Book Description

Reviews (17)

Fine Artist Guide to Marketing & Survival in Buisness World
Caroll Michels is a life long art consultant who has written this book to share her experiences and expertise with the fine art community. Well written and with plenty of helpful references, Michels' book is an excellent addition to any artist's library.

The stuff they should teach you at those art $chool$
Artists: If you are serious about gettin' famous, makin' heaps of dough, havin' all of those ... critics write about your brilliant swag, and seducin' actresses or actors, you gotta start right here with this book. Otherwise, pack it up and become an art historian or janitor at the Getty.

Seriously, this is the best book you can buy if you are considering hitting the "scene" with your goods.

Sure, she has some "cliche" statements about "getting organized" (but in all fairness, what artist doesn't need to be reminded to get organized?!) and the like, but wow...the sections on how to price your art, marketing with a brochure, the importance of contracts (!!!), grant building, etc etc. are a veritable cornucopia of practical goodness.

This book is so good that I almost burst with pleasure after reading it. I'll be willing to bet a Picasso that her consulting advise is beyond compliment.

They need to stop printing this book!
This book has some good ideas, but it is very dated. It refers to search engines and sites that no longer exist, and doesn't address new technologies and sites. A new edition might be worthwhile, but I'd pass on this one.

The Journey Begins
I am supposed to be a painter. Famous? who cares. I just want to make a living doing what it is I was put here to do.

Thank you Caroll for your book. I read it the first time three years ago. This time I'm taking notes and DOING it. One thing each day to get me to a point where I could transition careers and (pretty much) paint all the live long day.

The most tragic thing in life is wasted talent. Because of this book, I won't have to TELL my children that they can do anything, I will have SHOWN them how its possible.

A book pointing you to other books
I was disappointed in this book. Lots of "resources" listed, but the nuts and bolts boil down to the old "how to" cliches, like Get organized! A computer can help you do this! Many gallery owners are meanies! Far less than what I was looking for. ... Read more

Book Description

the PATH In a world in which we are daily forced to make decisions that lead us either closer to or further from our goals, no tool is as valuable in providing direction as a mission statement -- a brief, succinct, and focused statement of purpose that can be used to initiate, evaluate, and refine all of life's activities.

Individuals and companies have recently been learning what history has demonstrated all along -- that people or groups with carefully defined missions have always led and surpassed those who have none. Yet the process of outlining that mission statement has been, up to now, an arduous one that all too few have committed the time, energy, and resources to undertake.

In The Path, Laurie Beth Jones, author of the national bestseller Jesus CEO, provides inspiring and practical advice to lead listeners through every step of both defining and fulfilling a mission. With more than ten years' experience in assisting groups and individuals, Jones offers clear, step-by-step guidance that help you create a mission statement in a matter of hours rather than a month or years.

Rich with humor, exercises, and case histories, The Path is essential listening for anyone seeking a lighter, clearer way in the world. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Phenomenal
This book is life altering. A completely different twist on finding your purpose and place in life. In my case, my final life purpose statement shocked me at first. I thought I must have done the exercises wrong. However, after thinking about it for a moment, I realized the mission statement revealed my inner most truth, the absolute and quintessential me. I love how Laurie Beth Jones helps you develop a personal mission statement. She teaches the importance of aligning yourself with a company that has a similar or complementary mission statement. Powerful stuff!

Insightful!
Laurie Beth Jones' survey of the basic principles of creating mission statements and vision statements is accompanied by her personal observations. She includes stories about clients, business associates and friends, and stories from the Bible. The book focuses on ways each individual can develop a personal path to guide him or her through professional and personal life. The book is written in short, easy-to-read sections. The basic message about missions and goals is familiar. Many readers will find that this book offers a quick and useful guide to creating an overall plan, within an inspirational and spiritual context. However, some may admire her strong Christian orientation and others may find themselves uncomfortable with it. As she notes, her personal mission is to "recognize, promote and inspire the divine connection in myself and others." She fulfills that mission with the book's underlying Christian message. We [...] recommend this book to those who wish to develop a personal plan and who are interested in including a Christian-oriented spiritual dimension in that process.

Religious Themes and yet Very Practical
In the book the path, Ms. Jones demonstrates how "People with clearly defined missions have always led those who haven't any. You are either living your mission or you are living someone else's."

Although Ms. Jones reaches into the historical past of Judeo-Christian tradition for many of her examples, she also gives many personal and contemporary accounts. The religious references may put off some non-religious readers, yet the book still has many powerful exercises that do help you create a powerful mission statement.

Ms. Jones is humorous at times which helps to drive home her points. One of my favorites is when she is making the case for the power behind having a clear mission statement. "I often visualize heaven as being like a catalog fulfillment center, full of angels reading requests. 'This one reads, 'I want to be happy in the future', says Gabriel. 'What exactly does that mean?' asks Michael. 'I do not know. What should I do with it?' asks Gabriel. 'Put it in the hold file, with all the rest. Someday maybe these humans will learn to be specific," sighs Michael, as he marks yet another request incomplete".

The heart of the book is the chapter entitled "Creating the Vision Statement." Here she created two very practical sets of exercises. One for individuals and the other for groups/organizations. Each question is designed to help you create a clearer vision of what you want thus helping you to attract, manifest and get clear about "the path" you want to follow.

Rick's Purpose Ratings
Relevance of exercises 10
"Woo Woo" scale* 5
It makes a good case for purpose 8
Good for individuals 10
Good for groups 8
Overall 8.2
*Indicates how mainstream the book is. 1 = Very far out, strap on your astral helmets, 10 = Practical and contemporary, a great book for a skeptic like Archie Bunker.

I highly recommend her book.

Excellent
This is a great product that helped me to focus my own life a great deal more. It is not just for professional use, it can be for spiritual growth as well. I loved it!

One of my top 3 recommendations of all time
If you do it right, this book will change your life. Next to SIMPLE ABUNDANCE and THE BIBLE, there are few books with that power and influence. I've read this book 20+ times, always with the idea that I can improve on what I learned the times before. If you are looking for a way to set goals in your life in a structured, yet personal, way....this is the place to start. It is geared toward everyone, but women seem to find it more applicable. ... Read more

Book Description

"Schank's success designing teaching software has made him a much sought after figure among businesses, military clients, and universities."

The majority of corporate training programs are weak, ineffective, costly, and inconvenient for the time-pressed employees they are supposed to train. Designing World-Class e-Learning explores on-line learning­­--today's hottest business training topic­­--and explains the "learning-by-doing" approach that the author and his firm have used to develop effective on-line courses for Harvard Business School, IBM, GE, Columbia University, and other world-leading organizations.

Roger Schank, a leading E-learning guru and innovator, demonstrates steps and strategies proven to excite employees, make them want to learn, and decrease training costs while increasing productivity. Schank's approach to E-learning involves:

• e-Learning by doing
• Encouraging learners to fail--­­and learn from failure
• Just-in-time storytelling from experts
• Powerful emotional impact

Reviews (2)

Packed with Knowledge!
E-learning expert Roger C. Schank describes the secrets of a good e-learning program. He emphasizes using e-learning to train in-house employees, although his methods could work in any setting. Schank clearly establishes the basic principle that makes e-learning work: learning by doing. He outlines methods using scenarios and simulations that permit the learner to put new ideas into practice immediately. He's a little too fond of failing and trying over as a learning method, when one might learn just as well by studying others' failures and successes. However, he supports his approach with education-based examples that demonstrate how children learn, along with an inside look at IBM and GE programs. Visuals in the book show the computer screen in a teaching mode as displayed to the user, so you see how your e-learning material should look, whether on a Web site or on a local intranet. We from getAbstract recommend this solid hands-on instruction manual for training and development managers, and for those who are building e-learning experiences.

Modern Alchemy That Produces Some Gold
For masochists who can only learn from their own mistakes, this book provides the best way to teach them. Roger Schank's methods create temporary results that can help people react well in a situation but can limit a persons ability to think ahead avoid problems and communicate issues and solutions appropriately.

Schank's "Sink or Swim" approach of leading the learner to failure encourages educators to be clever and sneaky about the way they craft their training. He warns against telegraphing your punches to the learner. His methods manipulate peoples fears to get them to do what he wants them to do. The golden rule of education is to respect the pupil and Schank unfortunately treats learners with more contempt than he claims traditional methods produce.

The good news is there is plenty of useful insight and examples that aren't covered in other books that I know of. I have mixed feelings because I like so much of what he points out that is wrong with most training and education today. I am also in agreement on how he stresses the importance of good stories and examples and I'm in the car with him right up until he locks the doors, floors the gas and steers the car off a cliff.

Like many alchemists, Schank really believes in his methods to turn base metals into gold and is unyielding in his opinion that all other methods are worthless. He uses only the worst case examples of traditional training methods to reject the educational establishment while using the most idealistic examples to promote why he is the only one who can teach people anything. Thank god, he was there to help Enron communicate issues better to their employees. See the case study on page 44 "e-learning at Enron".

Schank's basic philosophy is that people can only learn from their own failures. He states, "Real thinking never starts until the learner fails." This is a serious flaw. Not many of us would survive if it were true. Learning from our own mistakes is how we keep from falling behind but learning from others mistakes is how we move ahead. And this is what traditional education methods can accomplish, if they are done correctly.

Schank states that "Small children are failure machines, failing hundreds of thousands of times before they learn." He seems to think this is okay and that's the way it should always work. But, most children don't need to be run over by a car to learn not to play in the street. Most children don't need to poke an eye out to learn not to run with scissors.

Schank continually refers to flight simulator training as the ultimate way to educate because pilots are immersed in a completely realistic three dimensional environment. But flight simulator training is just one part of a larger effort that pilots go through. If he would bother to follow up on this a little more, he would find that the FAA and the major airlines discovered a big problem, some time ago, with too much reliance on simulator training.

The problem is that people don't like being set up to fail. When this happens they begin to blame the computer training and don't take responsibility for the failure. The significant changes that have been made include providing more preparation of presentational information and guided practice before pilots enter the flight simulators.

Schank brags throughout the book about how people get through his training courses and graduate classes without learning anything new but that they know how to do something. Well, that just doesn't fly in most of the world. The reason you teach people a certain process and test for knowledge instead of just how to do something is because people tend to take short cuts that may seem productive in the short term but can get other people killed or in trouble. Schank's programs teach people to figure their own way to accomplish a goal. Who cares how they get there? Well sometimes, the Justice and Treasury Department care how you get there, often the news media care how you get there and usually your co-workers care. Ask the ex-employees of Enron whether they care.

Schank couldn't find any psychological research to support his theories, so he made up his own and refers to his own books for support. If you read a broader selection of books than what he recommends, you'll find that most research supports that people consider motivation to be a personal responsibility while they perceive de-motivation to be the responsibility of the system or person they work for or learn from. This means you can pump people up or scare them for a short period of time but ultimately people motivate themselves. However, they are quick to blame the system if you trip them up.

Schank's entire methodology is based on artificially imposing failure on people, to motivate them to learn. When you set someone up to fail, you may teach them not to repeat a mistake but they will become increasingly resistant to this form of training and will begin to blame the system for their failures.

Schank's psychology and methods are at odds with human nature but while Schank rejects all traditional methods of training and education, like multiple-choice tests and Instructional System Design (ISD), I can't reject all of his experience. Overall, he is too extreme and dangerous for me, but like all good agitators, he provides a unique perspective and makes some good points because he has so passionately pursued how to educate people.

Reading this book has been good for me if only to provide a backdrop and comparison to what I am currently doing. Writing this review has helped me deal with the snow storm that people like Schank stir up. There is actually a great deal of valuable information (knowledge) in this book on real corporate case studies, using stories, examples and gathering content that you won't find elsewhere. I just recommend being very careful how you apply it. ... Read more

Book Description

How to make money collecting money, Starting a Collection Agency Michelle Dunn, Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, $29.

Starting a business is a daunting task, and starting a debt collection business is even harder.Between licensing, bonding, Fair Debt Collection Practices and so many more qualifications a debt collector starting his or her own agency must face, where do they begin?In her instructional guidebook, How to make money collecting money, Starting a Collection Agency, debt collection expert Michelle Dunn explains the critical steps to take when starting your own agency.

Dunn begins by helping Entrepreneurs gather all the information they need to start their own collection agency.She then goes on to explain how she started, set up and ran her own successful collection agency for over 8 years.This book acts as a guidebook to anyone on how to get your business up and running, she says, and if you follow the steps outlined you will have your own successful agency.

Dunn’s easy to read format takes the "scare" out of everything that is required when starting a collection agency.With chapters such as What is a collection agency, Should I start my own agency, and explanations of the business plan, legal requirements, state licensing information and helpful tips, Dunn successfully answers questions anyone might have when starting their own agency.

In How to make money collecting money, Starting a collection Agency, readers learn how to find clients, whom to contact to obtain a collection agency license in your state, information on business plans, marketing, The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and many other things you will want to be aware of when starting your agency.

Sharing her knowledge and experience from starting and running her own agency, Dunn teaches readers how to get a successful agency up and running.With the tips and information provided in this book, Entrepreneurs can confidently start their own debt collection business.Armed with the knowledge of who to contact, what associations to join and how the debt collection industry works, they will be able to be the owner of a collection agency with resounding success.

Michelle Dunn, founder and president of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, publisher, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter.Michelle started M.A.D. Collection Agency in January 1998 and ran it successfully until December 2004, when she sold it.She still owns and runs Credit & Collections.com an online community for credit and business professionals.She has been featured in Ladies Home Journal, PC World, Home Business Magazine, Home Business Journal, Entrepreneur, The Internet Web Source, Professional Collector, and in Home Based Business for Dummies, Shameless Marketing for Brazen Hussies, From the Home-Front The Simple guide to starting and Running a Home based business, on (NPR) National Public Radio and many newspapers nationwide. She has many published articles and 3 published books to add to her list of accomplishments.She is now publishing two more titles in her Collecting Money Series as well!as a boxed set. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Outstanding guideline
I have been in medical billing and collections for years, but only recently have opened a collection agency.Michelle's book gives the basic information necessary for anyone to start.Even with my background, I learned necessary information to become successful.

Great book to getyou started
A great book for people who may be thinking about what's involved when starting a collection agency.It's written in an easy-to-read manner and starts with the very basic components of collection agency management.You'll learn about many aspects of the business from collection terminology to state requirements.There's even a selection of forms and letters to get you started.Michelle Dunn has used her vast experience in this field to produce a no-nonsense book.A good resource for the collection agency novice.

Excellent Information
This book was very helpful and gives lots of important information!The way it is written is straight to the point and very easy to read.It also makes it very easy to go back and reference because it is not cluttered with un-nessesary information.The author is also very helpful with any questions you may have.I recommend this book 100%.

Order this excellent resourse for starting YOUR business
This is an excellent resource for anyone who is interested in starting their own collection agency. Michelle's info demonstrates the "how to" from start to finish. This is a MUST have if your planning on being successful.

Marie Robinson
California

Great Business Startup Idea
Fifteen years of collection experience lends to this great little book that presents an offer for a great business opportunity. Dunn shares her expertise in the art of collecting money from those who have fallen behind in payments etc.

Michelle goes through the whole setup process step by step with resources included to show you how to start your own collection agency. It's power packed with tips, suggestions, do's and dont's, and wonderful resources to boot. It's like a "business in an a box".

This is a great addition to the library of those looking to start a business of their own. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With first-chapter allusions to martial arts, "flow," "mind like water," and other concepts borrowed from the East (and usually mangled), you'd almost think this self-helper from David Allen should have been called Zen and the Art of Schedule Maintenance.

Not quite. Yes, Getting Things Done offers a complete system for downloading all those free-floating gotta-do's clogging your brain into a sophisticated framework of files and action lists--all purportedly to free your mind to focus on whatever you're working on. However, it still operates from the decidedly Western notion that if we could just get really, really organized, we could turn ourselves into 24/7 productivity machines. (To wit, Allen, whom the New Economy bible Fast Company has dubbed "the personal productivity guru,"suggests that instead of meditating on crouching tigers and hidden dragons while you wait for a plane, you should unsheathe that high-tech saber known as the cell phone and attack that list of calls you need to return.)

As whole-life-organizing systems go, Allen's is pretty good, even fun and therapeutic. It starts with the exhortation to take every unaccounted-for scrap of paper in your workstation that you can't junk, The next step is to write down every unaccounted-for gotta-do cramming your head onto its own scrap of paper. Finally, throw the whole stew into a giant "in-basket"

That's where the processing and prioritizing begin; in Allen's system, it get a little convoluted at times, rife as it is with fancy terms, subterms, and sub-subterms for even the simplest concepts. Thank goodness the spine of his system is captured on a straightforward, one-page flowchart that you can pin over your desk and repeatedly consult without having to refer back to the book. That alone is worth the purchase price. Also of value is Allen's ingenious Two-Minute Rule: if there's anything you absolutely must do that you can do right now in two minutes or less, then do it now, thus freeing up your time and mind tenfold over the long term. It's commonsense advice so obvious that most of us completely overlook it, much to our detriment; Allen excels at dispensing such wisdom in this useful, if somewhat belabored, self-improver aimed at everyone from CEOs to soccer moms (who we all know are more organized than most CEOs to start with). --Timothy Murphy ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Time Tested Principals
I attended one of David's seminars in 1986. As a result, I was able to successfully manage 101 concurrent projects, finishing on time and under budget. Fast forward to 2001. I keep this book by my side at all times (David publish it in Ebook form so it's easier to carry!). The company I'm with now wonders how I get the "impossible" projects done. Using David's techniques in the book, it seems like I can complete a full work day in fewer hours because I know what all my "next actions" are, and do them promptly. Gives me a lot of worry free time.

This is a book you "DO" not just read. Be prepared to work when you start out, but when the initial work is done, that's when the fun begins.

I cleaned my inbox and email box of 300 items in less than 15 minutes, filtering out the junk, the things that needed immediate attention, and the "someday maybe" things (like buying my first Harley).

This works for my personal life too. No more missed anniversaries, birthdays, phone calls, errands, etc.

Do you ever think about work projects at home? Do you ever think about home projects when you're at the office? Ever worry about that phone call you need to make or that errand you need to run? Forget it! Get the book. It's awesome. Get the book - period. If you don't, you deserve your stress.

Truly the guide to stress-free productivity
I manage a team of twenty, in a very stress-filled IT environment. We juggle multiple projects with overlapping deadlines all the time. This book taught me far more than the well known time management guides and gurus. I learned to put EVERYTHING - my work life, personal life, dream life (to be a millionaire without being the weakest link or swallowing bugs!) into one place, and organize it all based on me - my life, current job, etc. I also used it to help my team. We now breeze through our deadlines, with lots of productivity and very little stress. We are able to work long hours when needed, and take time off when needed. Hopefully, future releases will bring a companion workbook and this book unabridged on tape or CD. FYI - Mr. Allen has a wonderful web site ... where you can sign up for his free weekly newsletter and continue to learn and grow. He also lists lots more helpful tips, etc. on the web site that you can download and share with your peers and staff members. I urge anyone who is feeling overwhelmed in their life and career to give this process a try. You will be very glad you did.

DAM! (David Allen Method).
The real gist of this book is this;

First, tangibly ALL your thoughts to do something must be somewhere in order for you to PHYSICALLY apply it. Hence, you must write them down or put them all (stuff) somewhere, notes, post-it, napkins, etc., ANYTHING, just make it physically tangible. This is the only way for us to now LOGICALLY apply it. Because we are physical creatures, we must see our thoughts physically also. Down one.

Number two: when all of this is done, get the little ones out of the way, hence the "two-minute rule". Anything under two minutes DO IT NOW. DAM! (David Allen Method) yeah!!!

That's basically the "d.a.m." (pardon the pun) method. For details and even a better understanding buy or borrow the book.

When you think about it, it's all about logic. Delineate the process, divide, then conquer. Sort of like eating a big steak, you have to cut it to make it chewable, then taste, and decide to swallow, chew, or just spit it out, and before you know it, it's gone! It's funny we never applied this logic to our business, maybe below will explain why!

One thing that bugs me is that if something takes 2 minutes and we now need to do it now, there is one section about a guy going through 800 e-mails. If each one took two minutes, the e-mail "project" then took more than 26 hours!!! He didn't mention that in the book! Should he then delegate it, defer it, dump it, or simply call the waiter??? Note: vomiting is NOT an option!

Works, I'm Using it.
I have read both books first from the library and only bought the paperback of Allens second book, Ready for Anything.

I am now buying the hardcover edition for this book because I plan to use it over and over. I have been a student of effective work flow for 15 years and this is one of the best methods I have found to clear your work surfaces and your mind to get down to creative, fun productive activities.

I looked like I was OK but my cupboards were full of junk
I was one of those people who looked like I had things under control, and wasn't far from it, but my cupboards, drawers and email files were full of junk and felt like a ball and chain. I heard about this book at an Optimal Thinking seminar and decided to buy it. I knew it was in my best interest to clean up the junk and proceeded with Dave Allen's system. If anything took less than two minutes to resolve, I did it on the spot. I have to say that almost everything is in place now. I feel free of a huge load and am proud that I took control of it. This is a terrific book. I recommend it if you want a simple system to get things done. If you want to learn how to make the most of your thinking to achieve emotional mastery and get the most from every situation, read Optimal Thinking-How To Be Your Best Self too. ... Read more

Book Description

Millions of Americans dream of owning and running their own restaurant — because they want to be their own boss, because their cooking always draws raves, or just because they love food. Running a Restaurant For Dummies covers every aspect of getting started for wannabe restaurateurs. From setting up a business plan and finding financing, to designing a menu and dining room, you’ll find all the advice you need to start and run a successful restaurant.

Even if you don’t know anything about cooking or running a business, you might still have a great idea for a restaurant — and this handy guide will show you how to make your dream a reality. If you already own a restaurant, but want to see it do better, Running a Restaurant For Dummies offers unbeatable tips and advice of bringing in hungry customers. From start to finish, you’ll learn everything you need to know to succeed:

• Put your ideas on paper with a realistic business plan
• Attract investors to help get the business off the ground
• Be totally prepared for your grand opening
• Make sure your business is legal and above board
• Hire and train a great staff
• Develop a delicious menu

If you’re looking for expert guidance from people in the know, then Running a Restaurant For Dummies is the only book you need. Written by Michael Garvey, co-owner of the famous Oyster Bar at Grand Central, with help from writer Heather Dismore and chef Andy Dismore, this book covers all the bases, from balancing the books to training staff and much more:

• Designing and theme and a concept
• Taking over an existing restaurant or buying into a franchise
• Stocking and operating a bar
• Working with partners and other investors
• Choose a perfect location
• Hiring and training an excellent staff
• Pricing menu items
• Designing the interior of the restaurant
• Purchasing and managing supplies
• Marketing your restaurant to customers

If you’re looking for a new career as a restaurateur, or you need new ideas for your struggling restaurant, Running a Restaurant For Dummies offers expert advice in a fun, friendly format. Packed with practical advice and expert wisdom on every aspect of the food service business, this guide is all you need to get cooking. ... Read more

Book Description

Everything you need to know to begin acquiring properties––now!

No matter what obstacles you think you face, real estate still offers you multiple money making opportunities. In The Beginner’s Guide to Real Estate Investing, successful investor and author Gary Eldred presents the tools and knowledge new investors need to get started. This no-hype guide presents case studies of people just like you–regular people who used these simple, smart strategies to earn big returns. You’ll not only gain the basics of real estate investing, but also a vault full of specialized techniques that the pros rely on to grow their long-term wealth. Concise yet comprehensive, this practical guide shows you how to:

• Find below-market deals
• Invest using little or none of your own cash
• Use low or no down payment seller financing
• Find creative ways to finance your investments
• Make money with foreclosures and REOs
• Increase the value of an investment property
• Negotiate a winning purchase offer
• Manage rentals hassle free
• Flip properties for fast profit

In addition, Eldred shows you how to tailor your investment strategy to make money in any place in any type of market. With proven techniques and timeless principles, The Beginner’s Guide to Real Estate Investing is the prime resource you need to start building a prosperous future–today. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Gigantic value
Usually, when I buy an "intro to the subject' book I seem to find a general guide of (almost) obvious dos and don'ts. Not this book. It covers the territory of real estate investing with dozens of specific pointers backed up with examples. Great detail on financing, buying at a bargain price, and increasing the value of a property. Easy-to-read writing style plus lots of whitespace, headings, and boxed major points for quick scanning. All in all a gigantic value for a mere $10 or $11 bucks. I think even pros (as well as first-timers) could profit by reading this info-packed "how to" guide. ... Read more

Book Description

An effective combination of creative exercises, real-life examples, and simple illustrations are integrated in this how-to book,teaching readers to develop their storyboarding skills for a variety of media types, including film, television, animation, and interactive media.Each aspect of the storyboarding process is carefully examined including creating visually specific shot lists and overhead diagrams, and drawing simple sketches that express a clear understanding of staging, editing, and composition.Coverage is rounded out with a comprehensive overview of camera techniques that helps readers visualize a scene before the process of storyboarding begins. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

You've got to do the exercises...
When I first read this book, I thought it had some pretty good points about how to get a job or change your career but it wasn't a life-changing experience for me at the time. The second time I picked up this book, I was in a workshop where we were actually going to do the exercises in the book. What a huge difference this made in what I got out of this book!

By actually applying the tools, I learned so much about myself and what I wanted to do with my life. Not just my career, but my whole life! I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a career/life transition. But don't do what I did the first time I read it. Do the exercises and you will be amazed at the results.

I just got a great new job
Recently, I was out of work and frustrated. So I bought two books. The first one was Parachute. I read it, but I quickly got frustrated because it wasted so much time on stuff I didn't care about. For instance there are scores of pages dedicated to starting your own business. If I wanted to start my own business, I would have bought a book on that topic. Then, there are many pages where the author tries to push his religion on you. If I wanted to focus on my faith, I would have bought a book on it. Instead, I recommend the second book I purchased "10 Insider Secrets to a Winning Job Search"

"10 Insider Secrets to a Winning Job Search" was just released last month and this book really spoke to me in the situation I was in. I found the book to be extremely motivational and the 65 sample job interview questions were right on as I was asked at least half of them in my interviews. Also, the one magical question that the author tells you to ask on the interview worked like a charm. Parachute is an alright book if you aren't in a hurry to find a new job. However, if you want to get a new job fast, I recommend "10 Insider Secrets to a Winning Job Search" instead.

My daughter found her career with the help of this book
This book should be read by every person who needs to get on track with their vareer. My daughter was moping around the house after graduating from college. She brought this book home, completed the exercises, found her calling and is now a successful realtor. This book is an invaluable resource for job hunters and those sitting on the fence.

Highly recommended guide to improving your career
Richard Bolles'," What Color Is Your Parachute?," has garnered a lot of praise, and sold not a few copies, over the years. I found the book easy to read, with simple, but useful, advice for the job-hunter. Like other books of its type, it contains a combination of exposition and exercises, or homework if you like; Bolles provides short-cuts for those who may already have the "answers" and step-by-step details for those who do not. Read it like you would a textbook and expect to be called upon in class to answer questions. Completing the exercises does take some time, but the few hours needed are a small price to pay.

Bolles writes in a down-to-earth, non-academic style. He is constantly hammering home a few points: the job-hunt may take a long time and be meet with failure after failure, which leads to giving up too quickly i.e. persistence pays off, the job-hunter should take no short-cuts and leave no stone unturned, if a particular strategy doesn't work pick another one, and that it is important to identify what your skills and interests are; none of this is particularly unique to this book. Bolles clearly makes a distinction between skills and traits, something not all books of this type do adequately. He provides alternatives when a particular approach fails to produce results. And above all he encourages while at the same time providing some realism.

The book is copiously illustrated. And ironically - I typically complain that publishers of non-fiction often leave out illustrations - this is my one complaint about the book, that the illustrations take up so much space and yet provide nothing but aesthetic value. A word of caution, that the author himself acknowledges, many of the Internet links provided are out-dated - either because the links are "dead" or because they have become fee-for-service sites instead of free. I have just started looking for that dream job, so my journey isn't over yet. But I would recommend this book to anyone seeking to improve their working life.

For the right person, this book is profound
Parachute is not for everyone. If you dislike thinking about your life, values, spirituality, and your goals, you will find What Color Is Your Parachute ? incomprehensible. If you want a quick fix to your life/work problems, Parachute doesn't offer you a quick fix.

But for many ( 8 million readers and growing), working with the ideas and exercises of this book has helped them create very positive change in their lives---and its impact on their personal lives is so great that they want to share it with others.

In my case, I read the book after graduating from college, and found myself in the midst of a recession, no demand for a kid with a BA in liberal arts. I was totally unprepared to enter the world of work after 4 years of college. WCIYP? gave me a road map for thinking out my mission in life, who I was and how to find work that would use my favorite skills. I started my own business , which turned into a INC 500 Company. My life/work has been a wonderful adventure,influenced greatly by Bolles' book. Over the years, I must have given out 100 copies of Parachute to college students and friends who needed to go through a life changing job hunts. I have worked through it several times over 20 years. Each year Bolles brings out a new edition with fresh insights. I keep it on my shelf as a reference book.

I have read many other books on 'finding the job of your dreams'---and almost all are derviative from Bolles and frankly are pale imitations.

A word of advice. Parachute is really a workbook. Just reading it gives you only a taste of its true value. Read, reflect, write and read some more. Then take action! ... Read more

Book Description

“Brimming with stories of sacrifice, courage, commitment and, sometimes, failure, the book will support anyone pondering a major life choice or risk without force-feeding them pat solutions.”
—Publishers Weekly

What should I do with my life?

It’s a question many of us have pondered with frequency. Author Po Bronson was asking himself that very question when he decided to write this book—an inspiring exploration of how people transform their lives and a template for how we can answer this question for ourselves.

Bronson traveled the country in search of individuals who have struggled to find their calling, their true nature—people who made mistakes before getting it right. He encountered people of all ages and all professions—a total of fifty-five fascinating individuals trying to answer questions such as: Is a career supposed to feel like a destiny? How do I tell the difference between a curiosity and a passion? Should I make money first, to fund my dream? If I have a child, will my frustration over my work go away? Should I accept my lot, make peace with my ambition, and stop stressing out? Why do I feel guilty for thinking about this?

From their efforts to answer these questions, the universal truths in this book emerge. Each story in these pages informs the next, and the result is a journey that unfolds with cumulative power. Reading this book is like listening in on an intimate conversation among people you care about and admire. Even if you know what you should do with your life, you will find wisdom and guidance in these stories of people who found meaningful answers by daring to be honest with themselves.
Among them:

-the Pittsburgh lawyer who decided to become a trucker so he could savor the moment and be closer to his son.
-the toner-cartridge queen of Chicago, who realized that her relationships with men kept sabotaging her career choices.
-the Cuban immigrant who overcame the strong dis-approval of her parents and quit her high-paying job to pursue social-service work in Miami.
-the chemistry professor who realized, quite late in life, that he would rather practice law.
-the mother torn between an Olympic career and her adolescent daughter.
-the seventeen-year-old boy who received a letter from the Dalai Lama and was called to a life of spiritual leadership.
-the creator of St. Elmo’s Fire, who wasn’t sure he could quit his successful Hollywood life for the deeper artistic life he had always wanted to pursue.
-the author himself. Po Bronson has worked as a bus-boy, cook, janitor, sports-medicine intern, bus-lift assembly-line technician, aerobics instructor, litigation consultant, greeting-card designer, bond salesman, political-newsletter editor, high school teacher, and book publisher. Since then, he has written three books: Bombardiers, The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest, and The Nudist on the Late Shift. But none of those experiences compared to what he learned by writing this book.


“We all have passions if we choose to see them,” he writes. “Most of us don’t get epiphanies. We don’t get clarity. Our purpose doesn’t arrive neatly packaged as destiny. We only get a whisper. A blank, nonspecific urge. That’s how it starts.”

With humor, empathy, and insight, Po Bronson probes the depths of people who learned how to hear the whisper, who overcame fear and confusion to find a larger truth about their lives. A meditation, a journey, and a triumph of story-telling, What Should I Do with My Life? is a life-changing book by a writer who brilliantly tackles the big questions. ... Read more

Reviews (231)

Flawed but important
Questioning his own life, author Po Bronson set out to learn how others made tough career decisions -- and lived with them.
He says he talked to nine hundred people, seventy or so in detail, and he includes the stories of fifty or so career-changers in his book.

Bronson does not offer a systematic study or a self-help book. That's important to get out of the way. As other reviewers have observed, you won't find plans or guidance for your own career move.

Instead, Bronson offers a jumble of anecdotes, unsystematic and uneven -- just the sort of stories I hear every day as a career coach. People seek new adventures. They weigh the cost (and there always is a cost). Sometimes they decide the cost is too high and they back down. Sometimes they leap and experience disappointment. And sometimes they leap and find themselves soaring.

Career-changers are hungry for guidance. Bronson's interviewees often sought his approval -- and his advice. He insists that he's not a career counselor but they asked anyway. This quest for help is typical during any life transition and underscores the need to be cautious about seeking help from whoever happens to show up.

And of course this overlap of roles can be viewed as a flaw in the book. Bronson admits lapsing from the journalist role. He gets so involved with his interviewees that the story becomes a quest, a journey-across-the-country story rather than an analysis of career choices. Bronson includes his own story, told in pieces throughout the book. This feature seemed to interrupt the flow: if the author tells his own story, we should be led to anticipate autobiography.

Despite these flaws, Bronson comes up with some sound insights into career change. He observes that people avoid change because of the accompanying loss of identity. They hang back "because they don't want to be the kind of person who abandons friends and takes up with a new crowd," precisely what you have to do following a life transition.

And he follows up with a warning of solitude that also accompanies any life change. "Get used to being alone," he advises, yet many people fear being alone more than they fear being stuck in a job they hate.

WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY LIFE offers questions, not answers. It's like attending a giant networking event. You have to sort through the stories on your own.

Despite these flaws, I will recommend this book to my clients and to other career coaches. Career change, like any change, is messy. You rarely get to move in a straight line and you always experience pain and loss. And every move is a roll of the dice: a coach can help, but there are no guarantees.

Each story in this book is unique and your own will be too. You, the career changer, must put together your own mosaic and find pattern and meaning on your own.

The answers to your questions can only come from with-in.
I find it interesting that many of the people who posted negative reviews of this book did so because they claim the book failed to give them the "answers" and/or "inspiration" that they were looking for. What they fail to consider is that they may have misunderstood the purpose of this book from the get-go. The book, in my opinion, is meant to be a sociological study of how random individuals struggle with the question of "What should I do with my life." I don't believe it was meant to be a self-help instruction manual or a "Chicken Soup for the Soul" type compilation of motivational memoirs.
Mr. Bronson quite clearly states that the purpose of his book is "to raise our awareness of the process by which some people have struggled with the choice and figured out their life" and "to tune our ears to the nuances, and recognize shades of ourselves in the stories, so we can be more aware on our own journey." I believe the author has succeeded on both points.
There are plenty of books out there that are meant to inspire through the telling of success stories - this book was not meant to be one of them.
Sometimes it's much more helpful to recognize the mistakes that we make in our own lives when we see those same mistakes being made by others.

The point that this book is trying to make is the very point that most of the negative posters here have failed to grasp; namely that you will not find the answers you're searching for in a book, and you won't find them by attempting to emulate the success of others. The answer to the question "What should I do with my life" can only be found within yourself.
By sharing the stories of others who struggle with that same question, Po Bronson has succeeded in removing some of the feelings of isolation that those of us "in flux" feel.
That in itself is makes this book a worthwhile read despite the so-so writing that others have mentioned.
If you're looking for answers, look in the mirror.

What I Needed When I Needed It
I was in an airport when I saw it; the question that has been on my mind for the past year, staring back at me from the cover of a book at the airport newstand. It was Po Bronson's book, "What Should I Do With My Life?" I thought about buying it, but didn't at the momement because I had a plane to catch. But I thought about it on the flight home, and downloaded the e-book to read on my PDA.

I actually like that it's not a self help book. I'm not naive enough to think that any one book can tell me what to do with my life, or how to find my purpose or calling. I did find it comforting to know that I'm not the only one struggling with this question, and I was grateful to hear how other people approached this question. I could see some of myself in them, and some of their stories in mine. Until this book, I was beginning to think of myself--a 35 year old gay dad--as a late bloomer. Now I think that I haven't bloomed yet, but I'm not late.

Bottom line, if you're looking for a book to give you the answers, this isn't it, and good luck finding it. But if you're looking for stories about how other people approached this question, I'd recommend this book.

We All Have the Same Questions
If you are seeking your calling, you have plenty of company.

Our circumstances differ, but we all have the same questions. How do you find your calling, what road do you take? This collection of memoirs is not a self-help book-- you will not find an explicit roadmap to follow-- but you may well find comfort that many share your quest for direction. The range of people covered is fascinating-- the subjects include a Buddhist monk, a Harvard MBA turned catfish farmer, a social service worker, and a cake-maker, among many others. Bronson is sympathetic to his subjects, and includes his own profile in the book.

If you are looking for good company on your own life journey, this book is a worthy companion.

What Should I Do...Me, Me. Me!
· The book makes the central mistake of all the "self-help" that has perpetuated our culture since the 1970's, from Dr. Phil's book "Self Matters," to Joseph Campbell's mantra of "follow your bliss," to Bradley Grieve's fuzzy pictorial "The Meaning to Life," to even Robert DiNeiro's lament of "wasted talent" in his film A Bronx Tale: that narcissism is the way to meaning and happiness. Bronson and these authors often poo-poo those who choose (and stick with) a stready, less-satisfaying job. But these are the folks who can support their families and contribute needed services and taxes to the economy. For those making good salaries, they support charities (which need $ more than our bodies), move their families to safe neighborhoods, and put their kids through a good college. I'd give all these people a medal, frankly.

· Here's the myths Bronson perpetuates through his book, IMO:

MYTH 1: career is your central medium for achieving happiness, and fulfilling your purpose in life

MYTH 2: duty and responsibility are "shackles" that are holding you back from being truly happy.

MYTH 3: if the "job" aspect of your life is not fulfilling, you have failed or at best, lost or misguided.

· Bronson terribly embellished most of the profiles in the book. Many of the interviewees have come forward complaining, and other aspects of their life (mostly privileged) have come out since publication.

· It doesn't follow the people long-term.

· And lastly...The book is somewhat nauseating due to Po Bronson's love for...Po Bronson! I got the impression he thinks he knows more than the people he's profiling (read the NY Times Review at their website for best examples). Hard to take a guy seriously for career advice when he's in his early 30's and loaded in $ from a trust fund and can do whatever he wants. Put him out there as a starving Writer (which nearly all are who do it full-time) for a year and watch him go back to his former cushy Wall Street job, stat. (sorry, my cynical New Yorker side has come out).

I'd recommend "The Purpose-Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?"
It came out the same time as Bronson's book and offers a different recommendation: service to others and thinking outside yourself is what it's all about. It is a Christian book, and I don't adhere to all it's recommendations, but it helped me to stop focusing inward (which I discovered is the best way to get really depressed and hate your job). Interestng to note that one of the most consistent findings in psychological research is the relationship between happiness and helping others. And you don't need to be a Mother Teresa to do that, just do it day-to-day.

I'd also consider the work of the late Donald Super (Godfather of Counseling Psychology) who defined "Career" as one's "Life," encompassing all our "work roles": job, family, friend, citizen, steward, parent, volunteer, child, church member, activist, hobbyist, etc, etc. Although many of these roles you have not embarked upon yet (or forced on to you yet!), it is freeing to remember that you do not have to achieve a "calling" in just your career, but rather, through contributions from all aspects of your life. Although ironic, that's actually easier to do. It's less of shock to your system too: Po Bronson made a public apology after many read his book, quit their stable jobs for Internet start-ups, and promptly lost their livelihood after the Tech Bubble! Thanks, Po.

Hey, I'm sounding like Po Bronson now! A 30-something geek telling you about the meaning to life. I better close now and go back to my own Mid-Life Crisis. ... Read more

Book Description

By understanding five key principles - Thought, Moods, Separate Realities, Feelings, and the Present Moment - we can discover a new mode of living that doesn't repress natural emotions nor allow us to become overwhelmed by feelings and thoughts. We are raised to believe our happiness depends on outside circumstances. Yet Carlson shows that happiness has nothing to do with forces beyond our control. In fact, our natural state is contentment. He teaches us how to recognize that state and do everything we can to foster it. From the author of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, You Can Be Happy No Matter What is a navigational tool that guides listeners through life's trials and restores the joy of living along the way. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

This is Self Help at Its BEST!
Ever felt like depression and negativitity were swamping all the happiness out of your life? Then read this book before you turn to Prozac. When I first found this book, back in 1997, I instantly recognized myself in Dr. Carlson's descriptions of the way thoughts can play through one's head and cause you to act in reactionary, emotional ways when one is experiencing what he calls a "low mood." He teaches readers, though, through a step by step process, how to return once again, to a state of "healthy psychological functioning." This book is NOT another "positive thinking" book. No, it is one of the most profound little books you'll ever pick up. It teaches you how to recognize "low moods" and to avoid action during low moods. It shows how to return to "normal functioning." After reading the book version several times a year for the last couple of years, I recently bought a two-tape audio version of this book, which is read by the author, and allows me to review the book's key principles whenever I feel a low mood setting in for too long. Not just a book. A great mental health tool.

A Refreshing Mood Change Upon Reading
It's amazing, after each turn of a page, you feel better and better. This book literally saved my mind! My mood is so much improved and after dealing with depression and medication for it, this is a gift from God. I especially liked the chapter on improving relationships. Just wish I had this book before my last serious love relationship which ended in a bitter break up. I can see where I went wrong and how I contributed to it's failure. But, like the book teaches, I choose not to dwell in past hurts or disappointments and instead choose to live in the present moment! I believe Dr. Carlson has a gift from God and knows just how to articulate it to be so simple and understandable. Although I've never met the author, I consider him a good friend. Thank you so much Richard.

Natural State of Mind verses Habitual Thought Patterns
.
What a wonderful book!! Ultimately, it is the ability to leave the habitual thought patterns, that of analytical thinking and contemplative efforts to the state of thoughtless non-activity, which Carlson calls the "Natural State of Mind." This is truly the place where peace and happiness always exists, always in the present moment regardless of external circumstances.

Carlson calls this a new teaching and labels the area outside of the habitual thought patterns an area called the Natural State of Mind. While this may be true, it has been known for thousands of years, such as in the Gita and the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, which Osho so profoundly expounds upon. The only difference is the two opposing forces are those of the mind and the consciousness/the no-mind, as the mind itself is the disease. Regardless of how you wish to interpret it teaching is basically the same. One place is of thoughts and computer analytical deductions and interpretations, the other is the area of peace and thoughtless, relaxed wisdom. If you can come to the awareness that your mind is not you, but habitual patterns of thought that can both benefit you greatly and detrimentally disturb you - depending on how you use it - then you can obtain the ability to leave the mind and rest in the consciousness or natural state and find happiness despite ALL external circumstances. It is an amazingly profound concept.

Carlson's comments on moods, feelings and separate realities are equally profound in that our thinking derives from our self accumulated perceptions, our perceptions derive from our thinking patterns and our feelings from our thinking. Our moods, once recognized with our awareness of our mind separate from our natural state can then be tolerated and taken far less seriously, enabling us to both endure and patiently wait until such moods pass over. This is the power we obtain when we can be objective, an objectivity that comes with the ability to enter our natural state of mind (no-mind) and understand our thoughts that are clouding our decisions are from the lower areas of habitual thought patterns.

I can't write like Carlson, or like Osho, but am so grateful to both men and many other authors, psychologists, writers, masters and so forth. I've read this book a dozen times and it's never old, always valuable. Far more valuable than relying on a perceived religious book of absolutes, when in effect, it is the mind and the consciousness (the natural state of mind or the no-mind) that one must discover to find peace, not the other way around.

Excellant information, Dry presentation
I must admit the information in this program is exceptional. It brings to light common mistakes we all make in recognizing the differance between what is real and what is thought. Sadly the down side of this program is that the delivery of the information is dry and boring. Its actually hard to listen to more than one or two chapters at a time. I think you would be better served if you got the paperback book or if you really want to study this line of thinking on CD. try the CD's from Dr. Wayne Dyer. He keeps you up and motivated with a very well done presentation.

All the info you need to be happy.
All the info you need to be happy is contained in this book. Individual thought patterns are explained through out the book,how are emotions control are thoughts and how we make decisions based on the emotions we are experiencing controled by thought patterns. The decision to be happy or upset or angry are the results of thoughts. If we learn to control are thoughts or rather do not make decisions until are thought patterns are in the right frame of mind we could live a happier life. It seems difficult to change thought patterns when you are highly upset or angry,but with patience and persistence,thoughts can be controled to a happier way of thinking. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

The best practical business advice EVERY woman should read
I have worked 25 years in the workforce and now make a tremendous salary. I have 50+ books in my office on management, sales, business and marketing by the leading authors of our time. This is by far, the best book of its kind (targeted to women)on the market today. I wish I had read it 25 years ago! Many women, unfortunately, feel they have to play a "game" to get ahead in business. This book gives us insight to our inner selves and helps us realize we can be true to ourselves - and still WIN in the workplace. Fabulous book!!!!

Focus on Results rather than who's pleasing who
This book revolves around two premises: Good Girls please others, Gutsy Girls please themselves. Whatever happened to focusing on results and what needs to be done at work? An effective person, male or female, doesn't matter which, focuses on the tasks and strategies that advance the business' objectives instead of playing gamesmanship (or in this case, gameswomanship) with others. Ms. White makes it sound so droll to be a "good girl" and denigrates her to no end, when in reality she is portraying a doormat straw-woman so that she can contrast with her "gutsy girl" persona who doesn't give a hoot about anyone but how she can get ahead and elbow her way to the top. Modern business relies on teamwork and collaboration, and such a self-centered approach will not get the best long term results.

Fantastic!
This book has changed the way I think about my career and inspired me to become more "gutsy" by taking smart risks. These are things that nobody teaches you in business school. Gutsy girls go after what they want!

Where's the facts?
Kate White offers a lot of self-empowering advice here, but after just having read Good to Great, I see that her advice is ONLY based on experience, not on any hard evidence. Some of this advice may work for her, but according to the facts in Good to Great, the leaders who make companies successful don't have the charisma she's talking about. At any rate, she offers some great tips for someone who likes to keep the status quo. She simply uses the doormat vs. gutsy woman approach to prove her point. (And her experience still has merit - look where she is now.)

Smart girls can be both good and gutsy!
Hated it! The piece on Julia Roberts was opportunistic and simply proved this woman may well be short on ethics and long on selling hype. Those who chose to overlook what is awful about this book are the very people the author is seeking.
Not my cup of tea! Hope my review was gutsy enough! ... Read more

Book Description

"To live with change, to optimize change, you need principles that don't change." -- Dr. Stephen R. Covey

Success that endures -- sustainable and balanced success -- can seem difficult to achieve in today's turbulent, complex world of change. But those who achieve this kind of success live by seven universal, timeless, self-evident principles that apply in any situation, in any culture.

In Living the 7 Habits: The Courage to Change, Dr. Covey shows how successful people have used these principles to solve problems, overcome obstacles, and change their lives. By showing how real people have used the principles to thrive in a changing world, he provides practical guidance and powerful inspiration to readers searching for a proven framework for living a meaningful life. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

It's not enough to know, you must also do...
I like this book. It is very inspiritional. It's sort of like Chicken Soup for the Soul or like an Millionaire Next Door for inspirition and attitude. It tells stories of people who have done it---used the 7 Habits and gotten incredible results.1 star reviewers don't like it because it takes all of the wind out of their claims against Covey and his philosophy.I particularly enjoyed the story on page 57, "I can choose my life." Very, very powerful.7 Habits should be your first book to read. You can then add this one either as a companion to while reading 7 Habits or after you get through the 7 Habits.I also recommend Principle Centered Leadership.

7 Habits in action!
I hesitated to buy this book. After reading 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, I thought that Dr. Covey had said all that he needed or could say. Boy was I wrong?

In living the 7 habits, Dr. Covey brings the 7 Habits to life. This book touched my heart and my soul. It made me dust of my old copy of 7 Habits and read it again along with this volume. It made the 7 Habits work like never before and created more balance and happiness inmy life.

If you are not touched agter reading this book, then you had better check your vitamin dosage. It is powerful.

Not enought to learn, you must LIVE the 7 Habits
What I liked about this book is that it includes many inspiring stories, but even better, goes even deeper into the 7 habits than the original book did and in a different way.

This book should be read in addition to, not in place of The 7 Habits. It is not the "same book on a different cover." It is an expanded version of The 7 Habits.

Gives Real Meaning to the Original Book
You can compare this book to the laboratory portion of a class, that brings the textbook to life. As a follow up to his original 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (the textbook), Covey uses Living the 7 Habits (the lab) to let people tell how they applied the 7 habits at work and in their personal lives, and describe the results.

The result? Far more interesting than the original book. You will enjoy reading these intensely personal and often dramatic stories, and you will reinforce what you learned with the first book.

Covey does a fine job of elaborating, as good teachers do, on the points made by the contributors.

A multitude of examples of successful applications
When I first read "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" I recognized its value but was not highly enough motivated to incorporate it into my daily life. Then with the passage of time and particularly after reading Covey's "Principle-Centered Leadership" I came back to it. Yet there was still something holding me back. The missing something was "Living the 7 Habits: Stories of Courage and Inspiration" with its multitude of examples of successful application in real world situations. I needed the encouragement of others to tell me "Hey this is how I applied it; it worked for me; you can do it, too." You need to read all three books because there is a multiplier effect - the three together are greater than their simple sum.

"Living the 7 Habits: The Courage to Change" is a collection of personal statements in four broad contexts: individual, family, community and education, and workplace. This synopsis is about the person who was appointed change agent of a major company that, with an annual growth rate of 40%, was one of the fastest growing companies in the world. " My goal was to create an organization of fifteen thousand exceptional businesspeople. We assumed that everyone wanted to be an entrepreneur within the company, and we gave them credit for having the brains and initiative to do it. My mission was to change the culture within what is essentially a virtual company. Our corporation had more territorial rivalries than the Middle East. Information was hoarded. Communication was disjointed. Trust and synergy were virtually nonexistent. Suddenly, the competition was all over us, undercutting our prices and courting our customers. One of my directives was to make the company more competitive and to learn faster than our competition. My job was to help create among the company's widely scattered population a sense of shared purpose (Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind). After recruiting the best, brightest, and most highly motivated people, we gently immersed them in the realities of our business, presenting them with information on profit margins, the marketplace, and the influences impacting the decisions of their customers (Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood). They were also introduced to a specially designed 7 Habits course to provide them with foundational principles and context for the other materials. There were only three rules: Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Take care of this place. It wasn't long before mission statements began appearing on cubicle walls, and the conversations among employees were marked by references to making deposits into Emotional Bank Accounts. It was an experience of self-discovery for many people. They realized that the company valued them. I had spouses come to me after their husbands or wives had been to a session and say, 'This changed my life because it changed our family.'"

Not all the stories relate specific actions against a specific habit. This is a synopsis of a story by a person from Indian stock whose grandfather was cheated out of 160 acres of oil-rich land. "It was only after he died, when we were going through his papers and correspondence, that I realized what a phenomenal man my simple, unassuming grandfather actually was. The Washington my grandmother referred to was actually Washington, D.C. In his papers, we found letters from governors, senators, U.S. representatives. Some congratulated him on his fiftieth wedding anniversary; others thanked him for his help with legislation issues and for his community service. I sat there thinking, "Did they know the same man I did?" He had no eloquence, no wealth, not even his own home. Yet here were famous, powerful people corresponding with him. I realized that his life had been lived not to acquire things for himself, but to help other people. He had lived a life of integrity, honesty, and dedication to family and community all the while toiling in relative obscurity and humility. Once, before he died, he told me that there are two reward systems: people who will be rewarded here and people who will be rewarded later. 'These are not the same people,' he said. He continued, 'For all that you don't see in a reward system now, you will see some other time.' We debated long and hard what to do about the situation. Should we sue him to take back the land? Should we let it alone? Shouldn't he have to pay for his wrong doings? In the end, we knew. We knew what he would do. He would let it alone and allow the taxpayer to reap whatever rewards his behavior would cause him to reap, whether here or later. My grandfather might not have been able to leave us 160 acres of oil-rich land in Oklahoma but he left us something far more important. His insistence on humility, on compassion, on spending his life trying to help those around him with no thought of reward or praise is now our family legacy. He has changed generations of people with the help he gave. Can you put a dollar-and-cents value on that? I say absolutely not. We now have a value I try to instill in my own family to continue the legacy started by the Choctaw preach