There’s a reason the media has dubbed matchmaker Rachel Greenwald as “The Wife Maker.”  Yes, she’s responsible for over 750 marriages, but more importantly, she has solved perhaps the biggest dating mystery of all time: when you finally meet Mr. Right (or even Mr. Potential), what really compels him to call back (or not) after a date? 

Armed with her Harvard MBA, Rachel embarked on a fascinating ten-year research project to decipher this puzzle.  In Have Him at Hello, she applies her business savvy to the dating world by conducting in-depth “exit interviews” with 1,000 single men, asking why they called back one woman, but not another.  By refusing to accept the post-date brush-off like “There wasn’t any chemistry…” or the excited, but equally vague evening recap, “We hit it off!”  Rachel extracted unabashedly honest and raw details.  It turns out there are clear, tangible, consistent reasons why marriage-minded men either fall for you or disappear.  The surprising “Top 5 Date Makers” and “Top 10 Date Breakers” revealed in this book can actually change your fate when Mr. Right finally comes along.
 
Rachel’s goal isn’t for you to pretend to be someone you’re not, but rather to keep the ball in your court. By using her innovative research and tips as a guide, more men will ask to see you again ; then you can do the selecting, rather than wondering if they’ll call.   Because information is power, this book will make your first hello a lasting one.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Great Book
I read almost the entire book in one evening.

A quick, easy, and fascinating read. I wish I had this book a long time ago…when I had dates.

5 Stars A new dating confidence!!
An absolute essential for those girls in the dating game. Yes, I have made some dating mistakes. In fact, after reading this book, I’ve discovered that I’ve been making the same mistakes for some time.I now have a new confidence to go back out there and get ‘um!!

Thank you Rachael Greenwald. No more dating failures for me.

5 Stars Fun to read and full of good advice
Rachel uses humorous anecdotes and actual comments throughout her book and offers some wonderful insights into first and only dates. Also good for career building. You can see how you come across to others if you look honestly at yourself in the mirror Rachel provides.

3 Stars Might get you a second date but that’s it.
This book puts women who don’t get asked out on second dates into ten categories of possible behavior patterns. Personally I think if you fall into any of these catagories you are not ready to date and men recognize that. It was also obvious to me that the women in all ten catagories failed at one simple concept. If you want a guy to ask you out on a second date, you have to at least act like you like him. And if you don’t, why would you care about a second date anyway? I didn’t get it.

4 Stars Very Informative
I thought this book was very informative on how men think in terms of dating especially the first date. As women we tend to over analyze everything but we should just relax. Although some of what Rachel Greenwald says should be a no brainer but hey we make mistakes and the men in the book tells us the mistakes women often make, some subtle some not so subtle. With this book it lets us know what kind of answers we should be telling them on the first date when asked a certain question. It list what you should and shouldn’t do on the first date,what should not be the topic of discussion, and what’s appropriate dress atire. This book gives all sorts of tips for going on a first date. It also give you a check list of a certain dating personality you may have acquired and what should be done to get a better response or call back. I deffinitly recommend this book to all my single ladies.

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“Our lives are so filled with junk from the past-from dried up tubes of glue to old grudges-that it’s a wonder we can get up in the morning,” exclaims motivator, best-selling author, columnist, and life coach Gail Blanke.

“If you want to grow, you gotta let go,” is Blanke’s mantra; and that means eliminating all the clutter-physical and emotional-that holds you back, weighs you down, or just makes you feel bad about yourself.

In THROW OUT FIFTY THINGS she takes us through each room of the house-from the attic to the garage-and even to the far reaches of our minds. Through poignant and humorous stories, she inspires us to get rid of the “life plaque” we’ve allowed to build-up there.

• That junk drawer (you know that drawer) in the kitchen? Empty it!
• Those old regrets? Throw ‘em out!
• That make-up from your “old” look? Toss it!
• That relationship that depresses you? Dump it!

Once you’ve hit fifty-you’ll be surprised how easy it is to get there-and once you’ve thrown out that too-tight belt and too-small view of yourself, you’ll be ready to step out into the clearing and into the next, and greatest, segment of your life.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Changed How I Think and Live
I saw this book in a bookstore and was drawn to its title. My grandmother is a hoarder and my mom and aunts have some of her tendencies. My cousin and I have sworn to each other that we will never become like our grandmother although sometimes we do admittedly have extra stuff. Gail helps you not just get rid of extra stuff but the emotional and psychological stuff behind the stuff. I ended up giving away things that reminded me of bad memories and it was so freeing. Then she tackles the mental clutter. Wonderful book if you actually do what she tells you to do. Her catch line is, “When you get rid of the physical clutter, you clear your mind. When you get rid of the mental clutter, you clear your soul.” Great words and a great find for anyone wanting to feel lighter and lift burdens that you didn’t know were there. Thanks!

4 Stars throw out 50 things
I liked the first part of the book because it helped me decide on how to throw out things. The second part of the book got a little preachy in that it talked about clearing your mind.

4 Stars Breaking it down
I am in the process of listening to this the second time. Some things are appropo for me and others I can skip so I am taking notes. I am not the “cluttering” type but there are times in our lives when our houses or some rooms need an ACE cleaning and clearing. This book puts things into perspective and if you are overwhelmed with your project, this breaks it down to easy steps. Especially great if you have difficulties staying focused!

5 Stars Simple and humorous
The book made me declutter my life and thus it has helped me release a lot of my stress that I get from doing something as simple as opening my drawer. Highly recommend it!

3 Stars Trite approach to self improvement
While there are some ideas and exercises that have merit, most of this book is trite. If you have read any really good self improvement books, you might want to skip this one. It’s a pale shadow compared to the likes of Beatty and Bradshaw and many, many others. Kind of a cutesy approach to clearing out the closet and the mind but not terribly useful.

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“Maria Shriver is wise, funny and caring–and it all comes through in her winning guide to life, JUST WHO WILL YOU BE? We’re lucky to have her show us the way.”
– Tom Brokaw

“Maria teaches all of us in the graduate program of life to seek meaning through the joy of following your heart. Just the kind of advice a heart surgeon cherishes.”
–Mehmet Oz, M.D.

“Everything Maria Shriver does is a testament to how deeply she respects and cares about people; all people, all over the world. She really does. She is as charming and funny as she is brilliant and profoundly humane.”
–Anne Lamott

“Maria Shriver is real, vulnerable, humble, honest (just like her book) and not afraid to say so. A lovely book by a lovely person.”
–Danielle Steel

“This honest, straight-talking, profound little book is worth a lifetime of reflection. It calls readers of all ages to think again-and differently-about who they’ve been in the past and who they want to be now. This book is a life-stopper, a truly universal piece. It’s a must for everyone-of any age.”
–Sister Joan Chittister

“Every graduate (of anything) ought to be given a copy of this book along with their diploma. There’s wisdom, compassion and truth between these covers. For anyone — at any age.”
–Linda Ellerbee, Executive Producer, “Nick News”

“I’ve learned that asking ourselves not just what we want to be, but who we want to be is important at every stage of our lives, not just when we’re starting out in the world. That’s because in a way, we’re starting out fresh in the world every single day.”

Just Who Will You Be? is a candid, heartfelt, and inspirational book for seekers of all ages. Inspired by a speech she gave, Maria Shriver’s message is that what you do in your life isn’t what matters. It’s who you are. It’s an important lesson that will appeal to anyone of any age looking for a life of meaning.

In her own life, Shriver always walked straight down her own distinctive path, achieving her childhood goal of becoming “award-winning network newswoman Maria Shriver”. But when her husband was elected California’s Governor and she suddenly had to leave her job at NBC News, Maria was thrown for a loop. Right about then, her nephew asked her to speak at his high school graduation. She resisted, wondering how she could possibly give advice to kids, when she was feeling so lost herself. But in the end she relented and decided to dig down and dig deep, and the result is this little jewel.

Just Who Will You Be? reminds us that the answer to many of life’s question lie within — and that we’re all works in progress. That means it’s never too late to become the person you want to be.

Now the question for you is this: Just who will you be?9781401323189 14.95

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Happy to recommend
On the pages of Just Who Will You Be? Big Question, Little Book, Answer Within is found one more in a lengthy line of bestselling works written by a woman who has managed to whittle a forte for herself in a family of huge names, huge accomplishments and huge ambitions.

In her Acknowledgments Shriver states that who she is has a lot to do with herself, nevertheless, who she is also has everything to do with the numerous people who have touched her life along the way.

She says that it was during the period when she was sixteen and her father ran for Vice President of the United States that Shriver ascertained the exhilarating enthusiasm of the life of journalists. As she sat in the rear of her father’s campaign plane with all the working journalists; Shriver became conscious that the ones asking the questions were the ones having the better time.

It was then that she recognized that she wanted to be the woman on the TV screen, and, following her own college graduation that is exactly what she did. Before too much time passed she WAS Maria Shriver, TV newswoman.

And then, to her astonishment, her husband announced he would be running for Governor of California and Shriver faced the end of her life as a newswoman. After a quarter century Shriver found her career ended, and with that ended the persona she had been or so thought the author.

An appeal for Shriver to speak at her nephew’s graduation helped the journalist, wife, mother, and displaced writer focus her attention in another direction when those in the audience suggested to Shriver that she turn her speech into a book. Her speech was entitled ‘Just Who Will You Be.’

Shriver’s graduation speech presented to the class is offered for reader interest. In the text Shriver gave a description of some of her personal life history, she deliberated whether she had been bidden to speak for the reason that her husband is Arnold Schwarzenegger, or because she is a Kennedy, or perhaps it was due to the fact that Sargent Shriver, her father, established the Peace Corps, furthermore her mother Eunice launched the Special Olympics.

Since none of those notions seems to fit Shriver notes that she next mulled several other possibilities until she at last came up with the fame thing. It was she thought the fame thing, the desire of youth to become famous that was the motivating factor for the invitation - after all, Shriver is herself famous in her own right, and is surrounded by famous people and has been throughout her lifetime.

Shriver does acknowledge that fame can get the famous a better table in a crowded restaurant, or a meeting with someone who is into fame, however, she points out that no matter how good fame may look on the outside, it is only an image. Fame in and of itself, says Shriver, cannot make you happy, or feel worthy, or give life joy and meaning.

And that is when she comes to the most important aspect of her speech: Shriver points out that the only way to feel good about yourself, to feel worthy, and find life of meaning and joy is to find your own path, your own voice and to follow your own heart. When you live your own life and not an imitation of the life of someone else, THEN, it is possible to feel good about yourself.

Included in the work is a poem by Shriver entitled ‘Just Who Will You Be’ in which she Congratulates the graduates, asks them to take a look deep inside themselves, points out that everyone’s life is an uncharted course; so go out and live it without regret or remorse, reminds the graduates that it is OK to change your mind. She goes on to discuss career choices, and marriage and the need for perspective and understanding, and draws the ode to a close by pointing out that it is not what you have but what you have in your heart, how much joy do you give, and who are the people that you have helped that count.

Later as she talked with a friend about her speech and the trouble she had had in trying to come up with something to tell a group of youngsters embarking on their lives that Shriver began to realize that she too had been floundering, she had felt as tough she had lost who she was when she was no longer working as a journalist. Shriver says she felt like a shadow of herself and felt that if she could only get her old job back she would again be whole. However, after talking with her old network and being offered a position much as she had held before Shriver came to the realization that she is she, with or without the job. Change comes to us all, it is not always good or bad, but change comes and with it comes new outlook, new perspective and new understanding.

Shriver’s slim motivating manuscript is a sincere self-portrait of a woman in the midst of a changeover. Shriver was thrown for a loop when the longtime NBC anchorwoman, was asked to resign following her husband’s election as governor of California.

Shriver who depicts herself as a complete birthright bearing, accomplishment seeking people satisfying, Good Girl overachiever, came to appreciate that asking ourselves not merely what we want to do or we want to be but who we want to be is essential at each juncture of our lives, and is not something we do only as we are beginning our own lives in the world following marriage or graduation or beginning a job.

Shriver’s highly readable fashion for writing; make Just Who Will You Be? Big Question. Little book. Answer Within. interesting, intriguing and truly motivational. Happy to recommend.

Molly Martin

Reviewer

4 Stars fabulous
Loved this book - every woman should read it…you dont have to be famous …..it relates to all women no matter who you are.

4 Stars Great gift for graduates.
I’ve been buying this book for our HS graduates; it contains a simple and inspiring message for youth.

4 Stars Just Who Will You Be?
The book came in good shape and in a timely manner.

Thanks.

Lori Burress

3 Stars Short Read
I purchased this book for my sister at Christmas time. She had requested it. It isn’t a very big book, so consider it a short read when you buy it. For the price I paid for it, I really hope my sister reads it many times!

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The full-size edition of this inspiring Zondervan title has sold nearly 1 million copies. The Gold Medallion award-winning Christian book, by two psychologists who’ve written a number of self-help guides, offers a realistic, compassionate plan for setting healthy boundaries with family, friends, and co-workers.In order to call themselves good Christians, many people have drawn overly flexible boundaries (unwilling to say no, always accommodating others’ needs) or overly rigid boundaries (to the point of being righteous and judgmental). Psychologists and inspirational speakers Cloud and Townsend show readers how to set reasonable boundaries in order to follow the true path of Christianity. This book has become immensely popular, most likely because it makes personal boundaries easier to define and is filled with spiritual purpose. Some cautions: the format can be overly self-helpish for such a complex discussion and the authors at one point imply that judicious spankings may be an acceptable form of setting boundaries with children. However, many Christians will probably find themselves grateful for this biblical context of boundaries. –Gail Hudson

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Great concepts
If you can implement the advice from Boundaries into your life then you will be better for it. The book explains why it is appropriate to sometimes say “no” to people. Some of the fictional examples are unrealistic and detract from the good advice (a woman tells her boss that she will not work on his last-minute project, and as a result she is promoted and her former boss is assigned to be her assistant). The authors like to quote scriptures to support their ideas, but they jump between several translations of the Bible and you get the impression that the verses don’t always say exactly what is desired. Despite that the book contains useful concepts and it reads well.

2 Stars Oops - didn’t realize I was ordering mini
Make sure you want the miniature before you order. I didn’t pay that much attention and was surprised to receive a tiny tiny book in the mail.

1 Stars Boundaries Book
I’m still waiting on my book to arrive. July 6 was outer limit. Have submitted complaint to seller.

5 Stars a worhtwhile read. not in depth enough though.
a great read. i do wish it went a lot more in depth though, it just quickly covers a lot of very important aspects. BTW this book is LITERALLY 2in X 2in. it is tiny. not at all what i expected. thats probably why it is so cheap. i am looking forward to the “grown up” version.

4 Stars Content Good. Size of Book - BAD
I ordered this book (so did a friend of mine who experienced the identical problem) and in the mail arrived a very tiny 2 inch by 2 inch pocket version. Why was this not made clear in the ordering???

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Major life transitions such as leaving the protected environment of school or starting a new career can be daunting. It is scary to face a wall of choices, knowing that no one is going to tell us whether or not we are making the right decision. There is no clearly delineated path or recipe for success. Even figuring out how and where to start can be a challenge. That is, until now.

As executive director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, Tina Seelig guides her students as they make the difficult transition from the academic environment to the professional world, providing tangible skills and insights that will last a lifetime. Seelig is an entrepreneur, neuroscientist, and popular teacher, and in What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 she shares with us what she offers her students—provocative stories, inspiring advice, and a big dose of humility and humor.

These pages are filled with fascinating examples, from the classroom to the boardroom, of individuals defying expectations, challenging assumptions, and achieving amazing success. Seelig throws out the old rules and provides a new model for reaching our highest potential. We discover how to have a healthy disregard for the impossible, how to recover from failure, and how most problems are remarkable opportunities in disguise.

What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 is a much-needed book for everyone looking to make their mark on the world.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars It’s never too late!
It’s never too late to learn and make your place in the world. I loved this book - thought provoking and inspiring!

4 Stars Useful right now
Fantastic. This book gets right to the point, presenting not only great ideas, but ways of thinking - daring, positive thinking - commonly practiced by very successful people and great leaders. It’s not too analytical, and it does not need to be to help open up minds that are ready and willing to open to ways to make great things happen. The many anecdotes the book includes about people making great things happen (sometimes with almost no resources but their own creativity and confidence!) can be translated into all kinds of scenarios. I REALLY wish I had read this when I was 20, or 30!

5 Stars What I wish I knew when I was 20
What a creative summary of how to “think outside the box”- so entertaining and insightful I read half of it out loud to my spouse! A different way of viewing the world and the whole concept of “opportunity”. The author is soooooo imaginative! Wish we lived close enough to take a class from her!

5 Stars Great for any aage
Love the creativity of this book. It gives interesting examples of how to look at situations and problems differently. After a few chapters I got a pad and pencil to start taking notes. Good lessons to try to build into all parts of your life.

5 Stars Took Notes!
Although interested enough to read, I wasn’t sure it would actually apply to me and my life. I’m a stay a home Mom (with young kids [4 & 6] with a traveling husband and an ageing Grandma with dementia…like I said, wasn’t sure this would apply to my life.

I made it to chapter three or four before I realized, goodness, I should be taking notes. This is a great book for those at any age, who want or are starting to look at the world with different set of eyes. I felt like I missed something early in life…held back if you will by some choices & advise. This book really helps to open up your mind and mental power to the possiblity of ideas. It’s one I won’t mind re-reading to refeash myself and one that I would recommend.

Tina does a great job of teaching with stories and examples.

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As elegant as his bestselling How to Know God and as practical as his phenomenal The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, this groundbreaking new book from Deepak Chopra contains a dramatic premise: Not only are everyday coincidences meaningful, they actually provide us with glimpses of the field of infinite possibilities that lies at the heart of all things. By gaining access to this wellspring of creation, we can literally rewrite our destinies in any way we wish.

From this realm of pure potential we are connected to everything that exists and everything that is yet to come. “Coincidences” can then be recognized as containing precious clues about particular facets of our lives that require our attention. As you become more aware of coincidences and their meanings, you begin to connect more and more with the underlying field of infinite possibilities. This is when the magic begins. This is when you achieve the spontaneous fulfillment of desire.

At a time when world events may leave us feeling especially insignificant and vulnerable, Deepak Chopra restores our awareness of the awesome powers within us. And through specific principles and exercises he provides the tools with which to create the magnificent, miraculous life that is our birthright.

From the Hardcover edition.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars very happy buyer
very efficient seller- very happy with the condition- was just like it was posted- and very happy with the book! will purchase from seller again! Thanks!

3 Stars Wow! What a revelation!
I’ve read many of Deepak’s books,some’re quite dry, this could be due to the fact that he’s a man of science.But this book amazes me, Deepak’s successfully used his spiritual insight as well as his knowledge of science to create a masterpiece.

Although you’ll come across terms like ‘Heisenberg Uncertainity Principle”,”Minkowski’s eight dimensional hyperspace” this book’s not that dry. (I happen to read the large print edition).

What Deepak’s trying to tell us is that we’re not alone in this universe,we’re all inter-related.

Deepak’s devised a program for the reader to follow so that he or she’ll be able to tune in with the desire of our Creator or Universe.

According to Deepak there’s no coincidences,it’s only our failure to discern the plan that our Creator’s put in place for us. If we can empty our mind, be still, listen to the voice within we’ll be able to navigate life together with our creator and fulfill all our wishes and lead a life of fulfilment.

5 Stars Love this book
Leave it to the venerable Deepak Chopra to subtly explain Quantum Physics in words that make ME understand the whole concept for the first time. The understanding of Quantum Physics lays the foundation for the rest of his principles and beliefs which can only be described as soul-awakening.

5 Stars The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence
I love the book. It is one of those books that teaches you lessons that will stay with you the rest of your life.

2 Stars The Spontantous Fulfillment of Desire
I didn’t care for the method of presentation. Monotone!! I felt like I had to Work to hard to get what could have been verbalized with a easier approach. Deepak moves through “Some” material way to fast and seemed to come to a almost deadening halt going through Why the hand bones connected to the wrist bone, which is connected to the arm bone, etc….

To each his own, but I found This one to have Way to much info that I still am wondering why it was in there?? I Gave my Cd’s away. I recommend “Ask and It Is Given-Part 1 (at least) by Esther & Jerry Hicks for The Law of Attraction.

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Japanese rope bondage and erotic macrame look complicated and intimidating, but you can learn the basics of this beautiful and sexy art form today. Bondage artist and educator Lee “Bridgett” Harrington takes you step-by-step through a variety of concepts and ties, giving you the tools to make aesthetically rewarding rope work. Each tutorial is broken down into easy to follow photographs by Circle23 with detailed descriptions, including how to tie all those knots (first secret of Japanese bondage revealed- there are only a few simple knots). From restrictive poses that limit movement to decorative rope work that accentuates the human form, Shibari You Can Use includes instruction on creating: - Shinju (Chest Harnesses) - Gyakuebi (Asian Style Hogtie) - Ebi or Kuri (Shrimp or Ball ties) - Rope Corsets - Strap-on Harnesses and Crotch Ropes - !and much more! Shake off your fears of looking silly the first time you tie someone up, get some rope, and you too can learn Japanese rope bondage.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Shibari You can use
The art of erotic bonding is fully illustrated in this very nice book. The wording makes it easy to understand the purpose of and history for Shibari. Also, the instruction part of the book gives practical application for one to explore this fascinating area of sensation.

5 Stars Shibari I use
As a bondage enthusiast and instructor, I have a significant selections of books in my library. This one however was a recent addition when I happened to meet Lee at a workshop. At the time I purchased the book to help support a starving artist/author passing through town, and it went strait to the bookshelf when I got home.

I was having a rope enthusiast meeting at my place and honestly had no idea what I wanted to select as a theme. Lee’s book provided the inspiration, the bondage in that book was simple but clever, and allowed me to settle on Corsetry as my theme.

I’ve since run through the book more thuroughly and have really enjoyed the idea’s it’s given me for variations on the bondage I’ve been practicing for 10 years.

The book may have it’s editing errors here and there, but for practical and useful bondage it’s a lovely book and I’m glad I own it.

5 Stars Execellent to read and use
Such a well written book, with plenty of easy to read, yet detailed instruction, and great attached photographs of each piece of work.

Highly recommended for novices and knowledgeable users alike.

4 Stars For the love of rope
This is a great instructional book for anyone with an interst in rope bondage as a form of body art. The instructions are clear and the ties transferable making it easy to start creating your own style of rope bondage. as a not quite beginner I found this book gave me a lot of new stuff to work with. Love the rope corsets. When is the next book coming out?

2 Stars More of the same thing
A big book with small explanations and it has a very high cost with a very low content.

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DO YOU WANT YOUR LIFE TO BE PERFECT? We’re all laboring under our own and society’s expectations to be perfect in every way-to look younger, to make more money, to be happy all the time. But according to Tal Ben-Shahar, the New York Times bestselling author of Happier, the pursuit of perfect may actually be the number-one internal obstacle to finding happiness. OR DO YOU WANT TO BE HAPPY? Applying cutting-edge research in the field of positive psychology-the scientific principles taught in his wildly popular course at Harvard University-Ben-Shahar takes us off the impossible pursuit of perfection and directs us to the way to happiness, richness, and true fulfillment. He shows us the freedom derived from not trying to do it all right all the time and the real lessons that failure and painful emotions can teach us. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO BE PERFECTLY HAPPY! In The Pursuit of Perfect, Tal Ben-Shahar offers an optimal way of thinking about failure and success–and the very way we live. He provides exercises for self reflection, meditations, and Time-Ins to help you rediscover what you really want out of life. Praise for Tal Ben-Shahar’s Happier: This fine book shimmers with a rare brand of good sense that is embedded in scientific knowledge about how to increase happiness. It is easy to see how this is the backbone of the most popular course at Harvard today. Martin E. P. Seligman, author of Authentic Happiness.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Don’t Be Fooled By The Title
It’s easy to look at the title and think this is one of those “I’m okay, you’re okay” sort of books. NOT the case!

Shahhar makes a compelling case that the enemy is not “perfection”, but the attitude of “perfectionism,” which robs accomplishment of its joy and always leads to dissatisfaction. The “perfect life” is attainable if you hang on to your Visions and keep a sense of balance and perspective in life.

Stylistically, this gets redundant at points. But the argument is compelling enough to be worth reiterating, even if the prose is repetitive.

5 Stars The best book ever!
I have been amazed with this book! Finally I find a book, that tells about me! My problems, that I have not been able to identify before this good. This is an excellent book, and it is very useful also to those, who don’t consider themselves to be perfectionists. We all are, in some ways, I think. It is also a very important book to all parents - do not make your kids unhappy perfectionists - even when you only mean good! This book is starting to change my life in profound way. Read it!

2 Stars Review of Audiobook
I think that the author’s advice to try to be an ‘optimalist’ rather than a ‘perfectionist’ is wise and helpful. Perfectionism can indeed make you miserable. If I had read the book instead of listened to it, I probably would have rated it with 3 or 4 stars.

I can’t give this CD set a good review, however. In general, I have trouble appreciating audio books, and this one is no exception. The author’s ideas merit pondering, and it’s difficult to ponder while listening to a book being read. You could pause the CD and ‘ponder’ but that doesn’t come naturally to me, And of course the index, notes, and excellent bibliography are missing.

The main problem with the CD version is, however, the reader. His voice is didactic, and he takes the opportunity to sound snide and sarcastic whenever he can fit it in. I’ve looked at the book itself, and find the author’s writing ‘personality’ to be gentle and humorous, but this didn’t come across at all. I can’t help but wish that Mr. Ben-Shahar had read the book himself. As a Harvard professor, he’s probably an accomplished lecturer.

3 Stars Good message ~ but all that repetition?
While the advice contained in this book is helpful, I have to ask myself did I need to read so much of this to get the message? The answer quite simply is “no”. Having make the point that striving for perfection essentially leads only to low self esteem when we inevitably fail, there is not really a lot more that can be said, yet Ben-Sharah manages to take over 250 pages proving it.

Yes, it contains proof, and exercises to help the afflicted, but it all come down to that first simple statement. But I very soon became impatient with what I was reading, not to mention extremely irritated at the constant interchange between “he” and “she” in the examples; pointless political correctness that simple gets in the way.

I don’t think I really needed to plough through all that tautologous writing to get the point. I could go on, but then the same accusation could be levelled at me!

5 Stars Highly recommended
You don’t need to be a perfectionist to learn something valuable from this book.

I highly recommend Tal’s “The Pursuit of Perfect”, whether you’re a perfectionist or not. He interweaves his wealth of knowledge of well-researched concepts with compelling personal experiences. The result is a very readable analysis of the dangers of perfectionism and an outline of a healthier alternative that he calls “optimalism.”

The central idea is that being an optimalist is adaptive and healthy. Tal draws a link between healthy optimalism and the goal of Positive Psychology, the scientific study of optimal human functioning.

In his book, he refers to a continuum. At one end we have the extreme perfectionists who reject reality, failure (and success) and painful emotions, and are rarely satisfied. At the other end of the continuum are the optimalists who accept the realities of being human and the inevitable, mixed results that come with purposeful action. They’ve learned to appreciate “good enough.”. There are shades of grey between these extremes on the continuum.

Throughout the book, in addition to research and information, Tal’s practical “Time In” exercises, reflections, and meditations help the reader lessen the grip of perfectionism. Tal does not set up unrealistic expectations. No quick fix, no silver bullets. It takes time, hard work and regular practice. This book reminds us to allow ourselves to have a good enough life and to give ourselves permission to be human. So begins the journey of moving towards optimalism, and to a place of peace, satisfaction, and happiness.

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A ten-year navy seal veteran, Richard “Mack” Machowicz was trained to complete every mission assigned to him, under any condition, because failure was not an option. Drawing from this experience, Unleash the Warrior Within (more than 25,000 copies since 2002, largely through word-of-mouth) offers Mack’s original program for mastering the arts of focus, discipline, and determination under any circumstances. In this newly revised edition, Mack shows readers how to use his seven principles of combat — such as Create an Action Mind-Set, The Critical Keys to Conquering Anything, and Guarantee the Win — in order to conquer fear and turn ambitions and dreams into reality.War is hell, but if you prepare properly for war, there’s not much about life that will take you by surprise. At least, that’s the premise of Unleashing the Warrior Within, in which author Richard Machowicz takes the lessons he learned as a Navy SEAL and applies them to real-life situations.

For example, in war you learn that there are three dynamic elements of combat: target, weapons, and movement. The target dictates the weapons, and the weapons dictate movement. In real life, your target is what you want; your weapons are your skills; and movement is whatever you need to get in position to use your skills.

But, since deciding upon a target is the step that’s most troubling to people, he adds another wartime analytical tool called the CARVER matrix. You lay out various targets you may have in life–a better job; getting in shape; buying a new house; and taking on a new business partner, say. Then you assess the criticality, accessibility, recognizability, and vulnerability of the target, plus its effect on your overall mission in life, and the potential return on your effort.

Machowicz calls his philosophy Bukido, and when you take his classes in Los Angeles, you learn self-defense along with these life-improvement skills. In this book, the object is to get you to choose a mission that is closest and most important to you, and then achieve your goals with military precision. By the time you’re through learning the seven principles of combat, what you’ve really learned is how to think critically and focus your efforts. Machowicz uses his students as examples of how the enemy in life is really a lack of action, allowing life to take you along for a ride. So if your current target is a solid self-improvement course, Unleashing the Warrior Within could be your most effective weapon. –Lou Schuler

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Add to your arsenal
Anyone who is on the self improvement path should read this book and place it in your library for future reference.

5 Stars Not Dead; Can’t Quit (NDCQ)
Unleash the Warrior Within by Richard “Mack” Machowicz is an excellent resource to help you achieve your goals by utilizing his simple yet effective strategies. The beauty of this book is in its simplicity. Mack has a way of taking complex ideas and breaking them down into basic usable elements that can then be applied to accomplishing your stated goal. He uses stories of his time as a Navy SEAL to get these ideas across. While your goals may not be as difficult as becoming a Navy SEAL the idea is to see how he applied his concepts to accomplish his goal. You can take the same concepts to reach your potential as well.

Some of the concepts discussed in the book are:

1. Three Dynamic Elements of Combat:

Targets dictate weapons. Weapons dictate movement.

2. Target Analysis Studies: CARVER -

-Criticality

-Accessibility

-Recognizability

-Vulnerability

-Effect on the overall mission

-Return on effort

3. Seven Keys to Minimizing Reaction Time

4. The Four Critical Keys to Conquering Anything

- Assess the situating

- Create a simple plan

- Take action

- Evaluate your progress

Yes, you have to read the book to understand what this all means, The key is that there is a method, it is simple but YOU have to make the effort and do the required work. There are no shortcuts…ever!

Some of the negative reviewers claim that there is nothing new presented in this book. Technically they are probably correct but I would ask them when have they ever really found some new profound concepts that changes anything. There are thousands of self help books to accomplish the same thing just utilizing a different format or structure. This book is simply Mack’s method and it has worked for him. It can work for you as well.

5 Stars A really great book!
There are so many self help Seal team commando books out there to which most are pretty boring same material type of books ” you can do anything blah blah blah ” but this book is different and impressive in so many ways. Firstly, this book is about getting through you day effectivly not building a massive pie in the sky unrealistic business empire none of us will ever do, but just surviving and getting through your day effectivly and in control rather than being controlled. This book for me was what I needed to help me get through the day in the brutal office environment most of us operate in. This book is very handy in how to be effective in day to day activities and actually to think about things rather than just to react, its all about being proactive and on the front foot. I love his quote “I believe there is a solution to every problem” but then he explains his decision making matrix of how to go about solving the problems effectivly and quick. Well done Richard in putting this book together five stars!

4 Stars Great self improvement book
One of the best self improvement books I have read. Mack gives you the tools to help you recognize what really matters to you so you can put more of your resources towards that goal. The only reason I’m giving this book 4 stars, rather than 5, is because this was written when he was trying to get the word out about Bukido - his self defense training. So many of his tools are trademarked and it became annoying reading through so many trademarks. There is also one lengthy chapter where he goes off on a tangent - that seemed like filler to me - and the chapter could have been reduced to 5 pages.

Overall, the tools really do come in handy, and I have already been able to utilize some of them. Certainly worth the read.

3 Stars Good stories….but not very helpful.
This book is easy to follow, and has some great stories from Mack’s experiences; however, it sorely lacks any really motivational or really helpful information. If you want to read all about his SEAL stories then this is the book for you. If you want to overcome fear, gain confidence, discipline and etc….keep looking.

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He says that’s his best offer. Is it?

She says she agrees. Does she?

The interview went great—or did it?

He said he’d never do it again. But he did.

Read this book and send your nonverbal intelligence soaring. Joe Navarro, a former FBI counterintelligence officer and a recognized expert on nonverbal behavior, explains how to “speed-read” people: decode sentiments and behaviors, avoid hidden pitfalls, and look for deceptive behaviors. You’ll also learn how your body language can influence what your boss, family, friends, and strangers think of you. You will discover:

• The ancient survival instincts that drive body language
• Why the face is the least likely place to gauge a person’s true feelings
• What thumbs, feet, and eyelids reveal about moods and motives
• The most powerful behaviors that reveal our confidence and true sentiments
• Simple nonverbals that instantly establish trust
• Simple nonverbals that instantly communicate authority

Filled with examples from Navarro’s professional experience, this definitive book offers a powerful new way to navigate your world.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars A “Must Read” on body language and nonverbal communication
Want to learn and understand body language? If you do this book is a “must read”. While no book is perfect I liked everything about this one. The author is an expert, having developed his expertise working as a behavioral profiler for the FBI for 23 years. Book knowledge is cool, and the author has some, but nothing can substitute for actual in the field experience. In addition, the co-author of the book is a trained psychologist, which can only add some educational rigor to the books chops. In terms of expertise and experience in the subject this book has it all covered.

A body language book needs to be illustrated extensively. Let’s face it, it’s all about nonverbal communication so we need to get beyond the written word and communicate via visible means. The book has lots of photos, which is a good thing. This makes it much easier to understand and learn the body language gestures and signals the author is talking about.

The book is well laid out and organized, starting off with a generalized overview and then covering specific regions of the body (legs, torso, arms, hands, face) in depth and in sequence. I really liked this approach. Each chapter was well written, clear and entertaining, with the points driven home both by citing studies and using examples and stories from the authors’ career.

This is a “go to” book on reading and understanding people’s body language. In my opinion it is one of the best on the subject, especially as an introduction since it covers a lot of material. Highly recommended.

5 Stars What every body is saying, this is a great book
This is a great book, I’ve read Read’em and Reap a book Mr. Navarro wrote on poker tells/body language. That is another great book. Not only does Mr. Navarro have great experience from working as a profiler with the FBI, he has studied and learned from the best, including Paul Ekman, which the TV series, “Lie to Me” is based on. The book is easy to read, and you will start to see the things mentioned in the book going on all around you. You will be amazed at what you now see, but never noticed before. You will catch yourself doing many of the things listed in the book. Why? Because we all do them. I read books like this over and over, because it helps to practice and really learn it. Then go out and watch people. You will be amazed at what you start to notice and learn, and it is a lot of fun.

1 Stars Rather elementary
I was very disappointed with this book. Speed reading people? It was simplistic and if you think about it, common knowledge. I took speed reading people to mean apparently much more than what was presented. The book has a chapter on detecting deception - it elaborates on spotting nonverbal cues that someone is uncomfortable - thus, possibly lying. What is presented is simplistic and obvious. This book is disappointing and a waste of money. The only benefit I can see from it: it is ideal for someone who has had limited interaction with other people. For example, someone who has cut himself off from human contact from childhood into adulthood.

5 Stars Information so powerful, it is almost too good
I picked up this book because I had heard through some friends that Mr. Navarro’s work was highly regarded in many different circles and because I thought it would help my poker play. And while I haven’t really had a chance to test some of these “tells” at the card table, I have been able to take more notice of people’s body language at work and play, and I’ve become more conscious of my own body movements and its reflection of my thoughts and emotions at any given time. In fact, in a recent business meeting, I had the dubious pleasure of sending enough negative body language that one of our customers commented to me, “You’re taking a bad attitude,” before I’d even said a word. So, all I want to say, and all I think I need to say about this book is, the information is sound, accurate, universal and useful. It will make you better at deciphering people’s emotions and thoughts in a given situation, but it may make you so conscious of your own body language, that if you can’t control it and remember to send positive signals, you might just get yourself in trouble like I did.

5 Stars best book of its kind
Navarro’s experience in law enforcement, his clear and simple approach to presenting his material, and the excellent photographs of himself and (I assume) his daughter combine to make this book an outstanding contribution to decoding and interpreting body language of all types.

After a brief introduction to the topic, and the brain processes behind our actions and reactions, voluntary and involuntary, he launches right into the material, chapter by chapter, going from the legs, torso, arms, to head and face. Each movement is discussed, reasons and justifications for Navarro’s interpretations are given, and there is usually a photo of each position or move. It could not be made any more clear.

Navarro’s book is one I would recommend to anybody interested in this aspect of interpersonal relationships, from business to poker to courtship to friendship.

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