“The Full Tank Life” by Ben Tankard
c.2016, FaithWords / Hachette $22.00 / $26.50 Canada 208 pages
by Terri Schlichenmeyer, OW contributor
At the end of the day, you’re out of gas.
There’s nothing left in your reserves, not a drop. You’re done, wondering if this is as far
as you’ll ever go but somehow open to new suggestions. So read “The Full Tank Life”
by Ben Tankard. It might just rev your engine again.
Imagine this: you’re driving down the highway on your way to somewhere important,
when you glance at the gas gauge and oh, boy, it’s almost on “E.” That’s what your life
may be like but Ben Tankard says you can boost your inner fuel with his “Full Tank
Life” method. Since it’s easy to do, you can start now.
It’s all about D-E- S-T- I-N- Y, he says.
Begin by discovering your Dream. Get personal; this is your dream, not what someone
else wants for you. Imagine it. Write it down. See yourself in it, then take steps to be in
the right Environment to achieve that dream. Tell yourself every day that you’ll have
what you want. Say it aloud and make it positive. That will help train your Subconscious
to see your path as a decision, not a choice.
Learn to see Time in a different way. Don’t waste it, of course, but don’t rush to use it,
either. Haste, impatience, not prioritizing, and a lack of attention to detail can make time
slip out of your fingers faster than you might realize.
Try to keep Inspiration in your life. Find people who can support you, and put yourself in
their company as much as possible. Find a mentor, and then be a mentor to someone else.
Take advantage of Networks to maintain your outlook and to boost your business and
personal life.
Finally, remember the most important part of the Full Tank Life: You! Always be
genuine. Do your best with whatever you have at the moment. Work around any
roadblock you might find. And above all, don’t listen to naysayers: if your tank is full,
you can do this.
As faith-based business-slash-inspirational books go, “The Full Tank Life” is okay. Not
sterling, not great, but not horrible, either; just okay.
Author, pastor, and “Renaissance man” Ben Tankard has a good premise here but, though
his advice is solid, it’s similar to a lot of other books. He offers personal anecdotes to
illustrate his points but those tales often seem to be elevated, which could smack of
boasting. There’s a good amount of repetition here, too, and the lengthy Bible teachings
sometimes feel like filler.
To the good, however, the information offered is rock-solid. The book is written in an
easy step-by- step format (although Tankard says you don’t have to read it that way). And
there are helpful worksheets included with each chapter, which allow readers to sort
through their thoughts and ideas.
The audience for this book, I think, is in the reader with a totally blank slate, or in the
businessperson who’s hit pause for just a minute. If you are neither, though, “The Full
Tank Life” may only leave you empty.
