I haven’t sat down on a Saturday and read a book from cover to cover in ages.  I know that a lot of that has had to do with getting in the “long run” in my training plan for February’s marathon I ran.  I also know that some of that has had to do with finding a book that captured my attention enough to want to just read.  Last week, Stefan Swanepoel’s Surviving Your Serengeti: 7 Skills to Master Business and Life showed up at my doorstep.  My goal for last Saturday was to read it.

Having some artistic blood flowing through my veins, I would be remiss if I did not mention that the cover immediately caught my eye.  The coloring around the image seemed spot on and made me want to open the book.  Another underlying reason for wanting to open that book was that the school district that I sit on the Board of Education is a District of Leadership.  The district trains and using Stephen Covey’s 7 habits.  The number seven was in this title so I wanted to see, compare, contrast if necessary, and synergize.

Swanepoel’s book is written in fable format.  I personally love this format as it makes it easier to imagine applying the lessons within the book to my own life.  I was a tad bit concerned as I kept going to my marathon as ways to apply the seven skills.  I can see all seven making me a better distance runner.  Then I started thinking in terms of other parts of my life.  All seven skills – you should read the book to find out what they are – can be applied to my business, to my personal life, to relationships and to my school board experience.

Each skill is associated with a particular animal found in the Serengeti.  The skill is what enables that animal to survive the desert climate of its homeland.  The animals include the wildebeest, the lion, the elephant, the crocodile and more.  You can find out what animal you are and get a taste for the book by visiting What Animal Am I?.

The book is written in fable form but the end of each chapter has detailed information about the skill that the end of the chapter.  Both the fable itself and the individual skill information captured my attention.  On top of the actual skill set that is discussed in the book, the fable portion provides the reader with a beautiful picture of the Serengeti area.  The details of both the landscape and the wildlife made me want to go on a photographic safari.

I strongly suggest that you pick up a copy of Swanepoel’s Surviving Your Serengeti. The insight you will receive from the book will allow you to move through challenges in your life with a greater awareness of yourself and your skills.

I received a complimentary copy of Stefan Swanepoel’s Surviving Your Serengeti for the purpose of reviewing the book.  The opinions above are my own.