5 comments about The 4-Hour work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich.

1. Can we all have it all? I just don't know... this guy's story is amazing. The tips are priceless... I don't see my work week trimming down to 4 hours though, any time soon... Still, I loved his humor, his style of writing (which is witty and inspiring), and his lust for living.



2. This was a quick and easy read for a novice. The antecdotes were funny and I admired the author's tenacity. I think his point was that it is important to enjoy the ride and try to get rich doing it. Find something that you love and market the hell out of it on infomercials and internet retailers. I mean I guess it worked for him. I took his words as a little inspiration not a mathematical formula for happiness and success.



3. i really enjoyed this book. It's a stimulant to get your bum and give your idea a crack.



4. I'll keep this short. Great book. First half: setting the mindset. Second half: a wealth of practical tips and resources.
   
   This book opens up a whole new range of possibilities.
   
   It's a must buy.



5. A lot of people criticize this book based on the title and the author's seemingly over the top claims of free money and a life of leisure interrupted by short bursts of activity that just can't be avoided. Some people ask "Who will be working if everyone only worked for four hours week?". It all depends on how you define 'WORK'.
   
   In Ferris's world, 'WORK' is whatever you don't want to do. Maybe what you do for fun is work to someone else and what you think of as work is fun to someone else. Here's a practical example. Last summer, I hired someone to mow my lawn. The guy pulls up with a trailer full of equipment and half an hour later, he's gone and my grass looks great. It cost me $35.00. If I had done that work myself it would have cost me 4 hours of my life that I can never get back. Instead, it cost me $35.00 and I went to lunch and a movie with my wife. I hate yard work, but the guy who mows my lawn, LIKES it and he likes getting paid for it. Conversely, I've spent upwards of 20 hours working on some particularly tricky computer problem and I didn't charge the client a dime, because it was fun and I learned some things that now save me time nearly every day. It was fun for me, but some people would consider it work. In Tim Ferris's world, neither of us is really working.
   
   He says in the book "Eliminate before you delegate". It's about eliminating as much unnecessary BS as you can then delegating the rest, so you only have to address the things that truly cannot be avoided. Why is that bad?
   
   I like the book a lot. I had already done some of the stuff he describes. I almost never answer the phone and I use e-mail for all business related communication, because it's faster and I can use the e-mail as a record of the week's events. I've also raised my rates to get rid of some whiny cheapskates who were sucking up all of my time and making me miserable. Now, I do less work, but make the same amount of money. Why is that bad?
   
   Ferris carries it to an extreme that I wouldn't have considered until I had read the book. I'm not saying everything here is practical or even desirable, but it does have some good tips on how to manage your time and eliminate unnecessary activity so you have time to do more of what you like.
   
   Depending on how you define work, this book is great otherwise it's just hype. It's all about mind set.

5 comments about Public Speaking for Dummies (For Dummies).

1. This book was well........ I'm not sure cause I haven't read it yet. Personally though I love Public Speaking and this book is required for a course I'm taking. For those of you who think you'll never be able to do Public Speaking, I assure you, you can!



2. While I am not a huge fan of buying a book advertised as being for "dummies," I find the "...for Dummies" series to be very helpful for those of us unfamiliar with a certain topic. Needless to say, I am very unfamiliar with public speaking, unless you count the class I had in high school ten years ago, which I barely remember.
   
   I am grateful for Kushner for taking a complex topic and making it easy to understand. Even though I am naturally outgoing and like to talk to groups, I wanted to learn an effective method of public speaking. I picked up the book because some friends and I have started an internet broadcast (called a podcast) and I wanted tips and suggestions on how to improve my speaking ability and organizational skills. I eventually want to branch out and do public speaking.
   
   Generally, I liked the book, and even read it in a single day. I especially enjoyed the chapters about speech organization and the ones about voice and body language. I am going to practice his techniques during my spare time before either the mirror or a camera, to try to make them come more naturally. I am also going to thoroughly prepare for any speech I make, using the methods outlined in this book. He gives plenty of tips on how to start a speech, how to end one, and how to fill the speeches with humor and other interesting elements. Even though the book is an overview, putting his many suggestions into practice will keep anyone busy for awhile.
   
   The only drawback to this book is that being a "...for Dummies" book, I feel like I need to read another more advanced book to actually get the best handle possible on public speaking. While I am glad this book is for complete beginners, some of the material is more about basic time management skills and common-sense psychology than public speaking. Also, I expected to read something about how to record myself and then how to evaluate/correct any mistakes I made. I didn't read anything about this. Webcams and microphones are so cheap these days that it only makes sense to suggest recording yourself speaking, and then watch it and evaluate it. I know that just editing my own (and others') podcast talks has helped me see how often I use "um," trail off, and ramble.
   
   Overall, this is a very helpful and easy-to-read introduction to public speaking, with many advanced suggestions thrown in. I would suggest that anyone interested in public speaking read this book, and then get out and practice, practice, practice. That is what I plan to do.



3. I do a fair amount of public speaking and have found this book very helpful in many respects. It does an excellent job of covering the basics, includes some great tips that you might not think of on your own and also introduces some advanced topics without overwhelming you with lots of detail.
   
   Like most of the "For Dummies" series, the book has an encouraging tone and is written in a humorous or light manner. It's an easy and pleasurable read and I believe everyone interested in public speaking would pick up something useful from it.



4. Very informative and well written. This book definately had some good tips and advice on how to improve your public speaking. I highly recommend it.



5. A very clear and concise look at public speaking. There are multiple pointers that help with building confidence in the area of public speaking.
   Elaine Littau
   Author of "Nan's Journey"

5 comments about The Secrets of Closing the Sale.

1. This is the first book I read on sales and will always be one of my favorites. Zig is a great story teller and sales person. This book is more about the psychology of sales than the a selling system, but will start people with the right mindset (which more than half of success).



2. I have read a few of Zigs books and always come away satisfied and educated. This book should be required reading if you are in sales, and I would even recommend it if you are not in sales. The reason a non-sales person could profit from this book are manifold. This book teaches more than selling, it teaches how to deal with people. If you understand how a person thinks, or understand what they mean as opposed to what they are saying, you can steer them where you need them. You can connect to them. thats a great thing on many levels.
   
   As you read this book you will keep thinking to yourself "thats a great idea" or "thats a good point". After reading this book and using what Zig teaches, you will look at your sales calls in a different light. You will go into every meeting with the expectation that you will sell your product or service, it will help your prospect, and there is no way they will not see the value of what you are offering. Its that simple. If you believe you are there to help this person, it comes through in your words and actions.
   
   Zig has an excellent technique to teaching, he tells stories. That works great for me because I can easily remember more and it quickly comes to mind when I hear an objection or question from a prospect. I am then able to quickly word it in a way that helps the prospect.
   
   "Failure to hit the bullseye is never the fault of the target and failure to close the sale is never the fault of the prospect". You need to be better to help more prospects buy your product or service. This book will help you in that goal.
   
   Another classic addition to your sales library should be How to Master the Art of Selling by Tom Hopkins.



3. Zig Zigglar is a bit of a legend in the sales industry for his depth of selling knowledge as well as being a powerful motivational speaker and writer. This book is motivating and has an enormous number of excellent ideas for selling.
   
   Just a few of the topics covered are: The Right Mental Attitude, Your Attitude Towards Others, Everybody is a Salesperson and Everything is Selling, Using Objects to Close the Sale and more.
   
   One of Zig Zigglar's most famous quotes does a great job of summing up his thoughts on how to be successful at sales:
   
   "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want!"
   
   This is an exceptional book for anyone who wants to be successful in working with others...salespeople and anyone else!
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking



4. If you are in the sales profession, there comes a time where the sale needs to be closed. Unfortunately, your customers won't always easily make the decision to buy. At those times you need some insight and some tools to bring value to the sales process so you can make the sale. This book is full of practical tools for closing the sale. Every salesperson wants more ideas to assist them when they need it and this book can help you with that.
   
   Mark Tewart - author of "How To Be A Sales Superstar"
   [...]



5. Putting myself in the place of a customer, I felt strong resistance to Ziglar's closing techniques. His closing techniques seemed offensive to me, especially when ending his closing questions with "wouldn't you?" My feeling was almost always, "Well, maybe I would or I wouldn't, but I have to reflect on it. Truth isn't always so black and white. Stop treating me like I'm a checker on a checkerboard, as if you know the big picture, and I don't. You don't know what I think or feel."
   
   When he gives examples of trying to sell cookware, I was thinking, "I could buy cookware at Goodwill that will work just fine for a few bucks, and you know it, and you aren't saying it. Why don't you take your closing technique of figuring out how much your cookware costs per day, and apply it to buying good second-hand cookware?"
   
   Also, there was no mention of the role of the internet in selling. That is a hugely important thing to discuss that wasn't brought up in his 25th anniversary edition book.
   
   For example, when he recounts buying a new Cadillac from a seasoned Cadillac salesperson, I recoiled! I thought, "Get real. I wouldn't consider stepping on that sales lot until I knew how much that Cadillac cost the sales lot to buy, and without finding customer's opinions of the salesperson," etc. And I am not a car guy or a salesperson -- this is just common sense in the age of the internet.
   
   I also was turned off at the transparent BS of the salesperson who sold Ziglar the Cadillac. I thought, "This Cadillac salesguy can't be serious. He can't actually think I think it's 'Good news' that my offer of $7,000 was rejected and that only $7,200 was acceptable. He's just lying. What a manipulator. I'm out of here." (This was a salesperson that Ziglar was presenting as being recommended for his great integrity.)
   
   On the upside, I commend Ziglar for his extreme emphasis on the need to believe in what you sell. This is what integrity is all about. He points out that if you really believe in what you sell, you might do quite well even with knowing few closing techniques.
   
   Also good is how Ziglar educates the reader about the indispensability of the the salesperson to a strong society. Without salespeople, how are citizens to know what's available? How are companies going to get their products to the hands of those in need? Salespeople are crucial for moving goods, just like the heart is crucial for circulating blood in the body.
   
   There are many other good practices that Ziglar promotes, such as exercising daily, and so forth.
   
   Ziglar would earn a much higher integrity rating from me if he had put in bold letters on the front of his book: "Buy this used from Amazon and save HUGE." But, he did not. He would prefer that you pay full freight, even though I all-but-guarantee you, he doesn't need the money. He says he cares about the customer, number one. If he really cared about the customer and in the extreme importance of his information to society, he would follow philanthropists' leads and disseminate the info at very low cost.

5 comments about Leadership When the Heat's on.

1. Dream. Study. Plan. Act. Danny Cox and John Hoover epitomized leadership in these four simple words. This book is a no nonsense look at simple values that we have left behind in the pursuit of great leadership. The authors focus on bringing out the leader in everyone so that everyone can lead themselves and others with enthusiasm. It is an easy read with exercises to challenge readers to think about how to improve their way of thinking and living so as to tap into their leadership skills. The book reads somewhat like a manual and at times can be repetitive but in it's repetition, readers remember. I think the best characteristic of this book is the lists of things to remember, including catchy phrases, relevent stories, and rules to live by. Leadership When the Heat is On is not only informative but fun. It can be used as a guide to beef up leadership skills but more importantly change the way you view leaders and the people who follow them.



2. After reading the book Leadership When the Heat Is on, I have found a new admiration of the people who move towards the field of leadership and being a leader. The writer, Danny Cox basically wrote about his experiences in the field of becoming a leader to a group of people in the sales process. The writer mentions problems on how and why these problems came about. The book over all is about common sense in the viewpoint of a person who has experienced it first hand. This book was something that people should read to grasp a better idea of what to expect out of a person who is responsible for others below them in a business setting. The people who are having troubles in getting to know the people that they work with and to get those people to work should read this book.



3. Our company has used Danny Cox as a leadership example for years. We enjoy Danny as a speaker (one of the top speakers in the country) and we use Danny's books for training our senior management team. This book is meant for LEADERS in the organization - self-directed individuals that have the toughness to lead when the heat is on. Danny lived leadership through the heat and shares his experiences. If you are looking to add energy to your organization and your senior management team, this book is for you. Surviving an economic downturn has turned up the heat on most businesses - this book supplies a common sense road map to leadership under pressure. Highly recommended.



4. This is a substantially revised and updated second edition of a book which, since first published in 1992, became and remains a bestseller. (My rough guess is that about 60% of the material this edition is new. Perhaps more.) In my Five Star review of the previous edition, I began by noting that the word "crucible" refers to a container within which tremendous pressure exists and the word is also used to describe experiencing such pressure. While writing this book with Hoover's assistance, I think Cox had this in mind when using the term "heat" in relation to leadership. Throughout history, the greatest religious, military, social, political, and business leaders have flourished under tremendous pressure.

   According to Cox, "heat" is created at the point at which the manager finds himself or herself under the greatest pressure, emanating both from outside (e.g. others' expectations) and inside (i.e. self-imposed forces). In fact, almost anyone within any organization finds herself or himself feeling such pressure while attempting to produce desirable results. Cox fully understands that there are many different kinds of pressure which generally fall within two categories: positive pressure which increases and improves performance without a loss of dignity, and, negative pressure which undermines performance and frequently results in anger, resentment, discouragement, and even despair.

   Years ago when meeting with a CEO who took great pride in his "command and control" management style, I read a framed aphorism to which he directed my attention: "Flogging will continue until employee morale improves." Cox did not write this book for such a manager; rather, for those who care deeply about their associates and are struggling to provide effective leadership and management -- or supporting their leaders and managers -- while experiencing tremendous pressure themselves from various sources (e.g. supervisors, associates, customers, and competitors). In this volume, Cox recommends the same seven strategies introduced in the previous edition. They are arranged in a sequence of "Steps" to follow when "the heat's on": Team Building, Goal Setting, Time Planning for Higher Productivity, Keeping Morale High, Creativity, Problem Solving, and finally, Mounting [or Initiating] Change. It would be a disservice both to him and to those who read this review for me to discuss the seven "Steps." Each must be carefully considered (a) within the context in which Cox presents it, and (b) in relation to the others which precede or follow it. Cox correctly views and explains each of them within a cohesive process. They are interdependent. He also offers an abundance of examples and illustrations of real-world situations, dos and don'ts, action steps, mental activities, checklists, etc.

   For me, one of the most important sections is "Introduction: Andrews Air Force Base, July 21, 2001." For ten years, Cox flew supersonic fighter planes in the United States Air Force (the F-86 Sabre, the F-102 Delta Dagger, and then the F-101 Voodoo) before embarking on his business career. In the "Introduction," he first describes what happened last summer when he accompanied a brigadier general during the flight of an F-16 Fighting Falcon over the Atlantic Ocean. Later, he and wife Tedi celebrated his "supersonic day" by dining in the "Old Town" area of Alexandria, VA. It would be inappropriate to reveal what occurred after they were seated in an historic restaurant. Suffice to say, Cox's juxtaposition of the two situations serves to illustrate several of his most important ideas which he then develops brilliantly in the ten chapters. In fact, I think the "Introduction" all by itself is worth the price of the book.

   Those who share my high regard for this revised and updated edition are urged to check out Bossidy and Charan's Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done, Hammer's The Agenda: What Every Business Must Do to Dominate the Decade, Maister's Practice What You Preach: What Managers Must Do to Create a High-Performance Culture, and Gilbert's Success Bound: Breaking Free of Mediocrity.




5. "Leadership When the Heat's On" is a soon-to-be classic that truly has it's finger on the pulse of business in the 21st century. Mr. Cox accurately delivers a powerful curriculum that not only creates a road map for new leaders but allows veteran leaders to expand and extrapolate on their own time-tested techniques. Not only has my company used this book to address immediate, critical needs but instituted many of Mr. Cox's principles into the bedrock of our strategic planning foundation. I look forward to future publications as I am sure the "sonic boom" will ripple through the business landscape.

5 comments about New Rules of Money.

1. No doubt that Edelman is a very controversial guy--just check out these reviews. However, Edelman is also very knowledgeable and very accurate. He accurately called the Index Fund fallout as early as 1998. HE WAS WIDELY CRITICIZED FOR THAT. But as someone who listened to him, I am glad he was so perceptive!Likewise, Edelman suggests to carry a mortgage vs having a paid off mortgage and invest the difference. As another astute reviewer commented, this is a lot like the old term vs cash value life insurance debate. Which is better?Cash value is generally the better value for the insurance salesman. Likewise, a paid off mortgage is not doing you any good because it is a liability and provides no income. Better to put that extra mortgage moneyin good investments that can grow 20%-25% per year.Edelman may be controversial but his advice is right on.



2. I found a review supposedly by a school teacher from Florida complaining about middle income brackets of $54,000. He goes on to to say that he won't see that in 35 years.

   I work for a school system in Pennsylvania and I don't know how I'd live on only $54,000/per year. I also know people in Florida who are making 6 figure incomes. One guy I know made over $50,000 last month.

   Don't blame your profession, your location or Ric Eedelman. Blame the guy you see when you look in the mirror!




3. As a young, beginning investor, I have been educating myself about investments, savings, etc. With that in mind, I have been avariciously reading almost all the investment books I can find. Edelman's book first brought to my mind a concern about index funds, because every other academic book I've read supports them. I think Edelman has an axe to grind, being an personal finance manager and simply put, to Edelman, Index funds are the anti-christ and must be eliminated. However, his logic does not make sense, nor do his facts and figures hold up. The index funds simply mirror the market, and this they have done very well. He neglects to go into their low fees, and also he does not address the issue of survivorship of mutual funds, that is, that the current data that is published includes only those funds that survive so they are naturally better. Poor funds are simply eliminated or absorbed into other funds.
   
   His comments on mortgages I found interesting, but consider that if you are getting a 10% return on an investment versus an 8% mortgage, that might make sense, but to get %10 you are going to have to invest in something risky (stocks). Can we reasonably assume that 10% is a good reasonable return? I don't think so.
   
   So in sum, the work is biased toward moving money to professional managers while at the same time providing us with statements that are not well thought out. Better books I'd recommend are Malkiel's 'A Random Walk Down Wall Street' and Bernstein's 'The Four Pillars of Investing.'



4. this book is contrarian to a fault. i think the author purposely incites controversy. the bottom line is this: every individual's financial circumstances vary and no one answer is correct for everybody. if you have student loans at 8% and a mortgage at 9%, it makes more sense obviously to pay down the higher debt, deductions be damned. many people make stupid mistakes such as making buying decisions based on tax deductions without thinking about the consequences to their budgets. they leave out property taxes, maintanence, etc. that adds up. for most people, paying down other debts first may make sense, but to keep your mortgage unpaid in the hopes of making double-digit returns in the market is foolish...it is much more complicated than that. there is your tax bracket, fees and expenses, time frame, investment risk, etc. such blanket statements are foolish for edelman to make. also, roth IRA's can make alot of sense to those people who qualify for them; his argument to not invest in it is weak at best and is based on loose assumptions. also, in many parts of the country, buying a starter home/townhome can make alot of sense. you can sell it for a decent profit in many cases, at least if you stay more than a couple of years. this beats renting anyday, and in his arguments he never addresses the real losses of renting, including the increase in the annual rent which in some markets can be exorbitant. anyway, read it and draw your own conclusions. there is never a substitute for common sense.



5. This is an interactive how-to book fulled with relevant comic strips and cartoons -- a very graphic publication. In it, he promotes reverse psychology to get what you want; my sister mastered in this type of child rearing which I could never learn.
   
   This book is about setting goals, not just realistic, but real. Make this goal as though you were living it today. Visualize. By doing this, your enthusiasm will rise, your focus will intensify, and you'll be able to stick to your goal.
   
   Nothing is impossible. Sure enough, one day, you will make it happen, because you'll have made it important to you, vitally important. After you set your goal, you have to plan how to achieve it. Too many retired people are so focused on maintaining a living that they sometimes forget to have a life, and become 'bored to tears!'
   
   Lincoln said: "And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." He gives several "what-if" and "if-only" scenarios. Whatever you choose, however you go about achieving your goals, the main end result is to be happy along the way and when you reach your destination. We may not get what we want when we want it. I was told by a stranger some years ago that God does not work on our time, but He has a plan for each of us in His own time.
   
   John Greenleaf Whittier said, "For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are those "It might have been." He tells us that "Bill Gates is rich because he own a whole lot of Microsoft, the software company he started. He's the richest person in America, perhaps the world." Part II shows you how to have your cake and eat it, too: take your choice, pound cake is fixed income investments and stocks; marble cake is filled with both. Cupcakes are fads. Avoid them.

5 comments about MANAGEMENT OF THE ABSURD: PARADOXES IN LEADERSHIP CASSETTE: Paradoxes In Leadership.

1. It's amazing this book isn't handed out to every literate adult in America. In so few pages, it completely challenges linear thinking about everything from running a meeting to raising kids, and you'll find yourself constantly finding real-world examples of what he's talking about after you read it. Though much of what he writes may not be new, as he frequently cites the predecessors he learns from, the ingenuity is how he coherently and concisely pulls it all together.



2. This book may be listed under 'management' in the bookstore, but it's just as good for sole-proprieters, teachers, or even parents looking for new ideas on problem-solving. Farson's book is really about being self-aware, about learning how to step outside of a 'formula' mentality and see the deadly irony that sometimes the perfect approach under perfect conditions leads you exactly nowhere. Nonetheless, this same approach may be perfect the next time, so don't give it up. Just, well... just accept that both can be true, that's all.
   One example that he gave was technology. Take the washing machine: for many years most people didn't have one, and women would often spend a full day--10 or 12 hours--doing all the wash for one week. Of course, the invention of the automatic washing machine would change all this, cutting down time and making the job and its speed so much faster. In hindsight, it's a technology that today we couldn't imagine living without.
   So what happened?
   Well, instead of having all this time, all this new convenience, we basically raised our expectations about clean clothes. 50 or 100 years ago people might wear something 4 or 5 times before washing a typical garment. Today, most of us wash something after one use. The new 'convenience' was in essence a gateway to a new standard--and suddenly the 'convenience' had practically disappeared.
   The book is riddled with many such examples--how the best way to oversee is to let go, how to lead is not by demonstrating, etc. The book itself lives the same contradiction: it's title is just okay, I'm not a manager, and how can you possibly apply the theory that the opposite of a truth is very often just as true? I guess you can't. And yet, in spite of this, I consider it the best business book I've ever read, one that I will read over and over for many years to come.
   Go figure.



3. I'm an avid reader of business books. Some of the greatest books out there like "Now Discover Your Strengths", "First, Break All The Rules", "Built To Last" and "Good to Great" make me sit up, listen, take notes, and learn how to apply them in my career.
   
   I rank "Management of the Absurd" right up there with the great books above. This book is so easy to read that I found that if I took notes, I wouldn't catch all the business wisdom imparted by Farson. It's unique in the sense that I "got it" even without taking notes. Don't be fooled - after you "get it" you'll REALLY have to think about your assumptions about managing people, your business, your career, etc. It's literally a business wisdom book! I felt wiser after reading it. This makes the book truly unusual.
   
   Thought provoking, easily digestable short chapters, covering topics such as "The more important a relationship, the less skill matters", "Technology creates the opposite of its intended purpose", "The more we communicate, the less we communicate", and so on, ending with "My advice is don't take my advice"!
   
   Simply put, it's one of the wittiest, most thought provoking, most realistic and yet most relaxing books I've ever read in my entire life. I can't recommend it enough for those of you who want a break from the often prescriptive nature of business books. "Management of the Absurd" makes you think without even trying.



4. Every couple of years I get so fed up with things I want to walk, even though I really enjoy management. Whenever my corporate world starts to resemble "Arrested Development," I read this book again. After almost ten yearts the book is falling apart after a lot of use. I have this book on tape and I keep it in the car. Among all my books on management, and I've a whole shelf full of them, this remains my touchstone. Note, though, the book is NOT by Michael Crichton; Crichton wrote the forward.



5. For me, the core of Richard Farson's message is that "individuals are resilient and relationships are fragile." On page 91 he writes about the impact of parental rejection, marital strife and problems with bosses; and about the devastating impact of isolation, alienation and erosion of community. What this means for managers and others in the workplace, as I see it, is that although self improvement and individual achievement are vital components of success, cultivating relationships is what matters most. And, you will be interested to read that this is more complicated and easier to accomplish than one might imagine. If my last statement is a little confounding, it will prepare you for even more confounding moments reading Management of the Absurd. One of the things that I love about the book is that you need not read it from front to back. For example, I started from back to front and then skipped about going from one fascinating section title to another. The author cautions in the end, "My advice is don't take my advice." Other examples? Chapter 27, "Morale is Unrelated to Productivity;" and Chapter 12, "Praising People Does not Motivate Them." I recommend this 172 page book of refreshing insights and ideas that are sure to, as (I think) Fritz Perls once said, lead you to "lose your mind and come to your senses." So don't take my word for it. After all, who am I? Instead, look at the credits inside the book cover and you will see that two smart guys from MIT recommend the book. Although I have never heard of them, they probably never heard of me either. But all three of us like this book. So, go get it!

5 comments about Ready for Anything: 52 Productivity Principles for Work and Life.

1. David Allen's "Ready for Everything: 52 Productivity Principles for Work & Life" is excellent! As the companion book following his widely popular "Getting Things Done", it is a great addition to enhance personal productivity. I found myself revisiting the book time and again to get back on track whenever I felt overwhelmed. It inspired me to look with clarity and I discovered that it is entirely possible to make things happen with less stress and more effectiveness.
   
   Another great resource I found that has helped me tremendously are books and podcasts by Ariel and Shya Kane. If you like David's approach, you might enjoy the Kanes' Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment, and Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: A Book About Instantaneous Transformation. Though not specifically tailored for productivity, the Kanes' books have made a huge impact on my work and life because they have inspired me to look at the root- how I operate in my life and not to judge what I have done or see. It is very freeing to learn to live in the moment. I can be appropriate to what's showing up in my life and this helps me get things completed with satisfaction. I highly recommend them!



2. Both books by David Allen: "Getting Things Done" and "Ready for Anything", are amazing. I recommend starting with the first book and then proceed to the second one. I have reviewed "Getting Things Done" on January 3, 2003, and since that, did not find a better English-writing author on productivity and time management. The only one who is as influential as David Allen is Gleb Arkhangelsky, with his famous book "Time Drive" and other titles.
   
   "Ready for anything" is a shorter reiteration of David Allen's principles first laid out in the "Getting Things Done", but this reiteration has deeper philosophical approach.
   
   The most valuable technique that I have borrowed from David Allen is e-mail management habits. While there are many books devoted to email like "The Hamster Revolution", "Never Check E-Mail In the Morning", "Time Management for System Administrators", for me the framework by David Allen is the most actionable, which I'm using successfully for five years so far.
   
   I can also recommend the audio version of "Ready for anything".



3. Compared to nothing, perhaps this book gets four stars, but you just can't be objective about the writer of the classic book "Getting Things Done." This little book is a very fine accomplishment, easy to read, and packed with great advice. The quotes which also litter this book from other writers, philosophers, etc, are excellent - it's almost worth reading the book just for those quotations.
   After finishing the book, I thought, "good, but not great.." so I guess I'm sticking with that initial reaction. One of the best things about this book is it's length. It's short. Right to the point, not a lot of fluff nor repetition of the same ideas. It's easy to read in one sitting, and I think I'll end up reading it several times. I usually wait until the second or third reading to make a complete judgment on a book, so I'm wagering that this one may rise in stature after a couple of more reads. I'll also say it was well worth the price I paid for it - I bought the hardcover at Building #19 for $2.98.



4. This book is a waste of money. It is a collection of emails that David sent to his subscribers and repackaged in book form. Just stick with the original book, "Getting Things Done"; you don't need the sequel.
   
   Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity



5. 1) read Getting THings Done. The knowledge inside this work has been so powerful it has even effected how I sleep; much better. The information here is life changing but like most revivals it can be like thunder a loud exciting burst followed by stillness. Read ahead---->
   
   2) get Ready for Anything 52 Principles.... I read a chapter from this book everymorning, after listening to GTD, and it has helped me through the most difficult part; maintaining enough enthusiam and focus to make it a way of life. The chapters are short to the point and filled with everyday, real life, easy to digest reminders on getting things done.
   
   The fire is still burning well after the storm.

5 comments about Napoleon Hill's Keys to Success : The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement.

1. There are thousands of self-help books out in the market and hundreds of self proclaimed "gurus" who have made a living by copying the wisdom in Napoleon Hill's books. As I went through some of those books I realized that there was not much in them that Hill had not already written about. I recommend quality over quantity. Instead of reading through many books, I recommend that you study the following works of Hill and internalize his wisdom:
   1. The Think and Grow Rich Action Pack (1937) - I recommend the Action Pack edition,
   2. Napoleon Hill's Keys to Success: The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement - this book,
   3. Your Right To Be Rich [Unabridged] - this consists of 12 hours of live lectures covering the 17 principles, that Hill conducted in Chicago in 1954.
   By internalizing, I mean studying in depth - analyzing the ideas, making notes and summaries. I own more CDs by Hill, but I believe that these 3 items make the perfect study plan on the Philosophy of Personal Achievement.
   This philosophy is the end product of two decades of research conducted by Napoleon Hill. His research started when Andrew Carnegie (the steel tycoon who was then the richest man on earth) gave him the assignment of organizing a Philosophy of Personal Achievement. Hill, who was a poor journalist, armed with just an introductory letter from Carnegie, set out to interview over five hundred successful people including Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, John D. Rockefeller, George Eastman, William Wrigley Jr. and Charles M. Schwab. Hill then revealed the priceless wisdom of his research in the form of the thirteen steps to success (in Think and Grow Rich) and the seventeen Principles of Personal Achievement (in courses and lectures he conducted).
   This particular book goes beyond the 13 steps in Think and Grow Rich. It covers the following 17 Principles of Personal Achievement (also known as the 17 Keys to Success):
   1. Develop a Definiteness of Purpose
   2. Establish a Mastermind Alliance
   3. Assemble an Attractive Personality
   4. Use Applied Faith
   5. Go the Extra Mile
   6. Create Personal Initiative
   7. Build a Positive Mental Attitude
   8. Control Your Enthusiasm
   9. Enforce Self-Discipline
   10. Think Accurately
   11. Control Your Attention
   12. Inspire Teamwork
   13. Learn from Adversity and Defeat
   14. Cultivate Creative Vision
   15. Maintain Sound Health
   16. Budget Your Time and Money
   17. Use Cosmic Habitforce
   The concepts taught by Napoleon Hill transformed my life. Everything he wrote about or talked about is thought provoking. He was wise, humble and funny. His philosophy is universal; he did not mix it with religion. The riches he referred to were more than money, for the Philosophy of Personal Achievement can be applied to anything in life.
   Hill was well ahead of his time. "Think and Grow Rich" has a chapter dedicated to some of today's most important issues - Specialized Knowledge, Decision Making, Imagination and Organized Planning (in which he deals with Leadership). And his principles deal with Teamwork, Creative Vision, Health, etc.
   I am greatly indebted to Napoleon Hill. The purpose of my writing this is to spread awareness of his work so that more people can benefit from it. This, I believe is the best way in which Hill would have liked to have been repaid.
   If my review was helpful to you, I request you to select "Yes" so that the rating is improved and more readers will get to read it. Please also see the website of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, naphill dot org, which has helpful resources.



2. Sure, this is a wonderful starter kit (yes, I do have this book...) in addition to Hill's other books like "Think and Grow Rich", "The Master Key To Riches", et al. But more than that, it is a primer that makes you hungry for the mental nourishment of his full "Law Of Success" which I have just ordered through Amazon. And why am I giving this distillation five stars? C'mon, isn't it obvious, through these *distilled* principles you get a pretty good taste of the "spirit-voice" of Napoleon Hill. And when he says in later versions of "Think and Grow Rich" - 'through these pages we have met'. You know what he means here, even though it is shortened and edited. So, I've said enough, get started, happy reading.
   
   Captain Josh/Joshua Clayton



3. The first batch of significant books that had the greatest influence on me in terms of attaining personal achievement includes mostly Napoleon Hill's books:
   
   - The Law of Success;
   - Think & Grow Rich;
   - The Keys to Success;
   - Success through a Positive Mental Attitude;
   - Succeed & Grow Rich through Persuasion;
   
   The others were from Clement Stone, Dale Carnegie, & Earl Nightingale.
   
   That was the early 70's when I had just started work as a young engineer.
   
   The author, Napoleon Hill, had impressed me most by his relentless dedication in spending some two to three decades of his life in pursuing & researching the success secrets of the rich & famous...with a little help from Andrew Carnegie, of course.
   
   As matter of fact, many of the famous people he interviewed were also favourite role models of mine e.g. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, just to name a few
   
   Till this day, I have never forgotten what he said:
   
   "The most powerful instrument we have in our hands is the power of our mind."
   
   I have never ceased to be fascinated by the simplicity & the potency of his ABCs of personal achievement: CONCEIVE, BELIEVE & ACHIEVE!
   
   It is certainly enlightening to note that even Stephen Covey had drew inspiration from Napoleon Hill's work even though he never made that credit. He only admitted that the 7 Habits had its origins from "200 years of success literature in the United States." That remark itself is self explanatory.
   
   Anthony Robbin's Mastery program as embodied in his books as well as his audio/video resources is no exception, even though he has been influenced in larger extent by NLP.
   
   If you look at & compare the 17 principles of personal achievement in 'The Law of Success' &/or the 13 Steps to Riches in 'Think & Grow Rich', one can obviously see the uncanny resemblance of the 7 Habits & the Mastery principles...in one way or another.
   
   At this juncture, let me outline the principal theme of each book:
   
   The Law of Success: the original course on the fundamentals of success - all the seventeen essential principles of personal achievement;
   Think & Grow Rich: The seventeen essential principles are reframed & condensed in terms of thirteen concrete steps to wealth creation (in actuality, this is a condensation of the Law of Success);
   The Keys to Success: a further elaboration of the seventeen essential principles with concrete suggestions, exercises & advice;
   Success Through Positive Mental Attitude: joint authorship with Clement Stone, with a further emphasis on developing a positive mental attitude;
   Succeed & Grow Rich Through Persuasion: joint authorship with Clement Stone, with a further emphasis on developing master salesmanship & networking;
   [It is pertinent to note that Clement Stone actually built his insurance business empire with these principles.]
   
   My most productive, personal learning experience from Napoleon Hill's work is the understanding - & application - of his success principle #1: Develop Definiteness of Purpose.
   
   [Very surprisingly, J Y Pillay, former Chairman of Singapore Airlines, - who had been credited for building the airline to what it is today, A GREAT WAY TO FLY! - also credited his work axiom to this same success principle, but he attributed it to an ancient Hindu scripture known as Bhagavad Gita.]
   
   I am certainly gratified to note that Napoleon Hill's work had casted so much influence on - & empowered - so many people in the world, including myself.



4. "Each night I burn the records of the day; At sunrise every soul is born again" WOW! That was not written by Mr Hill, but he was smart enough to add it to his book. There is so much good stuff in this book I do not know where to start. Other reviewers here have written more on the contents of the book, read theirs to get an idea.
   
   All I can say is that if you read and understand this book, then follow what you have learned, there is no way you cannot succeed in life. This book is filled with wisdom. If you are struggling in your life or on the job and need help, the help you need is in this book. Good luck on your journey!



5. Napoleon hill is the recognized expert on all things success. In this excellent book he discusses the 17 principles of personal achievement, including:
   
   Using the Mastermind Principle
   Focusing Your Attention
   Learning From Defeat
   Going the Extra mile
   Improving Your Mental Attitude
   
   This book is well worth reading. For more information on creating personal wealth, try "The 17 Principles of Creating Wealth," by Phillip Collinsworth.

5 comments about Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.

1. This book is an excellent read and may be quite an eye opener for the masses. It's true to its purpose which is a "confession" drafted to ease ramping guilt by raising awareness of America's far-reaching detrimental corporatocracy.
   
   I found that the facts within this book are easily verifiable as Perkins offers avenues of research, much of which are public-record.



2. This book hardly talks about economics and instead reads like a bad spy novel. Without proper citation or even a shred of evidence its hard to take anything in this book seriously.



3. While Perkins writes about a dark reality of our economy and that of the overall Global Economy, I was frustrated with his multiple battles with his own conscience (usually as he lays on a Caribbean beach) only to get back into the system that has hurt so many. He sheds light on the evils of the IMF and World Bank, but it's hypocrital in that he got his "golden parachute" before exposing the system.



4. You know what the funny thing is about this book?
   I doubt that theres very many world leaders or intellectuals who havent either read this book or had a summary of it presented to them.
   You can disbelieve the facts presented or disbelieve the conclusions but there is a reason this book is so widely looked at.
   The reason is the things he says are both shocking and believable. This is no half baked illuminati conspiracy hes talking about. Its feasible.
   
   Dont buy the negative reviews -you will at MINIMUM be entertained in the extreme. Who would have guessed that James Bond actually looks alot more like John Doe, and doesnt carry a gun. He doesnt have to.
   
   A damn good read.



5. PRO: At the end of the book, he says you, the reader, are the reason the world is the way it is. After listening to his nonstop bashing of corporations and governments, I expected him to conclude with a final "coup de grace" on those two entities, but I was wrong! He puts the blame where it should be: all of us. We are those people in the corporations and the governments reflect what we want. If we want to blame someone, let's start with ourselves. I commend Perkins for saying that. "Any fool can criticise, and most fools do," said Andrew Carnegie. Those few paragraphs almost took the book to two stars. Unfortunately, the rest of it was terrible.
   
   CONS: Many other reviewers will point out the myriad of flaws and shortcomings of this book. I'll illustrate how Perkins would read all these one star reviews. He would say:
   
   - They're written by jackals, government officials, and corporate hitmen trying to discredit me.
   - They're people who are so naive that they don't understand how the real world works. They say this is a fantasy. It's no fantasy, baby, this was real life!
   
   PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF PERKINS: Perkins is a man filled with regret. He dreamed of living an exciting life, but ended up living just a mediocre one. For example:
   
   - He wanted to go to Ivy League Schools, but went to a ho-hum schools.
   
   - He wanted to be an executive, but he never got beyond middle management.
   
   - He wanted to be a spy for the NSA, but all he got was an interview.
   
   - He wanted to live a glamourous life, but he got all the pedestrian glamour of a typical international corporate job.
   
   - He wanted babes, but he just got a divorce and a few flings.
   
   In short, he feels like a failure. He's frustrated by that so he's decided to reinterpret his whole life, make it more exciting, boost his ego a bit by writing a book that makes his life seem more interesting than it was. He fills it with cloak and dagger intrigue, but there's really nothing there. It's obvious that it's all in his mind.
   
   He depicts himself as an "insider," but offers scant interesting insider stuff. Most of his theories are backed by his daily news source: the NY Times.
   
   His opinion that construction projects drive our economy and decisions is wrong. Foreign infrastructure projects make up less than 1% of the US government budget and not even 0.1% of our economy. Furthermore, he says that "very few" benefit from the new electricity plants we build in Ecuador or Indonesia. Really? So we build a multi-billion dollar plant to power three rich people's homes? Wrong. Thousands of poor people benefit from the roads and electricity plants. That's why they invite us there. Duh! Do we also benefit? Sure! We probably wouldn't do it otherwise! DUH!
   
   The other irritation about this book is that he thinks he's making novel arguments, when they're usually obvious to all. For example, corporatations are self-interested. Wow. I never would have guessed that. Let's add: humans are self-interested. What do you expect Exxon to do? Sell oil for less than it costs them to make it? Do you expect the salesman of a construction firm to not try to get the best deal he can get for his company? Doesn't he want to get a bonus and send his children to a good college?
   
   He whines about people working for a dollar a day in "sweatshops." Are we holding them at gunpoint? No. On the contrary, people in Asia work at Nike's factories to earn their $1 a day for two reasons:
   
   1. It's better than getting 50 cents a day, which is what the local companies pay. Working for a foreign company is PRESTIGIOUS and coveted.
   
   2. Their daily costs are 90 cents a day. Some love to focus on how little people in third world countries make, but they often forget how little it costs them to live. Imagine their conversations about us: "It costs $100/day to live in America. How do they do it? We're much better off here because it costs just 90 cents per day." There are two sides of the equation, Perkins.
   
   CONCLUSION: There were only two reasons I listened to this misleading and overrated book till the end. First, my friend recommended it. Second, I was curious to see what SOLUTION he proposed. It's easy to complain. But what do you think we should do instead?
   
   As I mentioned at the beginning, he places part of the blame on you and me. Great. Well said. Now what? He tells us to drive less. I bet he drives and flies much more than any of us because he's promoting his book. He tell us that we should have a more fair world. That we should have medical services available for all, information should be widespread, and that we should think of the consequences of our actions. Blah... blah.. blah... as you can see: no specifics. Why not? Because it's nobody would like to do what would need to be done. He's asking us to change human nature. Sorry, Perkins, it's ain't going to happen. And Perkins is proof that it won't happen because lives in a nice house, buys food from corporations, votes for the political establishment, doesn't send 50% of his income to third world countries, etc....
   
   Get this if you want to laugh.

5 comments about The Aladdin Factor: How to Ask For and Get Everything You Want.

1. Many years ago I read a book that changed my life. The beauty about books is they are truly timeless. Recently I revisited this book because the continued buzz about "The Secret" made me think of it.
   
   The Aladdin Factor is a simple fast-track to getting what you want. Originally released in 1995 (around the time Chicken Soup for The Soul series was really taking off), this book changed the way I approached business and personal interactions.
   
   I believe that one of the greatest lessons you will ever learn is included in this book. The art of asking for what you really want.
   
   Canfield and Hansen explore five barriers to asking for what we want:
   
   (1) The first is ignorance. Often, we simply don't know what to ask for. This occurs for many reasons including lack of exposure, not knowing the resources available and not fully understanding our personal desires and yearnings.
   
   2) Second, limiting and inaccurate beliefs keep us stuck in what we know to be true from past experiences. This includes programming from parents, teachers, churches, peers and the media.
   
   3) Fear is the third barrier (and one I believe we can all relate to). It is fear, usually based on past disappointments and experiences, that hold many of us back from asking for what we truly desire. The fear of rejection is particularly debilitating. Fear of looking silly, being humiliated, feeling powerless, punishment, obligation and abandonment are all key players in keeping us stuck.
   
   4) Fourth is low self-esteem. Often we can feel unworthy of love, happiness and our true desires. This is because of inferiority complexes and false beliefs that our needs and wants are worthy of pursuit.
   
   5) Pride is the final barrier and, according to the authors, is especially difficult for men. Although I see this trait in many of my women friends. We tend to remain guarded and not admit that we need help and support. Asking for this sometimes makes us feel inadequate.
   
   The key to getting what you want is simple. Recognize and correct the barriers that apply to you. Become comfortable with who you are and what you really want and need (this may take some time).
   
   Finally, ask for what you want in a way that is mutually beneficial for all involved. The key point I took away from this book (and continue to hold near and dear) is having the courage to simply ask.
   
   Look at it this way. If you really, truly want something, the only way to get it is to take actionable steps, including asking. If you ask for something you want the worse thing that can happen is someone saying "no". Although this may seem devastating, in reality, you are left with nothing less than before you asked. And, if the answer happens to be yes, you have moved so much closer to your end goal.
   
   So, go ahead, ask for what you want. The results may surprise you.



2. Good read and a lot of wonderful stories and helpful hints to boot. Worth the purchase. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to find their way to see all their dreams and desires come true.



3. The Aladdin Factor is a must have for anyone who has been unable to attain everything in which they desire. The book is analogous with the journey of Aladdin, his encounter with the genie and how Aladdin discovers what he really wants out of life. Jack Canfield does a great job of using real life cases to exemplify the Aladdin Factor. If you don't already know what is, you are missing out.



4. The authors are very specific in their advice on getting what you want in life, and their wisdom truly works. I have found that out by experience in using it to advance in my career. This is one of those books you can have complete confidence in: Not a bit of it is commercial psycho babble---this stuff is practical "take it to the bank" mentoring. One of the other customer reviewers called this a must-have book, and he is right. Don't miss out on this piece of gold.



5. I bought this book on a whim. What I found was a hidden treasure. I never heard of this book before but after reading the reviews and learning about Jack Canfield I figured I'd give it a try. The knowledge learned has helped me in a few different areas in my life. I definitely recommend reading.