by Phil Cooke
PRAISE FOR JOLT!
“Phil Cooke can help you make disruption and change the source of your success— not the end of it. Jolt! offers practical tips on how to manage circumstances, emotions, and unforeseen changes to your advantage. Read it and embrace your new reality.”
—TIM SANDERS, FORMER CHIEF SOLUTIONS OFFICER AT
YAHOO! AND AUTHOR OF LOVE IS THE KILLER APP
“Jolt! may be the best book yet from one of the most innovative communicators of our generation. In this sure-to-be best seller, Phil Cooke deals with the issue of change in a way that allows us to embrace it rather than fear it, to benefit from it rather than to be hurt by it, and to harness it as a means of achieving a real and positive change in every area of our life. This book is for everyone.”
—JOEL OSTEEN, SENIOR PASTOR, LAKEWOOD CHURCH, HOUSTON, TX
“Jolt! will motivate you to adapt and change to our ever evolving world . . . Phil Cooke’s clear and frank writing style speaks directly to today’s readers, applicable for both personal and business sides of us all.”
—MARK ZORADI, FORMER PRESIDENT OF
WALT DISNEY MOTION PICTURE GROUP
“The world has changed and nothing will ever be the same again. Most people have reacted by hunkering down and settling into survival mode. In Jolt! Phil Cooke brilliantly shows us that we were created for something far greater. We don’t have to have life dictated to us. We can rise above the chaos and stay ahead of the curve.”
—STEVEN FURTICK, LEAD PASTOR, ELEVATION
CHURCH; AUTHOR OF SUN STAND STILL
“In today’s fast-paced world, nothing stays static for long. Jolt! provides smart ideas on how to embrace change in a tangible and powerful way.”
—DAN LIN, PRODUCER OF SHERLOCK HOLMES 1 & 2, AND
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF TERMINATOR SALVATION
“Phil Cooke will jolt your world. He does mine. This is why when our ministry wants to fast forward, we talk to Phil. Jolt! puts in your head a lifetime of Phil’s best ideas. It will rock your world and change the way you think.”
—PASTOR JACK GRAHAM, PRESTONWOOD CHURCH AND
FOUNDER OF POWERPOINT MINISTRIES
“Phil Cooke has to be one of the greatest voices in our world today to address the topics he brings out in his book Jolt! Get the Jump on a World That’s Constantly Changing. His experience in industry and in religion combine to give him a powerful perspective on culture. I believe that our ability to communicate with our constantly changing world will hinge on understanding and acting on the truths Phil writes in this book. Phil is helping me and our organization to get to jumping!”
—DINO RIZZO, LEAD PASTOR, HEALING PLACE CHURCH, DINORIZZO.COM
“When I created the nationwide Get Motivated Seminars, one of my driving passions was to help professionals understand today’s rapidly changing business world. Jolt! is a road map for understanding those changes. If you’re serious about success, this is the book I recommend.”
—PETER LOWE, FOUNDER OF THE GET MOTIVATED SEMINARS
“Change is no longer an option but a fact of life. Jolt! will help you to decide, implement, and process the changes you need to make that will take you to the next level. Phil Cooke is one of the most creative, innovative, provocative and out of the box thinkers and leaders I know. This book is an essential tool for you and your organization.”
—CHRISTINE CAINE, WRITER, SPEAKER, AND FOUNDER OF THE A21 CAMPAIGN
“Today’s ever-changing and fast paced world can be overwhelming. Jolt! offers unique and inspiring solutions to problems that arise in the busy and chaotic times we live in. It will equip you with the tools to move forward in life with new passion and determination.”
—JOYCE MEYER, BIBLE TEACHER AND BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
“In the 21st century we are all facing the very real and sometimes confronting elements of change. An ever-changing society has effects on the way we live life, do business and navigate our faith. Phil Cooke is a scholar of culture, a lover of people and passionate about seeing everyone reach their God-given potential and I believe that his insights on change will help you to fulfill yours.”
—BRIAN HOUSTON, SENIOR PASTOR, HILLSONG CHURCH
“No one can argue that our world is changing—fast. But many of us simply don’t know how to keep pace with the change, much less what we can do to change ourselves. In Jolt! Phil Cooke shows not only how we can live with constant change, but harness it.”
—PASTOR GREG SURRATT, SEACOAST CHURCH:
“If life is a speeding car, Phil Cooke is the guy in the passenger seat, yelling out all the monuments as you blow by them. “Jolt” is a bracing tour of an ever-changing landscape. But the book is also filled with countless “pull over to the side of the road, old-fashioned picnic basket” kind of moments, as well . . . where wisdom is for lunch and insight for dessert. You may not agree with everything Phil has to say, but you’ll be very glad you brought him along for the ride.”
—TODD KOMARNICKI, PRODUCER OF THE MOVIE “ELF”
“Once again, Phil Cooke brings clarity and insight as he illustrates how we can navigate the unsettling seas of today’s technological onslaught. Jolt! is an intelligent road map.”
—TONY THOMOPOULOS, FORMER PRESIDENT OF ABC BROADCAST
GROUP AND FORMER CHAIRMAN OF UNITED ARTIST PICTURES
“You can reach your goals and achieve your dreams with Phil Cooke’s Jolt! Get ready to take control of your destiny.”
—HOWARD KAZANJIAN, PRODUCER OF RAIDERS OF THE LOST
ARK AND STAR WARS EPISODE VI: THE RETURN OF THE JEDI
“The world that we live in has increased its pace at a considerable rate. Phil Cooke gives us the “jolt” we need to prepare ourselves for the future. Old habits are just that—old. You must change and continue to change, or you will be left behind. Now is the time to prepare. Are you ready? Is your team ready? Jolt! will stimulate your skills, influence your legacy, and help you complete a blockbuster life!”
—SAMUEL SMITH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MERCY SHIPS
“Phil Cooke lives and breathes relevance; he is like the lead explorer who goes ahead of the pack sees what is ahead and then he calls out to the rest to follow. In this book he does just that: he speaks to everyone who seeks to be relevant to a constantly changing culture and says this is the road to effectiveness in communicating the truth. Read it, you will be challenged and provoked to explore new possibilities”
—MICHAEL YOUSSEF PHD, HOST OF THE
GLOBAL MEDIA PROGRAM LEADING THE WAY.
“The only way to hit a moving target (and Phil Cooke shows just how fast-moving this culture is) is to get ahead of it. If you’re tired of playing the game of either catch-up or put-down, Jolt! is for you. It’s the best book out there on how to move from carpe diem to carpe mañana.”
—LEONARD SWEET, BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AND PROFESSOR
(DREW UNIVERSITY, GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY)
“Phil Cooke is on the cutting edge, bringing to the body of Christ new ideas and strategies for proclaiming the gospel. He has successfully guided hundreds of churches and ministries into this brave new world of marketing and technology. The message of the gospel never changes, but the way it’s proclaimed should!”
—PAUL CROUCH JR., CHIEF OF STAFF, TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK
“Jolt! is like a slap in the face that causes you to pause and reflect on how we have become entrapped by “disruptive” technologies. It lays out a coherent plan to aid you in overcoming these distractions and to achieve success in your personal life as well as your career. This book is a road map to regain your freedom: physically, emotionally, and spiritually.”
—ARTHUR ANDERSON, PRODUCER, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III
“Phil Cooke is one of today’s most sensitive, sensible, and savvy men I
know in the arena of media communications and production. His grasp of how to capture the attention of the public or a specific audience as well as to assist ready observers, readers, or listeners with resources will make them glad they tuned in to his message.”
—JACK W. HAYFORD, CHANCELLOR AND FOUNDER, THE
KING’S UNIVERSITY, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
“It will wake you up . . . with a Jolt! Phil surveys the disrupted landscape and then finds a number of important minor and major ways to cope with life in the age of “tap and watch and react.” Addressing our challenges with personal importance, growth, and power, Phil shows how many problems can be made worse through our best efforts. Without the biblical notions of trust, forgiveness, and good thinking, we will miss the blessings of progress in communications and just bog down in a narcissistic social networking.”
— ANDREW J. PETERSON, PRESIDENT, REFORMED
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, VIRTUAL CAMPUS, CHARLOTTE, NC
“Don’t miss Jolt. It’s jam-packed with practical wisdom for today’s fast-changing world. Phil Cooke is a modern-day Solomon.”
—MICHAEL LEE STALLARD, PRESIDENT, E PLURIBUS
PARTNERS; AUTHOR, FIRED UP OR BURNED OUT
JOLT!
JOLT!
GET THE JUMP
ON A WORLD THAT’S
CONSTANTLY CHANGING
by Phil Cooke
Jolt!
© 2011 by Philip Howard Cooke
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
The author is represented by and this book is published in association with the literary agency of WordServe Literary Group, Ltd., www.wordserveliterary.com.
Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NIV are from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NRSV are from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible. © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Page design by Mandi Cofer
ISBN 978-1-59554-773-6 (IE)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cooke, Phil.
Jolt! : get the jump on a world that’s constantly changing / by Phil Cooke.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-59555-324-9
1. Change (Psychology) I. Title.
BF637.C4C67 2010
158. 1—dc22
2010034330
Printed in the United States of America
11 12 13 14 15 QGF 6 5 4 3 2 1
To Kathleen
CONTENTS
Introduction: Living in a Disrupted World
JOLT YOUR DIRECTION
1. The Time to Change Is Now
Let the Revolution Begin!
2. The Headache Is Worth It
The Joy of Hitting the Wall
3. The Real Truth About Change
Letting Go of Your Past
4. Start at the Finish Line
Knowing Your Dream and Destination
5. The Power of “What If?”
Expanding Your Vision
JOLT WHAT MATTERS
6. Jolt Your Priorities
Taking Control of What Is Important
7. Better Choices
The Keys to Strong Decision Making
8. Borders
The Map of Who You Are
9. The Power of Focus
Selective Thinking Is the Key to Breakthrough
10. A Change of Habit
Breaking Destructive Patterns of Behavior
JOLT YOUR POTENTIAL
11. Personal Growth Is Not an Option
Never Stop Learning
12. Creativity
The Real Wonder Drug
13. Embrace Ambiguity
Appreciating the Mystery of Life
14. The Power of Generosity
Getting More Out of Life by Giving It Away
15. The Key to Personal Confidence
Overcoming Fear and Insecurity
JOLT YOUR HEART
16. Build a Motivation Machine
Personal Cheerleaders Can Make a Powerful Difference
17. The Freedom of Accountability
The Secret of Real Independence
18. The Power of Perception
Why It Is Just as Important as Reality
19. Change Your Thinking and Change Your Future
The Incredible Influence of Your Thought Life
20. Discover the Power of Faith
The Awesome Power in Looking Beyond Yourself
JOLT YOUR FUTURE
21. Eliminate Destructive Distractions
Releasing Negative Baggage
22. Failure Is the Key to Success
Mistakes Are Just Part of the Process
23. Get Over Yourself!
It Is Not About You
24. Leave a Legacy of Change
How Will You Be Remembered?
25. Live a Blockbuster Life
Discover the Far-Reaching Power of Influence
Acknowledgments
Credits
About the Author
» INTRODUCTION
LIVING IN A DISRUPTED WORLD
Jolt : To disturb. To shock. To interfere with abruptly. To shake things up.
I don’t have to convince you the world is changing. Globalization has changed business, the media have changed our perceptions, culture has changed our values, and technology has changed everything. We I live in the instant world of mobile phones, text messaging, and social networking. In the digital universe, word travels fast and change is overwhelming, often happening without warning.
For better or worse, disruption is the word that best describes twenty-first-century living.
But the question is, as the world around us changes, have we changed? How have we adapted to the turmoil that surrounds our lives? Perhaps more important, have our personal lives kept pace with radically escalating technology?
You’re about to begin a journey that will have enormous impact on your life. The principles of this book will work for those with a passion to change their company, their community, or their lives. From corporate CEOs to rising visionaries to housewives, this book could be the answer you’ve been looking for. In a world where the very foundations you’ve believed in all your life are crumbling, how do you move forward toward your purpose?
Sure, everyone tells us we need to change, but how do we actually do it? Especially in a world where it seems as if the rules are just being made up? And it’s not getting any easier.
» DISRUPTION IS NOT JUST THEORETICAL; IT’S PERSONAL.
According to John Freeman, author of The Tyranny of E-mail:
• 65 percent of North Americans spend more time with their computer than their spouse.
• E-mail is addictive in the same way slot machines have been shown to be addictive.
• In 2009, it’s been estimated, the average corporate worker spent more than 40 percent of his or her day sending or receiving some 200 e-mail messages.
• In a world home to 6 billion people, roughly 600 million e-mails are sent every 10 minutes.
• E-mail is changing the way we read and communicate.
• 77 percent of workers report that e-mail downtime causes major stress at work, with 10 percent actually assaulting their computers.
• As a result, some psychologists are actually pushing to have “Internet Addiction” broadly classified as a clinical disorder. (136)
But Freeman isn’t the only media prophet warning us about the impact of technological disruption. In his blog (http://socialnomics.net/) based on the book Socialnomics, Erik Qualman lists mind-boggling statistics about how social media has impacted our culture:
• In 2010, Generation Y outnumbered Baby Boomers . . . 96 percent of them have already joined a social network.
• One out of eight couples married in the United States in the last year met via social media.
• If Facebook were a country, it would be the world’s third largest, between the United States and India.
• A 2009 U.S. Department of Education study revealed that, on average, online students outperformed those receiving face-to-face instruction. One in six higher education students is enrolled in online curriculum.
• The fastest-growing segment on Facebook is 55-to-65-year-old females.
• Ashton Kutcher and Ellen Degeneres (combined) have more Twitter followers than the populations of Ireland, Norway, or Panama.
• Generation Y and Z consider e-mail passé . . . In 2009, Boston College stopped distributing e-mail addresses to incoming freshmen.
• There are more than 200,000,000 blogs—increasing daily and 54 percent of bloggers post content or tweet daily. Because of the speed in which social media enables communication, word of mouth now becomes world of mouth.
• 78 percent of consumers trust peer recommendations, but only 14 percent trust advertisements.