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Ping: A Frog in Search of a New Pond

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This is the mystical story of Ping, a frog with a proud heritage who’s ignored the signs of his pond drying up around him, and is stuck in the mud. Forced to leave his home, he makes a leap into the unknown, unprepared for what lies ahead. He’s saved by the elderly, wise Owl, who teaches him physical and mental skills, enabling him to set goals and pursue his dreams despite many setbacks along the way.

In the words of Owl, “Believe you can’t and you won’t. Believe you can and you will. Words form belief; belief forms action.�

"Gold's writings are a blend of business advice and spiritual teachings for the 21st Century entrepreneur." -- Newsweek

"Stuart Avery Gold taps into the spirit of self-discovery to encourage readers to take risks." -- Guy Kawasaki, author of The Art of the Start

Audio CD

First published December 15, 2005

24 people are currently reading
141 people want to read

About the author

Stuart Avery Gold

27books15followers
Stuart Avery Gold is an international best-selling author and future finder whose critically acclaimed and path-guiding books have been translated into more than 20 languages around the world, inspiring us to work for a better tomorrow, not just in ourselves, but in society. His PING stories have leaped into the hearts and minds of readers across the globe. Publisher's Weekly said of Stuart's writing, "They're not just books - they're a lifestyle." His books on self-growth and personal performance have changed the way people think about the world and their place in it and have been lauded by Seth Godin, Guy Kawasaki and Cheryl Richardson, cementing his reputation as a sought-after resource and speaker.

When he's not writing, Stuart is an award-winning product developer, venerated brand Sherpa and WOW! Wrangler, respected for not simply reacting to the marketplace, but for contributing to one in which people, profits and the planet can all flourish. He is an adviser and meaning-maker for companies and entrepreneurs on leadership, "what's next," and on the differentiating importance of trends, talent and the significance of creating compelling brand experiences.

His unconventional views on personal effectiveness and business mastery led CNN to praise him as, "Inspiring and energizing," and Newsweek to describe his energy and style as, "A blend of business advice and spiritual teachings for the 21st century." Tom Peters, management guru and hailed as one of the most influential thinkers in modern business, states in his book, Re-Imagine! Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age, "When it comes to branding, my friend Stuart Avery Gold gets it." Stuart can be reached at the website stuartaverygold.com or by e-mail at [email protected]

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5 stars
97 (29%)
4 stars
86 (26%)
3 stars
88 (26%)
2 stars
47 (14%)
1 star
8 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
Profile Image for Roos.
391 reviews
September 13, 2007
Yang bagus untuk dikutip dari buku ini adalah:
1. Kegagalan menghancurkan semangat, tapi masih ada satu yang lebih tragis dan buruk : tidak adanya kegagalan. Kegagalan adalah salah satu guru yang terbaik yang ada di alam. Kegagalan mengungkapkan kebenaran dan kebijaksanaan, wawasan dan pengetahuan yang akan membantumu bertumbuh dan berkembang. Yang harus selalu dipegang erat adalah: " Jangan biarkan kegagalan menjauhkanmu dari keinginan atau hasratmu, dan mencegahmu memiliki kehidupan yang dijalani dengan baik ".

2. Sebesar apapun keyakinanmu pada bakat dan kemampuanmu, kamu hanya akan mengenbara didunia ini jika kamu tidak mempunyai " VISI yang sejati "

3. Dua perjalanan yang harus kamu lakukan untuk menemukan jalan adalah jalan menuju kehilangan diri dan jalan menuju penemuan diri. Dan kamu harus melihat kedalam dirimu sebelum bisa bergerak melakukan perjalanan.

4. Bakat muncul secara alami, sedangkan ketrampilan harus dipelajari.

5. BUKAN APA YANG TELAH KAU PELAJARI, TETAPI APA YANG KAU LAKUKAN TERHADAP APA YANG KAU PELAJARI, ITULAH YANG MENCIPTAKAN PERBEDAAN DALAM DIRIMU.

6. Belajar seperti AIR : mengalir dan fleksibel, berbelok dan berputar, mengitari, melompat keatas, menerobos ke bawah - air mengubah arahnya dengan bebas sepanjang jalan, menyingkirkan segala rintangan. Mejalani hidup bertujuan berarti belajar berenang dengan rasa keberadaan yang mengalir.

7. KEBAHAGIAAN BUKAN MERUPAKAN TUJUAN. KEBAHAGIAAN ADALAH PROSES, SEBUAH PERJALANAN MENAKJUBKAN YANG PENUH DENGAN RINTANGAN.

8. Untuk mengubah masa depan, seseorang harus mengubah masa sekarang, dan dengan demikian masa depan yang sejati dari setiap orang akan dimulai dengan sebuah KOMITMEN YANG KUAT terhadap masa sekarang.

Paling suka No.5 dan 7....Salute to PING and The teacher.

Well, Cheers up Friends!...Aca...Aca Fighting!!!
Profile Image for Nilo0.
548 reviews119 followers
September 16, 2021
کتاب صوتیش رو گوش دادم
انگیزشی بود و در حد یه بار گوش دادن خوب بود
بجاش میشه جاناتان مرغ دریایی رو خوند که قوی تر و معروف تره
اما محتوا و مفهوم جفتشون نزدیک به همه
376 reviews
April 5, 2011
Important passages:

p, 19: Change -- real change -- is unsettling. when change happens, it can create the kind of fear that can take hold of even the most confident of frogs. It can instill confusion, hesitation, anger, anxiety, and desperation. Fear of change can grip and grab and seize you with such strength it can paralyze you.
But only if you let it.
Fear of change, fear of taking risks, fear of ridicule or that someone will disapprove of your goals and dreams --- these are the enemies of intention and transformation. But even enemies have enemies, and the enemy of fear is found in courage. Courage is not he absence of fear; it is acting in spite of fear.

p. 28: if the path you travel has no obstacles, it leads nowhere.

p. 32: if you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there.

p. 44: A risk well defined is already a risk half-taken.

p. 45: Mistakes can be overcome, but inaction imprisons the soul. . . . you will always be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the things that you did.

p. 40: . . .the purest metal is the result of the hottest fire.
Profile Image for Ade Tawalapi.
67 reviews12 followers
October 12, 2018
Buku ini secara utuh adalah buku nasihat. Buku yang mengajak kita kembali ke diri sendiri, dan mengenalnya dengan lebih baik. Di bagian awal saja, kita sudah diingatkan bahwa sebelum adanya kemajuan teknologi, kita (atau lebih tepatnya nenek moyang kita) sudah lekat dengan cerita-cerita lisan yang berperan untuk menghibur, mendidik, memotivasi dan mengilhami orang-orang. Cerita-cerita lisan itu mengajak kita untuk peka terhadap lingkungan sekitar agar kita bisa mengutip pelajaran dari sana. Buku ini pun bermula dari cerita lisan; cerita fabel yang biasa dipakai untuk pengantar tidur anak-anak. Gold lalu menuliskannya.

Di bagian-bagian awal, aku merasa sedang "menonton" sebuah acara motivasi. Dan memang, buku ini adalah sebuah buku motivasi yang ditujukan secara khusus untuk zentepreneur, meski secara keseluruhan juga berlaku untuk semua orang yang ingin mengubah hidup menjadi lebih baik.

Motivasi-motivasi hidup ini disampaikan melalui penceritaan tokoh Ping, seekor katak yang kehilangan gairah hidup saat melihat tempat tinggalnya berubah, tidak seindah dulu. Ping akhirnya memilih untuk keluar dari lingkungan kolam tempat tinggalnya untuk menemukan kolam baru. Akan tetapi, di tengah jalan Ping justru merasa pilihannya itu salah. Dengan kaki yang mulai lelah melompat, Ping mulai enggan melanjutkan perjalanan diikuti rasa bingung yang mengganggu. Beruntunglah Ping bertemu dengan Burung Hantu yang bijaksana, yang menggiring Ping untuk menemukan jati dirinya yang sebenarnya; melawan ketidaktahuan dan keterbatasan untuk menjadi apa yang diinginkan dirinya sendiri.

Bagiku, pembukaan buku ini sedikit membingungkan. Bisa jadi karena aku kurang fokus atau bahasanya yang membosankan. Kata "Anda" dalam sebuah buku itu terasa merentangkan jarak antara diriku dan penulis sehingga mengurangi minatku untuk membaca. Namun, karena aku membacanya untuk keperluan #pekanbacasayurankita, aku tetap melanjutkan membaca buku ini sampai tuntas. Apalagi saat membaca kata-kata yang disampaikan oleh Burung Hantu yang bijaksana itu: "Ingatlah, kamu akan selalu merasa lebih kecewa oleh hal-hal yang tidak kamu lakukan daripada oleh hal-hal yang kamu lakukan." (hlm. 37) Aku semakin terdorong untuk menuntaskan apa-apa yang sudah kumulai. Hehee.

Buku tipis ini dilengkapi dengan ilustrasi yang lucu dan menarik, disertai kata-kata bijak di bawahnya. Meskipun, secara utuh buku ini adalah kumpulan kata-kata bijak dan motivasi yang ada baiknya dibaca dan dihayati, baik dari dialog maupun penceritaan penulis. Rasanya tidak cukup untuk sekedar mengutip satu atau dua bagian saja. Namun demikian, aku memiliki cukup banyak kutipan favorit dari buku ini, yang bagiku sangat mengena dan tepat sasaran.

"Pepohonan yang merintangimu itu adalah pepohonan yang justru menopangku di ketinggian. Bukankah pepohonan itu adalah pepohonan yang sama?" tanya Burung Hantu. (hlm. 21)

"Hidup berdasarkan pilihan, dan bukan peluang, itulah yang dimaksud dengan menjalani hidup yang bertujuan." (hlm. 24)

"Menghindari pengambilan risiko berarti mengambil risiko yang terbesar." (hlm. 36)

"Jangan biarkan kegagalan menjauhkanmu dari keinginan atau hasratmu, dan mencegahmu memiliki kehidupan yang dijalani dengan baik." (hlm. 39)

"Kata-kata membentuk keyakinan; keyakinan membentuk tindakan." (hlm. 43)

"Bakat muncul secara alami, sedangkan keterampilan harus dipelajari." (hml. 52)

"Menjalani hidup yang bertujuan berarti melihat dirimu menyatu dengan masa sekarang."
(hlm. 56)

"Untuk menjalani hidup yang bertujuan, keyakinan dan niat adalah bekalmu." (hlm 62)

"Kebahagiaan bukan merupakan tujuan. Kebahagiaan adalah proses, sebauh pejalanan menakjubkan yang penuh dengan rintangan." (hlm. 70)
Profile Image for Alexanndra.
52 reviews
July 26, 2020
Es una linda y corta historia. Es inspiradora y tiene muchas frases MUY buenas.

Sin embargo, peca de ser un "libro de frases". Me refiero a que la historia pasa a segundo o incluso a tercer plano, como si estuviera solamente para que el autor tuviera la oportunidad de transmitir tan buenas frases.
Me hubiera gustado que tuviera más historia, mas profunda, mas metáforas, a veces todo se siente demasiado literal e incluso un poco forzado.

La escena final, la gran escena donde todo lo que Ping aprendió sería finalmente ejecutado, la gran conclusión, se quedó un poco... Meh. Para ser la encrucijada de la historia, creo que le faltó el impacto y la intensidad que ameritaba. Al principio fue como WOW. De verdad estaba logrando su competido y parecía que iba a ser un final de lo más increíble; pero luego todo decayó y simplemente... Terminó.
Creo que eso fue lo que más me decepcionó de la historia, fue un desenlace que podía llegar a más y no sucedió.

En fin, es una linda historia para pasar un buen rato
Profile Image for Marce_af.
131 reviews5 followers
June 19, 2023
Siento que es de esos libros que a fuerza quiere que aprendas algo, es decir que te superes 💪

No es mi clase de libro, pero la uni me hizo leerlo, y bueno, al final del día si me gustó, terminé queriendo saber hasta dónde llegaría Ping, y cómo cambiaría sus prioridades y actitudes cuando descubriera lo que de verdad quería en la vida.
Tiene bonitas frases y el mensaje final está bien :)

*No es lo mejor que se puede leer en el mundo, pero todo ok .
2.5 � o casi ⭐⭐� (me lo tengo que pensar mejor)
Profile Image for Sana Ziya.
35 reviews
May 17, 2024
Stuart Avery Gold

Ink Away Press,5 Apr 2014-Nature-110 pages

A parable about adapting to change and overcoming obstacles. This is the story of Ping, a frog who's ignored the signs of his pond drying up around him, and is stuck in the mud. Ping represents everybody who has encountered a setback, needs to take a risk, or is struggling with the challenges of change that is to say, he is all of us. Ping's tale inspires us to take risks and persevere-and shows us the limitless possibilities that can result when the decision is made to take a leap of faith.
Profile Image for Vincens Pineda.
8 reviews
Read
April 5, 2022
It's hard to put a punctuation to this book because it's not a bad book, it's simple and tries to motivate you. But, once you know more, you'll discover that this book has a too simple and common message about success. Good for a tiny beginner reader.
Profile Image for Sara Irias.
30 reviews2 followers
June 2, 2022
Ideal for a begginer reader, is not like profound but has inspirational frases. Good read 👌
21 reviews
December 27, 2017
this is a really good book it shows me a truth is
try the hardest you can and lucky will come to you
Profile Image for Judith.
1,364 reviews30 followers
November 13, 2010
One of the main reasons I decided on Ping was because it was written in the same tradition as Who Moved My Cheese?, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Though it is written in the same format as Who Moved My Cheese?, Ping is not able to relay it’s message with the same enthusiasm.
The concept surrounding Ping initially appealed to me. Ping is the best jumper there ever was and he loved jumping in his pond, but he began to notice that he pond was becoming smaller and smaller until one day it was gone (Sounds a whole lot like Who Moved My Cheese?, right?). As the story moves on, Ping meets a wise old owl (is there any other kind?), who pushes and motivates him to become better.
I tried to pick up on the major themes of the story, but to me, it just seemed as the author stuck in a whole bunch of old Chinese and other Western quotes randomly throughout the book, hoping the reader would think they are becoming enlightened. I did notice a constant theme of “going with the flow�. In the end, it is this advice that teaches Ping not to fight the rushing water, but to just go with it. This theme annoyed me, because when I think of leadership, “going with the flow� is not a theme that initially comes to mind. If anything, I would expect this book to say, “go against the grain!�
This book discusses the art of Zen and its practicing, which might be one of the reasons that Ping did not necessarily appeal to me. I have nothing against Zen, it is just not my thing. I could not relate to the main character as he tried to clear his mind and focus on other obstacles. I think Ping would be a great read for someone who is interested in the art of Zen and other Western practices. There were several adages I could value, like on page 47, when the Owl states, “Failure can be defeating or defeated.� Also, the author mentioned that the story of Ping was the first record of the old adage “look before you leap.� I would have liked to seen Gold expand more on the “look before your leap� concept more than the “go with the flow� aspect. Though it was not my favorite read, I could appreciate the message that Gold was trying to convey in Ping, even if it was not for me.
Profile Image for Casey Wheeler.
1,030 reviews57 followers
October 17, 2012
This is another story about change (sort of), but uses a frog instead of a mouse or a penguin. It is a quick, easy read that is not as complete about the subject of adapting to change as the other two books. It is a combination of Jedi/Zen philosophy with the Owl playing the role of Yoda and the Frog as Luke Skywalker. What was entertaining to me was the attempt to make the Owl sound like Yoda at times. If you're looking for a book about using relaxing techniques to conquer your fear, then this is worth a read. My ranking for these types of books is 1) Who Move My Cheese; 2) Our Iceberg is Melting; and this as the last choice. It may drop further if I discover other books along this line that have more substance.
Profile Image for Aty Rahman.
6 reviews1 follower
January 7, 2008
Ini buku tentang mempersiapkan diri dalam proses transisi, proses pengambilan keputusan, memperhitungkan dan menyikapi reaksi yang dihasilkan dari sebuah keputusan.
Mengajarkan kita bahwa dalam pengambilan keputusan kita harus melihat kepada kemampuan diri kita sendiri, dan bersiap dengan segala resiko yang mungkin ditimbulkan.
Mengajarkan kita bahwa kegagalan adalah hal yang biasa, dan merupakan proses yang biasa dilewati untuk mencapai kesuksesan.
Disajikan dengan gaya bercerita, cerita tentang Ping seekor katak yang berjuang mendapatkan kolam baru, dibantu oleh burung hantu sebagai penasehatnya.
Profile Image for Isti.
10 reviews1 follower
May 20, 2008
Sewaktu saya membaca buku ini, saya merasa seperti sedang membaca dongeng sebelum tidur. Cerita2 yang sering diperuntukan kepada anak2 agar mereka menteladani sikap2 heroik pemerannya.Satu kemasan pesan moral yang begitu mendalam tentang ketakutan, kegagalan, perencanaan, perubahan, serta kebijaksanaan. Ini bukan hanyalah sebuah kisah tentang seekor katak yang menjelma menjadi pangeran tampan! Ini sebuah pembelajaran yang dewasa...
Profile Image for Hernita.
14 reviews
July 9, 2009
Sebuah kisah "analogi" penuh hikmah dan pelajaran dari seekor katak hijau dan sang guru, burung hantu. Keberanian untuk mengambil keputusan berubah dan menjalani hidup yang baru dibekali dengan visi misi yang jelas. karena tanpa visi yang jelas, mustahil hidup baru dapat disongsong dengan kesuksesan.
Profile Image for Summreen.
60 reviews1 follower
October 31, 2010
Plucked from the Mind and Spirit section at the library when i had some time to kill,I liked this book. Short and digestible for someone to pick up the basics to make a change in their life. There are a few things i will take with me from this book as reminders when the struggle is getting tough!
Profile Image for Jack Hansen.
492 reviews38 followers
August 12, 2013
Stuart Avery Gold writes motivational books for people to be successful in their endeavors whether it be business or life in general. Ping: A Frog in Search of a New Pond is predictable and old hat. Maybe I am full of this genre from past readings but I am neither inspired nor entertained by this book.
Profile Image for Linda.
115 reviews7 followers
September 23, 2014
For what it was, it was good. I would have liked to have read this as a bit of a primer in my Buddhism class back in college. I'll probably forward it to my mom, even if the metaphor gets lost on her. Quick, motivational reads will never get less than 3 stars in my book, though rarely will they ever inspire me to move mountains either, so 4 would probably wind up the most anyway.
Profile Image for Hayden Vanier.
153 reviews34 followers
July 26, 2019
As heavy as "Who moved my cheese?" on the sanctimonious psychology side: you need to like this genre. I got to page 45 and then I got sick of it.

~

Aussi lourd que "Qui m'a piqué mon fromage?" sur le côté psychologique moralisateur: il faut aimer ce genre de lecture. Je me suis rendue à la page 45 et j'ai eu une surdose.
Profile Image for Margarida.
461 reviews42 followers
August 21, 2015
Nesta obra a parábola da rã que procura um novo lago para viver é sinónimo da vida de qualquer um de nós perante escolhas e desafios que se nos apresentam. A chave é viver a mudança com harmonia, acreditar nas nossas capacidades e tentar sempre fazer a escolha do bom caminho, não esquecendo que um caminho sem obstáculos não é bom.
Profile Image for Sandeep Mehta.
8 reviews3 followers
April 7, 2018
PING - a very amazing book. The story is really a good one to follow and the quote that got my attention
"Owl, you are a genius. I promise I will not fail."
"And I promise you that you will fail"
told me the truth that I didn't believe till now.
I felt good after reading this statement means that is something I was looking for.
Profile Image for Natasa Tovornik.
334 reviews14 followers
September 5, 2011
Great book to make you think about the decisions we make and the journeys we take. A thin book with a huge message. If you are on crossroads, feel a bit stuck or just need some reassurance that life is and will be good. Read it. It will take an hour and change more than that.
Profile Image for Hong Son.
50 reviews3 followers
January 25, 2017
Một câu chuyện ng� ngôn v� s� vượt ra khỏi giới hạn chính mình, nhất là giới hạn trong tư tưởng đ� hướng tới một cuộc sống có ý nghĩa nhất. Một cuốn sách nên đọc cho những ai đang cảm thấy lạc lối, muốn thay đổi, thoát khỏi cái tầm thường của hiện tại nhưng lại không biết bắt đầu t� đâu.
Profile Image for Arashenstein.
24 reviews
April 15, 2017
Absolutely a masterpiece. The story of a frog who finally dares to leave his home in the hope of a new place. The risk might be frightful but if you are confident it leads you to where you want to be.
Profile Image for Pam.
49 reviews1 follower
April 30, 2020
“Not a lot of words, but enough�

Also, it’s quite refreshing to be reminded by these lines:

“The unknown is always. Never count on the future, nor your ability to control it. To live an intentional life is to recognise yourself as being one with the process of the present.�
Profile Image for tere.
14 reviews1 follower
July 14, 2007
sebuah bacaan singkat dan ringan tapi cukup "menyentil".Memberikan sedikit gambaran bahwa untuk berubah memerlukan keberanian dan keteguhan.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews

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