We’re in love with Jon Acuff’s new book, Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work that Matters

Stay tuned for a full review, but for now, if you want to learn how to lead an exceptional life, here’s why you need Acuff’s book.

Keep the Momentum Going

Whether you’re a stand-up comedian, a sales rep or an athlete, keeping your momentum going is critical for success. In Start, Jon describes how his friend John, a stand-up comedian, can get back on stage night after night despite the occasional flop.

“John learned that if he can shorten his starting cycle, failures don’t have the time to define him. At the end of the night, what happened at 7:00 p.m. doesn’t hold a whole lot of weight when he performed successfully at 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. He starts so often that the shadow of one failure looks tiny in the light of all the new opportunities for success.”

You’re likely to bomb the first few times you attempt to achieve success in your line of work. But if you keep your momentum going and start again and again, the odds for succeeding are in your favor. So keep up the momentum and remember, the only way you can fail is if you quit.