Book Description

Do you spend an abnormal amount of time hiding out in the bathroom or hanging out at the buffet table at social gatherings? Does the thought of striking up a conversation with a stranger make your stomach do flip-flops? Do you sit nervously through job interviews waiting for the other person to speak? Are you a "Nervous Ned" (or "Nervous Nellie") when it comes to networking? Then it's time you mastered The FINE Art of Small Talk.

With practical advice and conversation "cheat sheets," The FINE Art of Small Talk will help you learn to feel more comfortable in any type of social situation, from lunch with the boss to an association event to a cocktail party where you don't know a soul.

The Fine Art of Small Talk teaches you to:

*Start a conversation even when you think you have nothing to say
*Avoid foot-in-mouth disease
*Stable your shaky knees and dry your sweaty palms
*Prevent pregnant pauses and awkward silences
*Adopt listening skills that will make you a better conversationalist
*Approach social functions with confidence
*Feel more at ease at parties, meetings, job interviews, and trade shows
*Turn every conversation into an opportunity for success ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Easy and quickly adaptable for social party , dinner
At the same time, I have ordered Debra's tape, I have bought also 7 others books and video, audio tapes from others authors, on the same subject of conversation. Debra's tape , definitely appears to me, easy, confortable, to apply for any occasions to talk to people Her voice is very friendly and warm. I am so glad to have found Debra' audio tape. She gives , not only advice and techniques, but immediate examples of small talk for introducing yourself , with warmness and giving people the chance and the desire to develop conversation with you. Usually, when invited to dinner, or cocktails , or meeting , I go with the apprehension to meet new people , and to be in the situation of nothing to say , and to appear not interesting to be with.The days after listening to Debra's tape, I have the opportunity to apply in a dinner . I was the guest on a table of 12 persons that I did not know. The evening was lovely, because at last I could engage conversation with new people, as if we were friends. I feel much more confortable ,in such short time and I know that with more training with this tape, I will allow myself, for near future, to love meeting new people, as well as to talk friendly with my clients, my hairdresser, old friends... I really recommend this tape to who wishes to leave a positive impression.

Fianlly...help for the conversationally-challenged
The Fine Art of Small Talk is fantastic! Author Debra Fine gives wonderful ideas and tips for starting, maintaining and ending a conversation. The Fine Art of Small Talk is perfect for anyone who's less than completely secure about his or her conversation skills, anyone who wants to overcome feeling awkward or tongue-tied, and especially for anyone who wants to learn to gracefully deal with people who talk to much, offer unsolicited advice, etc., etc. I've found that the tips in the book are perfect for both business and social settings. I can tell that using the advice makes a big difference in how people respond. The Fine Art of Small Talk really has had a positive impact. Be warned, though: you may - as I did - see yourself among the list of the author's "conversation offenders!" Not surprisingly, the book is written in an engaging, conversational style and, in addition to being helpful, is extremely enjoyable.

Rent it! Very clear and crisp advice
The issue is that most us find it difficult to have a small talk specially with strangers.

The conclusion is that if you take the risk (of rejection) and burden of making the small talk, you will reap the benefits.

The examples are good. I like it for the clarity and crispness. I am going to try the advise since it is not too difficult.

Probably the most helpful review...
This book is written by a woman, for women. Being male and reading this book, i quickly saw how useless this book is for me. I am not being sexist so quit mounting your offense, i am simply stating fact. Her lack of knowledge on the male spectrum of this lack of communication skill is obvious. She knows what it's like for women, but cannot speak for men.

A very helpful book
It is a good book because it teaches you the basics for starting a conversation and keep the same going. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (6)

"Do one definite thing everyday."
Many of the self help books today are like fast food.Made for easy consumption.
I guess that is why The Law of Success was such a pleasant surprise.It has some real meat to it. So much so that it has taken me three weeks to digest just the first two volumes of material on the 17 Laws that are presented in the first two installments.
This volume covers the first four lessons of the 17 principles that make up The Law of Success.

Self-Mastery is engaging enough to make me continue on to volume II as well as order volumes 3 & 4.Hard to believe it was written so long ago but yet is STILL so relevant to today's business environment.

The 4 questions on Definiteness of Purpose were the best part.They are as follows:
1.Have you decided upon a definite goal in life?

2.Have you set a date for reaching that goal?

3.Do you have a specific plan for achieving your goal in life?

4.Have you determined what definite benefits your goal in life will bring you?

Rating:A Buy

To truly clear the air about NapoleanHill........
I have been following Napolean Hill since 1975. The review that precedes mineindicates that Hill only wrote a few books that the reviewer posts. The fact is that Napolean Hill wrote ALL the books that bear his name. TRUE, some of his books have been repreinted by other publishers, I believe this is what the reviewer is trying to communicate.

Saying that he did not write all the books he is credited with is like saying that is not Napolean Hill's voice on the tape programs.

Obviously, this reviewer is as confused as the reviewer from Canada. In fact, probably the same person who suddenly decided to live in New Jersey.

Just To Set The Record Straight
Just to set the record straight Napoleon Hill only wrote the following books.

1919-1920
"The Golden Rule Magazine"
Napoleon Hill edited and published

1928
"Law of Success"
published (Ralston Society, Publishers)

1930
"The Magic Ladder to Success"

1937
"Think and Grow Rich"

1939
"How to Sell Your Way Through Life"

1953
"How to Raise Your Own Salary"

1960
"Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude"

1970
"You Can Work Your Own Miracles"

All other books were either compiled by others or used his notes to write the books, he himself did not write them, period. I have been studying his works for 15 years. Yes, I am rich from studying his works.

As with any revision there will always be some critics, the original LOS contained only 15 laws, I have seen the original set with my own eyes, again the authors are correct.

Some of the things in this book could have been done differently as with all revisions, however they did their best to remain true to the spirit of the book...

I purchased the huge paperback and enjoyed the little notes they added, some of them could have gone a little deeper, but no biggie.

Ideally, in a perfect world it would be perfect. Keep in mind they worked with a lot of people who all had to agree on these things.

I have to disagree with the reviewer from Canada...
First on the quality of information in this book, it is outstanding. The tossil marker, sufficient. But more to the point, this reader says Napolean Hill did not write a book called Keys to Success; I beg your pardon. He certaintly did. It is subtitled: The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement and actually offers even more concrete information on these 17 principles than Think and Grow Rich.

Hill also wrote The Master Key to Riches which this reviewer from Canada refers to. EASY MISUNDERSTANDING. Just wanted to clear that up.

The first four principles to success
I have to admit, I love books and I particularly like success books especially the hardbound books like this one. Seems to make them more enjoyable and adds to the value.

In this edition, you will learn the first four principles of success as written by Hill via Andrew Carnegie.

Another reviewer writes that he was dissappointed because Hill does not cover NLP (it wasn't invented then or was it?) In reality what Hill teaches via autosuggestion, visualization etc. is very similiar to NLP and probably just as effective. The trick is to combine these techniques with a burning desire, emotion, vividness and consistency. I know they worked for me.

This book is outstanding and I highly recommend it. Powerful material. ... Read more

Book Description

Recounts the legend of Hafid, a boy who came to possess ten ancient scrolls which contain the wisdom necessary to achieve all his ambitions. ... Read more

Reviews (96)

The greatest trip in the world
The summer after my freshman year in high school, a ton of years ago, I was miserable. I didn't have any new friends at school, I was having a hard time at home, and I was trying to get through everyday with a smile on my face.

I took a trip with a bunch of people I didn't know, a 10 day backpacking trip to an island in lake superior. Our guide was a 75 year-old man named Dave. Everyday, Dave read us a chapter from this book, and everyday my respect for him grew.

The day I got off the island I bought the book and began my ten month journey through the scrolls it contained. I've followed the instructions, reading each chapter for one month, several times. I've worn out several copies and given away several others.

This book profoundly changed my life. Not only am I extraordinarily successful in terms of "material" success, but I am happier than I ever imagined it was possible to be several years ago before I went on that island. Buy this book, follow it's instructions, and even if you are never the richest woman or man on earth, you will be among the happiest.

Touching and Life changing
I bought this book about 6 years ago and read it once. A few days ago, I re-read this book and when I read Scrool II, suddenly tears started flowing and I didn't even know why. It touched me so deeply, bringing back memories. On the same day, I went to look up my old files and inside I found the same text of the scroll but in different language. I think it is a sign that I have to start living with the principles Og Mandino has set out in this book, especially scroll II..I will greet this day with love in my heart. It is really a powerful, motivational book that you need to carry with you all the time. If you read it once and not very impressed by it, I suggest that you read it again and again until the messages start to get into you. You'll enjoy this book to the fullest :) Success be with you!

personanonxista@optonline.net
I first read "The Greatest Salesman in the World" in August 1973. I have read, since that first reading, and will continue to read, all 10 Scrolls every morning for the rest of my life.
I recorded the 10 Scrolls on cassette in my own voice and listen to it in my car as I drive to work and again on my return home. Ralph Waldo Emerson said we become what we think about. The 10 Scrolls are what I think about. There is something heroic in the way salespeople make their living. If you are one who cannot fail because you have nowhere to fail to, the Greatest Salesman will guide you on that road that winds uphill all the way to very end on the day's journey that lasts from morn to night, my friend. Og Mandino and I spoke often in 1979 and the years that followed before his return to the loving Father, the actual Author of the Greatest Salesman,who sent him to us. If everyone could read this book at once,we would all become like story book children walking hand in hand across the meadow.

Inspiring
This is a fascinating little book that packs a BIG punch.It holds your attention and the message is clear.As Harv from The Millionaire Mind Intensive says "How you do anything is how you do Everything' it is not only about biz it is about Life!Great addition to Spiritualizing Business!!It is such a good book and after so many years on the market it still applies today!

Be Your Best Self
All success, happiness, love, peace of mind and wealth are traceble to the 14 ideas, shared in "The Greatest Salesman in the World:"

1. Master the art of living not for yourself alone, but for others as well;

2. Prove to yourself that you can endure the life of a salesman;

3. Believe in the quality of what you are selling;

4. Make your determination to succeed so strong that failure couldn't possibly overtake you;

5. Be fully in the present moment;

6. Choose love as your greatest weapon, no matter what;

7. Persist in what you believe in;

8. Celebrate your uniqueness;

9. Each morning, enthusiastically wake up saying to yourself, "Is this my day to excel?";

10. Master your ability to fully process your emotions, in the present moment;

11. Enjoy at least one deep belly laugh a day with someone else;

12. Multiply your value each day, by 100;

13. Take actions on your dreams, now; and,

14. Instead of wishing or praying for something, ask for guidance to manifest this into your life.

And, having read this book again, 12 years after having first read it, I am pleased to see how I have and have not applied the lessons.

If you've read this book before, or others that have guided you to add value to your life, read this now, to chart a new path on your journey to be your best self. ... Read more

Book Description

Joe Girard went from being a failure -- thrown out of high school, fired from over forty jobs, lasting only 97 days in the U.S. Army -- to being named in the Guinness Book of Records as "the world's greatest retail salesman" for 12 consecutive years.

Reviews (12)

This book couldn't put me down
This book offers a deep insight into the most amazing life achievements of a man called Joe Girard. I enjoyed the author's great sense of humour, which made the book a fun to read. His obvious passion for life and selling cars, would surely inspire anyone who is interested in improving their sales technique. A great read for anyone wanting to sell their soul. Jo Sea

Practical advice and plain talk.
J. Girard lays the business out where it should be: Sales is not for the faint of heart and the only way to truly succeed is to win the customer, close the customer, then pay the customer to send you more customers. His best advice: It is better to sell more product with a smaller commission than sell less and have to max out every deal. Also that every sale is really made to 250 people (even though that is less now because people are less connected). The book was funny because the prices on the cars and services was very oudated in my copy.

Joe Girard would never sell a car to me.
I can't really recommend this book. Joe Girard comes off very much like a salesman -- the kind I run from when *I'm* buying a car. He talks about using flattery to get the customer in the door. Of course, I don't think a salesperson should antagonize anyone, but he makes it sound like the phoney kiss a-- talk that so many tranparent salespeople use. Small lies are okay, he tells us. For example, a customer calls and wants a powder blue car with options X, Y and Z. Maybe he only has options X and Y and his car is gray. Nonetheless, he says he has the car the person wants anyway, and come on down. He can talk him out of powder blue and into gray later, and the missing option probably doesn't matter a lot anyway, and he can sweet talk the prospect. That's dispicable and a con. He talks about having every brand of cigarette in his office (the book was written in the 70s) so if the customer wants to go out for a smoke, he has no excuse to leave the office and postpone the sale. He talks about keeping *liquor* in his office to loosen up the prospect (Serving liquor to people who take test drives in unfamiliar cars! What a swell guy!) He drinks along--water, of course. Don't want *him* to be "relaxed," do we? It sounds like the sort of thing Jenny Jones would do--Oh, wait, she has!

I find a lot about this book unsavory. There are some good general tips about prospecting and bird-dogging, but these are available in other selling books that I don't want to take a shower after reading.

I also have to disagree about some things he things are bad habits. It sounds like a good idea to not join the "bull pen" and yak with the other salesmen. However, to a *certain* degree that is not a bad thing to do: it builds camaraderie and steels oneself for the difficult task of selling. Of course you don't want a salesforce that stands by the water cooler all day, but it's not good to spend 110% of your time on nothing but getting new customers either, or you could become a burnout case.

And then there's Joe's teary life story. Personally I picture Leonard DiCapprio playing the role of young, dirt-stained Joe, being beaten by his father, being beaten by his employers, being beaten by his customers, being beaten by random strangers, walking hundreds of miles in snowdrifts to get to his job, uphill both ways. Sorry, I don't buy it. Not that he didn't have a hard life, and surely his father was abusive (all too common back then, unfortunately). But his tone throughout is one of utter innocence to everything going on around him. He reacts to everything, it's all done *to* him. He got fired from his first job for selling too much, because the other salesmen were jealous? Yeah... He glosses over his own failures, and they only amount to slugging a customer when he called Girard an ethnic slur. Compared to his life, Dickens had a Disneyesque childhood. The reader should remember all salesmen sell stories, and he's no exception.

Oh, one more thing: the book is redundant. It's short as it is, but the way he repeats himself, it could be half its present size. --Or maybe a magazine article.

meat and potatos
The book gets right down to the details that are needed to make the sale, or even more important, get the customer in the door in the first place. A great motivational and educational book to add to the library.

Fun Guide
First, this book is misnamed. It should be called something like "How to build a great sales business." That being said, it is my only real critisism of the book.

He starts off by giving his own personal history, which is interesting reading, but not really what I am here for. He then goes into selling lessons, and for anyone that has built a sales business (and thinks of their selling as running their own business), he really lays out some good stuff. He talks about how to build a referal network, how to brand yourself in the market place, the importance of taking care of your customers and your coworkers, building and maintaing your contact lists, the importance of high activities and many other lessons.

As I sales manager, I would take out some of his chapters and give them to my sales people to read because I thought they were so good. The chapter on "Don't Join the Club" is worth the purchase price of the book if you are an inside sales person or a manager of them.

Easy read, you will knock it out in a couple hours. Highly recommend. ... Read more

Book Description

Kevin Trudeau, the world's foremost authority on memory improvement training believes that there are no bad memories, only untrained memories. In order to release natural photographic memories, listeners just need to learn to retrieve what is already known. As founder of the American Memory Institute, Kevin Trudeau has already helped more than one million people to do just that.

Rather than working through laborious word-association techniques of other memory systems, Trudeau focuses on the activation of inborn photographic memory. This system ensures instant recall and long-term Mega Memory. With the desire, you can unleash your Mega Memory and reap incredible rewards.

Trudeau's techniques will show you how to organize information in your mind for instant recall -- and help you perform more efficiently and profitably in everything you do. Imagine:

• Giving presentations involving hundreds of facts, figures and prices without looking at notes • Remembering the precise details of a meeting you attended • Memorizing strings of data effortlessly • Remembering each and every person you meet ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Stop Thinking and Start Look Searching!
My title may seem obsure but this program covered a topic of getting stuck in the thinking process. Have you ever knew you knew someone's name but couldn't think of it? Well the reason is, because for many reason which are covered on these eight cassettes we get caught in the thinking stage. It's not until we allow are brain to relax and begin look searching do we find the information we are requesting.

I'm happy to say I didn't purchase this program. I was scanning the self help tapes at my public library and thought it sounded interesting. I use to have a terrbile time remembering names. Through this program, took me about a week to listen to both sides of the 8 cassettes. I learned how to use visuals put into a order and placed on a predetermined peg for later recovery. This program seriously works! To test it out, I had my mother make out a list of twenty random things. I without looking at them, I had her just read them off, pausing for about twenty seconds between each. After that I went and wrote down 16 out of that twenty. Which is remarkable considering I never looked at the list. The ones I got right were in perfect order and before I started this program I maxed out at 4. So in a week, I had a 400% increase in my ability to remember. This program seriously is mind altering and way worth the 90 bucks. But if you can borrow it from library do it!

Motivational, impressive and good direction!
I have just finished the full 8 tape series of Kevin Trudeau's Mega Memory, which I purchased after watching Kevin Trudeau impressively recall a list of items within minutes on television! I've always had a poor memory and wanted to improve it.

I had no idea what to expect; and was very impressed. It's taken me about 3 weeks to complete the tape (about an hour a day during week-days only) and I'm impressed with what I can now remember. I can now easily remember anything I wanted to on 'pegs', to do lists without paper, names, faces, text (as much as I wanted to remember), spellings, numbers, foreign languages, car licence plates, (when I'm waiting in traffic, I find myself automatically practising memorising licence plates and car makes (grins)) - the harder things to do are the languages and say chunks of text. . This is just the beginning of what I can now remember in 3 weeks. It helps to have a really vivid imagination! I have review work to do over the next 21 days and really looking forward for when the memory techniques become automatic and faster and faster and second nature! I'm already impressing friends with what I can remember on lists; with practice I know my memory speeds will become faster and faster and hopefully get to the stage that Kevin was at on television! (yeah!)

It was easy to begin with and then the hard work began with the serious stuff (eg remembering chunks of text, foreign languages etc). Kevin is very motivational and he directs well and I stuck at the course, even when it got tough and painful on the brain (that's when I almost gave up - some three quarters into the series! yikes!) (I haven't used my 'brain' properly for a long while!!!! as I'm not a college student and haven't been 'studying' so to speak for about 15 years! During that 'stuck' phase where it felt painful, once I got through that 'mental' block (which took a few mins and some self talk), it became easier again - it's remembering that we can do it; and it is easy and possible. Kevin is with you throughout the way and he guides well in the 8 tape series; and the exercises are motivational and seeing your progress map out before your eyes is very inspiring! I'm amazed at how fast it all took. 3 weeks ago I never could have imagined that I can now remember makes of cars and licence plate numbers so easily in minutes and still remember them days later! (It's just a sample of what can be remembered and how the techniques can be used).

I will be purchasing Kevin's Advanced Mega Memory (8 tape series) fairly soon as that is the University version of the Mega Memory; whereas Mega Memory is the College version ! I'm looking forward to it.

p/s I'd personally say purchase the 8 tape series instead of the 1 tape series ! Go for it!

Changed My (Academic) Life
I bought the audio cassette Mega Memory Program back in 1993 while at was at Harvard Law School. The methods for memorization contained in this program allowed me to graduate HLS with honors. I used the method to pass the Illinois Bar Exam and more recently to pass the California Bar exam (which this year had the lowest pass rate in 14 years - 49%). I've never recommended any product before, but this one has been effective for me for a decade.

The Book is Better!
I have both the cassettes and the book. The book is far better.
The voice on the tapes is just too annoying!! 99% of the stuff in the book is a rehashing of Harry Lorayne's books, but it works!

Don't waste your money!
You will get an overview of several techniques but very little elaboration. The ad states that you will be able to remember every person you meet, "over 100" it says. There was absolutely no mention about how to associate names to faces, etc. Too simplistic, too limited except for the most simple minds. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (21)

It's not a self help book, it's a book that
This book is a no nonsense career development guide for employees and managers alike. Chances are you will find your Achilles' heel inside. The authors do a great job of explaining how to handle a person with a bad habit; and how to help the reader to identify, self-develop, and move away from their own bad habits. The authors gives real life examples without shaming anyone. It's a guide for all walks of life. A must have!!! Expecially for people that want to graduate from their job hopping 20's. It gives people the edge they need to fulfill self actualization, and fix "what feels out of place" in their current organization's social culture. It is well written too.

Rich contents on behavior characteristic but...
Very well written psychology book on human behavior that you can commonly find in your organization. Not much jargons but in plain simple english. It not only describes the twelve behavior patterns that holding good people back, but also does suggest how to fix and manage them.

To depict the 12 hebavior patterns, the authors cleverly use different simple scenarios and business cases to address the orgins of the problem & pattern. They explain why the behavior patterns may limit your career advancement and how should break the behaviour patterns. I personally found that some patterns breaking approach could be helpful but some don't and lack of practical details. The authors seem to suggest most of the cases that the root of these behaviour patterns are arised out of childhood development. Well, I am not sure this is completely correct but you can certainly find more explanation in Part II of the book.

The 12 bad habits that hold good people back are listed below:

1. Never feeling good enough
2. Seeing the world in black & white
3. Doing too much, pushing too hard
4. Avoiding conflict at any cost
5. Running roughshod over the opposition
6. Rebel looking for a cause
7. Always swinging for the fence
8. When the fear is in the driver's seat
9. Emotionally tone-deaf
10. When no job is good enough
11. Lacking a sense of boundaries
12. Losing the path

To make readers easy to understand and remember these 12 behavior patterns, the authors also name these bad habits as the following easy terms:

1. Acrophobe
Feeling in their heart of hearts that they don't deserve to be where they have been placed.

2. Meritocrat
Seeing the world black & white, with answers that are right or wrong, all weighed on a perfectly fair scale and judged accordingly, on their merits alone.

3. Hero
Constantly trying to do too much and pushing too hard on both themselves and other people.

4. Peacekeeper
Going out of the way to avoid conflict, because of uncertainty about how it will end up.

5. Bulldozer
Talking and acting tough, bullying people, taking no prisoners, and leveling anyone and anything that gets in the way.

6. Rebel
To defy authority and everything associated with authority, including societal tradition, company custom, and good taste.

7. Home run hitter
Expecting & demanding extraordinary and immediate success.

8. Pessimist-Worrier
Seeing the negative and almost nothing but the negative; and worrying about it to excess.

9. Mr. Spocks
Having a hard time recognizing and understanding fear, love, anger, jealousy, greed, compassion, and other emotions in themselves or in others.

10. Coulda-been
These people have very little tolerance for hard work and little patience, not because they're lazy, but because doing the work to get to the top means that they're not already there. When they seem to be saying is "No job is good enough," but what they actually feel inside is "I'm not good enough for any job."

11. Loose Lips
The person who lacks an appropriate sense of boundaries doesn't understand that some subjects belong in the office and some belong only in certain corners of the office and definitely not outside.

12. Dig Deeper
Feeling they have lost their sense of direction, or a sense of enthusiasm that has dimished or disappeared for reasons that are not immediately clear.

If you want to know more details, you can find very rich information from Part II of the book. It includes not just a description of the core psychological issue for each behavior pattern, but tools you can use to access yourself in each area, and execrises that you can do to strengthen those weaker psychological "muscles."

Overall, this is a pretty interesting book you may want to put in your own collection.

Personal Power¿Activate!
If you want to achieve your goals and activate your sales like never before, you need to break through your bad habits (...). This book helped me do that! The barriers that I had put in front of myself crumbled like so much rubble at my feet and now I am charging ahead, surpassing my goals and wowing everybody around me. I've streamlined my whole organization, begun to see every human interaction as an opportunity for me to win, and become a customer-focused consulting machine. This kind of success once seemed impossible, but it was really just a matter of turning a few bad habits around. Thanks Jim & Tim!

If you are fired or in a career rut, read this
Some books are Godsent for those who are perplexed and truly want to know the answers to their problems. This is one of them. If you have been recently fired or are in a career rut, and don't completely understand why, then buy this book and read it cover to cover. The odds are VERY high you have more than one of the 12 bad habits which is killing your career.

As always, it takes some humility to admit your own flaws and correct them. This book provides solid basis for starting the path to your own career enlightenment.

Complexity and perscipacity
I use the words complexity and perspicacity to discuss this book because the nature of the material the authors write about--the human mind and its behavior--is necessarily complex, while the authors display a very acute sense of those complexities.

If you are a well-read, emotionally literate, self-aware person, this book contains many ideas and tools you can use to "get ahead" in business. Its scope, however, is not limited to the business world. One would think that Bridget Jones et al would do well to use the ideas presented in this book. At heart the book is not so much about the behaviors that hold you back in the business world, but, rather it is about the behaviors that hold you back, period. The business world just contextualizes the nature of the consulting practice the authors have and the audience to whom they write (typically business students and executives). ... Read more

Book Description

BECOME THE ARCHITECT OF YOUR OWN FUTURE

One of America's top professional speakers and seminar leaders, Brian Tracy has been a consultant and trainer for hundreds of corporations large and small. His bestselling audio and video programs have been translated into 14 languages and are used in 31 countries. More than one million people have attended his programs on success, sales effectiveness and personal fulfillment.

Now in Maximum Achievement, Tracy presents a proven system of powerful ideas and principles you can use to rapidly improve your life. He has combined insights and methods from psychology, philosophy, metaphysics and human potential research to create a unique program that will:

* Streamline your focus for maximum results
* Remove mental barriers that stand in the way of your dreams
* Provide you with the essential conditions for change
* Develop superior relationships in your personal and professional life

By following the principles of Maximum Achievement's Master Plan, you can build a foundation for a life of happiness, health, harmony and prosperity. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

My personal favorite Self Improvement Book
I've read around 20 books on personal achievement, self improvement, and psychology this year and out of all those books, this book is my favorite. It has everything. After reading this book, not only will you have a greater knowledge of human behavior but you will also apply these incredible concepts into your living. One of my favorite chapters was the goal setting. Tracy not only shows you how to set goals but most importantly, especially to people who feel lost in this world, he guides you to discover what is your ultimate passion in life.

I thought I knew what I wanted in life but still had doubts but after reading this book, I feel much more confident in my goals and dreams of becoming who I truly want to be. Get this book. This book will help you find purpose in life. With a purpose, you will begin to live life with ultimate bliss. Good luck.

No Fluff, Just FAST RESULTS!
I have a library of over 100 self helpbooks plus tapes and have attended allthe seminars. Clearly, Brian Tracy is the best. If you only have the time to read one book, this should be that one book. The techniques work and work fast. You will learn how to enhance all areas of your life. Most other books repeat the same things, not Brian. I also highly recommend the audio tape program, Pyschology of Achievement and the Pyschology of Selling by Brian and SuperSelf by Charles Givens, probably one of the most under rated books out there on personal development.

A complete book
This great book by Brian Tracy will teach you that you need to know to become successful in all areas of your life. Very complete. An outstanding work by Tracy.

Should be 10 stars - Amazon, you need to go back to 10 stars
This is a remarkable work by Brian Tracy who is indeed a remarkable man. As Tracy tells us, he was quite a problem in his younger years, dropped out of high school and with no education was relegated to low paying deadend jobs.

But then something changed in Tracy. He went into straight commission selling seeing an opportunity to write his own paycheck and met some very successful salesmen. He learned how to sell and sell well, but more importantly, he learned the miracle of personal development. He went to work on himself and the rest as they say is history.

In MAXIMUM ACHIEVEMENT, Brian Tracy will show you everything you need to make rapid advances in your life. Personally, socially, with your career, in relationships and more.

I remember when Amazon used to give ten stars. If they were still doing that MAXIMUM ACHIEVEMENT would be a true 10 star book. And there are not many books that I would say that about.

MAXIMUM ACHIEVEMENT is Brian Tracy's best work.

Tracy's first and maybe best program
I bought this book about 10 years ago and have been a fan of Brian Tracy ever since. This guy knows how to bring out the best in people. Although Brian Tracy has written many books, this was his first and in my opinion, his best.

Great book that will change your life. ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com

The patrician accent of George Plimpton (author of Truman Capote and The X Factor), with its edge of aristocracy and money, is perfectly suited for telling the rags-to-riches story of America's most famous businessman and philanthropist. Indeed, Plimpton seems to positively relish the superlatives that describe the life of John D. Rockefeller, who was far and away one of the most calculating, secretive, competitive, merciless, and talented figures ever to dominate the free market. Showing, early on, his keen attachment to hard work and keeping accounts, Rockefeller started out as an accountant in Cleveland. From there he went into the produce business, and then on to oil. By the time he was 31, he was the most powerful oil refinery owner in the world. His strategies for suppressing competition and controlling all aspects of the oil business while still paying attention to the smallest details make for dramatic listening in this well-documented and accessible narrative. Plimpton recounts how Rockefeller was the ultimate clutch player, calm in the face of adversity, a manager who was constantly searching for talented people and another way to grow Standard Oil into a megalithic modern corporation. Ultimately his rapacious business practices would make him head of the most powerful monopoly in America and the richest man in the world. Plimpton's engrossing reading of Titan brings out the human side of Rockefeller, a man of contradictions who was greedy yet giving, a capitalist villain and a do-gooder. A teetotalling Baptist, he began giving to charity when he was earning just a few dollars a week. As his wealth grew, so too his financial gifts. In the end, Rockefeller's philanthropic acts rivaled the precedents he set as a businessman. The oil baron died just short of his last goal--to reach the age of 100--but the indelible imprint he made on America's financial landscape will live on into the 21st century. (Running time: six hours, four cassettes) --A.E.D. ... Read more

Reviews (117)

The parallels to Gates and MSFT are an interesting subtext
I am in awe of Ron Chernow for writing a long and thorough biography that I absolutely could not put down. Rarely have I finished such a long book in such a short period of time. Chernow manages to show how complex Rockefeller's personality and motives, were, and he helps us to avoid the all-too-easy cliches about the rich and powerful. Yet while revealing the complexity, he is never boring, didactic, or long-winded.

I found it interesting to compare Rockefeller and Standard Oil to Bill Gates and Microsoft. Both men are powerful, rich, misunderstood, certain that their actions are ethical and good for their country and the economy, and dedicated to helping those who are less fortunate. Both men vow(ed) to give away most of their fortune. Both have been attacked by their own government, and villified in the press. Both dominate media coverage of business. And, like Rockefeller, Gates is a brilliant strategist who defies easy cliches and shallow descriptions. You can see goodness in either man, and you can also see evil. The beauty of Chernow's biography is that he allows us to see both sides of Rockefeller, without ever landing on either side himself.

Regardless of my thoughts on the parallels, I highly recommend this bio. Four friends are receiving it as their Christmas gift from me.

The Two Sides of Titan
Like its hero, Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller has two sides. At times the almost novelesque book is insufferable. The text is dense and dizzying, making anyone who is not an economist feel incompetent and mind-boggled. At certain points, I needed to reread a sentence maybe two or three times because I either did not understand economic principle being displayed or because of my sheer lack of interest. When I was almost ready to quit with the constant analysis of the oil industry and Rockefeller's economic strategy, Chernow brought out the more personal side of the book, delving into Rockefeller's private life using uncommon and interesting anecdotes. It is quite obvious that Rockefeller's religious beliefs and family history greatly contributed to his transformation into the titan that will forever be remembered in American history. Chernow both proved my preconceived notions of the frugal and hard businessman that Rockefeller seemed to be and then surprised me, revealing the kinder, more spiritual Rockefeller who is oddly likable. I both loved and hated him. Like Chernow states, "what makes him so problematic- and why he continues to inspire such ambivalent reactions- is that his good side was every bit as good as his bad side was bad. Seldom has history produced such a contradictory figure. We are almost forced to posit, in helpless confusion, at least two Rockefellers: the good, religious man and the renegade businessman, driven by baser motives." So like its protagonist, Titan has two sides, its solid factual analysis of Rockefeller's business that perhaps only an economist could enjoy, and its warm-hearted account of Rockefeller's unexpected traits, which is far more appealing.

Strong intoduction, bland filler
This book starts out strong, describing in rich detail the rise of one of America's wealthiest men. Very interesting. However, I had to engage in a type of self-coercion to pick the book up after about 100 pages. I hate to call it "filler," but I have to call a spade a spade.

Story of an American Icon
In the biography of John D. Rockefeller Sr., Ron Chernow exposes the man behind the myth. Chernow shows both Rockefeller's ruthless nature and his religous beliefs. Even though the book at points was long wordy and long I still found it to be enjoyable. This book does give you a really broad insite to his business pratices and the history of the Standard Oil Company.

Five solid stars, THE book on J.D. Rockefeller Sr.
The other reviews have basically said it for me: this is the definitive book on the founder of Standard Oil. While most biographies of Rockefeller Sr. have been either suspiciously laudatory or equally dubiously contemptuous, Chernow takes the middle ground. Ultimately, Chernow seems to fall more on the side of liking Rockefeller, and employs the somewhat cliche perspective that could fairly be called "modern contextualist"- from which Rockefeller is not much more than a product of his times. However, the slight overuse of this particular biographical "voice," if you will, is but one element of what is really a monumental biography of a fascinating person. Chernow is a very readable biographer who evidently has a deep understanding of American business. (Chernow also wrote "The House of Morgan" - an account of the development of the various offshoots of J.P. Morgan's banking empire which, although very good, lacks Titan's intense focus and analysis.) I heartily recommend Titan. ... Read more

Book Description

In the tradition of the mega-bestseller, The One Minute Manager, author Ken Blanchard and fast-food entrepreneur S. Truett Cathy (Chick-fil-A) create a parable that demonstrates the virtues of generosity, in contrast to selfishness and greed.Read by Fred Stella. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Path to Contentment, Fulfillment and Social Change
"The Generosity Factor" may be the best of Ken Blanchard's many fine teaching novels. Through the use of an appealing story, Blanchard and Cathy challenge their readers to leave behind the capitalistic corporate model of materialism, that encourages greed and hording. Their recommended alternative is not a socialistic governmental model of regulation, redistribution and dependence, but the Biblical stewardship pathway of earning, giving and empowering. This encompasses more than treasure but includes time, talent, and touch. The authors refer to this as "The Generosity Factor" and they see it as the path to contentment, fulfillment and positive social change.

For this work Blanchard seems to raise his writing skills as a novelist. His characters are still stereotypical and his ending idyllic (which he admits) but there is a better dialogue flow between the personalities. The values of "The Generosity Factor" so counters our current cultural flow that they can't be ignored and their promise of a greater way of life dare us to embrace them. This book is good for the soul. I'm planning to order a case of these books to give away to others!

The Generosity Factor
This is a book you can read in one to two hours, but what great wisdom you will get from it.So many times when we think of giving, we only think of giving money.Many people do not have a lot of money to give, but we all have some we can give.We forget there are other things we can give that cost us nothing- in their book they tell us there are four things we can give -Time, Talent, Treasure, Touch.

Each of us have some of these things we can give.So many times it is the little things that mean so much - a hug, a card or a phone call.

We live in a world where we are taught everything is about me.It's great to read books like this that say it's not about me.It's about adding some sunshine into others lives, about lending a helping hand when someone is down and out.Thank you Ken Blanchard and S. Truett Cathy for this wonderful story of how we can each be happier by helping others.
Jeanetta Bearden Pollard author of "Mrs. Claus Shares Stories From the Heart."

Very nice book
Once again the motivational writer Ken Blanchard proved that he can motivate people very much. This time he chose to talk about GENEROSITY through three characters : a driver, a broker and an executive which is our morale story from this wonderful book.
The excecutive advices the Broker that "there are actually four things one can give and in my mind they are all of equal significance = Time,Talent,Treasure and Touch". And then he makes it easier for the Broker by deciding to demonstrate an example of each mentioned above.
Reading this book you'll get the opportunity to meet some of the nicest human beings on earth. Don't miss out...it will only take you about 1 and a half hours to read it all and a lifetime to live by what you're gonna learn inside this remarkable book.

Thought i was through my phase on this sort of book
A fable, a modern fiction, a true story - who cares.....the real story is about you and what you can do.

Great wrap at the end. And if you can get past any nervousness you may have (like me) on the subject of unconditional faith then it's well worth reading and passing on - inspiring sounds too corny a word nowadays for what is, actually, an old fashioned book - but i've taken the day off to read it again so it must have hit me good.
Thank you Ken and Truett - i will try, hard, you have reached me.
XX

A well-written book and very challenging to all of us
I loved reading the real-life stories of people who "made it" and then gave something back.It made me want to help people no matter what station in life I'm at.The desire to give it all - all the time comes from knowing who we are and there's an awareness deep inside that just spills over.It makes us view the world as an opportunity to care, not just a place to get mine.I think a lot of executives are missing this ingredient in their lives and this book would be of great assistance. ... Read more

Book Description

TRAIN YOUR MIND TO WORK FOR YOU!

The world's foremost producer of personal development and motivational audio programs now introduces the most powerful mind technology for self-change developed in the last twenty years.

Anthony Robbins has called it "an incredibly powerful tool." Time magazine described it as "an all-purpose self-improvement program and technology." Now you can learn the powerful secrets of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP, a practical, scientifically tested method of changing the way you think and behave faster and more easily than ever before.

With NLP training you can take total control of your mind/body machine to:

* Wipe out irrational fears
* Gain lasting self-esteem almost instantly
* Change lifelong habits
* Relieve inner conflicts
* Learn techniques for self-motivation

A groundbreaking audio program that will rid your mind of unwanted obstacles to success, NLP: The New Technology of Achievement gives you the tools you need to improve your performance in every area of your life. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Great book
For the last 12 or 15 years I have been a keen reader of Self-help, self improvement books, ranging from Selfhypnosis, creative visualization and meditation. This one is far the best I have ever read. After the short introduction, the rest of the book takes you through the basics of NLP. Each chapter is covered by excercises that with their implementation convinces even the sceptic, that NLP truely is the New Technology of Achievement. It's not just a book to be read, but a book to be experienced. The impact of the excercises will fast benefit in all aspects of ones life. Dont just read it, TRY IT.

Never mind that last guy the book is good
First let me make a statement about the last reviewers objections. First, hey nobody in NLP claims that this stuff is all air-tight and scientific. "The map is not the territory." This is one way of saying BS is fine if its a useful model. Second, this is not a re-hash of the tremendous book Psycho-Cybernetics in which Maltz has us spend 30 days a night visualizing ourselves with all the behaviors, emotions, and achievments we wish we would have in order to supply a new self-image to our instinctive "success mechanism". (Of course there are many other very interesting ideas and recommendations in that book.) The exercises in this book has us make movies or pictures in our mind, experiment with shifting parameters (submodalities) like size, color, brightness, speed, and border to alter our way we feel about things. As another example it has us rapidly blend pictures from a cue condition to a desired self image (swish pattern). Now I must mention that the Review Synopsis above doesnt seem to describe this book at all to me. Business mettings? Maybe a little. Mostly this book is a self-help book for people who are not really sick in the head but would like to improve their motivation, goal reaching, control over their emotions, persuasiveness, and self-image. The last reviewers objection that there is a lot of mumbo jumbo is a good point. It turns me a little off too... but you can also make the same point about other great self-help books like Psycho-Cybernetics or Think and Grow Rich which believe that there is mystical knowledge floating around in space waiting to be picked up by a tuned-in unconscious mind. Just skip the obvious nonsense. If that kind of BS really bothers you, then you can read Tony Robbins, but on the other hand this book I think is better organized and more fun than his.

Great NLP program. Possibly the best
This program by NLP Comprehensive is one of the very best programs on how to use NLP effectively and achieve rapid change.
I ordered this first as an audio tape program from Nightingale-Conant and then bought the print version.

Each tape/chapter is like having your own individual coach and and builds on the previous information.

My daughter used one of the techniques to improve her ability in the classroom and as a cheerleader. My son was struggling to make the footbal team until he used these methods. My wife and I have used them in our professions and they have made a significant difference.

I also recommend the tape program NLP Mastery by Charles Faulkner which is also available here at Amazon.

Many NLP books and tapes are hard to follow. Faulkner et all make learning these techniques easy for anybody even high school cheerleaders and football players.

A complete course on NLP from real experts!
If you were to buy only one book on NLP then NLP: The New Technology of Achievement should be that one book. The book is 12 chapters and 350 pages. It includes a 21 day Unlimited Achievement program.

Although edited by Steve Andreas and Charles Faulkner, this program features the full NLP Comprehensive team of Falkner, Kelley Gerling, Gerry Schmidt, Tim Hallbom, Suzi Smith, and Robert McDonald.

You will learn what NLP is and why iti s so effective in getting results quickly. You will learn how to get motivated. You will learn a accelerated process to uncover your mission and you will learn a 4 step goal achievement process to achieve your goals.

You will learn how to build more satisfying, rewarding relationships and how to develop powerful persuasion strategies.
Tim Hallbom and Suzi Smith show you how to overcome fears and phobias in minutes and build self confidence.

Robert McDonald shares a special NLP skill to create self
esteem while Charles Faulkner shows you how to develop and maintain a positive mental attitude with special NLP techniques and how to build pervasive attitudes and create new possibilites that are the keys to peak performance.

This book is excellent and will help you achieve allof your goals.

A balanced and refined book
I bought this book wanting an introduction to NLP and I received more than I asked for. Not only is it an excellent introduction to the history and concepts of NLP, but it is filled with excercises. You can get as hands-on as you want to with this book, choosing only to read it or to do the excercises once or many times. In fact, for true NLPers I'm sure these excercises become second nature. Also, I feel that the authors have done a lot of experimenting with each technique and have done a good job diluting what works. What is refreshing to me is that some religions use some of these techniques and NLP separates their techniques from religion. In fact, you can go ahead and apply it to whatever you're doing. This book has inspired me to make some changes in my life and has gotten me interested again in things that had become dormant. ... Read more

Book Description

A sizzling young adult novel about Chad, a teenager livingnear the New Jersey boardwalk who becomes obsessed with the Bozo -- the clown who sits above a tank of water, taunting people until they pay a couple of bucks to try to dunk him. Even as he tries to master the slashing humor of the Bozo, Chad finds he also must learn humor's healing power if he is to help his best friend recover from a serious illness. Emotionally rich, filled with fascinating detail about life on the boardwalk, this is David Lubar's breakthrough novel. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

best book
i read this book for a sixth grade language arts project and i got an A+ and itwas entered in a contest for best book and it came in 2nd

Awesome Book
Dunk by David Lubar is a book that grasps your attention from the first chapter and sustains it to the very end.Due to the realistic experiences faced by all of the characters, this book should not be categorized as an adolescent book but a book for all ages.I could relate to each character due to the real life challenges they were faced with.Chad is a teenager so consumed by fear of being a failure like his father that he's not taking the time to enjoy the life of a teenager.He wants to be an adult before his time by being a father and son to his mother and having a job. Chad's mother is a typical single mother.She is trying her best to provide the best for her son by working as waitress and pursuing her education.Malcolm, the tenant and dunk master, becomes a father figure for Chad and teaches him life lessons.Due to this Chad finds hope for not only himself but for his mother and his best friend Jason.The life lessons Malcolm teaches Chad are lessons we should all learn: patience is a virtue, don't just learn the tricks of the trade but learn the trade, laughter eases pain, constant doubt will lead to disappointment, sometimes one has to fail to succeed, and to teach is to learn and to learn is to teach.If you are in search of a book that will make you laugh and at the same time help you realize that life is not always as bad as it may seem, read this book!

Sad when this one ended...
I enjoyed Lubar's book Hidden Talents quite a bit, but when I picked up Dunk I was skeptical. Chad is mesmerised by the bozo in the dunk tank and longs to be a bozo too. This scenario did not seem able to carry a novel-length story. However, Lubar uses the bozo as a metaphor for finding out your own strengths, weakenesses, and personality in general.

Chad's experiences are heart-wrenching and Lubar's writing allows the reader to feel the anguish along with him. It's not until he is able to listen to Malcolm and see him as a human being that Chad can step up and be the man he's supposed to be--for his mother, his sick friend, and the girl he loves.

A good read with strong characters and a great message that isn't preachy. Another hit from Lubar.

Dunk
The greatest book I've ever read is Dunk! This book kept me guessing and reading. This book takes place where the fun begins and ends (right along the boardwalk). I'm so glad that my friend Zach recommended it to me!
Dunk is about a boy named Chad. He only has his mom because his dad left them for another girl. When Chad finally finds the perfect girl, she has to go back to Montana.The last words he heard from her were "I'll be back next year, Chad".
The next year finally came. Chad checked the game that Gwen ran when they met. Even though Chad wanted Gwen the most he also wanted a job for the summer.But,his mom didn't him to work because when his dad said he was working he really wasn't.On the day that Gwen arrived, his best friend Jason started acting weird so the cops took Jason to the hospital and Chad to the jail cell. They accused them of using illegal drugs. The person that saved him was his upstair neighbor. Even though Chad hated Malcolm, he was thankful that he was there.
The next time that he saw Gwen she was with his old friend Anthony. After that, he found out that his best friend Jason had a disease that affected his immune system. The next day he tried out for the bozo job.
Will Chad get Gwen back,get his job,and make friends with Malcolm? Also, will Jason get better?To find out, read the greatest book ever, Dunk!

By:Mickey

Understanding the teenage boy
This book gives an amazing insight into the mind of a 15 year old boy.Perhaps not the most typical boy, but as the mother of a less-than-typical boy myself, I enjoyed it thoroughly.My seventh grade daughter also enjoyed it, and I think my son will enjoy it too, if he gets enough of a break from schoolwork to read it. ... Read more

Book Description

Dr. William L. Ury shows listeners how to overcome serious obstacles to negotiation.Whether dealing with an unruly teenager or an office bully, Dr. Ury's method will help listeners gain control in even the most difficult situations.Most importantly, GETTING PAST NO gets results. ... Read more

Book Description

Is procrastination blowing away your career plans? Exploding your goals? Blasting away your self-esteem? Bursting your relationships?

Almost everyone procrastinates. For some the impact can be serious, causing damaged relationships at home and at work. For most people, procrastination is a troublesome habit they know they should be able to overcome. Rita Emmett is the one to inspire us to get started.
With advice drawn from her own experience and that of people she has met at her acclaimed seminars, Emmett empowers procrastinators to identify the behavioral styles and patterns they use for putting things off, apply proven antiprocrastination tips and techniques for achieving goals, and develop strategies to move forward when stuck or reverting to patterns.

As a recovering procrastinator, Emmett knows firsthand how procrastinators think, the circumstances that trigger and sustain putting-off behavior and what procrastinators need and want. The Procrastinator’s Handbook is designed for use at home, at work, or while traveling. In Rita Emmett’s hands, self-improvement is as entertaining as it is rewarding.
... Read more

Reviews (42)

A Great Book for Yourself or as a Gift
It's hard to imagine ANYONE who wouldn't get a lot out of this book...

THE PROCRASTINATOR'S HANDBOOK speaks to the most common attitude, or habit, in the human condition today. With every page I turned, not only did I see myself, but dozens of other folk I've known over the years. It's almost as if the pages were made of tinfoil.. they reflect so much! I've already decided that much of my holiday shopping will be handled by a bulk order of this delightful publication.

Just about everyone I know is, or has been, one of the types of procrastinators Rita Emmett outlines in this book. This includes myself, of course. (Until I heard about this book, I thought all procrastinators were my subjects, and I was their Queen.) As I read, I made a mental list of all the wonderful people I know who would benefit from the clear, self-affirming, logical tips, and "Extra Credit" tasks Rita presents. I also bookmarked the many pages that gave me sound plans for attacking both the physical and mental clutter that generate so much unnecessary stress.

My favorite element of the book is its "just folks" tone. There is never the sense that the author, nor the audience, is immune to the menial, the drudgey or the mundane tasks common to modern life. Rita speaks of scrubbing her kitchen walls, rather than attack a typing task she despised. How many books these days assume their audience to be "above" such real-life chores? How often does one get a suggestion about the least distasteful time for getting laundry folded? It's almost as if Rita is chatting with me over coffee at my kitchen table.. or hers, since my house isn't "ready for company" yet. We're "just folks" together, and she shares with us her experience of real life and how to make it more satisfying.

Another element of the book that I find most appealing is her refusal to sugar coat the unpleasant truth. She writes that, "Life seems to overflow with" unpleasant tasks, the stuff we just know we won't want to do, but must, if we wish to be considered functional human beings. The tasks are just there, though sometimes we're unable to find anything appealing in the doing of the task. Rita reminds us that we can "change our minds to change the game," and focus on the time AFTER completion of the task, where we're able to simply bask in the glow of a job (well) done. If basking isn't enough for you, Rita gives us a great starter list of rewards we can promise ourselves for gritting our teeth and plowing through those tasks. When you approach things this way, there's really nothing one cannot get oneself to do. In fact, thanks to Rita, I'm going to resume my efforts to get started on graduate school and end ten (well, okay, seventeen) years of putting THAT off.

I believe a lot of us in this "modern" generation are pulling away from Mom's Homespun Wisdom, and Rita does a significant service to her audience by bringing some of that back to us, in a most affirming, considerate, noncritical way. She tells us to get the worst stuff out of the way early in the day, so as to eliminate dread, and put a shinier glint on whatever follows. I know MY mom encouraged me to do that as well, but coming from Rita, it's not so hard to hear.

So... I say, get your hands on this book right away, make a pot of coffee, grab a highlighter or some bookmarks, and even your holiday shopping list, and sit down to a TERRIFIC read.

A real gem
This is a wonderful book full of very helpful suggestions and important common sense wisdom about human nature, whether or not you consider yourself to be a procrastinator. I saw myself in the book many times - definitely one of the "I want it all procrastinators" she describes, and also one who fills life with far too many maintenance activities and far too few life-enriching ones - and I gained much encouragement a) from her acknowledgement that my foibles are known territory, common to many, and b) from her many "c'mon, you can do it" suggestions for solutions to these problems.

I "read" the audio tape version of this book, and also very much enjoyed the author's delivery of her ideas. She sounds like a real person, and a nice person. And unlike many other motivational audio tapes, I never once got the sense that the author was just reading back what she had written - instead, it was a lot like what I imagine her speak