“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
