Book SummaryEnergize, by Simon Alexander Ong

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Energize

Call it what you will—motivation, drive, charisma, magnetism—personal energy is a universal force that affects every aspect of our lives, and we’re aware of it either by its presence or its absence. A person’s energy is infectious, influencing other people’s moods and behaviors. For instance, you may know someone who always brings the party to life or is able to shift a team into high gear. Conversely, there are those who suck the energy out of a room or have a knack for grinding progress to a halt. Given the choice, wouldn’t you prefer to be one of the former instead of the latter?

In Energize, published in 2022, Simon Alexander Ong suggests that harnessing your energy is the key to self-improvement and achieving your most ambitious goals. Your energy levels affect your ability to perform at your best, make good decisions, and achieve what you want in life. It almost goes without saying that the more challenging your objectives, the more energy you'll need to accomplish them. The good news...

Energize Summary Cultivate Your Energy

How much energy you have depends on both your body and your mind, and how you care for them. In the first half of this guide, we’ll discuss Ong’s advice for how to raise and maintain your personal energy by treating your body well, feeding your mind, and letting your energy levels recharge—all of which can help you tap reserves of inner power you may not have known were even there.

Nourish Your Body

It should come as no surprise that how much energy you have depends greatly on your physical health. Neglecting your health can lead to burnout and exhaustion, which can stop you from finding your direction in life. While you can’t control everything that happens in your body, Ong identifies three cornerstone habits to focus on if you want to optimize your energy—exercise, diet, and sleep.

The Uphill Climb to Health

Unfortunately for many people, burnout and exhaustion are rampant in the workplace. On top of that, the places where we live and work often promote unhealthy eating and [sedentary...

Energize Summary Direct Your Energy

So far, we’ve discussed where your energy comes from, how you can increase it, and how you can manage it. Now we’ll explore how you can use it to chase your dreams and live a more satisfying life. Ong writes that you begin by vividly picturing the life you’d like to have and then change the obstacles in your way into stepping stones. In doing so, you can also energize people around you, helping others live better lives through the examples you set and the connections you make on your path to achieving your goals.

Envision Your Future

The first step on your path to success is to define for yourself what success will look like. Without a clear goal in mind to guide you, your energy will be directionless, no matter how well you cultivate it. Ong discusses the importance of clarifying your goal, how to turn your dreams into an actionable plan, and how to frame your feelings toward wealth if that is part of what you’re trying to achieve.

Ong argues that having a specific, long-term vision lets you focus your energy, overcome obstacles, and attract opportunities. He cites many examples from the field of sports, where imagining your goal before achieving it is a standard...

Shortform Exercise: How Will You Make the Most of Your Energy?

Ong writes that your personal energy is the most crucial factor in determining how satisfied and successful you are. He also suggests that you can shift your energy toward the positive by adopting a healthy lifestyle for both your body and your mind. Lastly, he proposes that you harness your energy to chase whatever dreams are most meaningful to you. Consider these ideas while answering the following questions.

Do you think of yourself as a low-energy or high-energy person? How does that manifest in your life?