Why? These people are a world apart from the rest of them. These people are not afraid to make mistakes and stick their neck out. They are passionate and driven. They lead, connect with and inspire people. Ultimately, they make things happen. And they do this with zeal, pouring the best of themselves into their pursuits.

The argument Godin makes is that every one of us has the capability to be that linchpin, that indispensable person. This book seeks to help you understand that if you are not indispensable yet, it is because you haven’t made that choice.

There is a new world out there. One where we are not faceless and part of some bigger machinery or production line at work. We live in a world now where we are able to produce and create and have a much more direct impact on the community, our workplace and our peers. A world where we can make more connections than ever before. But only if we choose to. What is relevant is that we have been indoctrinated to believe certain things about who and what we are and that we have only so much choice at our disposal.

The distinction between the linchpin and the guy in the next cubicle, as Godin puts it is, “Indispensable linchpins are not waiting for instructions, but instead, figuring out what to do next. If you have a job where someone tells you what to do next, you’ve just given up the chance to create value”.

This pretty much sums about the approach of this book. Godin wants you to think about the choices you make and take ownership of it. The book is for anyone interested in taking charge of their life, in all aspects. It is for the brave-hearted. His writing style is punchy with short paragraphs and challenging paragraph headers like Is It Possible to do Hard Work in a Cubicle? There is No Map and Your Get What You Focus On.

Godin cites at least 38 books in the bibliography, that he had the pleasure of reading while working on this book and which had an impact on him. These were books on gifts and art, on sociology and economics, education and programming, science and evolution and wisdom. I would strongly recommend this book because I believe that it will change the way you think. It changed the way I think. This book is a call to action, to do something more and better with your life, with your work and to make a difference. It’s a call to be more than you seem to be at the moment simply because you have it in you to do so. But the choice is yours.