Have you ever read one of those really annoying ‘management’ books that try to brainwash you into the false hope and blind belief that positive thinking alone will solve all your life problems and help you find success and riches beyond your wildest dreams?

If you have, and, like me, you find them shallow and unrealistic, then you might want to put ‘Jolt’ by Phil Cooke on your ‘best to avoid’ list.

But if you did, then you would miss out on a well written book, which, against my better judgement, I must admit I found challenging at times, that is, when I wasn’t cringing at Cooke’s sometimes sickly ‘you-can-have-it-all-like-me’ confidence.

The basic premise behind the book is that we all need a kick up the backside, a jolt, to shake us up, realign our thinking and make us realise that the world is changing around us whether we like it or not. Media and technology are taking over our lives, and we need to take back control and ‘adapt to the turmoil’ or get washed away by the tidal wave of emails, updates and constant streamed information.

The secret, he feels, is to understand and harness the power of change. As he writes, “We don’t have to trade our freedom for connectivity, our values for financial success, or our devotion to God for our commitment to technology. Perhaps more important, we can actually embrace the radical disruption and make it work for us.”

How? By ‘jolting’ specific areas of your life, waking you up to the destructive effects of bad habits and practices that dampen your motivation to change, and ultimately hold you back from being a success.

What I did find refreshing was that Cooke was clear and upfront about his faith as a Christian, not in a preachy or pushy way, but with sincerity and honesty, acknowledging his spiritual walk as an important contributor to his success in business and life.

If you want a motivational book that will challenge your thinking, then this is a book for you. However, I found it disappointing, because I was hoping that, as a Christian, Cooke would bring a different perspective, one in which embracing change leads us to appreciate and value what we have rather than just feed our desire for more.

But he didn’t, which, for me, is a shame.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the US Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”