A lot of the books that I have reviewed on Victoria-E.com have been sent to me by publishers. I am thankful for their contribution to my blog and am always willing to read another book

With a cabinet full of tomes and a passion for publishing, it should come as no surprise that I love my local library. Every week, I’m checking out something new. I also have a large Word file that has a list of all the books I want to borrow in the future. Yup, I am an organized library geek – go figure!

NEW is the word du jour around my blog lately, and that is going to continue with the launch of yet another new column: Library Lexicon. In here, you’ll find reviews & commentary on, you guessed it, books that I rent from the library. Some will be eco-related, of course, but you’ll also find physical health, food, crafts, self-help, interior design, business, and many others subjects … much more diversity than what I get from publishers & a truer reflecti0n of my literary interests.

First up: 10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea by Suzy Welch

Before you assume this is “just another self-help” book, I encourage you to drop those thoughts at the door. This is not a self-help book; it is not out to fix your life. Author Suzy Welch is very open about the fact that her 10-10-10 “life management tool” is not a solution to all your problems – it is simply meant to help you make informed, intelligent decisions that aren’t based purely on tension or emotion.

The concept is simple: phrase your problem as a specific question that you need to answer. Next, gather any information you need to answer said question. Last, and most key, is to “answer the following prompts”:

Given my question, what are the consequences of each of my options in ten minutes?

In ten months?

In ten years?

That’s it. That’s all there is to it. A simple concept to help you make decisions that not only progress your live, but make sure that you stay in-line with your own values along the way.

Suzy makes sure not to overlook how important values are, and how difficult they can be to recognized on a day-to-day schedule. In fact, there are 3 questions that she poses to help folks determine what is truly valuable in their lives:

1. What would make your cray at your 70th birthday?
2. What do I want people to say about me when I’m not in the room?
3. What do you love about the way your parents live, and what do you hate?

There are never-ending applications for the 10-10-10 concept – parenting, relationships, friendships … but the most obvious application (in my eyes) is in the career world. I have serious issues with getting off-track, taking on any paying project that comes along, whether or not it will have a positive effect on my career. Simply put, the money talks. Thankfully, I also have moral values that keep me from working on anything that I find to be offensive, pointless, or environmentally damaging.

Having worked as a writer for 4 years and not yet able to pay all my bills with my freelancing income, I wonder what I am doing wrong? What am I missing that is keeping me from being financially and emotionally successful? Think about it – I already answered my own question: money. Being broke rips my heart to shreds; I feel worthless when I can’t pay my bills. With $20,000 in foolish credit card debt keeping me under its thumb, it is easy to see why making (almost any) money unconsciously took the top spot on my priority list.

The problem with that? I begin to loose my authenticity. My words don’t speak with the same passion. My heart doesn’t beat with the same joy. At least I know that  I am doing the right thing, thanks to Suzy’s 4 questions about career that rang true for me:

1. Does my job allow me to work with “my people” – those who share my sensibilities about life – or do I have to zone out, fake it, or put on a persona to get through the day?
2. Does my job make me smarter by stretching my mind, building my skills, and taking me out of my comfort zone?
3. Does my job open doors for me?
4. Does my job give me meaning?

My positive answers to all 4 questions assures me that I am doing what is right for me, but I must seek out more opportunities to share my authentic voice with those that can benefit from it. Staying true to yourself will always, eventually, result in financial fulfillment, along with spiritual, emotional, and otherwise.

10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea by Suzy Welch was even better than I expected – I encourage everyone to read it (even those that think self-help books are for weaklings).

Enjoy! I’m off to print out a sign with “10-10-10″ on it to hang above my desk.