Living The 80/20 Way: Work Less, Worry Less, Succeed More, Enjoy More

Product Description

For modern adults, life moves on the fast track, moving from one commitment to the next with a single-minded obsession to get ahead. What remains elusive is real happiness. According to Richard Koch and Living the 80/20 Way, happiness flows from doing less, not striving more. True achievement and success can and will come from doing less. With his first mega-seller, The 80/20 Principle, Koch explains a century old economic principle called the Pareto Principle: 80 percent of results come from 20 percent of effort. The 80/20 Individual showed how to apply the 80/20 principle in the workplace. Now, Living the 80/20 Way explains how to improve the key elements of your life and take back your time. Getting more by doing less is possible. Richard Koch and Living the 80/20 Way will show you how to: -Make a good life, not just a living. - Dissociate effort from reward. Focus on the outcomes and find the easiest way to achieve them with the least amount of effort. -Do away with time management and start your own time revolution. - Get rid of your to-do list and create a not-to-do list. By following Koch’s easy steps, you will be able to find your best 20 percent and get to what matters most. Focusing your time on those things that are most important, life acquires a meaning beyond the everyday rat race of work and responsibility. Within the realms of work, money and relationships, Koch shows you how to: 1. Focus on your 80/20 destination – where you want to be 2. Find the 80/20 route – the easiest way there 3. Take 80/20 action – the first key steps

Written in easy to follow steps and full of exercises and examples, Living the 80/20 Way will help you to focus your sights on a simple, happy life. By having the courage to go against conventional wisdom, you will get more of what you want in life with less work.
Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #66562 in Books
* Published on: 2005-02-25
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 196 pages


Editorial Reviews

Review
"Koch writes with inspirational verve and assurance drawing on personal experience of building businesses." -- Choice of the Month, Director Magazine

"Through multiple examples, and a punchy down-to-earth commentary, Koch offers the first really useful advice we've seen... for years." -- Business Age

About the Author
Richard Koch is a self-made millionaire and the author of thirteen books, including the international best seller, The 80/20 Principle, named one of GQ’s Top 25 Business Books of the Twentieth Century. Formerly a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group and a partner with Bain & Company, he is now a self-described "lazy entrepreneur."
Customer Reviews

A Good Guide on Getting More with Less Effort4
The 80/20 principle has been around for a long time. Discovered by economist Wilfredo Pareto the principle holds that many phenomena break down into an 80/20 split. For example, 20% of your customer account for 80% of your revenue; 20% of your activities account for 80% of your production; etc. The key to applying this principle to your life and getting more out of less effort is to identify that 20% in each area of your life that accounts for the majority of your benefits. In your personal life, this may mean that it's better to have just a few friends and cultivate those friendships, rather than have a lot of friends and never get as much out of the relationships as you otherwise would. In your professional life, it means focusing on the 20% of your skills or talents that generate the bulk of your value-generating activities, rather than being a jack-of-all-trades and accomplishing far less proportionately. The idea is then that by spending more time on the tasks that create the most results, you will eventually be able to spend less time overall producing income, and thereby be able to work far less, or at least work on only those things that provide you with the most meaning. This pattern could allow you to drop out of the rate race and live comfortably with only those possessions, experiences and relationships that are truly important to you.

I have two criticisms: First, I wonder how much the 80/20 result is simply the way life just shakes out. For example, most people read only a few sources of media from which they get most of their news. That's just the way it seems things will be because one can only read so much. I think the same roughly applies to friendships: one can only extend themselves so much before friendships are basically meaningless. Second, and based on the examples author Koch provides, applying the 80/20 rule is far easier for someone who is young or uncommitted. I would have liked to have seen examples of families who applied the principles and succeeded. On the other hand, 80/20 is a good ideal to strive for, even if you will not ultimately achieve a 4-day work week. There are enough spheres in our lives where cutting down and focusing on what's most important would be very beneficial.

Read 20% of it4
A person who hasn't read this book might think to read all of it, thinking that all of it is useful. In fact, that is dead wrong and even goes against the philosophy of this book, which should have really been a pamphlet. The rule is to read only 20% of it. That is, skim it. You'll get 80% of the information in this book, and that way you'll work less, save time, and can move on to better reading. It's not that it's badly written, but the basic rule here isn't that complicated and just doesn't require a book. In fact, it requires about a paragraph. Do the important stuff that you enjoy, don't do the stuff that doesn't give you much return. Like write long reviews of this book...

Focus on Your Desires and Strengths3
Taking the well-known 80/20 principle (or Pareto's law of money - 20 percent of people enjoy 80 percent of the wealth) beyond its more common business applications, Richard Koch urges readers to move its application into their personal lives. Using anecdotal stories from various people's successes to demonstrate that the 80/20 principle is universal, the book sets out a 3-step route:

1 Focus on your desired destination - what are the things that you really enjoy or that interest you?
2 Find the easiest way to the destination - what are your strengths, the 20% spikes from an analysis of your emotions and attributes?
3 Take action to make it happen - plan your first several steps.

Not exactly rocket-science and much easier said than done perhaps; but a useful activity for an over busy life - sorting out the 20 percent of the things that produce 80% of the benefits. The author suggests it also applies to money and relationships, although the 80/20 way for individuals is primarily about how we spend our time.

Beyond the reminder that the 80/20 principle is universal, and therefore the benefits of focus and then playing to one's strengths, the book has little to offer. The Gallup StrengthFinders series and Marcus Buckingham's "Go put your Strengths to Work" offer far more depth and perspective. Dennis DeWilde, author of "The Performance Connection".

Running the Successful Hi-Tech Project Office

Product Description

This is your complete ‘how to’ book on establishing the Project Office as a methodology for managing multiple development initiatives within your organization. The book presents the PO (Project Office) as a model for use in a wide variety of organizations, especially in R&D environments. As more and more forward-looking firms adopt the project form as their preferred way to organize development work, the need for you to coordinate the use of scarce resources and align initiatives becomes quite evident. This hands-on guide provides you with the essential techniques, templates and tools used by successful managers and consultants to achieve maximum project control and performance of dedicated persons, and groups.

The book looks at the PO as a line function, responsible for the coordination and the infrastructure necessary to manage multiple projects. This practical resource covers all major PO responsibilities, including project portfolio management, project oversight, methods and tool support, staffing and competence development, and promotion of the project culture. You learn that the objective of the Project Office is to complete all projects to best achieve the overall goals of the organization. The book provides guidance in preparing long term plans to enable appropriate decisions concerning the allocation of resources; overseeing the execution of projects on time and within budget; developing processes and systems to satisfy the ever changing product needs; providing stability, professional development and administrative efficiency for management and support personnel; and assuring a smooth transition between start-up, execution and termination phases.
Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #854080 in Books
* Published on: 2003-03-01
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 256 pages

Editorial Reviews

Review
Much of the recent literature on project management has been generated by educators and trainers. That makes books by people actually practicing project management especially important in that they verify the theory and often provide a unique perspective springing from real life experience. One such book is "Running the Successful Hi-Tech Project Office" by Eduardo Miranda, a program director at Ericsson Research Canada.

Not surprisingly, Miranda focuses his attention on the causes of project failure, or more precisely, on eliminating the most significant causes of project failure. He begins by pointing out that most project failures are due to lack of resources and insufficient coordination across projects, factors normally outside the project manager's control. He goes on to explore the multiproject challenge in depth, clearly establishing the case for a project office.

Miranda does not promise instant results. In fact, he points out that introducing a PO into an organization is a substantial undertaking and takes time. But he also describes its value in achieving the overall goals of the organization.

The remainder of the book is a blueprint to set up and run a project office in R&D environments, covering such topics as roles, processes, tools, and metrics, providing practical guidance to overcome the obstacles to success.

We found only one item to criticize to Miranda's well-reasoned and well-written book: the title itself. The book does provide valuable instruction in "running the successful hi-tech project office". But it also provides valuable instruction in running a successful project office in any environment. -- PMFORUM, June 2006 (http://www.pmforum.org/library/publications/2006/06.htm)

About the Author
Eduardo Miranda is currently a Program Director at Ericsson Research Canada, Quebec, Canada. He received his B.Sc. in system analysis from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, his M.Eng. in engineering management from the University of Ottawa, Canada, and M.Sc. in project management from the University of Linkoping, Sweden.
Customer Reviews

Very good and practical, but a little too bit teoric sometimes4
I purchased this book and "The Complete Project Management Office Handbook" since they seem alternative and I enjoyed it quite a lot, although it has some minor improvement opps.

I do recommend this book, specially if bought with another one to "fill some gaps".

Pros:
- Brief and "straight-to-the-spot": it does not try to be "the bible"
- Has concrete and well structured content about structure, processes, tools, etc.
- The chapter about the problems existing due to lack of PMO presents very good reasons to help to justify it
- The quantitative management content is very good, but a little bit too teoric
- The deployment chapter is good, it gives good advices but it doesn't try to be a "bible" in organizational change management


Cons:
- The first chapter abis too
- The tool section is a bit outdated (talks about 03 and this is a very unmature sector, most of the tools are better than all the tools existing 3-4 years ago) and does not include some of the current leaders (e.g. ibm rpm)
- The chapter about the problems existing due to lack of PMO is sometime "too humanistic"
- If you only have this book and you need to really accept the endeavour to build a PMO in a medium organization, the content could be short

25 Days to Better Thinking and Better Living: A Guide for Improving Every Aspect of Your Life by Linda Elder

Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #569429 in Books
Published on: 2006-04-01
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
128 pages
Editorial Reviews

Review

Elder and Paul, both specialists in the area of critical thinking, present a 25-step plan for overcoming bad thinking habits and, in turn, improving one’s quality of life. Starting with the premise that faulty reasoning is at the heart of most problems, the authors provide daily exercises that focus on a particular habit. For instance, on day three (integrity), readers are asked to notice contradictions in their behavior and reduce hypocrisy. Strategies for achieving results are given every step of the way; readers are encouraged to keep a journal of daily progress. In its brevity and usefulness to all sectors of the population, this book is recommended for all public libraries.


(Library Journal, 5/1/2006)

From the Back Cover

You are what you think! Take control of your thinking...and start living life to the fullest! In just 25 days, you can discover how to cut through lies, gain insight, and make smarter choices in every area of your life—from work and money to your intimate relationships. Discover how to overcome bad thinking habits caused by self-delusion or out-of-control emotions...clarify what you really want...recognize what you don’t know. Ask the right questions...resist brainwashing, manipulation, and hypocrisy...Avoid worrying, conformism, and blame!
25 powerful ways to improve your thinking—and make smarter, better decisions.
Stop deceiving yourself: Overcome built-in self-delusion, wishful thinking, and worrying.
Use better thinking to make better decisions at work, at home, and throughout your life.
Critically evaluate what you’re told by advertisers, politicians, your boss...even your family!
Quick, practical, easy to use! Includes daily/weekly action plans, progress notes, and more.

About the Author

Dr. Linda Elder is President of the Foundation for Critical Thinking and Executive Director of the Center for Critical Thinking, a leading international institute that promotes critical thinking in every domain of human life. An educational psychologist, she has developed an original stage theory of critical thinking development and coauthors a column on critical thinking for The Journal of Developmental Education. She is highly published and has done original research into the relation of thought and emotion and into the stages of critical thinking development. She is a regular keynoter at the International Conference on Critical Thinking, is highly sought after as a presenter, and is a recognized leader in critical thinking.

Dr. Richard Paul is Director of Research and Professional Development at the Center for Critical Thinking and Chair of the National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking. He is an internationally recognized authority on critical thinking, with nine books and more than 200 articles on the subject. His views on critical thinking have been canvassed in the New York Times, Education Week, The Chronicle of Higher Education, American Teacher, Reader’s Digest, Educational Leadership, Newsweek, and U.S. News and World Report.

The works of Linda Elder and Richard Paul have been translated into Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Chinese. Translations are underway in Russian, Malay, and Korean. The growing demand for translations into increasing numbers of languages testifies to the emerging international recognition of the importance of critical thinking in human life and work and of the authoritative nature of the contribution of Paul and Elder in the field.

The Foundation for Critical Thinking seeks to promote essential change in society through the cultivation of fair-minded critical thinking, thinking predisposed toward intellectual empathy, humility, perseverance, integrity, and responsibility. In a world of accelerating change, intensifying complexity, and increasing interdependence, critical thinking is now a requirement for economic and social survival. Contact the Foundation for Critical Thinking at www.criticalthinking.org.
Customer Reviews

Great guide. Highly recommended.
The book is organized into 25 daily readings, and postulates that by focusing our attention on certain ways of thinking, we can become a more critical thinker, which in turn helps us "observe, monitor, analyze, assess, and reconstruct" our thinking, which can help us live better lives.

After reading this book for the prescribed 25 days, I have to agree that my thinking did improve and my life was made richer by focusing my attention on the daily thinking goals. For example, Day 9 has you thinking through implications; on Day 14 you are to stop thinking like a conformist; and on Day 21 you are to strive to be a citizen of the world.

Once you read through the book, the authors suggest turning this 25 day plan into a 25 week plan whereby you'd focus on each single day's thinking suggestion for an entire week. I will definitely read this book again and again.

Political Correctness Disguised as Critical Thinking
This book does provoke thought which is what it was meant to do, but it doesn't examine itself critically. From the book, "Needless to say, food manufacturers and the sugar industry have a vested interest in avoiding the obesity issue, since they are the primary contributors to it." While the first half of this statement is true, saying that these industries "... are the primary contributors to it [obesity]." is uncritical to say the least. Maybe the prime contributors are the people themselves and their poor eating habits. The book exhorts people not to be victims, but paints them here as victims of the cunning sugar industry.

The section "Be a Citizen of the World" only makes things worse. "Take one world problem - for instance, global warming, malnutrition, disease, overpopulation - and find out as much as you can from multiple international sources. Then compare what your nation is doing about the problem. Are you surprised by what you find?" Maybe they should have the reader consider the problems themselves? Are there others who disagree that the problem exists (global warming), what are some of the contributing factor of these problems (Banning DDT to control mosquitoes that carry malaria), and are there agendas behind these "problems" ("The Population Bomb" was released in 1968 why is overpopulation being rehashed).

Mental Health
I was looking for an excercise book for mental health to keep from becoming distorted and this fit the bill perfectly. It is rewarding to practice the lessons both to yourself and others around you.

Create Your Own Future: How to Master the 12 Critical Factors of Unlimited Success by Brian Trac

Product Description

Now in paperback, Create Your Own Future is a powerful book on self-empowerment that offers a wealth of ideas readers can apply immediately to take complete control of their personal and work lives. Intended for anyone who wants to make more money and get more satisfaction from life, the book offers twelve principles for success and real-world action plans that help you reach your goals. Author Brian Tracy is one of the most renowned and successful self-help authors and speakers in the world; Create Your Own Future presents all his accumulated experience in making success happen for others. Now, it can make success happen for you.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #281263 in Books
Published on: 2005-04-05
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
288 pages
Editorial Reviews

Book Info
With this guide you can achieve your goals faster than you ever dreamed possible. Discover how to skyrocket your success with twelve solid steps you can take to dramatically increase your results almost immediately.

From the Inside Flap
Brian Tracy is one of the most popular professional speakers and business authorities in the world today. In this fast-moving, practical book, he outlines a proven process you can use to set and achieve every goal you can imagine for yourself in the years ahead.

Tracy started off with few advantages. He left high school without graduating and worked at laboring jobs until he began asking, "Why is it that some people are more successful than others?" The answers he found changed his life, and will change yours as well.

What Tracy found was that all successful people follow a proven process. He has broken this down into twelve critical factors for unlimited success. Each of these factors is absolutely indispensable for anyone who wants to achieve their full potential in a world of virtually unlimited possibilities.

Each of these success factors is explained in detail, complete with examples and case studies that show them in action. In addition, Tracy gives you specific exercises that you can use immediately to implement each principle in your life.

Create Your Own Future will show you how to set goals, unlock your inborn creativity, and overcome any obstacle in your path. You'll learn how to identify the key skills you need to master your field, and how to get the support of the most important people in your work and personal lives. Tracy shows you how to take complete charge of yourself and your environment, become an expert in your field, achieve complete financial independence, and develop the habits of all high-performing men and women.

This book is for ambitious people who want to get ahead faster than they ever could on their own. It brings together the very best findings of thousands of books and articles, combined with Tracy's work as a consultant or trainer to more than 500 corporations and more than two million people in twenty-three countries.

No matter what your business or occupation, Tracy will help you reach new heights of success with simple, practical ideas and tools for maximizing your potential. You too will see how you can attain all your ambitions by utilizing the Law of Probabilities and turning it to your advantage. You'll learn how to create your own "luck" by doing certain things every day that dramatically increase the likelihood that you will succeed at anything you attempt.

Create Your Own Future will help you build the positive, optimistic, and result-oriented attitudes and behaviors that virtually guarantee that you will achieve at a higher level. You'll learn how to become the kind of person who attracts people, ideas, and opportunities that help you achieve your goals faster than ever before.

From the Back Cover
CREATE YOUR OWN FUTURE

Take control of your life, your career, and your future with Brian Tracy's twelve critical factors of unlimited success

"Brian Tracy has done it again. Create Your Own Future is another winner. This powerful, practical book shows you how to create your own luck, take charge of your life, and make your future whatever you want it to be."
—Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager® and Whale Done!

"This work will change your life and accelerate your success if you simply follow the steps."
—Tony Jeary, Mr. Presentation and author of Inspire Any Audience

"Anyone who has the desire to be successful in business and life must read Create Your Own Future."
—Jeff Rosen, Executive Vice President, U.S. Bank

"Create Your Own Future is the most powerful way to skyrocket your success because it gives you twelve solid steps you can take to dramatically increase your results almost immediately!"
—Mitch Huhem, former president, MIT

"In Create Your Own Future, you learn twelve powerful, practical steps to take control of your life and turbocharge your success. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to accelerate their accomplishments!"
—Dr. Tony Alessandra, author of The Platinum Rule and Charisma
Customer Reviews

Brian Tracy
I have read almost everything that Brian Tracy has written. This book is very good. I reccommend anything by Brian Tracy.

Better than Maximum Achievment
My personal Brian Tracy book rank would be as Follows:

1. Create Your Own Future
2. Maximum Achievement
3. Eat that Frog
4. Million Dollar Habits
5. Change your Thinking.....
6. Goals
7. Time Power
8. Focal Point

These are my "personal" rankings. Maximum Achievement, I thought, was Tracy's watershed book, but along comes Create Your Own Future.

There is just something about how the book is laid out and delivers chuncks of useful advice without losing your interest. It probably is the best self help book out right now. If you are new to self achievement products....This should be the first book to read and Tracy covers anything you need from sales to business building to motivation.
[...]

Rehash of "Think and Grow Rich?"
Great book written with high energy and containing lots of great concepts. HOWEVER, is it just me or is this a contemporary version of Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich?"

The Procrastinator's Guide to Success From McGraw-Hill

Product Description

Everyone procrastinates. The question is, is doing nothing working for you or against you? Author Lynn Lively, a self-confessed (but reformed) procrastinator, will help you get to where you want to go...with no more excuses. With THE PROCRASTINATOR'S GUIDE TO SUCCESS, you can stop losing precious time, break the cycle of self-blame, overcome inertia, and create the life you really want.

Procrastination can be defined as the failure to make things happen. But are you really procrastinating, or simply thinking about a problem to be solved? THE PROCRASTINATOR'S GUIDE TO SUCCESS will show you how to tell the difference!

You will also learn how to: work through "worst-case" scenarios; figure out what's within your control and what isn't; procrastinate strategically; and, finally, practice self-direction! Special sections include: Confessions of a Procrastinator; "Brain-dumps," "Gut-wrenchers," "Busywork Alerts," and other handy lists. Want to be your own biggest fan? Be the hero of your own life by making your own dreams come true. Read THE PROCRASTINATOR'S GUIDE TO SUCCESS and prepare for your life to change.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1035204 in Books
Published on: 1999-06-28
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
254 pages
Editorial Reviews

Download Description
Lively, a popular speaker on time management and overcoming procrastination, covers the pros (yes, there are some!) and the cons of procrastination, then shows how to handle the situations that relate to it -- including those over which we have little or no control. With specific tips on pushing through "The Risk Zone" (the point at which the individual is ready to take on new risks) and taking action, this is a book no procrastinator will put off buying and reading ... even for a minute.

From the Back Cover
Is there a phone call you dread making? What about that task you can't bring yourself to begin? Are you stuck on a project and at a loss about what to do next? Do you want to procrastinate less and start living life to the fullest now? Then it's time to read this book!

The Procrastinator's Guide to Success is about daring to take the risks necessary to move forward. It's about you; how you can find your own ways to overcome procrastination, create the life you really want, and savor each day to the fullest. Everyone procrastinates. The question is, is doing nothing working for you or against you? Author Lynn Lively, a self-confessed (but reformed) procrastinator, will help you get to where you want to go...with no more excuses.

With the Procrastinator's Guide to Success, you can: work through worst-case scenarios; figure out what's within your control and what isn't; procrastinate strategically! Procrastination can be defined as the failure to make things happen. But are you really procrastinating, or instead wisely considering your options about how to solve a problem?

The Procrastinator's Guide to Success will show you how to tell the difference! You will also learn how to: stop losing precious time; break the cycle of self-blame; create your own success! Want to be your biggest fan? Be the hero of your own life by making your own dreams come true. Read The Procrastinator's Guide to Success and prepare for your life to change.

About the Author
Lynn Lively is cofounder of American Pioneer Sonars, a company founded in 1981 and recognized by the Small Business Administration and former President Bush for excellence in exporting. A popular speaker and writer on procrastination, workplace decisionmaking, and clear-thinking skills, Ms. Lively is the author of Managing Information Overload, and holds two Masters degrees.
Customer Reviews

A waste of time
If you are a true procrastinator, don't waste your time by reading this book. While the author has good suggestions for those who have trouble making decisions, she fails miserably at helping those who know what to do and simply can't take action. If suggestions such as "start sooner" is what you're looking for, then this is the book for you. If you'd be motivated by calling yourself a "smart little snuffle-bunny," as the author suggests, then this is the book for you! However, if you are over the age of 10 and don't appreciate being patronized, I would not suggest wasting your time and money. After I read the book, I was so distraught that I had wasted 10 hours of my time that I could never get back. If you are struggling with procrastination, you'd be better off with another book choice.

A winner with both analysis and strategies
The author has done an excellent job of providing useful tools, as opposed to the platitudes and vague concepts that plague many self-help books. There is a good balance between analyzing the causes of behavior and providing ideas and strategies for changing it. Of particular note is the useful distinction drawn by the author between procrastination and problems with decision-making.

Very useful and motivating self-improvement guide
Ms. Lively is a consultant and speaker on the subjects of procrastination, workplace decision-making and clear-thinking skills. She has also written an eBook called Managing Information Overload.

What makes this book a standout among procrastination books, in my opinion, is its offering of an alternate reason for being stalled in achieving your goals other than procrastination, which the author defines as knowing what to do but not doing it. That other reason for being blocked is that you are clueless about what to do because you lack adequate information or training. For this insight alone, and the accompanying advice for effectively scaling both these types of walls, this book is well worth reading.

Other reasons I gave the book 5 stars include the following:
(1) The author has a lively voice and avoids preaching.
(2) The book has a clear, readable Table of Contents and an Index, making it easy to look up what especially interests you or to go back over particular points in the book at a later time for further inspiration.
(3) While I often get irritated by the "homework" in self-help books, this author is, thankfully, far less cutesy and/or patronizing than most authors in this genre. One caveat: I would recommend that, if you are actually going to give these exercises a try, you get yourself a notebook (either spiral or loose-leaf) to keep your scribblings together. If you just grab up loose pieces of paper as the author suggests, you are going to end up with dozens of messy pieces of paper floating around on your already cluttered desk (procrastinators tend to be very sloppy as well as slow to get going!).
(4) This book isn't primarily geared toward teaching you how to make good choices, set goals, and gain useful problem-solving skills. As the author openly admits, there are many other books on the market specifically aimed at those topics. However, since the author asserts that in order to come out of procrastination, it is crucial to first figure out exactly =why= you are procrastinating, she very appropriately covers these important topics in a solid, basic, understandable way.

50 Success Classics: Winning Wisdom for Life and Work from 50 Landmark Books by Tom Butler-Bowdon

Product Description

Here is the first and only bite-sized guide to 50 of the most important and inspiring books that already have helped legions of readers unleash their potential and discover the secrets to success in work and life.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #64068 in Books
Published on: 2004-02-25
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
300 pages
Editorial Reviews

Brian Tracy, author of
"Incredible...the very best of success literature ever written--in one easy book that you can read and reread for years."

Jim Ewan, vice-president, The Speakers Association
"I only wish this book had been available years ago--it could have saved me countless hours. Very highly recommended."

Dr. Catherine Ponder, Keys to Prosperity, February 2005
Contains some of the very best success literature ever written. Highly recommended.
Customer Reviews

A few lessons of this book from one who will never learn them
There are already a number of views outlining what this book is about, how it works, which books are included. I will skip doing that and try to think now of some of the 'lessons' I learned from reading the author's summaries of these works ( which so far as I can tell are done in an excellent way)
One lesson which seems to be paramount is the importance of attitude. 'Trust yourself, every heart vibrates to that iron string" says Emerson who is I believe one of the fathers of this whole yea- saying business. The 'trust yourself' also extends to having a positive attitude towards others, avoiding argument and criticism. An important lesson is to smile and be upbeat in dealings with others. It is also recommended to be honest and forthright in dealing with others.A third great lesson is the importance of 'seizing the opportunity when it is there' having the courage to do so. A fourth lesson which is repeated more than once is in finding 'opportunity in adversity' and in some transformation in life. The idea is here is that life is changing all the time and some of that change is certainly not for the better. And one has to be continually ready to change with it.
I could go on listing the different pieces of advice here, and they truly are various and interesting.
What I am thinking about is about all those like myself who will never take much of this advice, and probably never be 'successes' in the way the people who write here are.
I too am not sure that the sense of what success is here (It is as I understand it by and large- success in business )is the kind of success a considerable body of people truly long for.
I too think of a different attitude towards success,held by those who long for success, and will not attain it. And the fact that not succeeding may in some ways and in certain ways prove a more valuable experience than success itself. Perhaps this is best expressed in these lines of Emily Dickinson.

"Success is counted sweetest
by those who ne'er succeed
To comprehend a nectar
Requires Sorest Need.

Not one of all the Purple Host
who took the Flag today
can tell a Definition
so clear of Victory

as he defeated dying
on whose forbidden ear
the distant strains of triumph
burst agonized and clear. "

Read ... @High Speed ... & Succeed !
This book among the other 3 excellent categories (see below) had a profound impact on my success and level of awareness in jump-starting my career.

Working at a large bank, my level of stress and the resulting time deprivation made it almost impossible to finish ONE book per month.

Now, I enjoy reading, analyzing, and integrating the wisdom of ONE book per day thanks to Tom Bowdon's excellent book summaries.

In short: Read ... @High Speed ... & Succeed !

Here are the other 3 book summaries that I highly (!) recommend:

50 Self-Help Classics: 50 Inspirational Books to Transform Your Life

50 Spiritual Classics: Timeless Wisdom from 50 Great Books on Inner Discovery, Enlightenment and Purpose

50 Psychology Classics: Who We Are, How We Think, What We Do; Insight and Inspiration from 50 Key Books

I strongly believe the three books in the author's trilogy are really an intellectual treasure!
50 Self-Help Classics: 50 Inspirational Books to Transform Your Life, From Timeless Sages to Contemporary Gurus
50 Success Classics: Winning Wisdom for Life and Work from 50 Landmark Books
50 Spiritual Classics: Timeless Wisdom from 50 Great Books on Inner Discovery, Enlightenment and Purpose

In the first instance, I have bought these three books in one go because I have been fascinated by what the author had done: He has practised what is known as the highest level of reading. Mortimer Adler, in his classic book, 'How to Read a Book', written in the forties, had called it 'syntopical reading'. It's actually reading a number of books of the same genre, more or less simultaneously & then synthesising the key points.

Secondly, the author, who is a graduate of the London School of Economics, somehow impresses me with his ability to synthesise the big picture of each of the books that made up the entire collection. For apparently a left-brain thinker i.e. economist by training, this has been a very remarkable feat, as his synthesising endeavour has been essentially more of a right-brain activity. Well, I must compliment him for a job well done.

Before my final decision on buying the three books, I have been thrilled by the prospect of reading three books, which in turn will give me access to one hundred & fifty books.

For each book, the author has very artfully as well as skillfully selected fifty books to made up one collection. I may not agree with his selection, but I must admit that I can't default him at all.

Take the first book, '50 Self Help Classics', with timeless wisdom, as an example. Out of the fifty books he has selected, I have read only seventeen of them. I have those books in my personal library.

For the second book, '50 Success Classics', I have read & still own sixteen of the landmark books on winning wisdom selected by the author.

For the third & final book, '50 Spiritual Classics', covering timeless sages & contemporary gurus, I have read only & still own three of them, namely 'The Tao of Physics', 'The Way of the Peaceful Warrior' & 'Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'.

For those books I have read previously, totaling thirty-six of them (probably stretching over three decades of my life), & upon revisiting them again in the trilogy, which actually took me one whole weekend to complete, starting on Friday evening & finishing on Sunday night, I must say that the seemingly marathon reading experience has been very refreshing & uplifting. It has also given me the opportunity to check & verify whether the author has captured the key ideas or essence of those books. I don't think I can find fault with the author in this respect.

Not only that, in the first book, I am very impressed that the author has cut through the bewildering array of choices to bring the essential ideas, insights, and techniques from the `literature of possibilities'. In works that span the world's religions, cultures, philosophies, & centuries, he summarizes each work's key ideas & finally makes clear how these legendary classics can educate, affirm, & motivate anyone searching for the inspiration to make a meaningful life change.

In the second book, the author is back with his wide-ranging collection of enduring works from pioneering thinkers, philosophers, & powerful leaders, like Napoleon Hill, Stephen Covey, Kenneth Blanchard, Baltasar Gracian & Christopher Maurer; from the inspirational rags to riches stories of such entrepreneurs, like Andrew Carnegie, Warren Buffet & Sam Walton to the leadership lessons of Sir Ernest Shackleton, Eleanor Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln & Nelson Mandela, just to name a few.

In the third book, I believe the author has captured the very best in spiritual writing: They include personal diaries & compelling biographies of such diverse figures as Gandhi, Malcolm X, & Black Elk & Eastern philosophers & gurus including Krishnamurti, Yogananda, Chögyam Trungpa & Suzuki; & Western saints & mystics such as St. Francis of Assisi, Herman Hesse & Simone Weil. For each book in this volume, the author offers insightful commentary on how these classics can help spiritual seekers everywhere bring personal beliefs, values & practices squarely into the center of their every day lives.

Reading the three foregoing books has been quite a breeze because the meaning of each work is initially captured 'in a nut shell' at the onset, coupled with a representative quote as well as cross-referencing to similar work. In each work, appropriate sectional headings in bold print make it really easy for the reader to follow the author's train of thoughts over some six pages. There is also a short biographical sketch of the author of the respective work.

I must admit that the third book in the trilogy has been the most challenging for me to read as I normally do not go for such stuff. To put it bluntly, it's not my cup of tea. On the other hand, the curiosity streak in me has been too overwhelming, since I relish the thought that I could read fifty spiritual classics in just one book!

Overall, & for all those books I have not yet read at all (some of which I have not even heard of), I really enjoyed digesting the author's bite-sized summaries (in actuality, they are only the main ideas, context & impact of each title, to give a taste of the literature, so to speak) in the three collections or volumes, even though some of the titles are relatively esoteric for me. The entire reading journey has been enlightening, inspirational & yet humbling in some areas. Best of all, there are useful tools & practical techniques to take away from each collection!

For the first & last book in the trilogy, namely, '50 Self Help Classics' & '50 Spirtual Classics', the author has respectively provide a list of additional 50 books. The titles are certainly enticing! Well, all I can say is this: I wish the author will repeat his syntopical reading exercise covering these books & add two more volumes, that will make a quintulogy, for all the readers out there, including me!

As usual, all my three books are now scribbled with my own hand-written marginal annotations as well as my fancy colour marker symbols. Additionally, there are also colourful sticky notes in between selected pages. My next personal assignment is to transfer all these notations into mindmaps with Mindmanager Pro.

To end my review, I have one last humble comment to make. Out of the one hundred & fifty bite-sized summaries, I still don't quite get it from 'The Bhagavad-Gita' as outlined in the author's '50 Self Help Classics'. I have not read this work before although I have heard about it. [J Y Pillay, former Chairman of Singapore Airlines, who is credited for building the airline to what it is today, A Great Way to Fly, has vouched for this ancient Hindu scripture as an inspiration for his leadership success during an interview.] However, in the same vein, I found that I could relate quickly to Deepak Chopra's 'The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success' but simply not this one! I may have to explore other avenue.

In site of the above minor short-coming, I strongly believe that the three books in the author's trilogy are really an intellectual treasure!

The Art of What Works: How Success Really Happens by William Duggan

Product Description


A commonsense approach to creating effective new strategies from ones that are proven to work

From Napoleon through Jack Welch, great leaders have always "borrowed" great ideas from others. The Art of What Works cuts against the grain of today's one-size-fits-all strategic gurus to argue that there are no intrinsically good or bad strategies--just flexible strategies that work best in given situations. Welch's appropriation of Six Sigma from Motorola, and use of its best features to revitalize GE, is a recent example of this approach.

In this insightful and practical guide, leading strategist William Duggan lays the groundwork for building new strategic frameworks by observing what works--and what doesn't--in the real world. The Art of What Works shows business professionals how to:
Recognize and adopt great ideas and strategies
Modify strategically sound ideas to their own benefit
Decide on a course of action--then modify it when necessary
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #294359 in Books
Published on: 2003-07-16
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
256 pages
Editorial Reviews

Book Info
Text outlines a step-by-step program for understanding how and why others succeed, then drawing on their successes to fuel innovations of your own. DLC: Business planning.

From the Publisher
How to Find Effective Solutions for Any Business Problem--By Recognizing and Building on the Successes of Others

"There is nothing new under the sun."

Though coined more than 2,000 years ago, this truism has straight-line relevance to today's business world. Because while every business situation you confront is unique, it is invariably made up of questions and elements that have been confronted--and solved--by others before you. The Art of What Works outlines a step-by-step program for understanding how and why others succeeded, and then drawing on their successes to help solve your own business problems. Outlining an approach that is exceedingly straightforward yet dramatically effective, this landmark book will help you:

* Systematically draw on the past successes of others to fuel innovations of your own
* Lead effectively by learning how to construct one, dramatic solution from several elements
* Overcome obstacles that prevent good ideas from taking shape, and rising to the top

What has worked in the past, more often than not, will work again in a new combination. The Art of What Works reveals how to transform this intuitive observation into a structured program designed to save time, energy, and money for both yourself and your organization, by giving you the freedom to recognize--and rely on--the simplicity of what works.

From the Back Cover

How to Find Effective Solutions for Any Business Problem--By Recognizing and Building On the Successes of Others

"There is nothing new under the sun."

Though coined more than 2,000 years back, this truism has straight-line relevance to today's business world. Because while every business situation you confront is unique, it is invariably made of questions and elements that have been confronted--and solved--by others before you. The Art of What Works outlines a step-by-step program for understanding how and why others succeeded, and then drawing on their successes to help solve your own business problems. Outlining an approach that is exceedingly straightforward yet dramatically effective, this landmark book will help you to:
Systematically draw on the past successes of others to fuel innovations of your own
Lead effectively by learning how to construct one, dramatic solution from several elements
Overcome obstacles that prevent good ideas from taking shape, and rising to the top

What has worked in the past, more often than not, will work again in a new combination. The Art of What Works reveals how to transform this intuitive observation into a structured program designed to save time, energy, and money for both yourself and your organization, by giving you the freedom to recognize--and rely on--the simplicity of what works.

"The operative assumption is that someone, somewhere, has a better idea; and the operative compulsion is to find out who has that better idea, learn it, and put it into action--fast."

--Jack Welch

Few individuals in business history can match the bottom-line success of former GE CEO Jack Welch. Welch has become a business school archetype for corporate innovation and impact by working almost exclusively from one strategic credo--while you can seek new and innovative solutions to suit your present needs, you can only, in the end, do what has already been done.

As simple as it may appear, that credo is actually the profound secret to achieving breakthrough success. The Art of What Works presents principles, tools, and examples for observing what has worked and what hasn't in the real world. The key is in understanding and benefiting from coup d'oeil, the sideways glance that allows you to use existing knowledge to power your own endeavors. Cutting against the conventional wisdom of "original is best"--which was the principal driver behind the dot.com and telecom debacles--this insightful and practical guide features:
Examination of today's three leading schools of strategy--and how the art of what works improves each one
Guidelines for consistently getting results-driven, "highly calculable" success by first understanding the achievements of others
Examples of the art of what works in action, from Ray Kroc to Bill Gates, Disney to Du Pont

While the content of all successful ventures changes on a case-by-case basis, the structure remains remarkably similar. The Art of What Works brings unique and valuable insights to today's business leadership precisely because it claims to provide no world-changing structures or paradigm-shattering methodologies--just solid, proven strategies that have worked before, are working today, and will provide value far into the future.

From ancient strategist Sun Tzu through latter-day business legends like Welch, Steve Jobs, and many others, the value of adopting great ideas and adapting them to one's own benefit is well known. Let The Art of What Works provide you with a ready guide for systematically implementing what was until now simply intuitive, and show you how to build successful new strategic frameworks by first observing what works--and just as important, what doesn't--in the real world.

William Duggan, Ph.D., teaches strategy at Columbia Business School. He is the author of four previous books, including Napoleon's Glance: The Secret of Strategy, and has twenty years of experience as a strategy advisor and consultant. Duggan is also cofounder of Creative Strategy Group, which helps organizations and individuals apply the art of what works to whatever they do.
Customer Reviews

Absorbing, insightful, and important book
I really liked the author's "Napoleon's Glance" book so I picked this up too. In my opinion this book is quietly revolutionary about how change in society happens and it is providing new insight into the concept of "expert intuition". It is important new reading for anyone interested in business, especially consultants like myself in business strategy. I used to work in nonprofits too and it is very important for people in that world as well. It is totally different style of thinking that Michael Porter's stuff on strategy, and much more useful!!

The Art of Mediocrity...?
"The Art" is simply a refresher course in management theories and practices. The "grand" concept of this book is the use of intuition and business expertise in making decisions.... This book is recommended if you are on a plane on a business trip and have nothing better to read...