Driving Lessons for Life 2 by Jim Jacobs is a continuation of his first book that used driving lessons as metaphors for ways to improve our lives. The journey continues in this sequel, which contains fifty short essays on how we can all improve our lives by applying the lessons we learn along the way to our daily situations.

Jim notices that the average person spends almost 25 hours a week in the car. Rather than making this downtime or meaningless time, Jim advocates “using our driving time to improve our lives and relationships and really realize our potential.” For him, an experience on the road can become a “lifelong driving lesson”.

The book is packed with tips for all of us to think about the various aspects of our lives. I think everyone will enjoy it, from beginners to experienced drivers, and Jim addresses drivers of all calibers. For example, to new drivers, Jim offers, “Please don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Be afraid of never getting to the places you want to go. Everyone makes mistakes. What you do with them is what you do. bill”.

The essays are full of fun and practical advice mixed with some thoughtful opinions. Some of the titles include: “A car in the summer is hot; people are not”, where Jim addresses the problems with the way we objectify people; “Beware of Blind Spots,” which asks us to address blind spots in our own lives; and “What paths are you heading?” to address various life choices that we could make.

Automobile metaphors are abundant everywhere, but they all work, often in surprising but thoughtful ways. Everything to do with driving appears here from merging (worthy of a four-part trial series) to roundabouts, flashers, speeding, license plates, getting lost, and cruise control. One of my favorite approaches is “Car Talks”. Jim points out that we can often have amazing, meaningful conversations in the car. He strongly advocates that we use our time in the car with our loved ones to improve our relationships, simply by talking to each other and seeing time in the car as an opportunity to teach our children.

One of my favorite tips from this book relates to Jim talking about bumper stickers asking, “How do I drive?” He uses this commonly seen feature to discuss how we should all learn to be open to feedback. He ends by suggesting: “Let’s all get some bumper stickers of our lives that say, ‘How am I driving?’ “

Another great story includes advice from Jim’s stepfather, who helped teach him to drive. His stepfather warned Jim as he approached a stoplight, “” If it’s green now, it may be red when you get there. “This advice taught Jim that he needs to plan ahead in life by looking ahead and preparing for it. that you might find there.

I also loved the alignment metaphor. Jim states: “Most difficulties for people arise when behavior and beliefs are not aligned. In short, when you believe one way but act another, you are out of alignment. And being out of alignment can be a cause. important depression, anger, anxiety and a host of other emotional and relationship problems. The alignment between beliefs and behavior is very important. ” After exploring the ways we get misaligned in our lives, Jim offers us three easy steps to realign.

Jim also doesn’t shy away from tough topics. He opposes modern advice that often says to remove toxic or negative people from your life. Instead, he asks us to look at those people with compassion, saying, “Your life may be full of people who are just doing their best and need to be loved. I am convinced that this world needs more people who can take it. they want”. is negative and turn it into something positive. At least that’s my goal. “As he says in a later essay on fusion,” Life is so much better for everyone when we let people in. “

Jim also talks about a plaque he saw that asks, “Izzitme?” After sharing the plaque owner’s reasons for the plaque, Jim explains how we can use this question to ask ourselves “Is it me?” and assume that if there is a problem, we are at least partly responsible, and taking responsibility can lead to a cure.

Jim knows that our road trip in real life never really ends. We have to continually live to follow the rules of the road and control our driving. Driving Lessons for Life 2 is a fun and helpful reminder of many aspects of life and driving that we can all benefit from. As Jim says at the conclusion of the book, “You have to persevere in the direction you want to go and never lose sight of the goal. There are no rest stops on the way to a better and fuller life. Furthermore, the path will always be in construction. There are more hills to climb, potholes to dodge and things to experience. In many ways, it’s exciting that this particular journey never ends. “

If you want to make your journey a little easier, I suggest you give this book a try.