Where The Light Gets In by Ben Crowe
“For too long education has been about ‘What can you do?’ rather than ‘Who can you be?’”
3 Main Messages:
We all need to explore our roots before we can spread our wings
Simple mindset perspective shifts can strengthen our inner selves
“You’re the author of your own life story, because we are the stories we tell ourselves”
Isn’t it wonderful when you fall into conversation with someone who has similar cultural references to you? They’ve read the same books, watched the same TV shows, work in the same sphere and have an approach to life which mirrors your own. Reading Ben Crowe’s work is like that kind of conversation. I feel like I’ve known him for years.
In a way I have. I stumbled across his podcast during lockdown and I soon adopted his mantra of “Win the morning, win the day” as one of my own. I’ve been consuming his weekly mojocrowe newsletters for 5 years now and so am very familiar with his positive approach to life and work, his playful yet effective approach to coaching, and his affable Melbourne humour. I knew I was going to enjoy this book.
As I suspected, I was familiar with many of Crowe’s references: Dare to Lead, Shoe Dog, Belonging, Ikigai, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, Play, Ted Lasso and many others play a part in his thinking. Yet he weaves their messaging with stories and questions that made me approach them afresh. I have filled multiple pages of my journal with ideas I want to reflect on and questions to ask both myself and my coaching clients. Like every rich conversation, this one piqued my curiosity and left me feeling both satisfied AND wanting more.
One of the International Coaching Foundation’s Core Competencies is to ‘Evoke Awareness’ and an integral part of this is to “support the client in reframing perspectives,” That is entirely what this book is about. Crowe draws on his wealth of knowledge, reaped from reading, and earned from years of experience as a highly successful mindset coach to help us to see things differently. He writes about shifting from “fearful to playful,” and “from fitting in to truly belonging,” amongst other changes.
Having partnered with some of the greats like Ash Barty, Andre Agassi and Stephanie Gilmore, as well as organisations including Nike and WHO, Crowe knows his stuff. He shares multiple stories and open examples in this book, while supporting us in moving our own thinking to unlock new potential.
Through the questions peppered throughout the pages, he challenges us to reframe our thinking, to answer deep and enriching questions which will support us in “redefining what it means to live a life true to yourself.”
Some of the shifts include measuring wealth by meaning, rather than money; leading by focusing on others, rather than ourselves; belonging rather than just fitting in. One of the chapters which most challenged my thinking was the concept that we need to move from fear to play. As Crowe points out, “When we stop playing, we start dying.” And play brings all kinds of additional benefits: connection, joy, relief and creativity. We all need to be playing more!
All of these steps and shifts are intended to move the reader from external validation and justification, to a deeper connection with themselves, their values and beliefs, their identities, and the stories they tell: basically how to be comfortable with who we are as a human being. Through this comes the kind of confidence, lightness, grounding and authenticity which Crowe demonstrates daily.
If, like me, you adored Ted Lasso’s style of leading and his positive approach to improvement, then this book will be an incredibly enjoyable read. Like Lasso, Crowe has worked with a Richmond Football Club (though his club plays Aussie Rules) and the parallels are peculiar! He tells a wonderful story and the reader learns so much from his honesty.
Although most of Crowe’s references come from sport, the lessons learned are applicable for each of us, regardless of our occupation or our situation. It is a book about being better, and helping others to improve along the way. A joy!
