Reading Club 10: How to get from where you are to where you want to be (Jack Canfield)

One of the best books I've read! Many invaluable lessons, examples, principles that are easy to follow and practice. I love the way Jack Canfield (the man who co-founded the Chicken Soup series) writes. His language is simple yet affecting. The book's format is also helpful- he explains a principle with the help of true success stories  from notable people (Bruce Lee, Jim Carey, Lou Holt, W. Clement Stone etc.) and  anecdotes from his interviews. Some parts just made me go AHA!  There are many books on how to be successful, but this the best I've come across so far. Some of the most memorable parts are:

• How our brain works - 'scientists used to believe that humans responded to information flowing into the brain from the outside world. But today, they're learning instead that we respond to what the brain, on the basis of previous experience, expects to happen next.' Experiments conducted showed that our brain actually learns what to expect next- whether it eventually happens that way or not. Therefore, we often achieve exactly what we anticipate. This is why we must hold POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS in our mind. 'When we replace the old NEGATIVE EXPECTATIONS with more positive ones- when you believe that what you want is possible- your brain will take over the job of accomplishing that possibility for you. Better than that, your brain will actually expect to achieve that outcome.' 

•  What others think about you is none of your business- I like this!! Do you know how much time we spend sometimes worrying about what people think about us? Jack quotes Dr Daniel Amen's 18/40/60 Rule, which is so true! When you're 18, you worry about what everybody is thinking of you; when you're 40, you don't give a darn what anybody thinks of you; when you're 60, you realize nobody's been thinking about you at all. The moral of the story is people are busy worrying about their own lives, and if at all they are thinking of you, they are are wondering what you are thinking about them!!! Think about how much time you've wasted.

•  Successful people are action bias-  they take action. 'Most people are familiar with 'Ready, Aim, Fire!' but the problem is too many people spend their whole life aiming and never firing! 'Does this sound familiar? Jack proposes that we quit waiting for: 

                       - perfection
                       - inspiration
                       - permission
                       - reassurance
                       - someone to change
                       - the right person to come along
                       - the kids to leave home
                       - a more favourable horoscope
                       - the new admin to take over
                       - an absence of risk
                       - someone to discover you
                       - a clear set of instructions
                       - more self-confidence
                       - the pain to go away

GET ON WITH IT! JUST DO IT! DO IT NOW!
           
Well, these are some important things I've learned. No regrets buying the book..the only regret is it took me five years to find this gem (first published 2005)! Well, better late than never :)