A review by kassymac
Hard Pivot: Embrace Change. Find Purpose. Show Up Fully. by Apolo Anton Ohno

4.0

Overall: 3.5- 4 stars

Summary:
This is a self-help and sort-of memoir of the speed skater Apolo Anton Oho. If you are making a major life change, then this book provides some good advice.

My thoughts:
I remember watching Apolo Anton Ohno speed skate in the Olympics. It is one of my fondest memories of spending time with the family and cheering him on the ice. I was a little disappointed there were no pictures in the book. It would have been nice just to see a picture of his inner circle that he mentions, Olympics, etc.

Being that this was not a memoir, I think the choice of the cover was a little misleading. I picked this up thinking that it was a memoir, only to discover that it was not. Oh well, it was good though.
I really wanted to read more about his life. But it gave me glimpses of his life enough to call it a self-help/memoir. I think some of his talks about how he treated other people made me think he was a jerk. I thought him giving me advice when he treated all his ex-girlfriends the way he mentions in the book. Then he blames his busy life, his mother’s abandonment, etc.

I did think this book provided a lot of great advice. I also did not think that the same advice I could have used when I was making a life change. I, unlike him, needed money to pay the bills. I was unable to network like him with international businessmen and have a job handed to me. I was also unable to travel the world after I lost my job. But I think the overall thoughts and processes were there. He called his retirement from speed skating “The Great Divorce.” I think that analogy is a good one. I went through all the emotions of grieving or divorcing when I lost my job.

I really enjoyed learning about Ikigai. It was very educational, and I am going to study it a lot more. I started to really research it. I think it may change my life and the way that I view it. I did a lot of the journaling in the book too.