First off, let me start off by saying, I am not typically a fan of Christian self-help books. But for the sake of open-mindedness and BuzzBlogger (who provided me with a free copy of the book and the planner), I gave Allyson Lewis's "The Seven Minute Difference" a chance.

It got me from the very beginning, the introduction! It told a story of Sir Ernest Shackleton, a man who braved the cold of Antarctica in the early 1900s, even though he and his men came across life threatening obstacles. His life motto was "By endurance we conquer," which I found to be very encouraging. Life is a battle, a race. "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12-14).

This book emphasized writing things down. I felt this was a very practical method of motivation. Spending only 7, 10, or 15 minutes a day writing down goals and methods to reach those goals can drastically affect the outcome of your day. And think about it, 7 minutes out of 1440 (the number of minutes in a whole day) is practically nothing! It's just a micro-action, as Lewis calls it!

Though I am already one who writes everything down, this book encouraged me to do it in a more organized manner. The fact that the planner has everything categorized was helpful—and definitely a nice plus for someone as OCD as I am! :P

If you want more information on this book and planner, check out http://www.the7minutelifesystem.com!