Breaking Out of a Broken System // Review & Giveaway

Several months ago, I heard about an amazing book titled Breaking Out of a Broken System which was co-written by the Bolt Brothers. The book explores the lives of brothers Seth and Chandler, who grew up 10 years apart and work in two entirely different industries (Seth is a touring musician and Chandler is an entrepreneur). They share the keys to their successes and wrote this book to create a map for success by letting readers in on their personal experiences and lessons. They each have successfully achieved their own dreams because of lessons that were instilled into them at a very early age.
Breaking Out of a Broken System was also written with a solid mission for a great cause. Each book purchased gives 1 life-saving malaria pill to someone in need. 

This book is their personalized map for success for everyone to use! I promise that it will inspire you and help you find purpose in your work and in your life. 

Just before Christmas, they released the book in hard copy. It was the perfect opportunity for me to purchase one for myself and for Katelyn. We were immediately motivated to make some changes in our lives. No more settling. It's time to unlock our full potential.

Here are our top 5 takeaways from this incredible book:

1. Setting Goals + Your Mini-Successes
We've been trying to get in the habit of setting small goals for ourselves; whether it's for the blog or something personal we'd like to attain. It helps when we hold each other accountable and reward ourselves for a job well done. Since starting our blog together, we've found ways to challenge ourselves to be better every day. No day is wasted. From working out together at the gym to writing down our bucket lists and coming up with a business plan, we know that setting the goal is half the battle. Once it's on paper, we have to find a way to check it off.

2. Show Me Your Friends, I'll Show You Your Future
"You are the average of your 5 closest friends."
It takes a lot of audacity to analyze your own friendships and conclude which ones are the most significant and necessary. We've all had people in our live that aren't the best influence or are a constant source of negative energy. Those relationships can be toxic and it's best to weed out the friends who bring us down. In the book, they mention that you are the average of your five closest friends. If you want to live a more positive and influential life, it's essential to surround yourself with people who lift you up and encourage you along the way. Luckily for us, we have a huge, loving, motivating family and great friends who keep us in check. Plus, we have each other. And we are SO grateful for each other.

3. Saying "YES" to Giving
The book discusses the concept of giving in numerous ways. Rather than working to make a profit, giving can lead to much more. You must sow your seeds in order for them to grow. Giving is the best way to feel better. In 2014, I selected a different fundraiser to donate/support each month. Whether it was helping a family adopt, donating food over the holidays, selecting causes I believe in via crowd-funding, or volunteering my time to help others, it was all 100% worth the time, the money, and the effort. Since joining the team at SowHope.org we've been challenged to think outside of the box and make a difference. The book talks about 'being blessed by blessing others', and that is exactly what enriches our souls. Sharing the wealth doesn't have to be money specifically, either. Passing along your knowledge, donating your time, or simply spreading kindness will bring great joy. Give and you will be blessed.
We both have big dreams for the next few years. We want to travel and serve the Lord by stepping out of our comfort zone and putting our hands and our heart to work. 
'Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.' - Luke 6:38

4. 'Do It Now'
Procrastination is like a prison. When it takes over us, it's hard to break free. We both loved this part of the book so much. This portion came about from the author's mother leaving post-it notes around the house on all of the unfinished business that needed to be done. Since many of us have an "I'll do it later" attitude, this is one great way to combat procrastination and get it done. The best way to avoid resistance of tasks is to just do it now. Since we started reading it around the same time, we actually both ended up sending "do it now!" texts to each other when it came to small tasks we needed to complete throughout the week. Delaying things that need to be accomplished only creates more work later. Finishing them right away creates a sense of empowerment.

5. Rebellion is a good thing
No, we don't mean acting like criminals. Rebelling, or going against the grain, is a way in which we allow ourselves to grow. Society instills the idea that rebellion is a bad thing. The authors go on quite a bit about how our most passionate ambitions in life are diminished by a society that believes it's in our best interest to conform to an uncompromising definition of what "success" looks like. Unfortunately, that's just society stealing our thunder. Conforming doesn't promote success, YOU create your own success.
When it comes to challenging the status quo, my mind always pictures this image: 

As children, we imagine what we'd like our life to look like. No boundaries, no rules, no limitations, just greatness. As we grow up and are influenced by others, our dreams can become watered down by realistic thinking and we succumb to mediocrity. WHY? In order to challenge the status quo, we most break out of our societal bubble of conformity and stand out.

In an effort to raise awareness about the cause and share our love for this book, we are giving away a hard copy of Breaking Out of a Broken System. Our extra purchase saved another life!
Fill out the entries below to enter to win this book!

Comment below with your email address so we can contact you if you've been chosen!

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Regardless if you win or not, we sincerely hope you pick up a copy of this book for yourself or for a friend. We are passionate about the purpose it serves and hope you find it useful like we did.