Spark by Jason Jaggard

Why do you change? It may be that the pain of staying the same is just too much. But change also happens when there is a future pleasure anticipated.

Jason is just an ordinary guy who wants to live a meaningful life. This book is his attempt to create a road map that leads to a more meaningful life and to challenge you to take the risk to get there.

He investigates the most common ways we look at growth, learning, and the tools needed to accomplish both. He presents a different, more exciting and transformative way to growth and learning.

Jason defines a Spark as a choice. It is a decision to move from inaction to action.

You know you were meant to go further than where you are today. You are one healthy choice away from changing your life. Change always involves risk. Risk is scary but necessary.

Jason explains how to start and lead a Spark group. He shares lots of his own experiences – even his mistakes. He shares the experiences of others, too.

He makes sure you understand that he is writing about healthy risks. It is not just any risk that is important. He highlights the necessary values: risk, compassion and optimism.

He reminds us, “God's favorite gift to give people is the opportunity to serve others.” (193)

Jason is passionate about helping people cultivate an appetite for healthy risk taking. He believes you were designed to be an extraordinary human being. What might happen in your life if you took a risk? What risk will you take this week?

This is not the most inspiring book I have read about change and making the decisions to accomplish that change. His unique idea, however, is the group support, finding a group of people who are willing to take one risk each week for four weeks. He gives several examples of groups who accomplished something none could have done on their own.

You can find out more about the Spark movement, testimonials, and ideas on forming a Spark Group at www.sparkgood.com. 

You can watch a video here.

Follow Jaggard on Twitter.

Listen to a podcast.

Read the first chapter here.

Jason Jaggard is CEO/Founder of Spark Good and is the creator of Spark Groups. He teaches at Pepperdine University and speaks to a wide variety of audiences across the country.

WaterBrook Press, 224 pages. Publisher product page.

I received a complimentary advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.