The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be Book

Prior to this book, I had never read an Andy Stanley book. But, since I'm a part of a church that partners with his church, I figured I'd best check him out. I'm glad I chose this book as my first Stanley read cause it was both relevant and convicting to me.

Stanley writes similarly to Dave Ramsey (whom I love). He is logical, humorous, and oftentimes makes very obvious realities seem fresh and unique in the way that he presents them.

The "principle of the path" is all about how, in life, we make decisions; we focus our attention on something and thus make decisions toward that something; these decisions point us in a direction; and, ultimately our destination is determined by our direction.

This may seem like an obvious reality; however, what Stanley points out over and over in this book is that in almost every arena of life, whether marriage, finances, parenthood, career, recreation, habits, or spirituality, we act as if intentions determine destinations. This is made manifest in the all-too-common moment when something unpleasant happens in our lives and we think "Why is this happening to me?" and certain other people around us could have or did warn us of the path that we were on and how it inevitably would lead to that destination. In the same way that there are negative destinations to the paths we can take, there are also many positive destinations to the paths we can take. Being responsible now pays off later just as being irresponsible now pays off later.

This book takes something as obvious and real as the "principle of the path" and powerfully ties it into our lives as believers.

Stanley touches on failure, success, and lost dreams as they pertain to this principle, making this book a very practical and relevant book to most anyone at any point on their own paths. I thoroughly enjoyed both Stanley's content and his writing style and would recommend this book to most people I know.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

"My observation indicates that humans have a propensity for choosing paths that do not lead in the direction they want to go. For much of our decision making, we lean hard into our intentions and pay very little attention to the direction of the path we've chosen." p. 19

"What's so obvious to those watching often escapes us." p. 22

"Forgiveness and consequences are two different things. One does not override the other." p. 43

"There are all kinds of actions that feel extreme now that will look like common sense when you are looking back. What feels like sacrifice now will feel like an investment later." p. 49

"Our problem is rarely a lack of information or insight. It's not that we fail to see trouble brewing on the horizon. It's a lack of honesty. We have a hard time leveling with ourselves. We deceive ourselves about why we choose the things we choose." p. 65 --So true!

"Choosing the right path begins with submission, not information. Not ever direction. Submission. Specifically, submission to the One who knows where each path leads, as well as where it doesn't lead. Submission to the One who knows what's best for you better than you know what's best for you." p.83

"Emotionally driven decision making rarely leads us down the right path. In the emotion of the moment, we are easily swayed by conventional wisdom, cultural norms, the herd mentality, or even our own patterns of behavior." p.104

"Taking your cues from people who share your season of life is the equivalent of asking for and following the directions of someone who's never been where you want to go. And in some cases it is much worse than that. It may be like taking directions from someone who is lost." p.118

"Pride is hard to see in the bathroom mirror. But it is awfully easy to see in the rearview mirror. Looking back, it is all too clear to me why I refused to listen to the voices of reason when I was in over my head. It was pride." p. 129

"If we are honest, the cost of disentangling ourselves from unhealthy relationships and activities seems too high a price to pay. And at the same time, the benefits associated with paying attention to the right things seem so distant that they don't whet our appetite for change. And so we continue to live our lives captive to the things that have captured our attention." p.144