5 comments about Success Built to Last: Creating a Life that Matters.

1. The success of "Built To Last" must have attracted many business/management book readers who seldom read self improvement books to "Success Built To Last". Otherwise, the percentage of 5 star reviews should have been lower. The key findings (backed by a 750 sample survey) is very similar to the preachings commonly found in most self help books of the "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and "Awaken the Giant Within" genre. Not really remarkable nor well organized, despite the abundance of opinion of successful and renowned people of our time. Nevertheless, still worth the time and the price.
   
   p.s. I would like to share with you my most favorite passage in the book.
   
   "If I see something I dont like, I try to change it, and if I cant change it, I change my position of looking at it, and then by seeing it from a different angle, I might be able to change it; or I might find some good in it that I can use, which might make it change itself." - Maya Angelou



2. "If I see something I don't like, I try to change it, and if I can't change it, I change my position of looking at it, and then by seeing it from a different angle, I might be able to change it; or I might find some good in it that I can use, which might make it change itself." - Maya Angelou
   
   Imagine discovering what successful people have in common, distilling it into a set of simple practices and using them to transform your company, your career and your life. This is what this book is all about. The authors draw on conversations with over 200 hundred remarkable people from around the world, including billionaires, CEOs, presidents of nations, Nobel laureates and celebrities.
   
   Enduringly successful people tell us that when success just means wealth, fame and power, it doesn't last and it isn't satisfying. Successful people insist that success may never come without a compelling personal commitment to something you care about and would be willing to do without counting on wealth, fame, power or public acceptance as an outcome. They become lovers of an idea they are passionate about, creating something that continually seduces them into obsessing over every detail and losing track of the passage of time. In a real sense, it's something that they'd be willing to do for free, for its own sake. They do it because it matters to them, brings personal fulfillment, lasting relationships, and makes a difference in the world in which we live. To achieve this, all you have is your personal capital, and that's not your money: it's your talents, skills, relationships and enthusiasm.
   
   The authors say that it's dangerous not to do what you love. The harsh truth is that if you don't love what you're doing, you'll lose to someone who does. You must choose a path that you love because only then will you have the goodhearted stubbornness to stretch for your full potential and survive the inevitable slings and arrows that await you on your journey.
   
   Be warned: The relentless irritation of not loving what you do makes you a pain to be around and has been clinically proven to chip away at your health. "We spend our health building our wealth," said author and financial adviser Robert T. Kiyosaki. "Then we desperately spend our wealth to hang onto our remaining health."
   
   The authors say that cultural norms pressure you to have a "balanced" life split into neat little slices. Enduringly successful people, many of whom live a life that's a gift to the world, don't raise balance as a major issue because they were all busy doing what mattered to them. It's a struggle for everyone at some point. If you're feeling a twinge of guilt about balance, there is a probability that you don't want more balance, but need more of something that you can't admit you want. What you hunger for is a place for all of your passions.
   
   People become fascinated by the lifestyles of the rich and famous. It may be tempting to believe you can find success by studying their stories and assuming that whatever she or he did is a road map you can follow. But according to the authors, that's a dead end. That's not what billionaires or the best CEOs do. If there is one value they all share in common, it is integrity to what matters to them, and that makes a difference in their lives and work. Whenever they are faced with a decision, they look to find meaning in that opportunity that is very personal to them. They do not waste their time if it doesn't matter. What helps successful people stay successful is their stubbornness about sticking with their own journey based on their own values, not a magic path followed precisely by everyone else. The lesson here is that you shouldn't hijack someone else's value system. To do so would be a violation of integrity to what matters in your life. If you find it impossibly tedious to become an expert about what you think matters to you, then you're not chasing a dream, you're just daydreaming. You can't claim the buried treasure if you aren't willing to dig for it.
   
   The authors say that your personality is not what determines enduring success. It's what you do with your personality that counts.
   
   Most highly accomplished people described themselves as so proficient at making mistakes that, if you didn't know better, you might think they were losers. If there were just one thing that every enduringly successful person had in common, it is that they are all really great at failure.
   
   Enduringly successful people go to work dealing with a problem directly instead of struggling to put a smile on their face. They don't pretend to be happy when things go wrong and they refuse to completely surrender to the current disappointment. They just harvest what they can from the setback and keep taking action. The defeat you've had matters less than what you ultimately want to create.
   
   The ideas in this book are some of the best I've read in a while. This is a highly motivational book that will pave the way to your enduring success in a life that matters!



3. I'd been meaning to read this book for over a year now. Now that I've read it, I wish I would've read it earlier. The message of the book helped me refocus on my true passion (helping as many people as possible get fit), rather than the road I had been going on (working in fitness management). Since I got back on my path, I've been so much happier and feel that much more confident that I'll ultimately reach my goals and be a better person. This book was the stimulus. I hope it does as much for you as it did for me.
   
   Doug Jackson
   [...]



4. This book is certainly an interesting and insightful read. I admire the authors for taking this bold step of exploring the concept of success from a fresh perspective, challenging its cultural definition as being the attainment of wealth, fame, and power.
   
   Creating a life of "enduring success", as the authors explain, is not about the attainment of wealth, fame, and power. Rather, enduring success can only be achieved by following your true passion and having the courage to stick with it, at all costs, because you know deep in your heart and gut that this passion of yours is your true calling. And it is through this calling that you can build a fulfilling and meaningful life for you and for those around you as well.
   
   While fortune, fame, and power can be outcomes of your success, these attributes don't fit the real definition of success and are certainly not requirements for achieving an "authentic success" -- the kind that satisfies you and gives your life real meaning. That's the kind of success that lasts.
   
   For me the greatest thing this book has achieved is to inspire me to look inside myself and explore my true passions at a deeper level. Through the numerous anecdotes and lessons learned from enduringly successful people, this book can provide you with a blueprint that shows you how to follow your own passion in a way that creates meaning in your life.
   
   Occasionally I found some points to be somewhat repetitive throughout the book. A few of the sub-sections within the chapters don't really contribute anything substantial to the main theme of the book; at times I felt some of the content served as "filler" material.
   
   But nonetheless, a fresh and interesting read. One that should stimulate your own self-exploration. If anything, this book can help you rediscover your own purpose in life -- your true passion -- and give you the motivation to go out there and pursue your dream. And for that alone, this book is worth it.



5. This is a great book that will definitely help you decide which career to take. The earlier in life you read it , the better.
   It has many inspiring real life examples of successful people that show why success in life comes only when you do what you love.

5 comments about Quién se ha llevado mi queso?.

1. Pobre literatura y muchas vueltas y palabras para algo tan simple. Cuesta trabajo acabar el librillo de lo aburrida que es la trama. Todo el libro se puede resumir en unas cuantas páginas no en un libro.



2. Anyone who is reading me is able to adapt to technology. Do we need a stupid book to tell us so?



3. La historia del libro es jocosa y me ayudo a ver como en el pasado yo enfrente los cambios: en el trabajo, con mi familia, con los amigos... Se que me ayudara a enfrentar los cambios del futuro y a no cometer los mismos errores.



4. While the world changes ever more rapidly and with wider volatility, many people continue to wish (in vain) for constancy. People will probably never lose their desire for predictability, but acting as though no change is happening can be very harmful.
   
   While we can all relate to this problem intellectually, Who Moved My Cheese? brings to bear the all-to-human emotions that keep us from taking timely, appropriate actions. As you read this book, you will experience those emotions and recognize their power. This will help you the next time you experience these emotions, because you will realize what you are doing. By making you consciously aware of your wishful thinking, you should be better able to overcome it.
   
   I hope that Dr. Johnson goes on to write sequels to this book that deal with all of the major stalls that people are subject to: Disbelief, Miscommunications, Procrastination, Avoiding Ugliness, Defensiveness, Tradition, Misconception, Bureaucracy, Directionlessness, Helplessness, Xenophobia, Over-Optimism, Covering-Up, and Taking on Excess Volatility.
   
   If you read this book from a literal perspective, you will probably not get too much benefit. Try to imagine yourself as each of the characters. It'll work better that way.
   
   Enjoy!



5. Ayer leí el libro "¿Quién se ha llevado mi queso?" de Spencer Jonson. Es un libro muy corto, cuya lectura no es tediosa en absoluto. Se puede leer fácilmente en una hora, o máximo dos horas.
   
   La esencia del libro es una fábula en la que intervienen cuatro personajes: dos ratoncitos y dos hombrecillos que vivían en un laberinto.
   
   Los cuatro personajes necesitan queso para poder alimentarse y para ser felices, por lo que recorren el laberinto en busca de queso.
   
   Un día encontraron un almacén con abundancia de queso, por lo que vivieron durante un tiempo sin preocuparse, y muy felices. Entonces, el queso desapareció.
   
   Los cuatro personajes, que en realidad representen las partes simples y complejas del ser humano, se ven en la necesidad de encontrar nuevo queso.
   
   Las ideas principales que esta fábula expone son las siguientes:
   
   * El cambio ocurre (el queso no cesa de moverse)
   * Anticípate al cambio (prepárate para cuando se mueva el queso)
   * Controla el cambio (olfatea el queso con frecuencia para saber cuándo se vuelve rancio)
   * Adáptate al cambio con rapidez (cuanto más rápidamente te olvides del queso viejo, antes podrás disfrutar del queso nuevo)
   * Cambia (muévete con el queso)
   * ¡Disfruta del cambio! (saborea la aventura y disfruta del sabor del queso nuevo)
   * Prepárate para cambiar con rapidez y para disfrutarlo una y otra vez (el queso no cesa de moverse)
   
   
   Como se pueden dar cuenta, los principios expuestos en la fábula son muy simples y sencillos, pero muchas veces nos olvidamos de ellos, o simplemente no los queremos aplicar, porque eso implicaría que saliéramos de nuestra zona de confort.
   
   No pueden dejar de leer este libro. Es una cuestión de cambiar o morir.

5 comments about Not Just a Living: The Complete Guide to Creating a Business that Gives You a Life.

1. Mr. Henricks wrote a book with a different perspective on starting a business; Instead of focusing on the manual hard work of starting a business, he focused on the emotional happiness that starting a business can bring. This happiness comes from being your own boss and being able to do more of the things that make you happy. I found the first couple of chapters interesting although Mr. Henricks repeated the same benefits and stories of individuals that made their lives better, which in turn made the book repeat itself.
   The last third of the book, Mr. Henricks started to focus on the financial topics. He started to analyze balance sheets and answer questions like "what is revenue?", I then found that this book lost its goal and audience; The goal being emotionally focused on your own business would help you succeed. The audience seemed, at first, to be for individuals who have gone through the initial phases of starting a business and needed a reminder why they started. The financial analysis of a business lost that objective and made this book into a beginner guide to business with a fluff beginning.



2. First things first, this is *hardly* a "complete guide," the title is very misleading. Rather it is a very general sketch of the main risks & rewards of freelancing it or building your own business.
   
   The scope is very wide and the tone fairly realistic, but (contrary to the title) there is very little of the nitty gritty detail that taking the plunge would actually require.
   
   That said, its a decent read for people toying with the possibility of striking out on their own: It answers a host of intriguing questions like, "Do freelancers\self-employed work more or less hours than their traditional counterparts?" Or, "How do freelancers\self-employed survive periodic\seasonal income patterns?"
   
   It also mentioned some challenges (and benefits) you probably wouldn't think of on your own. For example, it reminded me that the 12% FICA social security tax is normally paid half & half (6% and 6%) by an employer and employee. But if you strike it out on your own, you must cover both sides of the tax yourself.
   
   Lastly, I would add this read is pretty inspiring, filled with success stories from people who made the jump, and these stories in turn give you some *ideas* about how you might carve a business niche out of some activity you enjoy doing. There's definitely some creative brainstorming value here.
   
   This is a good read for a dreamer who wants to ground those dreams with a little reality, and see where that leaves them...
   
   Recommended.



3. I really liked the introduction of the concept of a "lifestyle entrepreneur." Too many times, people go into business to get more control, more balance in their lives, and wind up creating environments for themselves that give them far less of each. Making the conscious choice to have a lifestyle is an excellent point of discussion.
   
   Unfortunately I think the book actually seeks to be far too comprehensive in the mechanics of starting and operating a business. In the process, the treatment of these areas is superficial and feels off track.
   
   There is plenty of literature on the mechanics of business, and some commentary on the distinct tack a lifestyle entrepreneur would have to take is definitely needed. The unique aspects required - keeping operating costs low, work to profit ratio high - are good areas to cover, but the book attempts to introduce basic business concepts where only aspects applicable to this lifestyle may be needed.
   
   Overall, the book was a good read - definitely more supportive than science. But, that's okay. I think this book should be supportive, discussion oriented, inspirational, and I felt it should have had more of that. The attempt at being mathematical, business tutorial-ish felt like it really didn't fit. Instead pointing to some basic resources on this - such as the Appendix does - with maybe a chapter on the seriousness of staying on task in business operation (still discussion oriented) may have done the trick. (Because in the end the only way you'll remain supporting your lifestyle is to cover costs and meet personal expenses.)
   
   A discussion (along the lines of Barbara Sher) where it just may be many small things that you do - many services you provide - could enhance the usability for active minds that don't settle on one thing to do.
   
   Nevertheless, the book is worth the read if this is a new concept to you. Funding an enjoyable lifestyle is a very much needed idea in today's world of overdoing-work and burning-out cycles. The author has done our culture a great service in bringing clarity to these ideas.



4. It's difficult to be all things to all entrepreneurs, and much of the detailed figures and advice didn't apply to my own business. However, the real value in this book lies in reading the success stories, discovering how others did it --- and how long it took them! --- and getting some very welcome encouragement to give it a try.



5. I have been thinking about leaving the corporate world for sometime now. I was very pleased with the way the book is organized, the relevant contents, and minimal amount of fluff.
   
   The best chapter, to me, was on the subject of what if you fail. Its very important to know early on, you can fail (as well as succeed), and prepare yourself for it.
   
   This sentences stuck with me.
   Earnings to reflect your own abilities and efforts, not someone else's unfortunate decisions. This is the best motivator I have read.
   
   If you have been thinking about doing something on your own, this s a good read. At ~200 pages, its also a quick read.
   
   Well done Mark, and Thank You, for putting the book together.

5 comments about Turning Passions Into Profits: Three Steps to Wealth and Power.

1. Turning Passions Into Profits was a great read, informative and substantive. Step 1 and Step 2 are great! The exercises and application to successful people was a plus. A drawback is the too much detail and somehow complicated categorization and "proprietary" processes that would take quite a few years for a 'creative type'non logical brain to master. Overall, the book was enlightenning, motivational and was worth the read.



2. Christopher Howard has gone from having practically nothing to live on to becoming a sought after seminar speaker worth multi-millions. Having attended a large number of motivational speakers' events before his nadir he pondered how to break out. And he did. He shares his story and the steps he feels anyone who cares to can take to achieve the sort of life they would only dream of - doing what excites their own heart and making a living, and much more than basic living, out of it.
   
   Using a basis of NLP he developed related techniques that can speed you in the direction YOU want to take. One overall read is required to get an idea of the whole process. Then a more deliberate step-by-step approach to put these ideas into action. But with the thorough self-evaluation that is built into the text, with check-lists and spaces to write your results, this seemingly complex process is made more manageable.
   
   I have yet to read better book around self-development and achieving your dreams. Get it.



3. I have been reading about NLP and practising it for a few years now and I definitely found a lot which is new for me in this book. I am also an entrepreneur and since I started practising some of the techniques Chris Howards describes I have made some pretty big changes I am very happy with. These are the key things I got out of the book.
   
   Modelling: We all know what this is but Howards tells you in great detail exactly what to do to repeat the results which are achieved by others.
   Mind maps: A great way to imprint onto your subconscious.
   A New Cognitive: I have written my own and now I am acquiring it.
   Genius reading and expanded awareness: A great technique for covering a lot of ground quickly
   Goal Setting: a way of implanting goals into your future that seems absolutely certain. It works for me.
   The world and the brain are halogens: A way of looking at the human condition which is entirely conducive to creating your own reality: a valuable insight into just how powerful we might be.



4. I think there was a lot to grab from this book. The author has a sincere appriecation of the struggle which brought the reader to his book. He delivers a great number of stories and examples which I voraciously devoured. I can't tell you how it happened but a lot of my behavior changed after reading this book.
   
   However the reader might be decieved into dropping the book after the first few chapters. After the first two chapters which has a more "touchy feely" approach, there is a huge and abrupt transition into major analytical constructive thinking. I was so turned off that I put down the book twice before I finally got through it. The book slowly gets its rhythm back towards the end, so stick with it. There are things within the book that will change your life. But you definitely have to get past his ackronyms. I hate Ackroynms.
   
   I really appricated that this book avoided sprituality or concepts and instead searched long and hard to find examples from human beings. The quotes and stories in this book rock!



5. This book reads like it is transcribed and edited
   from a seminar. It's not hard to read and it is
   certainly inspiring.
   
   On stage Howard has a blinding charisma that no doubt
   sells a lot of books. My girlfriend bought this book
   at a seminar and I read it.
   
   Don't get me wrong - I have been through is Breakthrough
   To Success seminar twice and it is very worthwhile
   and somewhat deep.
   
   This is basically Howard's story of how he rose from
   failure to success by borrowing 30,000 and investing
   it in NLP training, building his executive coaching
   business through aggressive cold-calling, and finally
   breaking out in a big way as a superstar NLP guru.
   
   I don't know enough about NLP to assess whether
   Howard's thinking is original or better than Tony
   Robbins or Bandler and Grinder. I do know that he
   is a master salesman and in his marketing he has
   positioned himself as a developer of "cutting edge
   inner technologies" - which is an attractive
   jargon.
   
   I really like his workshop.
   
   He is friendly with Richard Branson and talks about
   the man frequently. While I think he is genuinely
   interested in what makes Branson tick - he's also
   catching a wave by basking in Branson's reflected
   glory.
   
   Catch the seminar. The book is ok. His CD courses
   are engaging... the ones I have heard.

5 comments about Vital Factors: The Secret to Transforming Your Business - And Your Life.

1. Fascinating book! I particularly enjoyed the personal stories of people and organizations who have used the management system described in the book. I have been in senior positions in business for quite some time and it never ceases to amaze me that one can always learn from the experiences of others. A lot of the stories were about people in smaller companies who do not have internal groups responsible for organizational development. I am recommending the book to my son-in-law, who is in just such a position.



2. Vital Factors is one of the most useful works I have seen. Having been in executive business positions for over 30 years, having taught in universities, and having enjoyed the chance to coach team members in hundreds of community, business, and university activities, I am struck by the blending, the welding done in this book.
   
   Much of what I see in Vital Factors is long-time proven leadership, management, and success fundamentals. For me, what breathes life into Vital Factors is the brilliant blending of known success factors with the discipline of the MAP processes. The pathways made clear through real-life stories make Vital Factors even more extraordinary.
   
   Vital Factors and the MAP processes are wonderfully valuable to me at 3 levels:
   
   .....In business
   .....In coaching, and
   .....In my personal life
   
   I recommend this work as a brilliant blend of proven success factors with wonderfully valuable MAP processes.



3. 
   Like the human body, each organization has "vital factors" and it is important to know what they are and how to monitor and protect them, especially when attempting to transform any organization from what it is now to what will improve and strengthen it. In this volume, Lee Froschheiser and Paul Chutkow introduce their reader to MAP (Management Action Programs) which they characterize as "a powerful system of business management and personal growth." It consists of six basic functions: Leading, Communication, Planning, Organizing, Staffing, and Controlling. Expect no head-snapping revelations nor do the authors claim to offer any. Rather, the substantial value of their book is derived from understanding and then effectively applying the Vital Factor process which they explain and illustrate with rigorous precision.
   
   The authors assert that the best-run companies share a common set of attributes and virtues. These they list on pages 6-7 and are essentially the same as those identified by others such as Jim Collins, Andrew Hargadon, Jason Jennings, and Alfred Marcus as well as by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman. For example, personal as well as organizational goals are clear, specific, and measurable; people, strategy, operations, and competitive marketplace are in proper alignment; continuous improvement at all levels and in all areas of operation; and decisions are based on "outside-in," customer-centric perspectives. In this volume, Froschheiser and Chutkow cite research conducted by Eric Gillberg and his associates which reveals that "companies are like people: each was unique, each had its own distinctive DNA, each had its own particular set of defining strengths and weaknesses. Moreover [key point] each company had its own unique - but often hidden - set of vital factors, the critical elements that would either hold that company back or propel it to success."
   
   In this instance, in terms of alignment, the challenge is recognize the strengths of each individual and then apply them to tasks appropriate to those strengths. In fact, Marcus Buckingham is among those who support this leveraging of talents and skills against work to be done while suggesting, also, that managers should concentrate on increasing strengths rather than wasting time struggling to eliminate weaknesses. Specifically, how to do that successfully? Froschheiser and Chutkow offer the MAP system whose foundation consists of Vital Factors and business fundamentals, "the daily blocking and tackling that winning companies do better than their competitors. MAP is an ongoing process that, when implemented well, produces all those attributes and virtues that [Gillberg's] team found in the best-run companies."
   
   As I read this book, I appreciated learning much more about how the transformation of an organization (regardless of size or nature) must occur - and indeed, can only occur -- simultaneously with the transformation of those who are involved in it. Credit Froschheiser and Chutkow with a brilliant explanation of how and why MAP is such a powerful system of business management and personal growth. With comparable brilliance, Collins has discussed companies which made a "leap" from good to great and he and his research associates also learned a great deal about once great companies which became only good and then mediocre. Obviously, there are significant differences between and among those companies that "leap" as well as between and among those that deteriorate...and especially between the two groups...but all of these companies share at least one factor in common: their "health" as an organization is determined almost entirely by the "health" of their people. The ROI on initiatives which achieve and then sustain the mental, physical, and emotional vitality of everyone involved in a given enterprise is incalculable. What Lee Froschheiser and Paul Chutkow offer in this exceptionally practical book will guide and inform such initiatives.
   
   Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out Michael Ray's The Highest Goal, James O'Toole and Edward E. Lawler's The New American Workplace and O'Toole's Creating the Good Life, and Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths And Total Nonsense co-authored by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton.



4. Vital Factors is a wonderful promotional piece about the benefits of MAP's business consulting success as told through the stories several of it's clients. The stories are quite inspiring in terms of the dramatic results the individuals and organizations achieved subsequent to the implimentation of the MAP process. However, I found myself wanting for more of a text book understanding of the MAP steps as they are best applied. For example, I would have preferred more of a case analysis of the methodology of MAP's determination of a business' Vital Factors and how those were identified and subsequently measured.
   
   I recognize that all improvement comes through a feedback loop where efforts are measured against results and then adjustments to future efforts are made to optimize outcomes. While MAP distills that process down the book doesn't really get into the meat and potatos of their approach, leaving me wanting for something more to learn from. Guess I'll have to call MAP to learn more. Maybe that's what they wanted all along...



5. A very helpful book that reminds you to focus on the small number of "vital few" things that will truly impact your company. This book helped me idnetify and concentrate on the things that will make my company a true success.

5 comments about Overachievement: The New Model for Exceptional Performance.

1. I came upon this book via a search on Amazon while actually looking for a different book. The subject matter intrigued me, and as a result, I decided to go for it.
   
   What a wise decision on my part. Part of my problem has always been over-thinking, over-analyzing, and an excessive amount of over-planning. The results? Things got done, but not nearly (!) as many as would/could have had I simply trusted my abilities and allowed myself to immerse myself in my daily activities.
   
   Light bulb on!!!!!!
   
   I won't attempt to summarize an entire book in one review, but for those of you trying to decide whether or not to purchase and read this book and apply its core philosophies: Eliot has hit the home run that no one else has even attempted to hit. He (Eliot) is not merely rising above many others who offer the same ideas; he is all alone in that arena.
   
   The message is simple: THINK like those who overachieve, and your chances of success increase dramatically. In some cases, don't even think at all (Eliot makes a reference to Yogi Berra, my favorite in this book, which quotes Yogi as saying "I can't think and hit at the same time."). Focus only on what you are doing - not its potential end result, how you did last time, or what you might do in the future. It's all about peaking at this precise moment, because that's all that matters, and that's all you've got right now. Eliot uses the example of a golfer who, to some, plays 65 games of golf - one hole each - when shooting a 65. On each shot, no thought is given to the prior shot or to future shots - just the one at hand.
   
   I realize that my words likely do not suffice in explaining how practical and extremely helpful this fabulous book is; that's hard to do in limited space. Having said that, there's no doubt in my mind that anyone would benefit from "Overachievement," and as a result, I give this book my highest rating. Just Do It.



2. Eliot's book has some good advice, mostly in the "get used to pressure" area, but it also contains far too many errors of fact that should have been caught by copy editors, if not by the author himself. One of the worst is referring to Jack Kemp as Bob Dole's running mate in the 1988 presidential campaign (it was 1996). Errors like this make one wonder how reliable Eliot's other advice can be.
   
   It is good to urge people to get away from their comfort zones and embrace the pressure that true achievement requires, but all behavior requires a basis in fact and not just in some rah-rah cheerleading that will fade as soon as the excitement of the moment passes. This is what keeps Eliot's book and advice from being as great as it could be.
   
   As the ancient wisdom says, Physician, heal thyself. First, fix all the problems in your own book. Then tell the rest of us how to fix our lives.



3. If normalcy is your aim in life, this is NOT the book for you.
   If great performance is your aim in life, this MIGHT be the book for you.
   If you aim for unrealistic results in your life, this IS the book for you.
   
   John Elliot has been working with many top performers and says there is nothing normal with those people. Well, almost the same can be said about this book. Many many techniques go against conventional self-improvement and performance techniques. For example;
   
   - realistic people do not accomplish extraordinary things
   - the importance of 'unrealistic' dreams
   - the problems associated with goal setting
   - confidence is one of the most misunderstood aspects of high performance
   - visualisation and relaxation are overused (and overrated)
   
   Do those techniques feel strange? Wrong? Unconventional? If yes, remember that by definition, striving to be exceptional puts you outside 98% of people.



4. "Overachievement is aimed at people who want to maximize their potential. And to do that, I insist you throw caution at the wind, ignore the pleas of parents, coaches, spouses, and bosses to be "realistic." Realistic people do not accomplish extraordinary things because the odds of success stymie them. The best performers ignore the odds. I will show that instead of limiting themselves to what's probable, the best will pursue the heart-pounding, exciting, really big, difference-making dreams--so long as catching them might be possible." ~ Dr. John Eliot from "Overachievement"
   
   If you're into achieving greatness and love to see the hero in action--whether it's Tiger Woods coming back for the playoff win or a great rock star performing live--you'll love this book.
   
   John Eliot, relative of T. S. Eliot and a long line of Harvard Presidents is brilliant. He's one of the world's leading authorities on peak performers and isn't afraid to challenge the status quo of high performance. He's also a great writer. And, this book is an incredibly fun, inspiring read--with John Eliot's articulate and brilliantly blunt explanations of what makes the great performers perform greatly.
   
   The book has two parts: 1. The "what" of Overachievement where we get "Inside the Minds of the Overachiever"; and, 2. The "how" on "Becoming an Overachiever."
   
   You'll learn to kick the deep breathing relaxation habits during pressure situations and, instead, to eat the stress like a Power Bar. You'll learn how to turn your cerebral cortex off like a squirrel scurrying across a high wire (who doesn't want that, eh?! :) and a bunch of other tricks of the Overachieving trade.



5. I am in awe with this book. I am at the very beginning but, being written in a style that is straight forward, it has already revealed itself to be amazingly unique in its content and, more importantly, extremely enlightening. So I couldn't resist but coming here to write a review and try to influence you to get this book sooner rather than later.
   
   Why?
   
   Because I think that whenever one of us gets better at what we do best, or at any other thing we do, the world becomes a better place. And also because I am thrilled to have found something that explains a lot of my own current "stuckness".
   
   In essence, this book points out (scientifically) how there are ways in which the brain operates that are major obstacles to performance. The problem is, pretty much all of the popular "techniques" for better performance that we have inevitably acquired over time operate in that exact space. And thus we stopped performing. Or maybe never even got the pleasure to know what top performance means!
   
   Here's something about one of my effortless performances. Growing up, I'd go to school and listen to the teacher's first lecture. After, as the teacher was reviewing the material (over and over), I would sit with an interesting book nested within the text book, lost in whatever was the novel du jour. Oh the fear of getting caught. Periodically, the teacher would point at me and ask me a question, and I would provide the (right) answer without having to think about it. I got a lot of great reading done that way. Today, with my work, as there are tons and tons of books and information available, and after having got a Masters degree in my field, I worry why I am not so much better at what I do, with all the information I "know", and being that I am constantly striving to be better.
   
   It seems that I have found the answer. I have been believing it is all important to master "The Training Mindset", but being in that frame of mind completely excludes the possibility to be in the frame of mind that makes a top performance great and effortless for me: "The Trusting Mindset"!
   
   Everyday has been a tug of war for me, especially since I have to constantly acquire new information to be able to do my job. It seems that no matter what I do, how much information I focus on, I am not the top performer I want to be. Unless there is a crisis, or fire under my bootay, or other pressing need that requires me to excel, then, no problem. But I can't sit around hoping for crisis just so I can excel. Right?
   
   And here comes this book, pointing out, reminding, not only where the conflict lies, but also how to switch from one mindset to the other. At will. Sweet.
   
   One quote from the book? "The Trusting Mindset is what you were in before you knew any better".
   
   Here is hoping we all (re)connect with our inner squirrels.

5 comments about Chicken Soup for the Working Woman's Soul: Humorous and Inspirational Stories to Celebrate the Many Roles of Working Women (Chicken Soup for the Soul).

1. Here is yet another amazing collection of stories that will make you laugh and cry and everything in between. This is an ideal gift for the workplace and for anyone who is in the workforce.



2. Every woman alive is a working woman, no matter whether she has a husband and/or children, or not. There are daily struggles with family, weekly struggles with work and ultimately, very emotional struggles with just living! Chicken Soup for the Working Woman's Soul is a moment of relaxation. It's a chance for a woman to sit down with a soothing drink, put her feet up and dive into the issues that we all face - as seen through the eyes of our peers. As a mom, it's a chance for me to see that my kids aren't as wild as I sometimes feel they are ... as a woman, it was the opportunity to see that work and balancing issues happen to everyone ... and as a wife, it gave me a firm appreciation for the amount of work that my husband and I accomplish as we take care of our family. The one point of this book that isn't mentioned enough is that our souls need to be in shape before we can contend with the world around us. Chicken Soup for the Working Woman's Soul gives a woman a chance to parlay her soul into the being that she wants it to be, while allowing us to view inside a slice of another's soul. It's thought provoking, entertaining and reassuring to see that other women are in the same places in their lives that we have been with various issues. It's a chit-chat, without the other person sitting in front of you. I believe this is one of those books that you read, set on your bookshelf, and read again when the world around you is pulling you in every direction. It's a safe haven in turmoil, and it's a chance for a woman to recharge after a rough one! It's, well, it's chicken soup for the working woman's soul!



3. This book will lift your spirits any day no matter how bad a day it has been. This shows so many things that women in the workplace encounter and also the lighter side of things. Great book. I especially like it because the stories are short so you don't need a lot of time to get a quick lift.



4. I have enjoyed most of the "chicken Soup" books I have picked up to read. This one was for my daughter who is struggling with work and being a new mom. I felt like the stories would give her insite.



5. I bought this book for my mother for Christmas. She is a working woman after all... She finally had a bit of time to read the book in the morning before she gets ready for work, and she loves it. She said that it's very inspiring and motivates her. It fits the working woman status. The book is great. I have other Chicken Soup books and so far, I've loved them all.

5 comments about New Girl On the Job: Advice from the Trenches.

1. 
   I wish I had had access to New Girl On The Job: Advice from the Trenches before applying for my first job. High school did not include work-readiness classes. Our graduation keynote speaker proclaimed that life was so hard we "would not make it, but become long-term failures." He told us we had no chance at all during a time of war in the Mideast and parts of Asia. Unfortunately, many of my class did fail in the workplace, especially the women, because of lack of preparation and support.
   
   Ms. Seligson's book illustrates practical ways to avoid such career failures and how to ensure women's success in the world of work. She took her own horror of being first ill-trained and then fired from her first job, turning it into an effective lesson for new workers. This book arms the new workforce with a strong first step toward success to stand against lack of information and support, discrimination, isolation, and bullying. It took me 20 years to learn this the hard way.
   
   The author thoroughly interviewed workingwomen of all ages in order to create an encyclopedia of experiences, with instructions regarding how to expand the good and stem the tide of the horrific. Information was willingly provided by women such as Soledad O'Brien of CNN's American Morning and the cosmetics tycoon Bobbi Brown, as well as newer recruits on the front lines of the career battle. Hannah pulls no punches: a sense of entitlement, gossip, and see-through clothes are big-time no-no's on the job; but so are bad bosses and sexual harassment. Hannah gives directions, "Takeaway" notes to keep handy, and even the correct language to use at work.
   
   If such books as New Girl On The Job had been available in my earlier years, perhaps our keynote speaker would have said, "Work is serious but rewarding and you must leave part of the child behind and embrace the adult inside yourself. Older workers, both women and men, will be there to help guide you."
   
   Armchair Interviews says: All women in high school, college, or transition from disability, divorce or public assistance will consider this book as gold.



2. Although I'm clearly not in the demographic that this book has targeted -- young women just entering the work force -- I work in an industry that is, by many estimates, 75 percent female.
   
   I found this book to offer good, solid advice that in many cases would apply to new employees of both genders. There is a good chapter on how to deal with a bad boss. Seligson is especially strong when she advises her readers to be unafraid to be self-promoters at the right moment and to "always be thinking beyond your job title."
   
   Seligson tailors some of her advice to specific stereotypes and issues that can disproportionately beset young women. How to fend off romantic advances by a superior is an obvious one; other, less obvious issues include how to stay away from harmful office gossip and how to avoid being "assistant-ized" -- unconsciously placed into a pigeonhole as a useful assistant rather than someone with substantive solutions to business problems.
   
   This book is easy to read and written in a clear, workmanlike style. I can't give it five stars, though, because of some occasional grammatical errors and because of some tone-deafness in matters of language. Seligson recommends that instead of telling a boss that "I'm feeling like I might have trouble meeting my deadline," an employee could say, "I have reassessed my project deliverables." Well, no, don't say that -- not if you want anyone to understand you.



3. I love this book--read it cover to cover and found it hard to put down. It's a must-read for all ambitious young women and an utterly fresh, insightful refresher course for veterans. "New Girl on the Job" is my newest favorite gift list item. Give it to your friends, sisters, nieces, and daughters--I have. We all should have had Seligson's book when we were starting out. Oh, and clearly Seligson is no longer The New Girl. Can't wait to read her upcoming books. ~ Dr. Debra Condren, author of amBITCHous, a woman's guide to reclaiming ambition as a virtue, not a dirty word amBITCHous: (def.) A Woman Who: 1. Makes more money 2. has more power 3. gets the recognition she deserves 4. has the determination to go after her dreams and; founder, Manhattan Business Coaching and the Women's Business Alliance.



4. This book is a great read for young career women. It has excellent advice and is extremely relatable. The interviews with other women in the workforce are fantastic! The workforce examples could have been more diverse. It seemed concentrated on one or two industries. Also each section could have had more descriptions and examples. After each chapter was over, I found I wanted more!



5. Since most reviews were written around May-June 2007, I suspect they were fake. Only the two reviews from September 2007 seem credible, and they give lower ratings than the fake ones. I'm going to check this book out from the library.

5 comments about Alpha Male Syndrome.

1. Two management consultants have jointly written this book about alpha males who occupy some 75% senior management positions in America's business world. According to them, alpha males are indomitable, tenacious, and persevering enough to reach the apex of their career. They inspire awe and respect but could move people to fear and trembling. Despite having great career success, the downside of their traits and behaviours such as the `laws of the jungle' attitude, interpersonal impatience, and difficult controlling anger can have devastating effect to their health, marriage, and other people surrounding them.
   
   Both writers marry hard data on some 1,500 executives and base on their abundant coaching experience with senior executives from Fortune 500 firms to figure out why such top dogs become pit bulls that snowball problems and expose their vulnerabilities. In short, alpha males are various in terms of their different traits they possess such as commander, visionary, strategist, and executor. Some are inclined to act like visionaries that often dream up exotic ideas but hate naysayers. Others have an uncanny ability to deal with crisis but tend to exercise their authority through intimidation and domination. Both writers conclude that Trump's `apprentice' mentality would do more harm than good. In today's business environment where trust, respect, and collaborative dialogue between corporate bigwigs and coworkers are vital for business survival and growth, both writers offer alpha males a list of `awareness of self and others' tools that could guide them beyond the `alpha triangle' trap and move themselves and their people to effectiveness.
   
   This book is a comprehensive study of alpha males. It is also a landmark management study that not only fills need for alpha males but also provides an impetus for further research on this subject. Revealing the importance of tapping human potentials in teams to high performance, alpha males should learn how to involve the whole team that harness their intelligence, vitality, and drive without wreaking havoc on working relationships. They have to put aside their `zero-sum' jungle mentality as well as personal glory in pursuit of the alchemy of human connections. This book is accompanied by a website that contains an online alpha assessment to testify whether you are an alpha male or not and also your alpha strengths and risks. It helps readers undertake a self-awareness exercise in order to understand and modify their tendencies and risk areas. Chapter 8 provides alpha males with a repertoire of tools to practice emotional and physical reset such as stress relief and endorphin increments in order to achieve high-level health and wellness.
   
   This book is highly recommended for readers who are interested in understanding more about the upside as well as downside traits of alpha males. It is also a highly recommended book for alpha males who aspire to leverage their strengths and subdue their flip-side risks for the best interest of shareholders and their people.



2. Very good book for those who want to understand what's going on in the management team. All managers should read this book. A must



3. Making a great team out of a group of driving and opinionated managers and professionals is hard; they need to trust and rely on each other when in fact it is more comfortable for them to stay apart. The Alpha Male Syndrome is a rare and valuable book that offers real solutions to these difficulties.



4. If you know anything about personality types from either Socionics (Rod Novichkov) or MBTI then you'll know who the Alpha Male is exactly (ESTJ or ISTJ personality types). This book shows you logical ways of dealing with people of these personality types. It's good reading.



5. Alpha Male arrived from the seller in about a week. I couldn't believe how little I paid for a brand new book. The condition of the book is excellent and the ordering process was a snap.

No comments about Medical Charting Demystified.