The Front Nine by Mike Vardy

There are a lot of introductory books out there on time management and personal productivity. The Front Nine by Mike Vardy is one of them, but with a little twist.

It’s not your typical “here’s how you do this” or “save time here and there by implementing the infamous 123-rule”. The Front Nine discusses personal productivity one step above that. It makes you think what you want to do and more importantly, why.

Let me share an analogy here. One thing I tell a lot of people is that productivity is like a vehicle. The more productive you are, the faster your vehicle is.

The reason you’re productive is because you have an end goal. You want to work towards something and you want to get it done in the fastest way possible. Being productive simply helps you get to your destination faster. If you’re clueless about how to get work done, it’s like walking around in circles while it’s dark outside. On the other hand, being focused and productive is like trying to drive in a Lexus IS-F with a GPS system navigating you around while it’s sunny outside. It’s fun, it’s comfortable, Asian built and you’ll get there fast. Just the way we like it here at Asian Efficiency ;-)

Now a lot of the books will help you fine-tune the vehicle and show you how to drive faster. But what if the driver is incompetent at driving and doesn’t know where to go?

It wouldn’t matter if you had a fast sports car or not. When the driver is the weakest link, it doesn’t matter what you drive.

The first step to getting where you want to be is by making sure the driver is competent enough to drive, that he has a grip on what to do and that he knows where to go. And that’s exactly what The Front Nine will help you with – YOU.

The book is a quick and easy read. Don’t expect any fancy tips or tricks to help you be more productive. Instead, let Vardy’s thoughts simmer and crack your brain on why you’re doing things and how to move forward.

I got to know Mike Vardy over the years as I’ve been following his works online and I have seen the transformation he has been through. I consider Mike Vardy the new Merlin Mann – a guy you want to listen to when it comes to productivity in today’s world.

His book distills the basics of personal productivity by using a golf analogy. I really liked it because it makes you think differently about concepts. The style of writing reminded me of Switch by the Heath brothers (see our review) where they talk about the elephant, rider and path as a way to make transformations in your own life. The golf analogy is simple yet very powerful, and that is what makes this book so accessible for anyone who wants to become more serious about their personal productivity.

Even if you’re a seasoned productivity nerd, you’ll appreciate the insights that Mike Vardy has that will help you fine-tune your vehicle. If you’re brand new to productivity, I would recommend that you grab a copy and then read Eat That Frog (read our review).

Click here to grab The Front Nine on Amazon. Don’t forget to follow Mike Vardy on twitter and check out his blog at productivityist.com.