learning has no need of that kind of promise."

4/ On Breakthroughs

"How much more there is now to living! Instead of our drab slogging forth and back to the fishing boats, there's a reason to life!

We can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free. We can learn to fly!"

5/ On Going Your Own Way

"His one sorrow was not solitude, it was that the other gulls refused to believe the glory of flight that awaited them...

They refused to open their eyes and see."

6/ On Having Purpose

"Jonathan Seagull discovered that boredom and fear and anger are the reasons that a gull's life is so short

And with these gone from his thought, he lived a long fine life indeed."

7/ On Practice

"For each of them, the most important thing in living was to reach out and touch perfection in that which they most loved to do, and that was to fly...

They were magnificent birds...and they spent hour after hour every day practicing flight."

8/ On Limitations

"Don't believe what your eyes are telling you.

All they show is limitation.

Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you'll see the way to fly."

The book is so simple and wonderful. You’ll pull 80 gems from it. Read it alone. Read it with your kids. Just read it.

BICEPS

Way back on July 14th, I called my shot in issue #256 of Books & Biceps:

I said back then that I wanted to bench 315 pounds by October 1st.

My goal: Put up the same weight at 45 as I did when I was 25.

After my normal lifting session this past Saturday morning I felt good. Damn good, even. So I grabbed my son, pulled him into the garage gym and said, “let’s make Flex Factory history.”

I put up 295 easy. Then 305 easy. Then, I went for 315…

And I’m pumped to say: Mission Accomplished

Check out the big lift here:

jon_finkel

View more on Instagram

And if you want to follow the routine I did to add 30lbs to my max in 2 months, I shared it in Issue #256 here.

Quick Flexes

I love college football. I’m pumped it’s back.

Did you know I wrote the definitive biography of the only man to win the Heisman Trophy, a National Championship… and THEN become a starting point guard in the NBA Finals?

Of course, I’m talking about Florida State legend, Charlie Ward.

We even did a book signing at Madison Square Garden at halftime during a Knicks game:

If you’re a new reader and a football fan, check out:

The Athlete: Greatness, Grace and the Unprecedented Life of Charlie Ward

We got some nice blurbs about the book too:

"Charlie Ward is not only a once-in-a-lifetime athlete, he's a once-in-a-lifetime person. The Athlete is the remarkable, page-turning biography his story deserves." - Tony Dungy, Super Bowl Champion Head Coach

"I can't imagine if you're a high school parent and your son is being coached by a man with the combination of athletic success, personal character and competitive spirit that Charlie has. I still don't think people properly grasp what this guy has done. And now to pass all that knowledge and experience on to high school kids? It's perfect.” - Jeff Van Gundy, ex-NBA Coach, NBA Analyst

I’d like to share this very proud moment:

And I think you’ll agree with this:

Strong Links

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Thank you all for reading.

Have a great weekend! - Jon

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