How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen

Clayton Christensen teaches at the Harvard Business School. He spends the last class of the semester discussing his students' life strategies, based on business principles and theories they learned in class during the semester.

This book is essentially the written version of that last class period.  Christensen opens each chapter with one or more examples of business theory and principles as demonstrated with actual companies. He then relates that particular example to a life strategy. The life strategies, or goals, are divided into three sections: Finding Happiness in Your Career, Finding Happiness in Your Relationships, and Staying out of Jail (Integrity).

Every man that I know who has read this book really liked it. Most of the women I know said they liked it, but it wasn't consistently compelling. I think this particular format resonates with men, who spend most of their lives in the business world, in one way or another. I will admit the women I spoke to are currently stay at home moms, like me. (I guess I'm a stay at home grandma).

I did get bogged down in a couple of the business sections. Others of them I really liked. Also, I felt like some of the life goals have already occurred in my life. Some of them I feel fairly successful about, and some of them rather ambiguous. Yet I feel like I have a lot of life left, and it would be worth while to sit down and set some strategies for the rest of my life.

This was a much more cerebral book than a few that I've read lately. It was a nice change. I look forward to the discussion in my book group next week.