Caught in the Headlights by Barry K. Phillips

“We’ve all had those ‘deer in the headlight’ moments when we realize we’ve been chasing the wrong things. Caught in the Headlights is a frank, insightful look at 10 key goals most of us think we want – only to discover our eyes are on the wrong prize. Barry K. Phillips not only entertains, but also examines common values and us to the goals we should seek, what to do differently now that we know better.

From goals such as happiness, self-esteem, protecting our pride, or the perfect physique, Phillips takes a closer look at those aims prized by society and explores how we can pursue higher goals. A thoughtful, funny, and at times profound look into the real reasons we all have for the things we do, this book will entertain, enlighten, and inspire.”

Each of the ten chapters is accompanied by a comic to introduce the principle, a section on lessons learned and a poem to summarize. The writing is easy to read and Mr. Phillips uses humor throughout to make his point. He takes values society has told us are important and turned them upside down to discover what is really of worth.

I most enjoyed the chapters on Control and Success. From the chapter on Control, he writes:

“Combining worthy pursuits with a keen sense of discernment brings about or causes serendipity. It’s not just happenstance. These two elements in play bring about a state of mind where a person’s own awareness allows him to find something better than what he was looking for, a good thing he could not have planned but was aware enough to notice.”

And from the chapter on Success:

“Balance, perspective, service, and doing the most with what you’ve been given in all areas of your life is what success is all about. Success measured on those terms is harder to find but well worth the pursuit. My lesson learned was not that I didn’t want success, just that my definition was all wrong in the beginning.”

In this little 116 page book, there are so many gems of wisdom that I am looking forward to a second and a third reading. I recommend this book as an entertaining and enlightening read, especially to those looking for a new perspective on life.

This book can be purchased from Cedar Fort or from Barry K. Phillips website.