Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder

Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonderby Arianna HuffingtonThis book came recommended by an executive coach that I respect and given that I do a lot of work with women executives, I was curious to learn more about how Arianna, a self-confessed workaholic and now self-made billionaire who started the Huffington Post.  She realized that she was burned out as a result of her hitting her head on a desk and passing out, her wake up call led her to start a new movement: the Third Metric - living a life of well-being, wisdom, and wonder.While I wanted to like this book and her, I felt there wasn’t enough vulnerability or humility and too much self-promotion for the Huffington Post. Yet, despite its shortcomings, it has a valuable message from a very successful woman entrepreneur – that it is time to reevaluate the value we place as a society on working 24/7.The book’s two core strengths for me include: her researched-based practical advice (including an impressive appendix too) and her personal stories and experience about her upbringing in Greece and inspirational mother who made up for their meager financial situation and her.  The lessons learned from her childhood showed me her essence and reminded me of the importance of those formative years.In addition, her book inspired me to get more sleep as she cited a lot of research on how getting more sleep can immediately improve your health, mind, creativity, productivity, and sense of well-being.  As Bill Clinton who was known to get 5 hours of sleep a night, said: “Every important mistake I’ve made in my life, I’ve made in my life, I’ve made because I was too tired.”  I am attempting to go to bed 30 minutes earlier and will look into supporting this new movement away from a workaholic society.  So, if you are feeling burned out, tired, overwhelmed, or need a mental break,  this book might inspire you too!