Thursday, March 24, 2016

How to Become Successful in Life - The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy - Quick Book Summary and Review

Small habits compounded over time will either lead you toward success or away from it. You choose daily by your actions.   

In The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy, Vanguard Press, 2010, Hardy shows us how choices, especially the small ones that become everyday habits, create our destiny. Hardy, the former Publisher and Founding Editor of the newly released Success magazine, wrote this book to explain what it takes to achieve success in any area of life. Hardy explores the half-dozen fundamentals that consistently lead to success. 


The compound effect in action 

In Chapter one, Hardy provides an example of the compound effect in action through showing us three friends [Scott, Larry, and Brad] and different small changes they make or don’t make to their diet and life after they have put on some weight. Scott cuts back on junk food and sodas. Larry does nothing different. Brad starts watching a cooking show and consistently enjoys sampling his creations. Over the next 31 months, Scott loses 33.5 pounds, Larry remains the same, and Brad gains 33.5 pounds. Additionally, Hardy explains how bad habits can have unintended ripple effects that impact other areas of our lives. 


Choices

In Chapter two, Hardy explains that first, we make our choices, and then our choices make us. Hardy also provides the formula for getting lucky which is preparation,  attitude, opportunity, and action all combined often create luck.  In any area of life where you seek improvement, if you track the actions you take to move toward your goal, you will have a greater likelihood of getting there, especially if you keep track of your habits in that area for at least 21 days. After you begin tracking, you can monitor if you are moving toward your goal or away from it. 


Habits

In Chapter three, Hardy focuses on how our habits can make or break us. Good habits in a daily routine separate the most successful from the rest. With practice and repetition,  we can replace bad habits with better habits. Motivation to create good habits is found in our desires - if we want it bad enough we will develop the habits that lead to success. Because we only see and experience what we look for, it is important to set clearly defined goals. A person’s life can be boiled down to the equation: person > makes a choice > takes action.> creates habit over time = goals (result). Five strategies for eliminating bad habits and six techniques for installing good habits are revealed. 


Momentum

Chapter four focuses on momentum. Once a newly formed habit becomes routine, momentum kicks in and speeds up the progress. This can go well or not, depending on whether the habits are good habits or bad habits.  Creating routines that incorporate the habits we want to install in our lives can help us gain momentum. By controlling how our day begins and how our day ends by establishing daily routines during those time periods we can monitor our progress and chart whether we are moving toward our goals. 


Influences 

Chapter five focuses on influences. We need to monitor what we expose our minds to if we don’t want to be led off track. Many achievers use their vehicles as a traveling university by listening to CD’s that teach about areas of interest. Many find it helpful to invest in mentors. Also, exposing yourself to a better environment can help to raise your game. 


Acceleration 

Chapter six focuses on acceleration. In moments where you want to give up, you must keep going if you want to reach your goals. Do the unexpected by putting forth extra effort to reach your goals faster. 


Hardy concludes by reminding us that the key is to learn the steps so that you can execute them to achieve your goals. Also, whatever we want in life, we can achieve it faster by providing that same thing to someone else. If you want success, help someone else be successful. 

Rating: $$$$$ out of 5. This is an excellent book. By making these small daily choices that lead toward successful outcomes, readers can enrich their lives, as well as the lives of others.  

Copyright @ 2016 Christine Esser 

You can find out for yourself if this works by buying Hardy's book and learning the complete strategy. This book can be purchased on Amazon by clicking the link below. The first link is for the book, the second link is for the audio CD.  The third link is for a complete summary prepared by Money Book Millionaire, not Darren Hardy. (We are associated with Money Book Millionaire.) 

I paid for my copy of this book the same as you will should you decide to purchase it.  I have received nothing from the author or publisher of Hardy's book for this review. 

Disclosure: We may receive a small commission from your purchase, but this will not raise the amount you pay. Thank you for reading this review. Comments are welcome.


If you want more information from Darren Hardy and are interested in free daily coaching, you can sign up at his website. 


Tuesday, March 22, 2016

15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management by Kevin Kruse - Quick Review and Book Summary

Do you want to get more done?  

If you learned to use the strategies that billionaires, Olympic athletes, and other successful people used, could you become more successful?   

In 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management by Kevin Kruse, the Kruse Group, 2015, Kruse takes top productivity tips disclosed by others, such as Richard Branson and Gary Keller, and distills them into 15 strategies to use to get more done. 


In the first chapter, Kruse reminds us that each of us has the same 1440 minutes in a day, and our choices on how we invest those minutes determine our outcomes in every area of life. The second chapter encourages us to find our “one thing” which is the title of an excellent book by Gary Keller, and focus on it.  In chapter three, Kruse advises us to stop making lists and schedule all important tasks in time slots on a calendar instead. Chapter five has some cures for procrastination. 

Chapter six reminds us there will always be more to do and we need to pick a time to stop a work activity if we want to have dinner with our family. Chapter seven focuses on always having some paper nearby, such as a moleskin notebook, like Richard Branson uses to record our good ideas.  Chapter eight has strategies to master the email inbox. Chapter nine advises us to eliminate or limit meetings. Chapter nine affirms that “no” is an important word to use to maintain control of our schedules.


Chapter ten discusses the concepts of drop, delegate, or redesign. Chapter eleven discusses how using a “theme”for certain workdays can help us get more done. Chapter twelve discusses some “touch it once” strategies for dealing with mail. Chapter thirteen advises us to establish a morning routine, like Hal Elrod in the Miracle Morning. 


Chapter fourteen reminds us that it is as much about energy management as time management.  Finally, chapter fifteen pulls all the chapters together by reminding us to combine these tips into an individualized operating system to get more done.  


Additionally, there are additional time-saving tips shared by billionaires, Olympic champions, other famous people, and entrepreneurs.  


Overall this is a good book to read, especially if you have not yet read the One Thing by Gary Keller and Hal Elrod’s Miracle Morning.  If you have already read those books, you probably are already using most of the tips in this book.  Still, this book does a good job of combining multiple good ideas taken from others and distilling them down to help us become more productive.

Overall, this book is quite helpful and recommended to help you get more done. 

Copyright @ 2016 by Christine Esser

You can test out these strategies for yourself by getting the book. This book can be purchased on Amazon by clicking the link below. The first link is for the book. I paid for my copy of this book the same as you will should you decide to purchase it.  I have received nothing from the author or publisher for this review. 

Disclosure: We may receive a small commission from your purchase, but this will not raise the amount you pay.

Friday, March 18, 2016

How Successful People Think, by John C. Maxwell, - Quick Review and Book Summary

Do you act first, think later or think first and act later? 

No matter what action you take or fail to take, a thought or lack of thought precedes it.  


What if you could train yourself to think in different ways and reach better decisions that would improve your life?   This book proposes to teach you to do exactly that. 


In How Successful People Think: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life, by John C. Maxwell, published by Hachette Book Group, 2009, author John Maxwell discusses 11 strategies people can use to think more clearly.  Maxwell explains, “A person who knows how will always have a job, but the person who knows why will always be the boss.” 


Here are 11 strategies for clearer thinking: 


(1) See the wisdom of big picture thinking; 

(2) Unleash the potential of focused thinking; 

(3) Discover the joy of creative thinking; 

(4) Realize the importance of realistic thinking; 

(5) Release the power of strategic thinking; 

(6) Feel the energy of possibility thinking; 

 (7) Embrace the lessons of reflective thinking; 

 (8) Question the acceptance of popular thinking; 

 (9) Encourage the participation of shared thinking; 

 (10) Experience the satisfaction of unselfish thinking; 

(11) Enjoy the return of bottom-line thinking.  

Maxwell delves into each of these categories and explains actions each of us can take to learn how to become a better thinker and, in the process, improve our lives.  All achievement is obtained through action, but all actions must be preceded by thought. Thus, by improving your ability to think, you can improve your actions and thereby improve your life. 


Maxwell believes that if a person masters each of these critical ways of thinking, including the process of shared thinking to compensate for your weaknesses, your life will change.  I think Maxwell is right and I highly recommend this book   

Rating: $$$$$ out of five. 


If you enjoy reading these free book summaries, you can easily support this webpage by purchasing items from Amazon using the links below. Test whether the ideas in this book will help you to think more clearly by buying the book at the link below. The first link is for the book, the second link is for the audio CD.

Disclosure: We may receive a small commission from your purchase, but this will not raise the amount you pay. Thank you for reading this review. Comments are welcome.


Copyyright @ 2016 Christine  Esser


Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Grant Cardone's Success Factors : The 10X Rule Free Book Summary and Review

Grant Cardone's, The 10X Rule,  can help you develop the discipline you need to succeed.   

In The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure, Wiley (2011), Grant Cardone (Cardone)  tells us that if you want to achieve extraordinary success, you must increase the amount of effort you put forth by at least ten times that of an ordinary person. In more colorful language, Cardone cautions us to not act like a whiny, little bitch. 

Getting attention is an uphill battle.  If you aren't out there hustling every single day on a massive scale, no one will even know you exist.  You can't sell if no one knows your products exist.   

Cardone states that most people who desire success fail because they do not engage in enough positive action necessary to create a positive outcome.  Cardone believes that many people who seek success underestimate the amount of action necessary to achieve a successful result. But by putting forth 10 times the amount of activity that others were putting out, Cardone was able to achieve a successful result in several different areas, such as real estate and sales, which are briefly discussed throughout the book. 

Additionally, Cardone believes it is important to set your goals 10 times higher than what you can attain so that you are always pushing yourself to do more. 

Chapter 1 explains the 10x Rule. 

Chapter 2 explains why it is vital. 

Chapter 3 explains why success and continued growth are important. 

Chapter 4 explains why success is each person's duty. 

Chapter 5 explains that success has no limits. 

Chapter 6 advises that we must assume control and responsibility for everything in our lives.

Chapter 7 explains the four degrees of action and why "massive action" is usually the winning strategy. 

Chapter 8 explains why being average is a failing formula. 

Chapter 9 shows us how to set 10x goals. 

Chapter 10 explains why competition is for sissies; instead, dominate your market. 

Chapter 11 explains why being in the middle class is painful and why people should break out of it. 

Chapter 12  explains why obsession, which is considered a disease by many, can be a key to success. 

Chapter 13 encourages us to go "all in" and over-commit to massive action.  

Chapter 14 explains why retracting is a form of retreating, which violates the philosophy of the 10x Rule.  

Chapter 15 advises us to keep taking 10x actions after achieving success.

Chapter 16 cautions us against "fear" defined as false evidence appearing real. 

Chapter 17 advises that priority management is the best time management. 

Chapter 18 explains why criticism can be a sign of success. 

Chapter 19 explains why customer satisfaction is the wrong target; instead, focus on increasing customers.  

Chapter 20 is on "omnipresence," get known and be seen in a variety of settings. 

Chapter 21 advises against making excuses, instead,  accept as fact that if it is to be, it is up to me.  

Chapter 22 lists 32 traits commonly found in successful people: 

(1) can do attitude, (2) belief they will figure it out, (3) focus on opportunity, (4) love challenges, (4) seek to solve problems, (7) take risks, (8) be unreasonable, (9) be dangerous, (1) create wealth, (11) readily take action, (12) always say yes,  (13) habitually commit, (14)  go all the way, (15) focus on now, (16) demonstrate courage, (17) embrace change,  (18) determine and take the right approach, (19) break with tradition, (20)  be goal oriented, (21) on a mission, (22 ) highly motivated, (23) result oriented, (24) have big goals and dreams, (25) create own reality, (26) commit first, figure it out later, (27) highly ethical, (28), interested in the group, (29) continuous learner, (30) willing to be uncomfortable, (31) network with those more successful, (32) disciplined. 

Chapter 33 offers some advice for getting started with implementing the 10X Rule.   

This is an excellent book and probably one of the most important messages you will ever read if you operate your own business. Although I do not agree with the section on “always say, “yes" and the book is a little redundant at times, these are really minor issues.  But be warned, those who read Cardone for his sales tips will not find them here.  This is a book about success strategies. 

My personal observation is that most people who work like maniacs outperform those who only put in an ordinary amount of effort. In short,  a quick summary of the book is (1) set your goals extremely high, (2) develop a good plan to achieve those goals, and (3) work your plan like your life depends on it because your quality of life does depend on what you are able to achieve. The more you push yourself, the further you will go.

Rating: $$$$$ out of five.  You will be successful if you work like a maniac doing the right things in the right way.  

If you like this book and are interested in sales, Cardone has other books about sales, as well as online content at CardoneU.com. You can also watch videos from Mr. Cardone (aka  Uncle G) on YouTube. 

 Copyright @ 2016  Christine Esser  
 
This book was purchased, not a gift.