Book Description
Much as Good to Great described what separates top companies from the rest, The Next Level shows new, current, and future executives what differentiates success and failure at the executive level. Every day, high performers are tapped to be executives and then left alone to figure out how to function successfully in their new role. When this happens, most new executives rely on strengths that served them well earlier in their careers. As executive coach Scott Eblin explains, this is why 40 percent of them fail. Moving successfully to the executive level requires knowing which behaviors and beliefs to drop, as well as which new ones to pick up. Like having a personal executive coach, this confidence-building book outlines a program for success for new and future executives and offers frank advice from accomplished senior executives on what to do and to avoid.
Customer Reviews:
Your Next Level.......2007-06-26
Scott Eblin's book brings an integrated approach to succeeding at the next level. His perspective "from the balcony" of having worked as a Fortune 500 executive himself, takes a big picture approach to success. Scott gives the reader simple, specific tactics to succeed at higher levels in organizations AND the encouragement to look beyond tactics and explore other key behaviors that are critical to succeeding at the next level. Among the more innovative--he suggests establishing mental, physical, spiritual and relational routines and encourages recalibrating your perspective. Well written and fun, this book is a must read for a new exec and a great refresher for established leaders too.
Strategies for the Executive Suite.......2007-06-26
Scott Eblin's book offers valuable advice to the newly arrived member of the management team about how to navigate in unfamiliar, executive territory. He argues that your success will depend on how you operate at your peak level, and how you reach and maintain that optimal state, rather than on the actual nuts and bolts of getting projects done. He provides transcriptions of coaching sessions with executives in transition and each chapter ends with "ten tips" - a useful summary of the ideas and behavior you'll have to learn to succeed in your new role. We recommend this manual to managers who want to move up in the ranks, and to executives new and old - for whom its tips will still be useful.
True Habits of "Highly Effective Executives"!.......2007-06-16
Former HR executive turned coach/consultant Scott Eblin has written a practical guidebook on how to take your business game "to the next level." THE NEXT LEVEL is highly readable, mercifully devoid of acronyms and MBA-speak. It offers concrete examples of how those who aspire to be executives can unwittingly shoot themselves in the foot.
Reading and - more importantly, heeding - Eblin's advice will better position you to become an executive. If you already are an executive, the same approach will elevate your skills.
This is an excellent business book!
An excellent primer for the rising executive.......2007-04-25
I recently had the opportunity to work with Scott in a group coaching environment for rising executives at a Fortune 500 company. The coaching focused on the practical skills needed to advance from being a star individual performer to an executive with broader responsibilities and perspective.
If you don't have the opportunity to work directly with Scott, The Next Level is a superb road map for establishing an "executive foundation." Scott organizes The Next Level around three principles: personal presence, team presence and organization presence. Under each of these principles, Scott dispenses practical advice and actionable steps that lead to improved performance.
The Next Level succeeds where other leadership books fail by encapsulating practical advice on what executives need to know as they transition into a new role. While recent books on leadership by the likes of Jack Welch, Michael Useem and others provide inspiring stories and well reasoned academic perspectives, they do not provide the concise road map I am looking for.
The format of the book and Scott's writing style make The Next Level an indispensable companion for rising executives.
A real disappointment............2007-04-18
As a Human Resource professional I was looking for a book that I could use that would help new and emerging managers and executives with their transitions into their new roles. This book was a disappointment. While some of the points were good and insightful, the content could have been covered in a feature length article instead of the book format. Also, the testimonies from the other executives were tedious and unrealistically presented. They may all be quite true but the real world does not work in such a straight-forward, linear fashion with few roadblocks, detours, or major frustrations.
I did, however, get some pithy slogans I can use in my discussions with colleagues while I wait for someone to write the business book summary......wait, it's already been done. So, get that, save your time, and you will learn about as much from the summary than from reading the full-length book version.
I found "The First 90-Days" written by Michael Watkins to be more practical and actionable than this offering. I also am looking forward to Goldsmith new book, "What Got You Here Won't Get You There" hoping it might be the one I can recommend.
Book Description
In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics—the basis for all other science—has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin—a former string theorist himself— is the perfect person to deliver it.
Customer Reviews:
Scientific progress is never cut and dried.......2007-10-08
Lee Smolin presents a harsh critique of the last 30 years in theoretical physics, written by one of its practitioners. He makes the excellent point that science is a human activity like anything else. Progress is always hard to predict; scientists can and do get caught up in dead ends. Smolin thinks string theory is one such dead end, and makes a good case for it.
I think that, if anything, Smolin is a little too gentle on the field. The development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs left a tremendous impression that big money put into physics would bring big results. In recent years that hasn't happened. There are so many unanswered questions out there in science, so many important fields where solutions are desperately needed. When I consider the construction and operation of particle accelerators and other high-tech equipment, I can't help but think of the huge cost. The same amount of cash invested elsewhere might have brought much more in the way of useful results.
I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy attending public school. His instruction sometimes seems to me like a mishmash of well-meaning educational reforms that have been implemented with little or no testing to see if they worked or not. I am frankly disgusted by the quality of most research in the area of education--sample sizes too small, no proper controls, subjects followed for too short a time, etc. The cost of operating a single particle accelerator for six weeks probably exceeds all the funding for educational research around the world for the entire year. Yet which has the most potential for making major progress? Maybe it's time to back off on funding big physics projects for a while.
I would also like to point out that the building and use of instrumentation for high-energy physics is highly dependent on cheap fossil fuels. The future supply of such fuels is by no means guaranteed. The peak oil problem appears to be largely ignored by high-energy physicists today, but has the potential to significantly affect their ability to conduct experiments.
I really enjoyed Smolin's chapters on looking for seers rather than technicians in science. I especially liked his description of how unconventional scientists have built a career without a university job. Smolin points out that a typical professor spends a majority of his week on teaching, grant proposals, administrative tasks, and the like, leaving a surprisingly small amount of time available for actual research. Having a day job outside the field is not as big a hurdle as it might seem.
I tend to agree with Smolin that the big advances of the future are likely to come from completely unexpected directions. I can't wait to see what they are.
physics from many angles.......2007-10-05
This book provided several discussions pf physics and quantum theory. its good because the author speaks of the history the the originators of physics theory and the current champions of thought.
A mixed bag.......2007-10-04
At the moment, string theory appears to have many (possibly an infinite number) of "metastable vacua", each of which would allow for a universe with its own laws of physics. (For a brief, comic, yet essentially correct summary of the history of this idea, see Peter Shor's review here. For those who don't know, Shor is a celebrated quantum-information theorist.) According to the (far from established) inflationary model of cosmology, there is a vast collection of universes (the "multiverse") with diverse laws of physics. Which universe we find ourselves in is a matter of random selection, but of course we must be in a "biofriendly" universe, one whose laws of physics allow for the appearance of intelligent life.
The core argument of this book is presented on page 164-165 (US hardcover edition), where Smolin writes, "when it comes to the biofriendliness of our universe, we have at least three possibilities:
"1. Ours is one of a vast collection of universes with random laws.
"2. There was an intelligent designer.
"3. There is a so-far-unknown mechanism that will both explain the biofriendliness of our universe and make testable predictions by which it can be confirmed or falsified.
"Given that the first two possibilities are untestable in principle, it is most rational to hold out for the third possibility. Indeed, that is the only possibility we should consider as scientists, because accepting either of the first two would mean the end of our field."
I find this to be an astonishing argument. First of all, I don't know what "most rational" is supposed to mean. More importantly, to reject a scientific hypothesis for purely personal reasons (it "would mean the end of our field") is at best novel, and at worst absurd.
Very few string theorists are happy that #1 seems, at this point, to be the most likely outcome of string theory, and many hope that #3 will somehow eventually emerge. But to throw out the whole framework, simply because we don't like the result, cannot be said to be a scientific attitude.
One thing you won't learn in this book (unless you read it very carefully, and between the lines) is that the other approaches to quantum gravity advocated by Smolin have not come any closer to predicting specific experimental results than string theory has. Smolin talks about possible violations of special relativity, but these are not (as he admits on page 237) a definite prediction of loop quantum gravity. He has said (on Peter Woit's blog) that any quantum field theory in any number of dimensions is compatible with loop quantum gravity. If true, this would make loop quantum gravity even less capable than string theory of picking out our particular laws of physics.
Smolin also discusses issues of sociology in physics. On page 335-336, he asserts that the all the truly negative characterizations of job candidates that he has ever heard have had a component of racism and/or sexism. I am on the faculty of the physics department of a research university, and I can only say that my experience has been entirely different. I have simply never heard a racist or sexist denigration of one scientist by another, nor have I ever felt that anyone was being evaluated by criteria other than merit. I think that there are definitely issues of culture and how we can construct scientific communities that have broader appeal, and that there are physicists who are not as sensitive to these issues as they might be, but I cannot accept Smolin's claim that the relatively small percentage of women and blacks in physics is due to "blatant prejudice".
Finally, Smolin discusses the issues of "seers" vs "craftspeople" in science, and argues that we should be supporting more "seers". Among the existing seers, he lists some (such as Roger Penrose and Gerard 't Hooft) who made their reputations primarily as craftspeople ('t Hooft received the Nobel Prize for his work on the renormalization of gauge theories, and Penrose did celebrated work on the singularity theorems of general relativity). Their record as seers has been less successful; none of their recent ideas on modifications of quantum mechanics have panned out as yet. Smolin laments the fact that more attention is not paid to these forays into alternatives to quantum mechanics. But 't Hooft and Penrose do not agree on what modifications are needed. Other seers identified by Smolin propose violations of special relativity, rather than (or in addition to) violations of quantum mechanics. Perhaps this is all deep thought, but there is little to decide, at this point, which if any of these avenues should be pursued. Most physicists have therefore sensibly adopted a "wait and see" attitude.
Even if we accept Smolin's argument that we need new seers, how are we to find them? Smolin writes (page 353) that in order to discover "the visionaries who ignore the mainstream and follow their own ambitious programs", we should "find at least one accomplished person in the candidate's field who is deeply excited about what the candidate is trying to do". So, the candidate's program had better not be *too* far off the mainstream; there has to be at least one "accomplished person" who is "deeply excited" about it. But if one deeply excited professional is good, wouldn't more be better? Wouldn't that up the odds that the program was, indeed, worthwhile? Oh wait, that would be just what we have now ... a system where there is constant debate, emergent consensus on the most promising approaches, and distribution of research funds primarily (but by no means exclusively!) to those approaches that appear, in the consensus view, to be most promising. To paraphrase Winston Churchill on democracy, this system for distributing funds for science may be the worst ever devised, except for all the others.
So, should you buy the book? I feel that it gives a distorted picture, by emphasizing the weak points of string theory while ignoring the (many more, in my view) weak points of the alternatives. It seems to me that the essence of the book's argument against string theory is captured by the excerpts above, and by Shor's review. Then there is a lot of discussion of groupthink in scientific culture. For me, it doesn't add up to an appealing package, but your mileage may vary.
The Endless Quest Continues .......2007-10-04
I like Lee Smolin and this is a good exposition of the current quandary in Physics. When the mathematicians "hijacked" physics in the 1920's, they created ever-so elegant formulas and abstraction upon abstraction upon abstraction. "Just give me a formula!" was their mantra, and what it all really "means" was not their concern. This is the essence of Bohr's position (no pun intended), and Einstein was not able to answer, even though he knew something was missing.
String theory has many intriguing ideas, and it's supporters should not be easily dismissed. Again and again, we come back to the basic question...particle or wave? Wavicle? Partiwave? String?
Outstanding piece of writing, A must-read for any science enthusiast........2007-09-22
I found this book to be superbly written and full of fascinating insights. I really loved reading it. Many of the longer reviews here do a great job of reviewing the content of the book, so I'll stick to offering my opinion.
I will no doubt read this book again in the future as much of the content was way over my head. However, as with any great book on any subject, this did not prevent me from thoroughly enjoying it and learning a lot. What makes it so great is that each time I read it I will learn more.
I want to thank Lee Smolin for putting the current state of his field in some perspective. I highly, highly recommend this book!
Book Description
Richard Nelson Bolles presents an updated version of one of the most widely acclaimed exercises from PARACHUTE, the Flower. This highly effective tool, reproduced here in handy workbook form, helps readers target their ideal work situation. Simple step-by-step worksheets focus on translating personal interests into marketable job skills as well as often-ignored issues such as spiritual or emotional fulfillment in the workplace. These exercises are easy to do yet thought provoking. When completed, the workbook will present you with a full picture of your ideal job.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent resource, but full book is better overall.......2007-04-14
This is an excellent workbook resource for those who don't want to spend the time and money to read the full book and do the excercises there (although I would recommend that as a first choice). I did like this slim resource though, and bought multiple copies to use with my patients in a vocational program -- they loved thinking through the exercises, but I needed to explain many portions for them because the guidelines are rather broad at times, and too specific at others. If I hadan't guided several them through the exercises, it would have been worthless. The full book is a far richer and better resource, and gives you much more to think about -- but this is a good workbook approach that summarizes the main exercises in the full book. A hint -- there is one exercise (Very time consuming) that you can skip -- the first exercise asks you to write 5 life stories, then examine them for commonalities in skills -- You don't need the stories to do the ratings at all.
If you've got the regular text, you don't need this..........2007-02-22
I though this would provide more info than the book ("What Color Is Your Parachute?") but what's inside are the same exercises... so if you have the book or are getting it, then you don't need this. On the other hand, if you don't want to read all of the insightful text of Bolles's original book, then this is a nice book of exercises! :) [I'd just recommend the original text, though.]
What Color Is Your Parachute Workbook.......2007-02-14
The book is mostly limitless propaganda. I had to order it for a career building course.
Just do it!.......2007-01-12
This was recommended to my by my sister as being more useful than the book of the same name. So I got the book from the library and the workbook from Amazon. What my sister didn't mention that there is a lot of work to do! I am not finished yet but it is good to go through this mid-career reassessment of where I am.
It has been helpful to see and remember what my gifts and areas of strength are.
I may end up changing nothing about my life but at least then it will be something I have chosen rather than just slid into!
Great Resource.......2007-01-04
This is a great resource to use in conjunction with the ground breaking "What Color is Your Parachute" used for years to help people find work they truly enjoy.
Book Description
When a disruptive innovation is launched, it changes the entire industry and every firm operating within in
This book argues that it is possible to predict which companies will win and which will lose in a specific situation—and provides a practical framework for doing so.
Most books on innovation—including Christensen’s previous two books—approached innovation from the inside-out, showing firms how they can create innovations inside their own companies. This book is written from an “outside-in” perspective, showing how executives, investors, and analysts can assess the impact of a new innovation on the firms they have a vested interest in.
Customer Reviews:
Michael Porter of Innovation.......2007-07-20
Just as Michael Porter is the authority on Strategy, Clayton Christensen has become the authority on Innovation. He has not only created a great business theory, he has created an institution that defines our modern understanding of disruptive innovation. The foundations of his business theory are unimpeachable and the illustrations of the theory across industries are appealing to professionals inside and outside the industry alike.
In this book, Christensen's students expand on the theory first proposed in The Innovator's Dilemma to create a framework that can predict whether an innovation might be disruptive (read. has potential to transform an entire industry or create a new one). The impact of understanding and applying this theory is large.
This book maintains the quality level I have come to expect of books published by HBS press, paralleled only by Harper Business. The illustrations in this book include the Telecommunications, Education, Aviation, Semiconductors and Health Care industries. The book dedicates a couple of chapters that are of international interest: Nonmarket Factors and Innovation Overseas. This whets the appetite but does not quench the thirst for more. In the US business environment where global influence is becoming more and more relevant for future growth, it would make sense for a next book in the series focusing entirely on the overseas perspective.
It is hard to pull off a quality job on part three of a sequel without rock-solid grounding. A keen student, I hope to see a lot more come out of Innosight and the institution of Innovation that is Clayton Christensen.
Seeing What's Next.......2007-05-03
This is certainly a worthwhile read. The concepts are a great mix of grounded theory and in depth information. There are no earth-shattering concepts, or get rich quick schemes, just sound strategy on how to analyze the industry leaders of the future. One concern that is not addressed is how to determine what will be a disruptive innovation and what will be a poor investment. He does encourage readers to look at nonconsumers, and create a product or service that this group would want to consume. However, I can't help but think that behind every failed innovation is a person who thought they had this dialed in. For example, Christensen cites VOIP as likely for cooption by incumbents, and suggests that one way for start ups to prevail is to offer VOIP as a second line. I am in the telecom industry, and do not see this as a viable option. Even he admits that second lines have been in decline for years, but more than that, those that do have second lines are often the most technologically resistant consumers. They are still using dial up or resisting cell phones. The consumers who are likely to use VOIP do not want to add on a second line, they want to replace their landline. This in an example of the idea for disruption still remaining mysterious. However, for those of us whose job it is to navigate the changing environment, not come up with the idea, this book is a must read.
One Book Too Many.......2007-03-12
Christensen's two earlier books ("The Innovator's Dilemma," and "The Innovator's Solution") provided great new insights into business history and strategic thinking. "Seeing What's Next" goes on to attempt to demonstrate implementation of these two books' insights, unfortunately with less than total success.
Early in "Seeing What's Next," Christensen uses Dell Computer to illustrate the "Value Chain Evolution" theory's golden rule: Integrate to improve what is "not good enough" (speed, customization, and convenience of PC ordering and acquisition), and outsource what is "more than good enough" (the PC computer's architectural design) - certainly a potentially helpful insight.
"Seeing What's Next" eventually moves on to examining several sectors and making predictions for the future. 1)Education: Christensen sees on-line services from the University of Phoenix (UOP) as an innovation that is likely to disrupt the higher-education market. However, even the UOP has had limited success with this innovation - the vast majority of its services are still provided via bricks-and-mortar classrooms. (Another major UOP problem is that increasing questions are aimed at its credibility - especially the strength of its instructors, and its very low graduation rate.) On the other hand, Christensen probably has it right in seeing community-colleges provide a much greater challenge to pupils currently "over-served" by higher-cost state universities. (This applies to businesses and the general public as well - the vast majority of "research" undertaken at major universities offers very little or no concrete value to society.)
Aviation is another sector examined. Here Christensen sees low-cost Southwest Airlines as in danger of being over-ridden by major airlines - certainly about as far from the ensuing reality as one could get. As for the semiconductor sector - Christensen sees overshot customers (eg. word-processor and spreadsheet users) as becoming vulnerable targets for less expensive/capable processors; again, however, this has been little sign of this. (Christensen's "problem" may be failing to recognize that users want only one operating system/CPU, and that combination should be able to handle most/all existing PC applications. Regardless, it is also noteworthy that Andy Grove, an enthusiastic endorser of Christensen's first two books, does not have an endorsement on this book's back cover.
Healthcare: Christensen observes a "do-it-yourself" trend with home pregnancy tests and glucose monitors. However, both are small components of a relatively trivial healthcare market not likely to sustain major innovation. His third example - cheaper/easier angioplasty replacing cardiac surgery, is an unfortunate one because the latest findings are that angioplasty is not generally an acceptable substitute. Finally, Christensen is totally correct in concluding that many patients are overserved by M.D. providers vs. eg. nurse practitioners - unfortunately, legal constraints are not likely to relax soon in this area. (This also limits "off-shore" provision of X-ray readings, etc., though combining tourism with cheaper Asian healthcare may grow into a much greater market.)
Finally, "Seeing What's Next" considers the wireless communication sector. VOIP is seen as a major challenge - not likely, in my opinion, due to users being physically tied to an on-line computer, and existing wireless providers already able to offer long-distance quite cheaply via national service plans and/or offerings of free calling on weekends and after 7 P.M. during weekdays.
Bottom Line: "Seeing What's Next's" greatest contribution is probably through demonstrating how difficult seeing into the future actually can be.
Inspired OnDisruption.......2006-08-27
My eyes were opened when I read Clayton Christensen's books on disruptive innovation.
In Seeing What's Next, Christensen chastises Wall Street analysts for their inability to see beyond current trends. -- I lived in that world for 10 years and he's right.
Extrapolating future scenarios from current trends is a dangerous business and it seldom works for investors. And it fails miserably as a method for businesses to find the next big thing, which a lot managers try to do. A new framework for analyzing identifying tech trends is needed and Christensen's theories on disruptive innovation are a great starting point, and an inspired way to think about innovation.
The book offers a framework for undertsanding and anticipating trends. This includes a recap of the theory of disruption and has a few chapters that serve as casebook examinations of industries facing disrption, including the telecom sector, higher education and aviation.
While not as strong a book as his earlier work, The Innovator's Solution or the first breakthrough on disruption, The Innovator's Dilemman, Seeing What's Next is a more practical guide for managers. The reason: Christensen, a Harvard professor, allows his theory to evolve from his management consulting activities.
Valuable analysis - but does it really help us see what's next?.......2006-02-09
This is the third book in a series on innovation, with Christensen as the lead author. The three books develop theories around the concepts of disruptive and sustaining innovation, and how to apply strategies based on these concepts and an understanding of the markets into which innovations are directed.
The first book, The Innovator's Dilemma, explains why established companies can often be successfully attacked by innovators introducing disruptive products, while The Innovator's Solution develops an approach to launching disruptions. Seeing What's Next changes focus somewhat to propose that the theories developed in the first two books can be used to analyse and predict industry change. In doing so, it also provides a useful summary of the theories put forward in the previous books and their application.
The analysis is undertaken essentially in the context of Porter's 'five forces' (competitors, potential entrants, buyers, substitutes and suppliers) but with the added dimensions of the nature of the innovation (disruptive or 'sustaining' - i.e. something that creates new markets or reshapes existing ones, or something that develops further on existing offerings) and the range of customers from 'overshot' (offered more than they really want) to 'undershot' (looking for more than they are offered) in terms of product characteristics.
It is a useful way of looking at markets - one that will keep analysts very occupied in collecting data and pondering alternative conclusions and strategies. The associated risk is that it appears to invite 'paralysis by analysis'.
While the coverage of the book extends to other industries, including airlines, education and the health industry, the methodology is built primarily around various elements of the telecommunications and computer industries. I suspect that choice of the fashion or food industries would have led to a different perspective on the same questions - one in which the ideas put forward by Gladwell in The Tipping Point might provide more useful clues to competitive challenges to established companies.
How reliable the authors' methodology is in actually predicting the future in a specific case is, of course, open to question, and it is not a question that the authors put to the test. Rather, they claim that the analytical process proposed will put both a potential attacker and a potential defendant into a better position to achieve their goals.
The three underlying theories round which the analysis in the book is built are
the disruptive innovation theory (briefly described above)
the resources, processes and values (RPV) theory, and
the value chain evolution theory (VCE).
The RPV theory argues that resources, processes and values define an incumbent's strengths, but also its weaknesses and blind spots - it is not easy to operate outside a well established arena.
The VCE theory argues that integration gives greater control over interdependent factors but reduces flexibility. The theory provides a tool for judging whether the right decisions about what should and should not be integrated have been made in particular circumstances.
Part 1 of the book elaborates on these theories and their application, while Part 2 essentially consists of extended case studies of five industries (education, aviation, semiconductors, health care, telecommunications) and an examination of innovation overseas. Of these industries, I am most familiar with health care and, while I found the analysis interesting, it did not seem to me to come to grips with the central dynamics of the challenge of health care into the future.
Book Description
Everything real estate investors need to know about finding, financing, and closing real estate investment deals
Navigating the complexities of real estate financing can be a major obstacle for the real estate investment novice. Now this quick-reference guide arms them with a road map for finding, evaluating, and financing golden investment opportunities. From due diligence made easy, to writing winning loan proposals, to successfully negotiating with sellers, to making sense of closing statements, Insider Secrets to Financing Your Real Estate Investments covers all the bases. Using dozens of annotated forms and checklists, Frank Gallinelli tells you what you need to know about:
- Selecting the best real estate investments for individual investor needs
- What lenders are really looking for in real estate investors
- Creating winning loan presentations
- Closing statements and what to expect when the deal is sealed
Customer Reviews:
The book is too basic for experienced investors.......2007-05-24
If you are new, this book might offer more insights, but for the experienced investor there was very content to justify buying it. The only gem I took away from this was preparing a presentation binder on a property for a bank when seeking financing.
Great info on how the loan process works.......2007-04-09
This is much better than his cash flow book. Really provides insight about the borrowing process and what lenders expect. Great for understanding the terms. Covers Loan to value, Debt Coverage ratio, Different types of lenders and uses. He compares zero down deals, all cash deals, and the mix of both and points out the real deal of all the scenarios. Also gives good instruction on how to be prepared when going to a lender.
This book is not motivational type at all. Just facts and info about what I mentioned above. It made a lot of things very clear to me. A must read if you are not familiar with the loan process and terms.
Lakewood, CA.......2006-12-28
Buy this book and the "What every real estate investor needs to know about CASH FLOOW" by the same author, you are well armed in the field of commercial real estate. Both books are easy to read and you will learn a wealth of practical information that can be put to use immidiately. I don't normally write comment for books I purchased, but these two books are special. It is my way to say thanks to the author.
One of the better real estate investment books.......2006-02-03
No fluff or filler, this book tells you what you really need to know in concise and certain terms. It's a refreshing break from all the "No Money Down" motivational seminars in book form. This is the real stuff... highly recommended. After reading the first few pages, I got back online and bought his Cash Flow book.
Excellent Book.......2005-10-17
I read this book as a follow up to Frank's other book, "What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow".
Overall, I found the book to be an excellent summary of analytical ways to evaluate your alternative investments in real estate.
The book contains numerous tables, reference charts and tools that one can use in analyzing investments.
Frank has a unique [i.e., simple) way of taking the reader through an analysis or example of what otherwise would be a complicated discussion.
Again, all in all, a great book. I refer to it frequently. Highly recommend it.
Book Description
The first warning shots of WW III have already been fired
The escalating terrorist attacks in the Middle East and in major cities in the West are not isolated acts of extremism. They are the first warning shots fired in a coming world war.
For decades, prophecy expert Grant R. Jeffrey has been analyzing geopolitical developments through the lenses of history, religion, and prophecy. As current events unfold according to the prophecies of the Bible, Jeffrey says Islamic extremists are preparing to attack Israel and conquer western civilization–destroying our freedom.
Drawing from firsthand interviews, intelligence reports, and ancient prophecy, Jeffrey reveals:
·Saddam Hussein’s role in the 9/11 attack on America
·Where Iraq hid its Weapons of Mass Destruction
·How Russia and extreme Islam will launch World War III
·The Bible’s prophecy of the destruction of extremist Islam
·How Israel will rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem
With Grant Jeffrey’s incisive and sometimes surprising analysis, you can understand the hidden agenda and powerful players behind today’s news headlines.
Customer Reviews:
Grant Jeffrey opens mouth, nonsense comes out.......2007-05-19
This is the same author who wrote an ENTIRE book predicting the Y2K computer bug would wipe out the economy and usher in the anti-christ. I would have assumed after that fiasco the Christians would have laughed him off the stage, but I assumed wrong. He is still on television and still selling ridiculous books.
I admit I only read the intro to this book at the store. I sure as heck wasn't going to buy it. I also watch him once in a blue moon for a few minutes when I need a laugh.
Jeffrey would have people believe the temple is about to be built any day now. People, listen to me, the temple is in our hearts, it is not the literal temple in Israel. The temple in Israel would be at the Dome of the Rock, one of Islam's most sacred sites. The second Israel went to build there, every nation in the Middle East would IMMEDIATELY declare war on Israel. If you are waiting for the temple to be rebuilt so the end times could begin soon, you better wait thousands of years or more.
Jeffrey says the weapons of mass destruction from Iraq were trucked to Syria where they will be used in the end times war. I voted for George W. Bush twice. I only say that to establish I am not an anti-war leftist. The truth is Iraq NEVER did have weapons of mass destruction. After Sadaam was overthrown, American weapons inspectors offered any Iraqi huge cash rewards and asylum for information on the weapons. Someone in the production, storage, or transport of these weapons would have seized that offer, but they didn't exist. 2)To FURTHER debunk Jeffrey's myth, the weapons have a very limited shelf life once they are produced. They do not stay weapons grade very long, but quickly break down in a matter of months. They would no longer be a military threat even if they were sent to Syria(which they weren't).
My fellow Christians, quit embarrassing the Kingdom by buying this drivel and hopefully these end times idiots will disappear. Revelation is what happens in our hearts. Consider this: In Revelation 8, one-third of the earth is set on fire, one-third of the sea becomes blood, one-third of water is made bitter, one-third of the sun, moon, and stars become dark, insects are tormenting people, billions of people die, a 200 million man army is on the march.....and what do people do??? They line up to take the mark of the beast so they could go on buying and selling!!! Buying and selling what??? Get some common sense people. Revelation is a metaphor for our own individual hearts.
Very informative & well detailed!.......2007-03-20
Mr. Jeffrey dispenses supportive information to his opinion of the second coming of Jesus Christ!
Not only did he displayed supportive information on the second coming, but he thoroughly expelled the most forgotten details which occured in 2002 and beyond (for example, The Spetznaz truck (convoys) leaving Iraq, heading towards Syria and Iran; the disclosure of photos of the Spetznaz convoys (Russian-owned Spetznaz, that is) from the satellite imagery; reports supporting the cover up of nondisclosure removal of the missing WMD in these Spetznaz trucks by Bush and his CIA; contacts between Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden in AFRICA in the 90's, etc.).
This book discloses missing facts and is an eye opener.
I truly believe, we are living those last days of age and the second coming is near.
Title does not match content.......2007-02-13
Found it to be filled with more history and statistics than what the title states is in the content of this book. The author threw a curve when he went on a rant about those who believe in the Trinity. I fail to understand how belief, or non-belief, in a triune God is relevant to the topic of end times or biblical prophesy.
Nifty Compact Treatment.......2007-01-29
With mainline churches in America (and elsewhere) unraveling, and conservative religion (of all faiths) on the increase, it is no wonder there would be a corner for a nifty little book like this. Make no mistake, it is a powerhouse of sorts..lots of current information that is not found elsewhere, well-documented, rare facts gleaned (presumably) from Grant's visits to the Middle East, written in a fast, tight style. That is, until 2/3 of the way through the book when he shifts to evangelical theology of end time events, and this continues through the remainder of the book. Evangelical theology in America has many favorite doctrines, several of them in this book (the 144,000 being witnesses in Revelation for example). He preaches a literal end time Temple in Jerusalem (some theologians see the use of "temple" in the New Testament restricted to the church as God's temple, but Grant has Scripture support for his thesis as well). The advantage of this book is it's little known and well-documented facts, current information, and well-written first 2/3 of the book detailing what he sees is coming as a result of the Mid East unrest. It is hard to put down, and due to it's size (176 pps plus supplements) can be read in two days carefully, and should be considered an update of The American Prophecies by Mike Evans. Well worth reading.
Boring.......2007-01-26
I found this book quite boring with a lot of detailed info concerning islam, al qaida, bin Laden and other such things that have very little relevance to an average christian. If you have seen Mr. Jeffrey on Benny Hinn's TV programmes, you have heard all you need to know about this book. I was very disappointed.
Average customer rating:
- A good followup to NVC
- Review from a Professional Mediator
- the best book I've read on handling conflict, anger,blaming,judging
|
Speak Peace in a World of Conflict: What You Say Next Will Change Your World
Marshall B. Rosenberg
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Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Create Your Life, Your Relationships, and Your World in Harmony with Your Values (Nonviolent Communication Guides)
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ASIN: 1892005174 |
Book Description
In every interaction, every conversation and in every thought, you have a choice – to promote peace or perpetuate violence. International peacemaker, mediator and healer, Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg shows you how the language you use is the key to enriching life. Take the first step to reduce violence, heal pain, resolve conflicts and spread peace on our planet – by developing an internal consciousness of peace rooted in the language you use each day.
Speak Peace is filled with inspiring stories, lessons and ideas drawn from over 40 years of mediating conflicts and healing relationships in some of the most war torn, impoverished, and violent corners of the world. Speak Peace offers insight, practical skills, and powerful tools that will profoundly change your relationships and the course of your life for the better.
Bestselling author of the internationally acclaimed, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life. Discover how you can create an internal consciousness of peace as the first step toward effective personal, professional, and social change. Find complete chapters on the mechanics of Nonviolent Communication, effective conflict resolution, transforming business culture, transforming enemy images, addressing terrorism, transforming authoritarian structures, expressing and receiving gratitude, and social change.
Customer Reviews:
A good followup to NVC.......2007-01-05
"Speak Peace In A World Of Conflict" is a necessary book in these challenging times. There is so much tension in the world that it is difficult to think positive, much less speak in a manner that is compassionate. You may be familiar with Rosenberg's other book, "Non-Violent Communication". Well, that book transformed my thinking about how I communicated with others, especially with my family. I always prided myself on my 'clear communication' but I didn't realize that my communication was filled with sarcasm, aggression and control. After reading that book, I learned how to LISTEN emphatically and to realize that we are all basically trying to 'get our needs met' when we communicate. This created a paradigm shift in myself and I learned to listen also to my own needs, which helped me to be more clear, more kind and less abrasive.
"Speak Peace" is a great follow-up book to "Non Violent Communication". It gives real life examples and more depth to the whole concept. If you are uncertain about NVC, this book will clarify it further. I am continuing to apply the principles and I have noticed a new warmth and joy in my family relationships. Recently, we had a very trying situation that brought out a lot of anger, hard feelings and misunderstandings - by following NVC, I was able to reduce the negativity and diffuse the conflict. Very healing stuff. I recommend any of Rosenberg's books.
Review from a Professional Mediator.......2006-02-02
Reading Marshall Rosenberg's newly released book, Speak Peace in a World of Conflict helped me to deepen my understanding of the "heart of mediation" and inspired hope that positive social change was achievable. Rosenberg reveals an abundance of practical strategies that can transform your conflict resolution practice against a background of profound insight into his theory of human conflict and violence.
Marshall Rosenberg has tirelessly traveled the globe mediating disputes and training practitioners in Nonviolent Communication for more than forty years. In this new work, he offers an overview of the "mechanics" of the NVC process interwoven with a tapestry of tales illustrating the "consciousness" of NVC and its real world application. Rosenberg also adds theory concerning the roots of violence, the role of language, "domination systems" and "enemy images", while offering unique strategies for dispute resolution used by everyone from Israeli kindergartners to African tribal chieftains.
Three themes delineate the book's structure. The first section of the book covers the "Mechanics of Speaking Peace", including an overview of the Nonviolent Communication process developed by Rosenberg. Featured throughout this section are exercises that invite the reader to have a direct experience of the potential of the process to deepen self-awareness and open to new possibilities for how we interact with one another.
In Part 2, Rosenberg focuses on "Applying Nonviolent Communication". First, he shows how the NVC process can be utilized for working on oneself to deepen a connection to "divine energy", a phrase Rosenberg uses to describe the "spiritual basis" of NVC. He defines this divine energy as "our natural life-serving energy", and asserts, "this divine energy is manifest in the joy we feel in giving to one another."
Rosenberg continues, "Unfortunately, many of us are blocked from that divine
energy by the way we've been taught to think". He offers Nonviolent Communication as a process for connecting with this divine energy, first in oneself, and then within the context of interpersonal relationships and social change. He covers the practice of empathy, a skillful process required to sustain connection in a mediation context. Rosenberg also explains the roots of violence contained in the language we have all been educated to speak.
Finally, in "Speaking Peace for Social Change", he focuses on effective strategies for facilitating social change. Including examples from the fields of education and intertribal conflict, he highlights our habitual tendency to manufacture "enemy images" which limit our capacity to be effective agents of social change. He shows how the NVC process can be used to dismantle these enemy images and build a bridge of connection, human to human. He also gives explicit ideas for how to use the NVC process in mediating disputes at all levels of human interaction, including a powerful and unique strategy to employ when one or more disputants resist coming to mediation.
Rosenberg offers practices for dealing with the burnout and despair common for
agents of social change, including the power of gratitude for building internal resources to sustain one's efforts in a world filled with pain and suffering.
Although some of the material in Speak Peace will be familiar to readers of Rosenberg's previous books, this book contains a depth and breadth not available there. Rosenberg conveys his material in a light-hearted yet deeply touching manner. Reading the book, I both laughed out loud and was moved to tears.
This book will be valuable to both new and veteran practitioners because it offers a rare insight and clarity into the nature of human conflict and its resolution, while offering specific exercises and practices designed to immediately implement the theory and make it practical.
the best book I've read on handling conflict, anger,blaming,judging.......2005-10-25
I am usually critiquing, but on this book, I only have positive feelings.
Speak Peace... has helped me to get in touch with my inner softer caring self & really understand who others are and how they feel. I have dozens of other books (Tolle, Thich Nhat Hanh, etc) which are excellent, and Speak Peace surpasses them, for me. I had been dealing with a lot of pain and other's anger, so maybe this book was simply especially aligned with what I was seeking, but it is excellent in itself.
It is written in a very flowing manner; it is not a technical manual, and it's not an instruction book. It's very easy to read, with the concepts expressed well and in small bites, but without losing any meaning. The care of the author flows through the way he writes, and that makes it also easy and comforting to read... it's like listening to someone speak who is very calm and caring.
The book is realistic. The ideas are not suggesting to pretend things are rosy, or to manipulate others, or to reward them or use use hidden techniques to affect them. It focuses on an approach of simple understanding, and wanting to understand more.
If you were to tell another person what ideas you were applying, they would not feel manipulated.. the idea is mostly that you care and want to understand.
The ideas are not forced either. Once I read them, I was more-so remembering things I already knew, but had forgot. Applying them is just natural, there's no forcing it.
The book is suitible for picking up for a few minutes, or for reading all the way through. You can read a single page and get entire ideas in their completeness.
The first day I read a few pages, I transformed a difficult relationship with a family member. And the next day with an even more difficult family member. The book helped me release so much anger, blaming, sarcasm, etc that I had slowly built up inside me, and I can see clearly that they were based on mis-understanding.. not truly understanding the other person.. and choosing to judge them as not being worth effort.
I honestly would recommend this book, before any other book on dealing with conflict or anger/blaming/judging. The only exception would be hurt feelings related to someone you cannot speak with, like people you see on TV and such. For that I might suggest Thich Nhat Hanh and other authors.
If you are struggling with conflicts, or anger blaming or judging, then this book may be what you are needing.
..my greatest thanks to all the people who helped this book be published...
Book Description
A professor emeritus at Stanford Universitys business school identified one consistent trait among successful MBA graduates: great conversational skills. Now, Susan RoAne, best selling author of How to Work a Room and The Secrets of Savvy Networking, shows how people can vastly improve their conversational skills and acquire the necessary verbal tools and techniques to advance their careers and personal lives.
Customer Reviews:
Packed with good ideas.......2007-08-30
A very pleasant book to read, filled with many good tips.
For instance, I plan to implement the "ice melter" by wearing an interesting or funny tie to get the conversation going.
Also good were the suggested ways to introduce yourself to folks that you may have met before (but you're not sure.) I liked also the suggested way to introduce people to others (include information on each party.)
A very good, practical read. Highly recommend!
All It Takes Is Practice.......2007-04-11
This is a good guidebook in learning how to easily converse with strangers by focusing on them and not us, another variant on helping others before we can help ourselves. Well organized, very readable, and humorous throughout, the material illuminates how and why we can expand our interests and horizons to become interesting to others and, no less important, to ourselves.
I also recommend her `How To Work A Room' as a companion book. Both are good investments in continuous self improvement.How to Work a Room: The Ultimate Guide to Savvy Socializing in Person and Online
Trashcan filler.......2006-08-14
This book might be the worst book I have read in years. Susan Roane has filled 240 pages with more or less obvious information like OAR approach. Observe, Ask a Question, Reveal your Thought. I don't wanna spend much time on reviewing this book, but I'll tell you: If you expect something that analyzes, refers to any scientific papers (or any stuidies at all) or puts any psychological aspects in the mix, then forget this book.
Practical Tips for Improving Your Social Skills.......2006-05-06
Those trying to network and build business or social relationships would benefit from reading Susan RoAne's book, What Do I Say Next?. Inside are hundreds of practical tips to help you converse well with others, and Susan's engaging style makes it enjoyable to read.
Reading this book will help you to successfully communicate in any environment. Each situation calls for different tactics, and here Susan gives you them all -- from talking with CEOs to visiting with elderly people in a nursing home. Especially helpful are the lists she provides. Who couldn't use a 20-bullet list of sure-fire ways to start a conversation anywhere?
After reading Susan's book, you'll have the confidence and skill it takes to start conversations with people you meet. Meaningful communication builds solid relationships, which in turn expands your network. And a powerful network of contacts is one of the most valuable assets an entrepreneur can own.
Many fine ideas!.......2005-11-10
Heard WHAT DO I SAY NEXT? . . . written and read by
Susan RoAne, its subtitle proves to be an apt description of what
the book is all about: TALKING YOUR WAY TO BUSINESS AND
SOCIAL SUCCESS.
There are many fine ideas presented here, all designed to make
communication just a little bit easier . . . many of them I've heard
before, yet even those I've too often forgotten.
I guarantee that by listening to or reading RoAne's work, you'll get
at least one tip that you can begin applying in a work and/or
home situation . . . to cite a few for your consideration:
Prepare for conversations by talking to yourself first. Make sure
your conversations are positive.
Always have a 7-9 second introduction for yourself.
Put your nametag on your right side. This makes it more visible
when you shake hands.
Make nametags large enough so all can read the names.
[if you forget somebody's name] Stick out your hand when you say
your name. People respond in kind 90% of the time.
Never ask, "Do you remember me?"
Conversations should have a non-compete clause.
People who say they are brutally honest are usually more
brutal than honest.
Average customer rating:
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What Do I Read Next 2006: A Reader's Guide to Current Genre Fiction : Fantasy, Popular Fiction, Romance, Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction, HIstorical, INspirational, Western (What Do I Read Next)
Neil Barron ,
Tom Barton ,
Daniel S. Burt ,
Melissa Hudak ,
D. R. Meredith ,
Kristin Ramsdell ,
Tom Schantz , and
Enid Schantz
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Barron, Neil
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ASIN: 0787690236 |
Average customer rating:
- A primer for those "in the desert"
- Starts out great; doesn't deliver on its promises
- LIKE PLANTING AND TENDING A GARDEN!
- Hits the Nail on the Head
- lifesaver
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What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?: Starting the Next Chapter of Your Life
Dorothy Cantor , and
Andrea Thompson
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
ASIN: 0316127981 |
Book Description
This practical and inspiring guide to negotiating lifes passagesespecially career change and retirementtakes readers on a richly rewarding voyage of self-discovery. The ultimate destination: personal as well as professional fulfillment. A much-needed manual in this era of widespread layoffs, corporate downsizing, and a workforce in seemingly perpetual transition.
Customer Reviews:
A primer for those "in the desert".......2005-04-18
"What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?" is a must book for those who are "in-transition," thinking about retirement, or uncertain about their present career path (the desert experience). For four years, I have been serving as a co-ministry head in my Church assisting those who are either "in-transition" or contemplating it. This has been my number one reading recommendation to all participants, as this book handily addresses the first step to be taken before one moves-on, the step of self-awareness. Without knowing you are and where you want to go, you are doomed to a very empty existence.
Dorothy Cantor shares her twenty-five years of experience as a psychologist working with those who are seeking "what to do next" with key questions and real-life stories. While some, like me, may find the stories of little use, the questions she raises are the guts of the book and make this an excellent purchase. Some of these include:
What will I be doing when I am no longer spending most of my time at the work I am doing now?
What are the fifteen good things (besides money) that I get from job now?
What was it that I first longed to be when I grew up?
What are my obsession and reigning passions?
Who are my heroes, my favorite or most unforgettable people?
These and a host of other questions she raises will get one to think about their lives, their dreams, their gifts, their passions, and, ultimately, their direction. This is not a book to read quickly as this book requires the hard work of reflection and introspection to maximize its value.
Cantor has authored a very readable and useful book in helping those who are searching to start the next chapter in their lives - possibly the most fruitful and meaningful
Starts out great; doesn't deliver on its promises.......2004-02-04
The book "What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?" by Dorothy Cantor starts off with some promise. Early she says, "What we are going to talk about can be summed up as the capacity to grow and the need to choose....We will look at what went on before, in order to find some clues for the future." Later in the first section, she adds, "I'll show you how to pull those pieces together to sketch a plan for the next part of your life- the time in which there will be few rules, the time in which the choices will be up to you....Don't just leave the future to chance; do not assume that after you stop working, all will fall comfortably in place....design the years ahead, not wait for them to happen....you have within you, as we all have, the gift for endless self-renewal."
This is good stuff; we are off to a good start. But, in my opinion, the book does not deliver on its promises. Instead, we find that the author, who is a practicing psychologist, builds her book like a therapist who is trying to help someone solve a personal problem, in this case the prospect or experience of an unfulfilling retirement phase of life. This theme is exposed when she tells us, "Many people who have entered the after-the-job stage of their lives find themselves asking if there isn't supposed to be more to it....many such people come to my office for counseling."
So, the author presents four men and four women, "who sketched their journeys for me." My problem with what happens next is that the next 120 pages dwell on the childhood, educational, personal and vocational phases of these people's lives. Five of the eight still work, one retired one year ago, another two years back, and the other 12 years ago. So, a basic problem can be seen here: only one of those profiled has much of any experience with and in retirement!
I'm a firm believer that life, for the most part, only makes sense when you look at it in reverse. The variables along the way are endless: who we end up with as a spouse, what career we end up with, where we end up living, whether we are "successful" or not, etc. I also believe that the variables in the retirement phase can be endless, and, for the most part, are not controllable any more than the variables in our earlier phases were. The point here is that, for me, this lengthy exercise to learn who these working people are now and who they were earlier in their lives does little for me as a guide to my personal success in retirement. I just don't see these people as having much to say that is knowledgeable about the subject of retirement.
What I think the author may be on to is to open the door to the area of specialized retirement counseling for those who might need some "special" help. Folks who enter retirement with histories of having problems making decisions, following through on things, and being comfortable with themselves outside of their jobs might, indeed, need to look at their past to better understand who they can become in retirement. But I firmly believe that most folks do not need to go to the psychologist's couch as an essential step into retirement. So, in that sense, the essence of this book, in my opinion, is not valuable to most pre-retirees or those in their early transition.
Surely there are those who could use such help finding themselves in retirement. Willie Lowman, the central character in "Death of a Salesman" might be a candidate. After his death, one of his sons says of his salesman father, "He never knew who he was." Another candidate would be Mr. Schmidt of the "About Schmidt" movie fame. Talk about a guy that is ill-prepared for retirement! He came into it a mess, and he makes an early mess of it. He didn't know who he was, what he was supposed to be doing, or where he was headed. If someone is a mess before retirement, how could he or she not be expected to be a mess in retirement. And surely some people find success in the workplace in ways that will be difficult to find outside of the workplace. These folks could use some help.
Back to the book, the last 30 or so pages have some tidbits that are worthwhile, like breaking the transition into retirement into three phases: honeymooning, testing new waters, and the second wind. And on the final pages, she says, "Life keeps happening, and transitions are part of it....After all, growing up is never done." Sounds like good advice, but doesn't that mean that we've come full-circle in the book? At the end she tells us that we never grow up? If so, what was the point of the book?
In the end, I found the eight people profiled to be too few and with too little to say about the realities of successful retirement. As for advice about what one might want to do with extra leisure time in retirement, I'd point readers to the Activity Tree in "The Joy of Not Working," by Ernie Zelinski, as a much more practical way to build and to "pull" meaningful activity ideas for an individual retiree.
LIKE PLANTING AND TENDING A GARDEN!.......2001-05-09
As a counsellor, I have found many individuals discover "anticipating retirement" and "living in retirement" are two very different things. In the next ten years, I, too, will be "growing up" and facing this new chapter of my life. However, there are so many plans for my future, I only hope my health, financial resources and stamina will allow me to fulfill these ambitions. To me, retirement is like planting and tending a garden. First, one must plan carefully (you do not want to waste your precious years on activities that do not bring you joy and fulfillment.) Then, one should decide what plants (projects, hobbies, activities) to sow, not only to keep you physically active, but metally alert. Finally, one must lovingly tend that garden (nourish the soul, maintain physical health, and weed the emotional clutter from the past.) If you have lost a spouse, partner or soul-mate during this planting season, it is important to grieve, but it is equally important to know when to let go and when it is time to plant a new garden. Remember, time waits for no one. Only then, will one be prepared to start the next chapter of their life. We all need to have hopes, goals and dreams, no matter what our age.
In this book, the author points out the positive ways of dealing with change and how to plan and approach this new period in the lifecycle. Anyone approaching mid-life can certainly benefit from this book; it is never to soon to plan for the future. If you are already into your retirement years, this book may be just the inspiration you need if the years are not as challenging and fulfilling as you anticipated. The author has a lot to say on the subject and it is a great book based on sound advice.
Hits the Nail on the Head.......2001-04-21
As a mid-sixties professional who retired about five years ago from my own business,and then found myself in a true depression until I sought help, I found this book remarkably acute regarding the questions that I should have thought to ask myself, the planning I should have done, and the problems that would arise for me when I no longer had the structure of my working life to support me. Doctor Cantor's amazing understanding of the dynamics of retirement has helped me immeasurably to understand myself in what is an exciting but very complicated period, and her practical advice is advice I wish I had had before I retired!! I cannot imagine anyone approaching the later stages of life who would not benefit enormously from Dr. Cantor's insights and help. GET THIS BOOK!
lifesaver.......2001-03-15
Dr. Cantor has written a brilliant analysis of the fears of facing retirement, and how to plan for a meaningful life after work ends. I keep giving this book to friends who are looking for more for their anticipated leisure than bridge and golf. Dr Cantor outlines practical ways to figure out our strengths and interests to craft together a blueprint for the last third of our lives.
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