Kindle Review – Kindle 2 Review, Books

I’m going to approach this book from 2 main angles i.e.

1. How good of a job the book does of identifying and explaining the core tenets underlying Self Development (as is claimed).
2. The techniques and strategies recommended to utilize these elements for improving oneself.

The Introduction

Starts off with Steve’s life story – which is very compelling. I didn’t feel the impact that I’d felt when I first read it on his website and am not sure why. I find it interesting that he found that most of the self help books he read weren’t very helpful. The more i read of the introduction, the more i feel that the website does a much, much better job of selling Steve’s story and the story of his website’s rise to prominence.

There’s also an important distinction that Steve introduces i.e. equating self development with the growth of consciousness. This is a theme that occurs throughout the book and it’s good to point out early.

Chapter 1: Truth.

I do agree that Truth is one of the core tenets underlying making the most of your life. I don’t necessarily agree that there are just three core principles. Here are a few examples where I’ve seen truth brought up -

1. Jack Welch - See reality as it is; not as it was, or as you want it to be.
2. NLP – The Map is not the territory.

So I would agree that truth is a core thing everyone should embrace.

The exercise about truth is really good.  I’ve spent the better part of an hour and a half on the exercise - already the book’s beginning to feel worth it.

[to Be continued Later]

Chapter 2: Love.

I couldn’t stop thinking how love is so similar to Anthony Robbins’ pain and pleasure principle. we run away from pain and run towards pleasure. However, digging deeper this is very different – it’s almost like a gut instinct thing of choosing the things and people that are right for you – make you happier.

There’s this book from long ago called ‘Why am I afraid to tell you who I am?’  which has a great discussion on the levels of communication, and frankly the importance of communication is explained much better in that book.

Also the part about communion made me think of the language of the world from the alchemist. Now that’s one thing that i’d agree was a core element – the language of the world. Love is very close, and yet it’s different.

I get it – this is one of the big things holding me back from calling this book an instant classic. The concepts are too abstract and there hasn’t been a transition from the highly physical, tangible elements to the highly abstract elements. A parable would work very well – something like what the Alchemist does since the story lets you draw up a lesson and interpretation that makes sense in your view of the world. Makes me realize how crucial storytelling is.

Again – assume rapport – a very NLP concept. OK, the mention of the story of meeting his wife threw me off on a tangent because if i remember correctly she’s a psychic.

Now here’s a big stumbling block for me personally – i think there’s the potential for us to have a sixth sense. However, I don’t fully accept it. Anyways, I’m going to disregard this aspect, and move on with the book.

The chapter on love doesn’t do it for me. It seems like a weaker version of Alchemist + the levels of communication from the book I mentioned earlier.

Chapter 3: Power.

Like this straight off the bat as the chapter talks about taking responsibility for everything in your life.

Overall it’s decent – nothing exceptional.

At this point it’s an A for the chapter on truth, B for the chapter on Power, and B- for the chapter on Love.

Overall Recommendation: Download Free Chapter and make a call. Tending towards a Buy recommendation.

Moving on to the next three chapters that deal with the secondary principles (basically combinations of the 3 core principles).

Chapter 4: Oneness.  Oneness = Truth + Love.

I really feel that reading the Alchemist prevents me from appreciating the chapter on Love and this chapter on Oneness. And Coelho does such a beautiful job it’s hard to imagine what Steve’s book would have felt like if I hadn’t read the Alchemist.

The part where each principle is carved into constituent elements is beginning to seem arbitrary to me.

The underlying message of this chapter is very strong. I totally get it. I don’t get the way it is communicated. The same pattern/structure that in the first chapter seemed so appropriate seems boring. There aren’t enough examples, and there are no pictures. It’s getting a little monotonous.

Chapter 5: Authority. Power + Truth = Authority.

Don’t think the term ‘Authority’ conveys the meaning properly - however, it is a really good chapter with some good stuff in there. Also a good quote -

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination are omnipotent. The slogan “Press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

A quick thought – a word can mean so many different things to different people that I think it’s good to choose a longer title that conveys exactly what it means. This is one of my big issues with the naming of the core principles.

Steve Pavlina says: Truth.

Jack Welch says:  See Reality as it is; not as it was, or as you want it to be.

Which do you prefer?

Anyways, this chapter is the best in the book so far. Makes me feel that my whole discord with the book is around the concept of love. Truth and power definitely ring true.

Chapter 6: Courage. Courage = Love + Power.

Ironically this chapter starts from a quote that Anthony Robbins uses in his book ‘Awaken the Giant Within’. I get courage as a secondary principle. I also get the element of love – after all its only when you love something or someone or an idea that you have the impetus to do something courageous. And I also get the element of power because it takes guts to do what you believe in.

Chapter 7: Intelligence. Being in Alignment with Truth, Love, Power.

This chapter talks about being Intelligent as being aligned with truth, power and love. Well, I agree that each of the 3 core principles are intelligent. You can look at Cialdini’s Influence book and see how humans in general would respond very well to these principles. However, I’m not yet ready to make the leap that intelligence is being in alignment with these principles.

There’s a Conscious Assessment section that has a bunch of questions that’s really, really good.

There’s another set of questions which I didn’t like – because I was already exhausted from the first set. Some pictures would help so much.

7 Chapters down – I’ve been through the first part.

Overall Grade: B. Recommendation: Buy (not a strong buy). 3.5 to 4 stars.

At this stage: Really like the book. Don’t agree with the breakdown of elements. And definitely don’t like the way the chapters are structured. This book tends to be heavy, and a bit monotonous. It has some really good parts and ideas which make the pain worthwhile. It also made me think a lot. Which is always a good thing.

PART 2: PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Chapter 8: Habits.

(I’m getting a bit tired of one word chapter headings). This chapter is top notch – it’s got a great exercise right at the top. And a very god description of habits and also some good stuff around using people and social groups to change habits.

Even in the blog Steve really shines on his articles related to habit formation (early riser, 30 day trials, polyphasic sleep, etc.) and this really shows through in this chapter.

This single chapter is worth the price of the book. In fact I’d say you could start with this chapter and then read the rest.

Chapter 9: Career.

The distinction between medium and message is a good one. This chapter also has the ‘find the purpose of your life’ exercise. Also, I see something missing here i.e. some real world examples of what purpose people found for their lives.  If you provide the purpose that 5-6 different people found you have a higher chance of getting something the reader can relate with.

In a strange coincidence I got a call from a friend who’ll be quitting his day job and moving to london to do his own stuff. Anyways, this chapter is all about creating a fulfilling career and marching forward in the face of resistances and doubters.

Chapter 10: Money

Like the description of money as the primary social resource (even though i think it’s people and not money). Another alternate description I liked – money is a human invention to facilitate the exchange of value. In this chapter Steve brings up the concept of ‘darkworker’ i.e. someone who works only for themselves and usually at the cost of other’s benefits.  The book really should come with the warning that it’s targeted at people who’ve already chosen a win/win path. In fact, at times it doesn’t fully accomodate for people who have a win/lose mentality. This also explains why i had a hard time with the Love chapter – it’s very ‘gody two shoes’. This chapter also is a gem – lots of good concepts.

the fundamental message in this chapter seems to be – give and create value, and you’ll get all the money you want. There also seems to be a sense of ‘make sure you get paid what you’re worth’.

A quick note: The 3 chapters in the Part 2 of the book are exceptional – all three of them. Lots of good useful concepts.

Chapter 11: Health.

This becomes a little bit of a rant about giving up meat products. I don’t like this chapter. And then there’s a little bit about only trusting yourself about your body and not so-called experts. I don’t really understand this. Perhaps I’m blinded by the fact that I have some doctors in my family – however, i trust doctors for the most part.

Chapter 12: Relationships.

There’s an interesting concept in there i.e. all human relationships are temporary. don’t really know what to say about that except that it’s interesting.

Something I’ve felt throughout is that trying to explain Health, Relationships etc. through the core principles works only partially, and explaining the role secondary principles play becomes a stretch. these principles are some of the fundamental elements – howeverm they are definitely not the all encompassing set that they’re listed as.

Also the chapter on relationships has a subscetion on oneness that is just elementary NLP. Instead of explaining it in an abstract way, you could simply explain it using a study or evolutionary theory.

I’m not really sure – however I don’t understand exactly what the book means by letting your partner connect with others – sometimes casually and sometimes more intimately.

Chapter 13: Spirituality.

The chapter seemed to be an advert (and i don’t mean that in a bad way) for the validity of the 3 core principles.

Also it seems to be saying – believe what gives you happiness.

Overall Thoughts on Personal Development for Smart People:

1. In part 1, the chapters on truth and power are excellent.
2. In part 2, the chapters on Habits, Career, and Money are excellent.
3. The lack of figures, pictures, stories about people other than the author is a disappointment.
4. The exercises that are there are good – however there are not enough exercises.
5. A lot of the chapters that I didn’t like were too abstract, and too leaning towards doing good and very positive themed. I think that’s a good way to be, and not the only way to be.
6. Crux: It’s definitely worth a read and worth the money. 4 stars. It does feel a bit rushed – a few more iterations would have added a lot.

Go ahead and check out the page for the print edition of Steve Pavlina’s book at Amazon.