Brandon's bookshelf: all en-US Tue, 24 Sep 2024 05:58:59 -0700 60 Brandon's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The (7L) The Seven Levels of Communication: Go From Relationships to Referrals]]> 10100685 185 Michael J. Maher 1452033986 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.03 2010 The (7L) The Seven Levels of Communication: Go From Relationships to Referrals
author: Michael J. Maher
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Blueprint: A Revolutionary Plan to Plant Missional Communities on Campus]]> 12625418 ]]> 271 Jaeson Ma 0830748466 Brandon 3 4.00 2007 The Blueprint: A Revolutionary Plan to Plant Missional Communities on Campus
author: Jaeson Ma
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2010/01/01
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves:
review:

]]> Will 58375739
“It's the best memoir I've ever read.� —Oprah Winfrey

“Will Smith isn't holding back in his bravely inspiring new memoir . . . An ultimately heartwarming read, Will provides a humane glimpse of the man behind the actor, producer and musician, as he bares all his insecurities and trauma.� —USA Today

Winner of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Achievement

One of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring book that traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness, and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had.

Will Smith’s transformation from a West Philadelphia kid to one of the biggest rap stars of his era, and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, is an epic tale—but it’s only half the story.

Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life: not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way: they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for. It turned out Will Smith's education wasn't nearly over.

This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, author of the multi-million-copy bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Will is the story of how one person mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Few of us will know the pressure of performing on the world's biggest stages for the highest of stakes, but we can all understand that the fuel that works for one stage of our journey might have to be changed if we want to make it all the way home. The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself.]]> 418 Will Smith 1984877925 Brandon 5
Listened to the audiobook via Libby, highly recommend since Will narrates it, does voices of the other characters, and does some music as well.

I didn’t realize how “big� Will was even before The Fresh Prince.

It was fascinating to learn about how parents and grandparents shaped his world view, how he arrived to the conclusion that “performing� meant that he would be psychologically safe in a variety of ways. It was also powerful to learn how Will reached his heights of success despite primarily being driven by this childhood mechanism.

And finally, it was awesome to hear that when his life was crumbling apart in various ways, he turned to ayahuasca to find answers in undoing his childhood trauma and coping mechanisms.]]> 4.24 2021 Will
author: Will Smith
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2023/05/15
date added: 2023/06/14
shelves:
review:
I loved this.

Listened to the audiobook via Libby, highly recommend since Will narrates it, does voices of the other characters, and does some music as well.

I didn’t realize how “big� Will was even before The Fresh Prince.

It was fascinating to learn about how parents and grandparents shaped his world view, how he arrived to the conclusion that “performing� meant that he would be psychologically safe in a variety of ways. It was also powerful to learn how Will reached his heights of success despite primarily being driven by this childhood mechanism.

And finally, it was awesome to hear that when his life was crumbling apart in various ways, he turned to ayahuasca to find answers in undoing his childhood trauma and coping mechanisms.
]]> <![CDATA[The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups]]> 33517721 What do Pixar, Google and the San Antonio Spurs basketball team have in common?

The answer is that they all owe their extraordinary success to their team-building skills. In The Culture Code, Daniel Coyle goes inside some of the most effective organisations in the world and reveals their secrets. He not only explains what makes such groups tick, but also identifies the key factors that can generate team cohesion in any walk of life. He examines the verbal and physical cues that bring people together. He determines specific strategies that encourage collaboration and build trust. And he offers cautionary tales of toxic cultures and advises how to reform them, above all demonstrating the extraordinary achievements that result when we know how to cooperate effectively.

]]> 304 Daniel Coyle 0804176981 Brandon 4
Project Aristotle's findings in a sentence:
- Psychological Safety is the #1 factor in creating a high performing and effective team

The sentiment behind The Culture Code (TCC) seems the same.

When there is high psychological safety, everyone shares more, people aren't worried about ego, about position, titles, everyone is bought in to solve the problem at hand, and as a result, the team is more effective.


Some key excerpts:
- In a study, groups of kindergarteners routinely built taller structures (26 inches) than groups of business school students (10 inches) using uncooked spaghetti, tape, string, and a marshmallow.
- Will Felps ran a study where they brought in an actor to basically be a "bad apple" in 40 groups of 4 tasked with developing a marketing plan for a start up. He'd play one of 3 roles: jerk (aggressive/defiant/deviant), slacker (withholder of effort), and downer (depressive). The "bad apple" successfully reduced the group effectiveness by 30-40% with the exception of one group. The reason why the one group did well was simply because they had a person who did a really good job of being warm, friendly, optimistic, lighthearted, and inviting regardless of what the bad apple did.
- A call center changed their onboarding process to include things like 1) training on company identity 2) meeting a company "star performer" 3) giving fleece sweatshirt with company name/logo as well as their name 4) asking them reflection questions about their skills and past work experiences. The result? 250% increased likelihood of team members still at the company after 7 months.
- Team of psychologists had middle school teachers include a single line in their feedback when grading students' essays, "I’m giving you these comments because I have very high expectations and I know that you can reach them" and it directly led to a 40% increase of revisions for white students, and 320% increase of essay revisions by black students (there were 22 white students and 22 black students in the study, all of whom had average grades of B's or C's)
- The Allen Curve -- in a work setting, when team members are more than 50 meters away from each other, frequency of communication drops off a clip (pre-pandemic of course), when team members are 6 meters or less communication frequency skyrockets.
- How Danny Meyer has opened 24 successful restaurants (e.g. 11 Madison Park, Union Square Cafe, Shake Shack) and one of the core drivers of his success is cultivating a particular culture around kindness, thoughtfulness, giving people the benefit of the doubt, generosity, reciprocity, and creating the atmosphere of home.


To me, TCC is one of those "science proves the obvious" kind of books. It's a book that lots of people in positions of power need to read AND implement, and one that, if the average employee read, they'd probably think,"Uh yeah, you needed a book to tell you that?"

Want to run a great company or organization? Don't treat people like shit. Don't be an asshole. Treat people like people. Be kind, be fair, be human, be humble, be generous, be patience, be friendly, give credit where it's do, etc. And the better job you do of doing that in pursuit of your goals and objectives, you'll probably outperform another company/org with the same objectives but treat people like shit. ]]> 4.23 2017 The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups
author: Daniel Coyle
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2022/05/29
date added: 2022/05/31
shelves:
review:
IMO, this is the deep dive / breakdown / guide on how to implement the findings from Google's Project Aristotle (there's a NYT article on this that came out in 2016).

Project Aristotle's findings in a sentence:
- Psychological Safety is the #1 factor in creating a high performing and effective team

The sentiment behind The Culture Code (TCC) seems the same.

When there is high psychological safety, everyone shares more, people aren't worried about ego, about position, titles, everyone is bought in to solve the problem at hand, and as a result, the team is more effective.


Some key excerpts:
- In a study, groups of kindergarteners routinely built taller structures (26 inches) than groups of business school students (10 inches) using uncooked spaghetti, tape, string, and a marshmallow.
- Will Felps ran a study where they brought in an actor to basically be a "bad apple" in 40 groups of 4 tasked with developing a marketing plan for a start up. He'd play one of 3 roles: jerk (aggressive/defiant/deviant), slacker (withholder of effort), and downer (depressive). The "bad apple" successfully reduced the group effectiveness by 30-40% with the exception of one group. The reason why the one group did well was simply because they had a person who did a really good job of being warm, friendly, optimistic, lighthearted, and inviting regardless of what the bad apple did.
- A call center changed their onboarding process to include things like 1) training on company identity 2) meeting a company "star performer" 3) giving fleece sweatshirt with company name/logo as well as their name 4) asking them reflection questions about their skills and past work experiences. The result? 250% increased likelihood of team members still at the company after 7 months.
- Team of psychologists had middle school teachers include a single line in their feedback when grading students' essays, "I’m giving you these comments because I have very high expectations and I know that you can reach them" and it directly led to a 40% increase of revisions for white students, and 320% increase of essay revisions by black students (there were 22 white students and 22 black students in the study, all of whom had average grades of B's or C's)
- The Allen Curve -- in a work setting, when team members are more than 50 meters away from each other, frequency of communication drops off a clip (pre-pandemic of course), when team members are 6 meters or less communication frequency skyrockets.
- How Danny Meyer has opened 24 successful restaurants (e.g. 11 Madison Park, Union Square Cafe, Shake Shack) and one of the core drivers of his success is cultivating a particular culture around kindness, thoughtfulness, giving people the benefit of the doubt, generosity, reciprocity, and creating the atmosphere of home.


To me, TCC is one of those "science proves the obvious" kind of books. It's a book that lots of people in positions of power need to read AND implement, and one that, if the average employee read, they'd probably think,"Uh yeah, you needed a book to tell you that?"

Want to run a great company or organization? Don't treat people like shit. Don't be an asshole. Treat people like people. Be kind, be fair, be human, be humble, be generous, be patience, be friendly, give credit where it's do, etc. And the better job you do of doing that in pursuit of your goals and objectives, you'll probably outperform another company/org with the same objectives but treat people like shit.
]]> <![CDATA[The Culture Code: An Ingenious Way to Understand Why People Around the World Live and Buy as They Do]]> 44846
In The Culture Code , internationally revered cultural anthropologist and marketing expert Clotaire Rapaille reveals for the first time the techniques he has used to improve profitability and practices for dozens of Fortune 100 companies. His groundbreaking revelations shed light not just on business but on the way every human being acts and lives around the world.

Rapaille’s breakthrough notion is that we acquire a silent system of Codes as we grow up within our culture. These Codes—the Culture Code—are what make us American, or German, or French, and they invisibly shape how we behave in our personal lives, even when we are completely unaware of our motives. What’s more, we can learn to crack the Codes that guide our actions and achieve new understanding of why we do the things we do.

Rapaille has used the Culture Code to help Chrysler build the PT Cruiser—the most successful American car launch in recent memory. He has used it to help Procter & Gamble design its advertising campaign for Folger’s coffee � one of the longest-lasting and most successful campaigns in the annals of advertising. He has used it to help companies as diverse as GE, AT&T, Boeing, Honda, Kellogg, and L’Oréal improve their bottom line at home and overseas. And now, in The Culture Code , he uses it to reveal why Americans act distinctly like Americans, and what makes us different from the world around us.

In The Culture Code , Dr. Rapaille decodes two dozen of our most fundamental archetypes—ranging from sex to money to health to America itself—to give us “a new set of glasses� with which to view our actions and motivations. Why are we so often disillusioned by love? Why is fat a solution rather than a problem? Why do we reject the notion of perfection? Why is fast food in our lives to stay? The answers are in the Codes.

Understanding the Codes gives us unprecedented freedom over our lives. It lets us do business in dramatically new ways. And it finally explains why people around the world really are different, and reveals the hidden clues to understanding us all.]]> 208 Clotaire Rapaille 0767920562 Brandon 5
5 stars mostly because it made me think.

This book is like a mash up of business/marketing, psychology, leadership/influence, and anthropology. There are definitely better books in each of those verticals by themselves, but I’ve just never read a book that combines all of them together.

From a biz/marketing perspective, I loved how there were multiple concrete examples of F100 companies applying Clotaire’s methodology/findings to inform their marketing strategies in different countries (this is the core premise/frame of the book), how they went about applying it, and the outcomes it drove.

Some of the business examples:
- Helping Nestle (BOooooooo) introduce coffee to Japan
- Helping Chrysler figure out marketing for the PT Cruiser
- Helping Jeep figure out how to recapture market share after losing a lot to SUVs
- Helping L’Oreal frame their products in America to be about health/confidence (whereas in France it’s about sensuality and seduction)


From a psychology perspective, the core thesis is about how humans “imprint� our associations with ideas/topics/things and the role emotions play in the strength of that imprint (e.g. with alcohol, my dad let me taste beer when I was 7 and I hated it, so I never had a poor relationship w/ alcohol because I was imprinted with a relatively negative experience at a young age).

From a leadership/influence perspective, it reinforced the importance of not just listening to what people say, but listening to the emotions underneath to gain a truer assessment of where someone is.

From an anthropology perspective, it was like being able to travel to Japan, Germany, UK, France, and Italy and picking up on cultural norms in each respective country on really big ideas like love, food, alcohol, sex, luxury, or shopping � but also being able to see how each country differs from each other on those topics. Reading these sections reminded me of when I was in South Africa for 6 weeks and seeing how everyone completely violated some of the cultural norms I was brought up with, forcing me to question the “rightness� of the norms I was taught. These were my favorite sections of the book.

For context, I’m quite poorly read when it comes to anthropology so my bar is probably low here.

As a caveat, Clotaire does make a lot of blanket statements like, “Americans are X� or “The French are Y� which did prompt me multiple times to think, “ok I’m not 100% sure about that.� Some of his blanket statements felt completely on point, others seemed like a stretch, a few I simply disagreed with (this seems to be the major gripe based on other GR reviews). So if you’re thinking about picking this up, you may need to suspend some judgement to appreciate it � I understand not everyone has the same tolerance. Ultimately, I enjoyed the read because it challenged me with a different perspective.

If you’re looking for a review that does a better job of sharing excerpts from the book, this one is pretty good:

/review/show...]]> 3.92 2006 The Culture Code: An Ingenious Way to Understand Why People Around the World Live and Buy as They Do
author: Clotaire Rapaille
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at: 2022/05/15
date added: 2022/05/16
shelves:
review:
It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that made me think this much. Maybe re-think is a better word.

5 stars mostly because it made me think.

This book is like a mash up of business/marketing, psychology, leadership/influence, and anthropology. There are definitely better books in each of those verticals by themselves, but I’ve just never read a book that combines all of them together.

From a biz/marketing perspective, I loved how there were multiple concrete examples of F100 companies applying Clotaire’s methodology/findings to inform their marketing strategies in different countries (this is the core premise/frame of the book), how they went about applying it, and the outcomes it drove.

Some of the business examples:
- Helping Nestle (BOooooooo) introduce coffee to Japan
- Helping Chrysler figure out marketing for the PT Cruiser
- Helping Jeep figure out how to recapture market share after losing a lot to SUVs
- Helping L’Oreal frame their products in America to be about health/confidence (whereas in France it’s about sensuality and seduction)


From a psychology perspective, the core thesis is about how humans “imprint� our associations with ideas/topics/things and the role emotions play in the strength of that imprint (e.g. with alcohol, my dad let me taste beer when I was 7 and I hated it, so I never had a poor relationship w/ alcohol because I was imprinted with a relatively negative experience at a young age).

From a leadership/influence perspective, it reinforced the importance of not just listening to what people say, but listening to the emotions underneath to gain a truer assessment of where someone is.

From an anthropology perspective, it was like being able to travel to Japan, Germany, UK, France, and Italy and picking up on cultural norms in each respective country on really big ideas like love, food, alcohol, sex, luxury, or shopping � but also being able to see how each country differs from each other on those topics. Reading these sections reminded me of when I was in South Africa for 6 weeks and seeing how everyone completely violated some of the cultural norms I was brought up with, forcing me to question the “rightness� of the norms I was taught. These were my favorite sections of the book.

For context, I’m quite poorly read when it comes to anthropology so my bar is probably low here.

As a caveat, Clotaire does make a lot of blanket statements like, “Americans are X� or “The French are Y� which did prompt me multiple times to think, “ok I’m not 100% sure about that.� Some of his blanket statements felt completely on point, others seemed like a stretch, a few I simply disagreed with (this seems to be the major gripe based on other GR reviews). So if you’re thinking about picking this up, you may need to suspend some judgement to appreciate it � I understand not everyone has the same tolerance. Ultimately, I enjoyed the read because it challenged me with a different perspective.

If you’re looking for a review that does a better job of sharing excerpts from the book, this one is pretty good:

/review/show...
]]> <![CDATA[Lean Impact: How to Innovate for Radically Greater Social Good]]> 39892123
Around the world, a new generation is looking beyond greater profits, for meaningful purpose. But, unlike business, few social interventions have achieved significant impact at scale. Inspired by the modern innovation practices, popularized by bestseller The Lean Startup, that have fueled technology breakthroughs touching every aspect of our lives, Lean Impact turns our attention to a new goal - radically greater social good.

Social change is far more complicated than building a new app. It requires more listening, more care, and more stakeholders. To make a lasting difference, solutions must be embraced by beneficiaries, address root causes, and include an engine that can accelerate growth to reach the scale of the need. Lean Impact offers bold ideas to reach audacious goals through customer insight, rapid experimentation and iteration, and a relentless pursuit of impact.

Ann Mei Chang brings a unique perspective from across sectors, from her years as a tech executive in Silicon Valley to her most recent experience as the Chief Innovation Officer at USAID. She vividly illustrates the book with real stories from interviews with over 200 organizations across the US and around the world.

Whether you are a nonprofit, social enterprise, triple bottom line company, foundation, government agency, philanthropist, impact investor, or simply donate your time and money, Lean Impact is an essential guide to maximizing social impact and scale.]]> 304 Ann Mei Chang 1119506603 Brandon 0 currently-reading 3.98 2018 Lean Impact: How to Innovate for Radically Greater Social Good
author: Ann Mei Chang
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/05/01
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization]]> 255127 Ěý
This revised edition of the bestselling classic is based on fifteen years of experience in putting Peter Senge’s ideas into practice. As Senge makes clear, in the long run the only sustainable competitive advantage is your organization’s ability to learn faster than the competition. The leadership stories demonstrate the many ways that the core ideas of the Fifth Discipline, many of which seemed radical when first published, have become deeply integrated into people’s ways of seeing the world and their managerial practices.
Ěý
Senge describes how companies can rid themselves of the learning blocks that threaten their productivity and success by adopting the strategies of learning organizations, in which new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, collective aspiration is set free, and people are continually learning how to create the results they truly desire.
Ěý
Mastering the disciplines Senge outlines in the book will:
Ěý
� Reignite the spark of genuine learning driven by people focused on what truly matters to them
� Bridge teamwork into macrocreativity
� Free you of confining assumptions and mindsets
� Teach you to see the forest and the trees
� End the struggle between work and personal time
Ěý
This updated edition contains more than one hundred pages of new material based on interviews with dozens of practitioners at companies such as BP, Unilever, Intel, Ford, HP, and Saudi Aramco and organizations such as Roca, Oxfam, and The World Bank.]]> 445 Peter M. Senge 0385517254 Brandon 4
I want to caveat that I only got through 53% of the book as I’ve developed a norm of not continuing book I’ve lost interest in, so 4 stars because I got good value from it, but there’s an entire half of the book I can’t vouch for, but not at the fault of the author.

Bottom line: The first 30% of The Fifth Discipline (TFD) is a fantastic follow up for TiS.

TFD shares a far more relatable examples when it comes to systems thinking (human body, company dynamics) so it made it easier to follow along and understand. I feel much more confident in my grasp of systems thinking after TFD.

The next 20% of TFD that I read was about how to address common dysfunctions of organizations. I did appreciate his distinction between “commitment,� “enrollment,� and “compliance.� I’m a fan of Dave Logan’s Tribal Leadership where he talks about 5 levels of organizations, and I think the rest of TFD serves as a more practical handbook to implement level 4/5 practices into an organization. His thoughts on vision/purpose, discussion/dialogue, and mental models and how they hamper a company’s progress are thorough and useful distinctions. If I was in a different stage in life/career, I’d probably enjoy reading the rest of the book, but it’s just not my focus atm.

I think TFD is a fantastic read for newer managers looking to be a better manager on a holistic level.

For systems thinkers, I’d just read the first 30% and call it a day.

And in comparison to Systems Thinking for Social Change (previously reviewed book), TFD’s section on systems thinking was far easier to read, digest, and as a result was more effective in enriching my systems thinking understanding.]]> 3.92 1990 The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization
author: Peter M. Senge
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1990
rating: 4
read at: 2022/05/01
date added: 2022/05/01
shelves:
review:
I picked up this book as it came recommended by fellow GR readers as a follow up to Thinking in Systems (TiS) by Donella Meadows.

I want to caveat that I only got through 53% of the book as I’ve developed a norm of not continuing book I’ve lost interest in, so 4 stars because I got good value from it, but there’s an entire half of the book I can’t vouch for, but not at the fault of the author.

Bottom line: The first 30% of The Fifth Discipline (TFD) is a fantastic follow up for TiS.

TFD shares a far more relatable examples when it comes to systems thinking (human body, company dynamics) so it made it easier to follow along and understand. I feel much more confident in my grasp of systems thinking after TFD.

The next 20% of TFD that I read was about how to address common dysfunctions of organizations. I did appreciate his distinction between “commitment,� “enrollment,� and “compliance.� I’m a fan of Dave Logan’s Tribal Leadership where he talks about 5 levels of organizations, and I think the rest of TFD serves as a more practical handbook to implement level 4/5 practices into an organization. His thoughts on vision/purpose, discussion/dialogue, and mental models and how they hamper a company’s progress are thorough and useful distinctions. If I was in a different stage in life/career, I’d probably enjoy reading the rest of the book, but it’s just not my focus atm.

I think TFD is a fantastic read for newer managers looking to be a better manager on a holistic level.

For systems thinkers, I’d just read the first 30% and call it a day.

And in comparison to Systems Thinking for Social Change (previously reviewed book), TFD’s section on systems thinking was far easier to read, digest, and as a result was more effective in enriching my systems thinking understanding.
]]> <![CDATA[Systems Thinking For Social Change: A Practical Guide to Solving Complex Problems, Avoiding Unintended Consequences, and Achieving Lasting Results]]> 26089423 264 David Peter Stroh 160358580X Brandon 3
I read Thinking in Systems a few months prior and was looking for a helpful follow up. At the recommendation of a few Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ readers, I picked this one up.

I think the real world work being done by the Author is commendable and is helping the world in a good way.

I enjoyed the first 1/3 of the book learning about how groups have approached reducing recidivism (harsh sentencing actually increases recidivism), improving childhood education outcomes, and reducing homelessness (permanent housing is the real solution, not homeless shelters) and the counterintuitive learnings that came with it.

The reasons why it became hard to read:
- toggling between different examples too frequently
- not the best scaffolding to help the reader effectively learn how to read systems diagrams (there are a ton)
- it seemed like it was written for someone who already has an intermediate understanding of systems thinking and its frameworks/language

As someone who used to do a lot of work with the homeless and generally wants to work on things that have a positive social impact, I think the concepts in the book is powerful, I just wish it was more newbie friendly.]]> 3.74 2015 Systems Thinking For Social Change: A Practical Guide to Solving Complex Problems, Avoiding Unintended Consequences, and Achieving Lasting Results
author: David Peter Stroh
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2022/04/08
date added: 2022/04/08
shelves:
review:
I’m putting the book down at 75% because it’s become too hard to read.

I read Thinking in Systems a few months prior and was looking for a helpful follow up. At the recommendation of a few Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ readers, I picked this one up.

I think the real world work being done by the Author is commendable and is helping the world in a good way.

I enjoyed the first 1/3 of the book learning about how groups have approached reducing recidivism (harsh sentencing actually increases recidivism), improving childhood education outcomes, and reducing homelessness (permanent housing is the real solution, not homeless shelters) and the counterintuitive learnings that came with it.

The reasons why it became hard to read:
- toggling between different examples too frequently
- not the best scaffolding to help the reader effectively learn how to read systems diagrams (there are a ton)
- it seemed like it was written for someone who already has an intermediate understanding of systems thinking and its frameworks/language

As someone who used to do a lot of work with the homeless and generally wants to work on things that have a positive social impact, I think the concepts in the book is powerful, I just wish it was more newbie friendly.
]]> <![CDATA[World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction]]> 54909 110 Immanuel Wallerstein 0822334429 Brandon 0 to-read 3.89 2004 World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction
author: Immanuel Wallerstein
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/03/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and its Solutions]]> 32603498 For decades we have been told a story about the divide between rich countries and poor countries.

We have been told that development is working: that the global South is catching up to the North, that poverty has been cut in half over the past thirty years, and will be eradicated by 2030. It’s a comforting tale, and one that is endorsed by the world’s most powerful governments and corporations. But is it true?

Since 1960, the income gap between the North and South has roughly tripled in size. Today 4.3 billion people, 60 per cent of the world's population, live on less than $5 per day. Some 1 billion live on less than $1 a day. The richest eight people now control the same amount of wealth as the poorest half of the world combined.

What is causing this growing divide? We are told that poverty is a natural phenomenon that can be fixed with aid. But in reality it is a political problem: poverty doesn’t just exist, it has been created.

Poor countries are poor because they are integrated into the global economic system on unequal terms. Aid only works to hide the deep patterns of wealth extraction that cause poverty and inequality in the first place: rigged trade deals, tax evasion, land grabs and the costs associated with climate change. The Divide tracks the evolution of this system, from the expeditions of Christopher Columbus in the 1490s to the international debt regime, which has allowed a handful of rich countries to effectively control economic policies in the rest of the world.

Because poverty is a political problem, it requires political solutions. The Divide offers a range of revelatory answers, but also explains that something much more radical is needed � a revolution in our way of thinking. Drawing on pioneering research, detailed analysis and years of first-hand experience, The Divide is a provocative, urgent and ultimately uplifting account of how the world works, and how it can change.]]> 368 Jason Hickel 1785151126 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.64 2017 The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and its Solutions
author: Jason Hickel
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.64
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/03/24
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success]]> 16158522
This is the story of a preacher’s kid from North Dakota who grew up to be one of the most innovative leaders of our time. In his quest to reinvent himself, Jackson explored everything from humanistic psychology and Native American philosophy to Zen meditation. In the process, he developed a new approach to leadership based on freedom, authenticity, and selfless teamwork that turned the hypercompetitive world of professional sports on its head.

In Eleven Rings, Jackson candidly describes how he:
Learned the secrets of mindfulness and team chemistry while playing for the champion New York Knicks in the 1970s
Managed Michael Jordan, the greatest player in the world, and got him to embrace selflessness, even if it meant losing a scoring title
Forged successful teams out of players of varying abilities by getting them to trust one another and perform in sync
Inspired Dennis Rodman and other “uncoachable� personalities to devote themselves to something larger than themselves
Transformed Kobe Bryant from a rebellious teenager into a mature leader of a championship team.
Eleven times, Jackson led his teams to the ultimate goal: the NBA championship—six times with the Chicago Bulls and five times with the Los Angeles Lakers. We all know the legendary stars on those teams, or think we do. What Eleven Rings shows us, however, is that when it comes to the most important lessons, we don’t know very much at all. This book is full of revelations: about fascinating personalities and their drive to win; about the wellsprings of motivation and competition at the highest levels; and about what it takes to bring out the best in ourselves and others.]]> Phil Jackson 1611761670 Brandon 3 4.18 2013 Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success
author: Phil Jackson
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2022/03/23
date added: 2022/03/23
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]]> <![CDATA[The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism]]> 11910905 The Charisma Myth is a mix of fun stories, sound science, and practical tools. Cabane takes a hard scientific approach to a heretofore mystical topic, covering what charisma actually is, how it is learned, what its side effects are, and how to handle them.]]> 264 Olivia Fox Cabane 1591844568 Brandon 5 3.90 2012 The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism
author: Olivia Fox Cabane
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2022/03/23
date added: 2022/03/23
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]]> <![CDATA[The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor (Columbia Business School Publishing)]]> 10454418
Howard Marks, the chairman and cofounder of Oaktree Capital Management, is renowned for his insightful assessments of market opportunity and risk. After four decades spent ascending to the top of the investment management profession, he is today sought out by the world's leading value investors, and his client memos brim with insightful commentary and a time-tested, fundamental philosophy. Now for the first time, all readers can benefit from Marks's wisdom, concentrated into a single volume that speaks to both the amateur and seasoned investor.

Informed by a lifetime of experience and study, The Most Important Thing explains the keys to successful investment and the pitfalls that can destroy capital or ruin a career. Utilizing passages from his memos to illustrate his ideas, Marks teaches by example, detailing the development of an investment philosophy that fully acknowledges the complexities of investing and the perils of the financial world. Brilliantly applying insight to today's volatile markets, Marks offers a volume that is part memoir, part creed, with a number of broad takeaways.

Marks expounds on such concepts as "second-level thinking," the price/value relationship, patient opportunism, and defensive investing. Frankly and honestly assessing his own decisions--and occasional missteps--he provides valuable lessons for critical thinking, risk assessment, and investment strategy. Encouraging investors to be "contrarian," Marks wisely judges market cycles and achieves returns through aggressive yet measured action. Which element is the most essential? Successful investing requires thoughtful attention to many separate aspects, and each of Marks's subjects proves to be the most important thing.]]> 200 Howard Marks 0231153686 Brandon 5 4.29 2011 The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor (Columbia Business School Publishing)
author: Howard Marks
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2022/03/23
date added: 2022/03/23
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]]> <![CDATA[The Art of Learning: A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence]]> 857333 265 Josh Waitzkin 0743277457 Brandon 3 4.01 2007 The Art of Learning: A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence
author: Josh Waitzkin
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2022/03/23
date added: 2022/03/23
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]]> <![CDATA[How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need]]> 52275335 In this urgent, authoritative book, Bill Gates sets out a wide-ranging, practical - and accessible - plan for how the world can get to zero greenhouse gas emissions in time to avoid a climate catastrophe.

Bill Gates has spent a decade investigating the causes and effects of climate change. With the help of experts in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political science, and finance, he has focused on what must be done in order to stop the planet's slide toward certain environmental disaster. In this book, he not only explains why we need to work toward net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases, but also details what we need to do to achieve this profoundly important goal.

He gives us a clear-eyed description of the challenges we face. Drawing on his understanding of innovation and what it takes to get new ideas into the market, he describes the areas in which technology is already helping to reduce emissions, where and how the current technology can be made to function more effectively, where breakthrough technologies are needed, and who is working on these essential innovations. Finally, he lays out a concrete, practical plan for achieving the goal of zero emissions-suggesting not only policies that governments should adopt, but what we as individuals can do to keep our government, our employers, and ourselves accountable in this crucial enterprise.

As Bill Gates makes clear, achieving zero emissions will not be simple or easy to do, but if we follow the plan he sets out here, it is a goal firmly within our reach.]]> 272 Bill Gates 0241448301 Brandon 0 to-read 4.12 2021 How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need
author: Bill Gates
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/03/22
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions]]> 58340695
The desire to fit in is one of the most powerful, least understood forces in society.

Todd Rose believes that as human beings, we continually act against our own best interests because our brains misunderstand what others believe. A complicated set of illusions driven by conformity bias distorts how we see the world around us. From toilet paper shortages to kidneys that get thrown away rather than used for transplants; from racial segregation to the perceived “electability� of women in politics; from bottled water to “cancel culture,� we routinely copy others, lie about what we believe, cling to tribes, and silence people.

The question is, Why do we keep believing the lies and hurting ourselves?

Todd Rose proves that the answer is hard-wired in our DNA: our brains are more socially dependent than we realize or dare to accept. Most of us would rather be fully in sync with the social norms of our respective groups than be true to who we are. Using originally researched data, Collective Illusions shows us where we get things wrong and, just as important, how we can be authentic in forming opinions while valuing truth. Rose offers a counterintuitive yet empowering explanation for how we can bridge our inference gap, make decisions with a newfound clarity, and achieve fulfillment.]]> 304 Todd Rose 0306925680 Brandon 5
Example:
- We believe we are more trustworthy than we think the average person in society is
- We subscribe to a more holistic definition of success (being happy, following your curiosities) than we think society does (fame/prestige)

As a result of things like these two examples, we end up preaching, acting, and speaking up in ways that might betray our own beliefs in fear of being ostracized by our communities.

Fear of being ostracized shows up neurologically similarly as physical pain.

So on average, humans will misrepresent their beliefs and stances based on what they think others, on average, believe, whether it is true or not.

The reality is that if we were more honest about our own individual beliefs, we will find more congruence within ourselves and hopefully help society move forward in a meaningful way. ]]> 4.03 Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions
author: Todd Rose
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.03
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2022/03/20
date added: 2022/03/20
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Great commentary on the current state of society and closes well with something we can all do to counteract.

Example:
- We believe we are more trustworthy than we think the average person in society is
- We subscribe to a more holistic definition of success (being happy, following your curiosities) than we think society does (fame/prestige)

As a result of things like these two examples, we end up preaching, acting, and speaking up in ways that might betray our own beliefs in fear of being ostracized by our communities.

Fear of being ostracized shows up neurologically similarly as physical pain.

So on average, humans will misrepresent their beliefs and stances based on what they think others, on average, believe, whether it is true or not.

The reality is that if we were more honest about our own individual beliefs, we will find more congruence within ourselves and hopefully help society move forward in a meaningful way.
]]> <![CDATA[Tax-Free Wealth: How to Build Massive Wealth by Permanently Lowering Your Taxes]]> 13238716
Once you understand the basic principles of tax reduction, you can begin, immediately, reducing your taxes. Eventually, you may even be able to legally eliminate your income taxes and drastically reduce your other taxes. Once you do that, you can live a life of Tax-Free Wealth.]]> 282 Tom Wheelwright 1937832058 Brandon 4 4.16 2012 Tax-Free Wealth: How to Build Massive Wealth by Permanently Lowering Your Taxes
author: Tom Wheelwright
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2012
rating: 4
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date added: 2022/03/17
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]]> <![CDATA[Lee Kuan Yew: The Grand Master's Insights on China, the United States, and the World (Belfer Center Studies in International Security)]]> 16248652 Grand strategist and founder of modern Singapore offers key insights and controversial opinions on globalization, geopolitics, economic growth, and democracy.When Lee Kuan Yew speaks, presidents, prime ministers, diplomats, and CEOs listen. Lee, the founding father of modern Singapore and its prime minister from 1959 to 1990, has honed his wisdom during more than fifty years on the world stage. Almost single-handedly responsible for transforming Singapore into a Western-style economic success, he offers a unique perspective on the geopolitics of East and West. American presidents from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama have welcomed him to the White House; British prime ministers from Margaret Thatcher to Tony Blair have recognized his wisdom; and business leaders from Rupert Murdoch to Rex Tillerson, CEO of Exxon Mobil, have praised his accomplishments. This book gathers key insights from interviews, speeches, and Lee's voluminous published writings and presents them in an engaging question and answer format.

Lee offers his assessment of China's future, asserting, among other things, that "China will want to share this century as co-equals with the U.S." He affirms the United States' position as the world's sole superpower but expresses dismay at the vagaries of its political system. He offers strategic advice for dealing with China and goes on to discuss India's future, Islamic terrorism, economic growth, geopolitics and globalization, and democracy. Lee does not pull his punches, offering his unvarnished opinions on multiculturalism, the welfare state, education, and the free market. This little book belongs on the reading list of every world leader--including the one who takes the oath of office on January 20, 2013.]]> 224 Graham Allison 0262019124 Brandon 5 currently-reading 4.25 2013 Lee Kuan Yew: The Grand Master's Insights on China, the United States, and the World (Belfer Center Studies in International Security)
author: Graham Allison
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2013
rating: 5
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date added: 2022/03/10
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> <![CDATA[The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma]]> 18693771 A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing.

Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world's foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers' capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain's natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk's own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.]]> 464 Bessel van der Kolk 0670785938 Brandon 5 paused 4.36 2014 The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
author: Bessel van der Kolk
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2014
rating: 5
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date added: 2022/03/10
shelves: paused
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]]> <![CDATA[The Hundred-Year Marathon: China's Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower]]> 20696000
For more than forty years, the United States has played an indispensable role helping the Chinese government build a booming economy, develop its scientific and military capabilities, and take its place on the world stage, in the belief that China's rise will bring us cooperation, diplomacy, and free trade. But what if the "China Dream" is to replace us, just as America replaced the British Empire, without firing a shot?

Based on interviews with Chinese defectors and newly declassified, previously undisclosed national security documents, The Hundred-Year Marathon reveals China's secret strategy to supplant the United States as the world's dominant power, and to do so by 2049, the one-hundredth anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic. Michael Pillsbury, a fluent Mandarin speaker who has served in senior national security positions in the U.S. government since the days of Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger, draws on his decades of contact with the "hawks" in China's military and intelligence agencies and translates their documents, speeches, and books to show how the teachings of traditional Chinese statecraft underpin their actions. He offers an inside look at how the Chinese really view America and its leaders � as barbarians who will be the architects of their own demise.

Pillsbury also explains how the U.S. government has helped � sometimes unwittingly and sometimes deliberately � to make this "China Dream" come true, and he calls for the United States to implement a new, more competitive strategy toward China as it really is, and not as we might wish it to be. The Hundred-Year Marathon is a wake-up call as we face the greatest national security challenge of the twenty-first century.]]> 336 Michael Pillsbury 1627790101 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.15 2014 The Hundred-Year Marathon: China's Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower
author: Michael Pillsbury
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2014
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/03/09
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]]> <![CDATA[Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love]]> 2153780 Heralded by the New York Times and Time as the couples therapy with the highest rate of success, Emotionally Focused Therapy works because it views the love relationship as an attachment bond.

This idea, once controversial, is now supported by science, and has become widely popular among therapists around the world. In Hold Me Tight, Dr. Sue Johnson presents Emotionally Focused Therapy to the general public for the first time. Johnson teaches that the way to save and enrich a relationship is to reestablish safe emotional connection and preserve the attachment bond. With this in mind, she focuses on key moments in a relationship-from "Recognizing the Demon Dialogue" to "Revisiting a Rocky Moment" -- and uses them as touch points for seven healing conversations.

Through case studies from her practice, illuminating advice, and practical exercises, couples will learn how to nurture their relationships and ensure a lifetime of love.
]]> 300 Sue Johnson 031611300X Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.12 2008 Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
author: Sue Johnson
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2008
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed]]> 20186 ujamaa villages in Tanzania, collectivization in Russia, Le Corbusier’s urban planning theory realized in Brasilia, the Great Leap Forward in China, agricultural "modernization" in the Tropics—the twentieth century has been racked by grand utopian schemes that have inadvertently brought death and disruption to millions. Why do well-intentioned plans for improving the human condition go tragically awry?

In this wide-ranging and original book, James C. Scott analyzes failed cases of large-scale authoritarian plans in a variety of fields. Centrally managed social plans misfire, Scott argues, when they impose schematic visions that do violence to complex interdependencies that are not—and cannot—be fully understood. Further, the success of designs for social organization depends upon the recognition that local, practical knowledge is as important as formal, epistemic knowledge. The author builds a persuasive case against "development theory" and imperialistic state planning that disregards the values, desires, and objections of its subjects. He identifies and discusses four conditions common to all planning disasters: administrative ordering of nature and society by the state; a "high-modernist ideology" that places confidence in the ability of science to improve every aspect of human life; a willingness to use authoritarian state power to effect large- scale interventions; and a prostrate civil society that cannot effectively resist such plans.]]> 461 James C. Scott 0300078153 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.21 1998 Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed
author: James C. Scott
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1998
rating: 0
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]]> A Promised Land 55361205
In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency—a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.

Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office.

Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune’s Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden.

A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective—the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of “hope and change,� and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible.

This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama’s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.]]> 768 Barack Obama 1524763187 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.32 2020 A Promised Land
author: Barack Obama
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance]]> 38245185 Decolonizing Wealth is a provocative analysis of the dysfunctional colonial dynamics at play in philanthropy and finance. Award-winning philanthropy executive Edgar Villanueva draws from the traditions from the Native way to prescribe the medicine for restoring balance and healing our divides.

Though it seems counterintuitive, the philanthropic industry has evolved to mirror colonial structures and reproduces hierarchy, ultimately doing more harm than good. After 14 years in philanthropy, Edgar Villanueva has seen past the field's glamorous, altruistic facade, and into its shadows: the old boy networks, the savior complexes, and the internalized oppression among the "house slaves," and those select few people of color who gain access.

All these funders reflect and perpetuate the same underlying dynamics that divide Us from Them and the haves from have-nots. In equal measure, he denounces the reproduction of systems of oppression while also advocating for an orientation towards justice to open the floodgates for a rising tide that lifts all boats. In the third and final section, Villanueva offers radical provocations to funders and outlines his Seven Steps for Healing.

With great compassion--because the Native way is to bring the oppressor into the circle of healing--Villanueva is able to both diagnose the fatal flaws in philanthropy and provide thoughtful solutions to these systemic imbalances. Decolonizing Wealth is a timely and critical book that preaches for mutually assured liberation in which we are all inter-connected.]]> 240 Edgar Villanueva 1523097892 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.29 2018 Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance
author: Edgar Villanueva
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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]]> Thinking In Systems: A Primer 3828902 Thinking in Systems, is a concise and crucial book offering insight for problem solving on scales ranging from the personal to the global. Edited by the Sustainability Institute’s Diana Wright, this essential primer brings systems thinking out of the realm of computers and equations and into the tangible world, showing readers how to develop the systems-thinking skills that thought leaders across the globe consider critical for 21st-century life.

Some of the biggest problems facing the world—war, hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation—are essentially system failures. They cannot be solved by fixing one piece in isolation from the others, because even seemingly minor details have enormous power to undermine the best efforts of too-narrow thinking.

While readers will learn the conceptual tools and methods of systems thinking, the heart of the book is grander than methodology. Donella Meadows was known as much for nurturing positive outcomes as she was for delving into the science behind global dilemmas. She reminds readers to pay attention to what is important, not just what is quantifiable, to stay humble, and to stay a learner.

In a world growing ever more complicated, crowded, and interdependent, Thinking in Systems helps readers avoid confusion and helplessness, the first step toward finding proactive and effective solutions.]]> 218 Donella H. Meadows 1603580557 Brandon 5
Great for creating a lens and language about how top down decisions end up playing out in reality. ]]> 4.17 2008 Thinking In Systems: A Primer
author: Donella H. Meadows
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2008
rating: 5
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date added: 2022/02/07
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Exactly what it is, a primer in understanding how systems work.

Great for creating a lens and language about how top down decisions end up playing out in reality.
]]> <![CDATA[The Price of Tomorrow: Why Deflation is the Key to an Abundant Future]]> 50157837 232 Jeff Booth 1999257405 Brandon 4 3.97 2020 The Price of Tomorrow: Why Deflation is the Key to an Abundant Future
author: Jeff Booth
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 4
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date added: 2021/11/28
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]]> <![CDATA[The Art of Impossible: A Peak Performance Primer]]> 50209348
We are capable of so much more than we know—that’s the message at the core of The Art of Impossible. Building upon cutting-edge neuroscience and over twenty years of research, author Steven Kotler lays out a blueprint for extreme performance improvement and offers a playbook to make it happen.]]> 336 Steven Kotler 0062977520 Brandon 4 4.18 2021 The Art of Impossible: A Peak Performance Primer
author: Steven Kotler
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2021
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level]]> 6391876 The Big Leap, Gay Hendricks, the New York Times bestselling author of Five Wishes, demonstrates how to eliminate the barriers to success by overcoming false fears and beliefs. Fans of Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, and The Secret will find useful, effective tips for breaking down the walls to a better life in The Big Leap.]]> 224 Gay Hendricks 0061735345 Brandon 3 3.91 2009 The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level
author: Gay Hendricks
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2009
rating: 3
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]]> The Silva Mind Control Method 184955 The Silva Mind Control Method was first published in hardcover, over one million people (including top celebrities) have graduated from Mind Control training to use their minds at a deeper and more effective level, even in their sleep!

Based on the extraordinary 4-day course pioneered by Jose Silva, this life-transforming book shows how people have learned to overcome tension, bad habits, emotional insecurity, and even illness with the techniques of Mind Control.

]]> 176 José Silva 0671739891 Brandon 0 currently-reading 3.90 1977 The Silva Mind Control Method
author: José Silva
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1977
rating: 0
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date added: 2021/11/28
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]]> Prescription for Wealth 24582771 103 Tomas McFie 0983475776 Brandon 3 4.14 2011 Prescription for Wealth
author: Tomas McFie
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2011
rating: 3
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date added: 2021/11/28
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]]> <![CDATA[Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It]]> 26156469 A former FBI hostage negotiator offers a new, field-tested approach to negotiating � effective in any situation.

After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a kidnapping negotiator brought him face-to-face with bank robbers, gang leaders and terrorists. Never Split the Difference takes you inside his world of high-stakes negotiations, revealing the nine key principles that helped Voss and his colleagues succeed when it mattered the most � when people’s lives were at stake.

Rooted in the real-life experiences of an intelligence professional at the top of his game, Never Split the Difference will give you the competitive edge in any discussion.]]> 274 Chris Voss 0062407805 Brandon 5 4.35 2016 Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It
author: Chris Voss
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2016
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Third Door: The Wild Quest to Uncover How the World's Most Successful People Launched Their Careers]]> 36739769 The larger-than-life journey of an 18-year-old college freshman who set out from his dorm room to track down Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, and dozens more of the world's most successful people to uncover how they broke through and launched their careers.

The Third Door takes readers on an unprecedented adventure--from hacking Warren Buffett's shareholders meeting to chasing Larry King through a grocery store to celebrating in a nightclub with Lady Gaga--as Alex Banayan travels from icon to icon, decoding their success. After remarkable one-on-one interviews with Bill Gates, Maya Angelou, Steve Wozniak, Jane Goodall, Larry King, Jessica Alba, Pitbull, Tim Ferriss, Quincy Jones, and many more, Alex discovered the one key they have in common: they all took the Third Door.

Life, business, success... it's just like a nightclub. There are always three ways in. There's the First Door: the main entrance, where ninety-nine percent of people wait in line, hoping to get in. The Second Door: the VIP entrance, where the billionaires and celebrities slip through. But what no one tells you is that there is always, always... the Third Door. It's the entrance where you have to jump out of line, run down the alley, bang on the door a hundred times, climb over the dumpster, crack open the window, sneak through the kitchen--there's always a way in. Whether it's how Bill Gates sold his first piece of software or how Steven Spielberg became the youngest studio director in Hollywood history, they all took the Third Door.]]> 320 Alex Banayan Brandon 4 4.11 2018 The Third Door: The Wild Quest to Uncover How the World's Most Successful People Launched Their Careers
author: Alex Banayan
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership]]> 23275060 Jim Dethmer Brandon 5 4.19 2015 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership
author: Jim Dethmer
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2015
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Postcapitalism: A Guide to Our Future]]> 24878857 From Paul Mason, the award-winning Channel 4 presenter, Postcapitalism is a guide to our era of seismic economic change, and how we can build a more equal society.

Over the past two centuries or so, capitalism has undergone continual change - economic cycles that lurch from boom to bust - and has always emerged transformed and strengthened. Surveying this turbulent history, Paul Mason wonders whether today we are on the brink of a change so big, so profound, that this time capitalism itself, the immensely complex system by which entire societies function, has reached its limits and is changing into something wholly new.

At the heart of this change is information technology: a revolution that, as Mason shows, has the potential to reshape utterly our familiar notions of work, production and value; and to destroy an economy based on markets and private ownership - in fact, he contends, it is already doing so. Almost unnoticed, in the niches and hollows of the market system, whole swathes of economic life are changing.. Goods and services that no longer respond to the dictates of neoliberalism are appearing, from parallel currencies and time banks, to cooperatives and self-managed online spaces. Vast numbers of people are changing their behaviour, discovering new forms of ownership, lending and doing business that are distinct from, and contrary to, the current system of state-backed corporate capitalism.

In this groundbreaking book Mason shows how, from the ashes of the recent financial crisis, we have the chance to create a more socially just and sustainable global economy. Moving beyond capitalism, he shows, is no longer a utopian dream. This is the first time in human history in which, equipped with an understanding of what is happening around us, we can predict and shape, rather than simply react to, seismic change.]]> 368 Paul Mason 1846147387 Brandon 4 3.74 2015 Postcapitalism: A Guide to Our Future
author: Paul Mason
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/28
date added: 2021/11/28
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]]> Loving Our Kids on Purpose 24121866
Loving Our Kids on Purpose shows you how to plant in your children the principles of the Kingdom of God and a heart for the Lord. The easily implemented plan gives you the tools to raise your children in the joy and fullness of the Lord Jesus. Rather than traditional approaches, this book teaches parents how to train children to manage their freedoms and protect their important heart-to-heart relationships.

“…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom�
(2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV).

Children were designed with the core need of freedom. To deny this or live ignorant of it eventually destroys the trust connection between parent and child.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love (1 John 4:18 NKJV).

Loving Our Kids on Purpose introduces paradigms, perceptions, skills, and ideas that help parents reduce fear by eliminating the tool of punishment and strengthening the hearts of their children to fulfill their destiny.

DANNY SILK is the Family Life pastor at Bethe l Church in Redding, California. He is also president of Loving On Purpose, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening families and communities at the local, national, and international levels. He and his wife, Sheri, have three children. They have also parented over 70 teens as group-home house parents and foster parents.

]]> 196 Danny Silk Brandon 4 4.39 2008 Loving Our Kids on Purpose
author: Danny Silk
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2011/01/01
date added: 2020/07/30
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future]]> 25541028 392 Ashlee Vance 0062301233 Brandon 5 4.12 2015 Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
author: Ashlee Vance
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2015/07/02
date added: 2018/01/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Triumphs of Experience: The Men of the Harvard Grant Study]]> 15861579
Begun in 1938, the Grant Study of Adult Development charted the physical and emotional health of over 200 men, starting with their undergraduate days. The now-classic "Adaptation to Life" reported on the men's lives up to age 55 and helped us understand adult maturation. Now George Vaillant follows the men into their nineties, documenting for the first time what it is like to flourish far beyond conventional retirement.

Reporting on all aspects of male life, including relationships, politics and religion, coping strategies, and alcohol use (its abuse being by far the greatest disruptor of health and happiness for the study's subjects), "Triumphs of Experience" shares a number of surprising findings. For example, the people who do well in old age did not necessarily do so well in midlife, and vice versa. While the study confirms that recovery from a lousy childhood is possible, memories of a happy childhood are a lifelong source of strength. Marriages bring much more contentment after age 70, and physical aging after 80 is determined less by heredity than by habits formed prior to age 50. The credit for growing old with grace and vitality, it seems, goes more to ourselves than to our stellar genetic makeup.]]> 457 George E. Vaillant 0674059824 Brandon 5 4.11 2012 Triumphs of Experience: The Men of the Harvard Grant Study
author: George E. Vaillant
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2017/02/09
date added: 2017/02/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Doing Good Better: How Effective Altruism Can Help You Make a Difference]]> 23398748
While a researcher at Oxford, trying to figure out which career would allow him to have the greatest impact, William MacAskill confronted this problem head on. He discovered that much of the potential for change was being squandered by lack of information, bad data, and our own prejudice. As an antidote, he and his colleagues developed effective altruism, a practical, data-driven approach that allows each of us to make a tremendous difference regardless of our resources. Effective altruists believe that it’s not enough to simply do good; we must do good better.

At the core of this philosophy are five key questions that help guide our altruistic How many people benefit, and by how much? Is this the most effective thing I can do? Is this area neglected? What would have happened otherwise? What are the chances of success, and how good would success be? By applying these questions to real-life scenarios, MacAskill shows how many of our assumptions about doing good are misguided. For instance, he argues one can potentially save more lives by becoming a plastic surgeon rather than a heart surgeon; measuring overhead costs is an inaccurate gauge of a charity’s effectiveness; and, it generally doesn’t make sense for individuals to donate to disaster relief.

MacAskill urges us to think differently, set aside biases, and use evidence and careful reasoning rather than act on impulse. When we do this—when we apply the head and the heart to each of our altruistic endeavors—we find that each of us has the power to do an astonishing amount of good.]]> 272 William MacAskill 1592409105 Brandon 4 4.19 2015 Doing Good Better: How Effective Altruism Can Help You Make a Difference
author: William MacAskill
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2017/02/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Poor Charlie's Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger]]> 20157104 548 Charles T. Munger Brandon 0 currently-reading, paused 4.64 2005 Poor Charlie's Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger
author: Charles T. Munger
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.64
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/12/27
shelves: currently-reading, paused
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind]]> 23692271 512 Yuval Noah Harari Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.33 2011 Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
author: Yuval Noah Harari
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/11/04
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead]]> 22875447 From the visionary head of Google's innovative People Operations comes a groundbreaking inquiry into the philosophy of work-and a blueprint for attracting the most spectacular talent to your business and ensuring that they succeed.

"We spend more time working than doing anything else in life. It's not right that the experience of work should be so demotivating and dehumanizing." So says Laszlo Bock, head of People Operations at the company that transformed how the world interacts with knowledge.

This insight is the heart of WORK RULES!, a compelling and surprisingly playful manifesto that offers lessons including:


Take away managers' power over employees
Learn from your best employees-and your worst
Hire only people who are smarter than you are, no matter how long it takes to find them
Pay unfairly (it's more fair!)
Don't trust your gut: Use data to predict and shape the future
Default to open-be transparent and welcome feedback
If you're comfortable with the amount of freedom you've given your employees, you haven't gone far enough.



Drawing on the latest research in behavioral economics and a profound grasp of human psychology, WORK RULES! also provides teaching examples from a range of industries-including lauded companies that happen to be hideous places to work and little-known companies that achieve spectacular results by valuing and listening to their employees. Bock takes us inside one of history's most explosively successful businesses to reveal why Google is consistently rated one of the best places to work in the world, distilling 15 years of intensive worker R&D into principles that are easy to put into action, whether you're a team of one or a team of thousands.

WORK RULES! shows how to strike a balance between creativity and structure, leading to success you can measure in quality of life as well as market share. Read it to build a better company from within rather than from above; read it to reawaken your joy in what you do.

]]> 406 Laszlo Bock 1455554790 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.11 2015 Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead
author: Laszlo Bock
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2015
rating: 0
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date added: 2016/11/04
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> <![CDATA[Young Leaders 3.0: Stories, Insights, and Tips for Next-Generation Achievers]]> 23878576
How This Book Benefits High School Students

Gain a rare look into the secrets of college prep and admissions success. You will get advice from these exemplary young leaders on selecting extracurricular and summer activities, building relationships, developing both study and leadership skills, learning from mistakes made, and preparing for college applications. The array of unique college application personal essays, accompanied by author Jason L. Ma's commentary, will inspire you to craft original and creative college applications that will boost your chances of acceptance, help you choose the right university, and assist you in making a smooth transition to college life.

How This Book Benefits University Students and Millennial Professionals

Find insight into your fields of interest to get started in your professional or entrepreneurial career and to take your dreams and goals to the next level. Pick up strategies to help you build employable skills, find internships and jobs, choose what types of companies or nonprofits to join, and adapt to the needs of this dynamically changing world. Learn invaluable skills on and off campus, including how to manage failure.

How This Book Helps Parents, Educators, and Employers

Discover how the next generation of leaders wishes to change our future. Learn how to relate to and support them, and strengthen your own family values. Take the parenting of teens and the nurturing of millennials for success to the next level. Understand what leadership education really is.

More on Why This Book Will Help You

This book is the culmination of Jason L. Ma's years of experience as a leading millennial and teen mentor, success coach, speaker, and author. Young Leaders 3.0 offers a wealth of insights and strategies he developed through his work with hundreds of talented individuals, his reflections on his own successes, and the invaluable lessons he has gleaned. By observing what drives these young people to become leaders in their fields, Ma has come to recognize successful and not-so-effective patterns in their approaches to life, school, and work. You will see how they think, act, and strive to change the world.

In Young Leaders 3.0, Ma combines these millennial achievers' thoughtful reflections and personal visions with his own analysis and wisdom. The Epilogue summarizes important themes, identifies success patterns, and offers concluding actionable advice. By suggesting new models and indicating paths that these young leaders have paved, Ma's book will inspire and guide young people to succeed in any endeavor, and also show parents, educators, and employers how to effectively support the next generation.


CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION: Why and How Does This Book Help You?

Act I: College Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors

1. Sabrina Ma - Kindness Kid from Silicon Valley
2. Danny Levy - Outdoor Educator and Environmental Ambassador
3. Felipe da Paz - Brazilian Golfer Turned Entrepreneur
4. Shreya Indukuri - Sustainability Designer

Act II: Seniors on the Threshold

5. Erica Ma - Diplomat Building Bridges of Peace
6. Ivy Xing - Lonely Child to Geeky Girl
7. Kimberly Han - Filmmaker Dreaming of the Oscars
8. Youyang Gu - Wall Street Hacker

Act III: Seniors Stepping into the World

9. Jeremy Fiance - Relentlessly Resourceful Master of None
10. Max Song - Gritty Data Scientist
11. Sophie Mann - Strategic Planner from NYC

Act IV: Graduated and Making Their Way

12. Angela Wang - Long Mohawk
13. Enrico Bonatti - Citizen of the World
14. Leila Pirbay - Anthropologist from Madagascar
15. Ngan Pham - Happily Depressed Two-Time Dropout
16. Ryan Mango - Midwest Wrestler Chasing Olympic Hopes
17. Sally Zhang - Truth-Seeking Journalist
18. Tim Hwang - Government Innovator
19. Timothy Lee - Unconventional Engineer

Act V: One to Two Years in the World and Advancing

20. Christopher Pruijsen - Nomadic Entrepreneur
21. Kemaya Kidwai - Wildlife Buff and Consulting Newbie
22. Patrick Ip - Digital Entrepreneur
23. Sonia Agarwal - Gandhian Innovator

EPILOGUE: Success Patterns Seen and Concluding Advice

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR]]> 354 Jason Ma 0990973425 Brandon 3
The epilogue is what all the anecdotes lead to. Here, the author distills and attempts to articulate the core pillars he believes are essential to success.

Great in theory and as a motivational soundbite, but the author doesn't do the best job making the principles concrete and replicatable for someone encountering these ideas for the first time.

This book is good for giving context about what influential young people can do and are doing but not as helpful as I'd like it to be as a step by step blueprint for one to follow (to be fair, this book was not meant to be a blueprint).]]> 3.33 2014 Young Leaders 3.0: Stories, Insights, and Tips for Next-Generation Achievers
author: Jason Ma
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2016/04/30
date added: 2016/07/12
shelves:
review:
This book mostly contains anecdotes about [mostly] privileged kids (I was hoping there would be a broader range in this regard) doing ambitious things and the important lessons they learned along the way. The stories are enlightening and great overviews, but they didn't provide the level of depth I wanted to see, though, the point of the book was to provide breadth.

The epilogue is what all the anecdotes lead to. Here, the author distills and attempts to articulate the core pillars he believes are essential to success.

Great in theory and as a motivational soundbite, but the author doesn't do the best job making the principles concrete and replicatable for someone encountering these ideas for the first time.

This book is good for giving context about what influential young people can do and are doing but not as helpful as I'd like it to be as a step by step blueprint for one to follow (to be fair, this book was not meant to be a blueprint).
]]> <![CDATA[All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten]]> 34760 All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten is brimming with the very stuff of life and the significance found in the smallest details.]]> 221 Robert Fulghum 034546639X Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.02 1986 All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
author: Robert Fulghum
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1986
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/06/26
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> <![CDATA[The Power of Eye Contact: Your Secret for Success in Business, Love, and Life]]> 7647231 Ěý—Dr. Ivan Misner, author of Masters of Networking Ěý â€� The Power of Eye Contact is a must-read book if you want a lasting relationship—or want to deepen the one you’re in.â€�
—Marie Forleo, author Make Every Man Want You Ěý “Both mysterious and rewarding, the text reveals the powerful secrets of using the eyes to connect with others.â€�
—Rom Brafman, co-author of The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior Ěý The secret to success in business, love, and life is The Power of Eye Contact. Author Michael Ellsberg provides an authoritative and extensive guide to mastering a potent force that can change your life.]]> 272 Michael Ellsberg 0061782211 Brandon 0 currently-reading 3.61 2010 The Power of Eye Contact: Your Secret for Success in Business, Love, and Life
author: Michael Ellsberg
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2010
rating: 0
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date added: 2016/06/26
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]]> <![CDATA[The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves]]> 7776209
Yet Matt Ridley does more than describe how things are getting better. He explains why. Prosperity comes from everybody working for everybody else. The habit of exchange and specialization—which started more than 100,000 years ago—has created a collective brain that sets human living standards on a rising trend. The mutual dependence, trust, and sharing that result are causes for hope, not despair.

This bold book covers the entire sweep of human history, from the Stone Age to the Internet, from the stagnation of the Ming empire to the invention of the steam engine, from the population explosion to the likely consequences of climate change. It ends with a confident assertion that thanks to the ceaseless capacity of the human race for innovative change, and despite inevitable disasters along the way, the twenty-first century will see both human prosperity and natural biodiversity enhanced. Acute, refreshing, and revelatory, The Rational Optimist will change your way of thinking about the world for the better.]]> 448 Matt Ridley 006145205X Brandon 0 currently-reading 3.94 2010 The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves
author: Matt Ridley
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2010
rating: 0
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date added: 2016/06/26
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]]> <![CDATA[Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World]]> 25614523 Originals the author addresses the challenge of improving the world from the perspective of becoming original: choosing to champion novel ideas and values that go against the grain, battle conformity, and buck outdated traditions. How can we originate new ideas, policies, and practices without risking it all?
Ěý
Using surprising studies and stories spanning business, politics, sports, and entertainment, Grant explores how to recognize a good idea, speak up without getting silenced, build a coalition of allies, choose the right time to act, and manage fear and doubt; how parents and teachers can nurture originality in children; and how leaders can build cultures that welcome dissent. Learn from an entrepreneur who pitches his start-ups by highlighting the reasons not to invest, a woman at Apple who challenged Steve Jobs from three levels below, an analyst who overturned the rule of secrecy at the CIA, a billionaire financial wizard who fires employees for failing to criticize him, and a TV executive who didn’t even work in comedy but saved Seinfeld from the cutting-room floor. The payoff is a set of groundbreaking insights about rejecting conformity and improving the status quo.
]]> 326 Adam M. Grant 0525429565 Brandon 0 currently-reading 3.93 2016 Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World
author: Adam M. Grant
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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date added: 2016/06/26
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> Sam Walton: Made In America 10631 "Here is an extraordinary success story about a man whose empire was built not with smoke and mirrors, but with good old-fashioned elbow grease."]]> 346 Sam Walton 0553562835 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.11 Sam Walton: Made In America
author: Sam Walton
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.11
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/01/05
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty]]> 12158480 Brilliant and engagingly written, Why Nations Fail answers the question that has stumped the experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine?

Is it culture, the weather, geography? Perhaps ignorance of what the right policies are?

Simply, no. None of these factors is either definitive or destiny. Otherwise, how to explain why Botswana has become one of the fastest growing countries in the world, while other African nations, such as Zimbabwe, the Congo, and Sierra Leone, are mired in poverty and violence?

Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson conclusively show that it is man-made political and economic institutions that underlie economic success (or lack of it). Korea, to take just one of their fascinating examples, is a remarkably homogeneous nation, yet the people of North Korea are among the poorest on earth while their brothers and sisters in South Korea are among the richest. The south forged a society that created incentives, rewarded innovation, and allowed everyone to participate in economic opportunities. The economic success thus spurred was sustained because the government became accountable and responsive to citizens and the great mass of people. Sadly, the people of the north have endured decades of famine, political repression, and very different economic institutions—with no end in sight. The differences between the Koreas is due to the politics that created these completely different institutional trajectories.

Based on fifteen years of original research Acemoglu and Robinson marshall extraordinary historical evidence from the Roman Empire, the Mayan city-states, medieval Venice, the Soviet Union, Latin America, England, Europe, the United States, and Africa to build a new theory of political economy with great relevance for the big questions of today, including:

ĚýĚý - China has built an authoritarian growth machine. Will it continue to grow at such high speed andĚýoverwhelm the West?
ĚýĚý - Are America’s best days behind it? Are we moving from a virtuous circle in which efforts by elites to aggrandize power are resisted to a vicious one that enriches and empowers a small minority?
ĚýĚý - What is the most effective way to help move billions of people from the rut of poverty to prosperity? More
philanthropy from the wealthy nations of the West? Or learning the hard-won lessons of Acemoglu and Robinson’s breakthrough ideas on the interplay between inclusive political and economic institutions?

Why Nations Fail will change the way you look at—and understand—the world.]]> 529 Daron Acemoğlu 0307719219 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.06 2012 Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty
author: Daron AcemoÄźlu
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/12/27
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds]]> 17910144
In his book, Carmine Gallo has broken down hundreds of TED talks and interviewed the most popular TED presenters, as well as the top researchers in the fields of psychology, communications, and neuroscience to reveal the nine secrets of all successful TED presentations. Gallo's step-by-step method makes it possible for anyone to deliver a presentation that is engaging, persuasive, and memorable.

Carmine Gallo's top 10 Wall Street Journal Bestseller Talk Like TED will give anyone who is insecure about their public speaking abilities the tools to communicate the ideas that matter most to them, the skill to win over hearts and minds, and the confidence to deliver the talk of their lives.

The opinions expressed by Carmine Gallo in TALK LIKE TED are his own. His book is not endorsed, sponsored or authorized by TED Conferences, LLC or its affiliates.]]> 363 Carmine Gallo 1250041120 Brandon 4
Effectively uses past TEDTalks as case studies to demonstrate how to effectively persuade audiences in any setting, even outside the formal stage-speaking-space.

Definitely some worthwhile insights for a wide range of leaders/speakers, from newbie to expert. ]]> 3.86 2014 Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds
author: Carmine Gallo
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2015/12/26
date added: 2015/12/27
shelves:
review:
A book on effective persuasion.

Effectively uses past TEDTalks as case studies to demonstrate how to effectively persuade audiences in any setting, even outside the formal stage-speaking-space.

Definitely some worthwhile insights for a wide range of leaders/speakers, from newbie to expert.
]]> <![CDATA[Developing the Leaders Around You: How to Help Others Reach Their Full Potential]]> 601073 It’s not enough for a leader to have vision, energy, drive, and conviction. If you want to see your dream come to fruition, you must learn how to develop the leaders around you.

Why do some people achieve great personal success, yet never succeed in building a business or making an impact in their organization? Leadership expert and bestselling author John C. Maxwell knows the answer. The greatest leadership principle he’s learned is that those closest to the leader will determine the success level of that leader.

Maxwell examines the differences between leadership styles, outlines principles for inspiring, motivating, and influencing others. These principles can be used in any organization to foster integrity and self discipline and bring a positive change.

InĚýDeveloping the Leaders Around You, you’ll learn how to be effective in the highest calling of leadership by understanding the five characteristics that set "leader managers" apart from "run-of-the-mill managers":


Vision
Value
Influence
Motivation
Confidence
Whether you’re the leader of a non-profit organization, small business, or Fortune 500 company,ĚýDeveloping the Leaders Around YouĚýcan help you to take others to the limits of their potential and your organization to a whole new level.]]> 224 John C. Maxwell 0785281118 Brandon 0 currently-reading, paused 4.22 Developing the Leaders Around You: How to Help Others Reach Their Full Potential
author: John C. Maxwell
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.22
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2015/08/31
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]]> <![CDATA[Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't (Rockefeller Habits 2.0 Revised Edition)]]> 22212880 Winner of the 2015 International Book Awards for General Business

Winner of the 2015 National Indie Excellence Award for General Business

Winner of the 2015 Readers' Favorite International Book Award Gold Medal for Non-Fiction Business

Winner of the 2015 Paris Book Festival Award for Business

Winner of the 2015 Amsterdam Book Festival Award for Business

Winner of the 2015 San Francisco Book Festival Award for Business

Finalist of the 2015 International Book Awards for Best New Non-Fiction

It's been over a decade since Verne Harnish's best-selling book Mastering the Rockefeller Habits was first released. Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't is the first major revision of this business classic. In Scaling Up, Harnish and his team share practical tools and techniques for building an industry-dominating business. These approaches have been honed from over three decades of advising tens of thousands of CEOs and executives and helping them navigate the increasing complexities (and weight) that come with scaling up a venture. This book is written so everyone -- from frontline employees to senior executives -- can get aligned in contributing to the growth of a firm. There's no reason to do it alone, yet many top leaders feel like they are the ones dragging the rest of the organization up the S-curve of growth. The goal of this book is to help you turn what feels like an anchor into wind at your back -- creating a company where the team is engaged; the customers are doing your marketing; and everyone is making money. To accomplish this, Scaling Up focuses on the four major decision areas every company must get right: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash. The book includes a series of new one-page tools including the updated One-Page Strategic Plan and the Rockefeller Habits ChecklistTM, which more than 40,000 firms around the globe have used to scale their companies successfully -- many to $1 billion and beyond. Running a business is ultimately about freedom. Scaling Up shows business leaders how to get their organizations moving in sync to create something significant and enjoy the ride.]]> 246 Verne Harnish 0986019526 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.12 2014 Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't (Rockefeller Habits 2.0 Revised Edition)
author: Verne Harnish
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/08/31
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[No Tech Hacking: A Guide to Social Engineering, Dumpster Diving, and Shoulder Surfing]]> 1729135
As the cliché goes, information is power. In this age of technology, an increasing majority of the world's information is stored electronically. It makes sense then that we rely on high-tech electronic protection systems to guard that information. As professional hackers, Johnny Long and Kevin Mitnick get paid to uncover weaknesses in those systems and exploit them. Whether breaking into buildings or slipping past industrial-grade firewalls, their goal has always been the extract the information using any means necessary. After hundreds of jobs, they have discovered the secrets to bypassing every conceivable high-tech security system. This book reveals those secrets; as the title suggests, it has nothing to do with high technology.

� Dumpster Diving
Be a good sport and don’t read the two “D� words written in big bold letters above, and act surprised when I tell you hackers can accomplish this without relying on a single bit of technology (punny).
� Tailgating
Hackers and ninja both like wearing black, and they do share the ability to slip inside a building and blend with the shadows.
� Shoulder Surfing
If you like having a screen on your laptop so you can see what you’re working on, don’t read this chapter.
� Physical Security
Locks are serious business and lock technicians are true engineers, most backed with years of hands-on experience. But what happens when you take the age-old respected profession of the locksmith and sprinkle it with hacker ingenuity?
� Social Engineering with Jack Wiles
Jack has trained hundreds of federal agents, corporate attorneys, CEOs and internal auditors on computer crime and security-related topics. His unforgettable presentations are filled with three decades of personal "war stories" from the trenches of Information Security and Physical Security.
� Google Hacking
A hacker doesn’t even need his own computer to do the necessary research. If he can make it to a public library, Kinko's or Internet cafe, he can use Google to process all that data into something useful.
� P2P Hacking
Let’s assume a guy has no budget, no commercial hacking software, no support from organized crime and no fancy gear. With all those restrictions, is this guy still a threat to you? Have a look at this chapter and judge for yourself.
� People Watching
Skilled people watchers can learn a whole lot in just a few quick glances. In this chapter we’ll take a look at a few examples of the types of things that draws a no-tech hacker’s eye.
� Kiosks
What happens when a kiosk is more than a kiosk? What happens when the kiosk holds airline passenger information? What if the kiosk holds confidential patient information? What if the kiosk holds cash?
� Vehicle Surveillance
Most people don’t realize that some of the most thrilling vehicular espionage happens when the cars aren't moving at all!]]> 384 Johnny Long 1597492159 Brandon 3 3.90 2007 No Tech Hacking: A Guide to Social Engineering, Dumpster Diving, and Shoulder Surfing
author: Johnny Long
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2015/08/01
date added: 2015/08/31
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results]]> 18716197 240 Gary Keller Brandon 0 to-read 4.24 2012 The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results
author: Gary Keller
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich]]> 621
For years people have asked David Bach, the national bestselling author of Smart Women Finish Rich , Smart Couples Finish Rich, and The Finish Rich Workbook , what’s the real secret to getting rich? What’s the one thing I need to do?

Now, in The Automatic Millionaire , David Bach is sharing that secret.

The Automatic Millionaire starts with the powerful story of an average American
couple--he’s a low-level manager, she’s a beautician--whose joint income never exceeds $55,000 a year, yet who somehow manage to own two homes debt-free, put two kids through college, and retire at 55 with more than $1 million in savings. Through their story you’ll learn the surprising fact that you cannot get rich with a budget! You have to have a plan to pay yourself first that is totally automatic, a plan that will automatically secure your future and pay for your present.

What makes The Automatic Millionaire unique:

You don’t need a budget
You don’t need willpower
You don’t need to make a lot of money
You don’t need to be that interested in money
You can set up the plan in an hour

David Bach gives you a totally realistic system, based on timeless principles, with everything you need to know, including phone numbers and websites, so you can put the secret to becoming an Automatic Millionaire in place from the comfort of your own home.

This one little book has the power to secure your financial future. Do it once--the rest is automatic!]]> 272 David Bach 0767923820 Brandon 3 3.93 2003 The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich
author: David Bach
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2003
rating: 3
read at: 2012/01/01
date added: 2015/07/05
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]]> <![CDATA[The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy]]> 998 CAN YOU SPOT THE MILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR?

Who are the rich in this country?

What do they do?

Where do they shop?

What do they drive?

How do they invest?

Where did their ancestors come from?

How did they get rich?

Can I ever become one of them?

Get the answers in The Millionaire Next Door, the never-before-told story about wealth in America. You'll be surprised at what you find out....

]]> 258 Thomas J. Stanley 0671015206 Brandon 4 4.05 1995 The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy
author: Thomas J. Stanley
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.05
book published: 1995
rating: 4
read at: 2012/01/01
date added: 2015/07/05
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]]> <![CDATA[God's Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Failed (Spiritual Biographies of Smith Wigglesworth, Aimee Semple McPherson, William J. Seymour, Kathryn Kuhlman, and More) (Volume 1)]]> 42355 416 Roberts Liardon 0883689448 Brandon 4 4.48 1997 God's Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Failed (Spiritual Biographies of Smith Wigglesworth, Aimee Semple McPherson, William J. Seymour, Kathryn Kuhlman, and More) (Volume 1)
author: Roberts Liardon
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.48
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at: 2009/01/01
date added: 2015/07/05
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]]> Four Hour Chef 16160948
Featuring recipes and cooking tricks from world-renowned chefs, interspersed with the radically counterintuitive advice Ferriss's fans have come to expect, The 4-Hour Chef is a practical but unusual guide to mastering food and cooking, whether you are a seasoned pro or a blank-slate novice.

Beyond that, it is designed to be "the cookbook for people who don't buy cookbooks." The 4-Hour Chef will teach Ferriss's approach to learning any skill in minimum time, which is what his 1,000,000+ monthly blog readers have most requested he write about for nearly five years. Readers of this new book, using food as a vehicle, will learn the art and science of meta-learning--the skill of learning skills.

Last but not least, this book also refines and showcases the very best recipes and hacks based on Ferriss's The Slow-Carb Diet, which hundreds of thousands of his readers around the world have tested for performance enhancement and fat loss (many have lost 100+ pounds since December 2010).]]> 672 Timothy Ferriss 1477800077 Brandon 4 4.00 2012 Four Hour Chef
author: Timothy Ferriss
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2013/01/01
date added: 2015/07/05
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]]> <![CDATA[The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind: Access to a Life of Miracles]]> 110049 176 Bill Johnson 0768422523 Brandon 5 4.49 2004 The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind: Access to a Life of Miracles
author: Bill Johnson
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2004
rating: 5
read at: 2008/01/01
date added: 2015/07/05
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes And Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance]]> 6402364
Four years in the making, SuperFreakonomics asks not only the tough questions, but the unexpected ones: What's more dangerous, driving drunk or walking drunk? Why is chemotherapy prescribed so often if it's so ineffective? Can a sex change boost your salary?

SuperFreakonomics challenges the way we think all over again, exploring the hidden side of everything with such questions as:

How is a street prostitute like a department-store Santa?
Why are doctors so bad at washing their hands?
How much good do car seats do?
What's the best way to catch a terrorist?
Did TV cause a rise in crime?
What do hurricanes, heart attacks, and highway deaths have in common?
Are people hard-wired for altruism or selfishness?
Can eating kangaroo save the planet?
Which adds more value: a pimp or a Realtor?

Levitt and Dubner mix smart thinking and great storytelling like no one else, whether investigating a solution to global warming or explaining why the price of oral sex has fallen so drastically. By examining how people respond to incentives, they show the world for what it really is � good, bad, ugly, and, in the final analysis, super freaky.

Freakonomics has been imitated many times over � but only now, with SuperFreakonomics, has it met its match.]]> 270 Steven D. Levitt 0060889578 Brandon 3 Brain candy 4.00 2009 SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes And Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance
author: Steven D. Levitt
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2013/01/01
date added: 2015/07/05
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Brain candy
]]> <![CDATA[Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader]]> 23395719 464 Brent Schlender 0771079141 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.10 2015 Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader
author: Brent Schlender
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/07/03
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter - And How to Make the Most of Them Now]]> 13523061 241 Meg Jay 0446575062 Brandon 4 4.09 2012 The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter - And How to Make the Most of Them Now
author: Meg Jay
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2013/01/01
date added: 2015/06/22
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading]]> 567610 How to Read a Book, originally published in 1940, has become a rare phenomenon, a living classic. It is the best and most successful guide to reading comprehension for the general reader. And now it has been completely rewritten and updated.

You are told about the various levels of reading and how to achieve them � from elementary reading, through systematic skimming and inspectional reading, to speed reading, you learn how to pigeonhole a book, X-ray it, extract the author's message, criticize. You are taught the different reading techniques for reading practical books, imaginative literature, plays, poetry, history, science and mathematics, philosophy and social science.

Finally, the authors offer a recommended reading list and supply reading tests whereby you can measure your own progress in reading skills, comprehension and speed.

This a previously-published edition of ISBN 9780671212094

]]> 442 Mortimer J. Adler Brandon 0 to-read 3.97 1940 How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading
author: Mortimer J. Adler
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1940
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/06/13
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women]]> 49149
Complicated and impossible to understand? Do you love and want to please the woman in your life, but just can’t seem to figure her out? That was before For Men Only . Now at your fingertips is the tool that will unlock the secret to her mysterious ways. Through hundreds of interviews and the results of a scientific national survey of women, this book demonstrates that women are actually not random and that they really can be systematized and “mapped.� In fact, much to men’s delight, this book shows that women are actually quite easy to understand and please—as long as you know what it is they need. This simple map will guide you to loving your wife or girlfriend in the way she needs to be loved.

The bestselling author of For Women Only teams with her husband to offer men the key to unlocking the mysterious ways of women. Through Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn ’s national scientific survey and hundreds of interviews, For Men Only reveals what you can do today to improve your relationship. And believe it or not, as Jeff assures men, “It’s not splitting the atom.�

And for every guy who rarely reads a Quick-Start Guide Included!

“When we featured Shaunti’s book For Women Only on FamilyLife Today , the phone rang off the hook! When Shaunti and Jeff come back on our broadcast, I’m buying some more phones. This is fresh and relevant—good stuff for every marriage. Read it!�
-Dennis Rainey, President, FamilyLife

Story Behind the Book

“As I was writing For Women Only to help women understand the inner lives of men, over and over I heard that men wished there was a way to understand their wives, but they felt it was probably impossible. I heard from them, â€You are writing this little slim volume about men, but if it was about understanding women, it would have to be the size of an encyclopedia! Women are random and complicated!â€� These men were surprised and encouraged when I assured them that women are neither random nor complicated, and we can be understood. Men just want to love their wives well, and For Men Only will help them do that.â€�
—Shaunti Feldhahn]]> 192 Shaunti Feldhahn 1590525728 Brandon 5 4.10 2006 For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women
author: Shaunti Feldhahn
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at: 2014/01/01
date added: 2015/06/13
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]]> <![CDATA[Love and Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs]]> 56405 A New York Times best-selling marriage book with more than one million copies sold!

Based on over three decades of counseling, as well as scientific and biblicalĚýresearch, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs and his wife, Sarah, have already taken theĚýLoveĚý& RespectĚýmessage across America and are changing the way couples talk to, thinkĚýabout, and treat each other. What do you want for your marriage? Want someĚýpeace? Want to feel close? Want to feel valued? Want to experience marriage theĚýway God intended? Then why not try some Love and Respect.

A wife has one driving need?to feel loved. When that need is met, she is happy.ĚýA husband has one driving need?to feel respected. When that need is met, he is happy.ĚýWhen either of these needs isn’t met, things get crazy.ĚýLove & RespectĚýreveals why spouses react negatively to each other, and how they can deal withĚýsuch conflict quickly, easily, and biblically.]]> 324 Emerson Eggerichs 1591451876 Brandon 5 4.15 2004 Love and Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs
author: Emerson Eggerichs
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2004
rating: 5
read at: 2011/01/01
date added: 2015/06/13
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]]> <![CDATA[To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others]]> 13593553 Drive and A Whole New Mind comes a surprising--and surprisingly useful--new book that explores the power of selling in our lives.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, one in nine Americans works in sales. Every day more than fifteen million people earn their keep by persuading someone else to make a purchase.

But dig deeper and a startling truth emerges:

Yes, one in nine Americans works in sales. But so do the other eight.

Whether we’re employees pitching colleagues on a new idea, entrepreneurs enticing funders to invest, or parents and teachers cajoling children to study, we spend our days trying to move others. Like it or not, we’re all in sales now.

To SellĚýIs Human offers a fresh look at the art and science of selling. As he did in Drive and A Whole New Mind,ĚýDaniel H. Pink draws on a rich trove of social science for his counterintuitive insights. He reveals the new ABCs of moving others (it's no longer "Always Be Closing"), explains why extraverts don't make the best salespeople, and shows how giving people an "off-ramp" for their actions can matter more than actually changing their minds.

Along the way, Pink describes the six successors to the elevator pitch, the three rules for understanding another's perspective, the five frames that can make your message clearer and more persuasive, and much more. The result is a perceptive and practical book--one that will change how you see the world and transform what you do at work, at school, and at home.]]> 272 Daniel H. Pink 1594487154 Brandon 5
1.) Selling does not require smarts.

- smart people do engineering, dumber people are relegated to sales

2.) Greed = sales

3.) Nature vs. nurture -- most believe you are either a born salesman or not

]]> 3.86 2012 To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others
author: Daniel H. Pink
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2015/04/01
date added: 2015/06/13
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The intent of the book is to dispel 3 myths

1.) Selling does not require smarts.

- smart people do engineering, dumber people are relegated to sales

2.) Greed = sales

3.) Nature vs. nurture -- most believe you are either a born salesman or not


]]> <![CDATA[The Misunderstood God: The Lies Religion Tells About God]]> 19383024 225 Darin Hufford Brandon 5 4.38 2009 The Misunderstood God: The Lies Religion Tells About God
author: Darin Hufford
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2011/01/01
date added: 2015/06/13
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]]> <![CDATA[Maxwell 3-in-1: The Winning Attitude,Developing the Leaders Around You,Becoming a Person of Influence]]> 19164720 The Winning Attitude John Maxwell shares insights from real life experiences showing how to recognize and attain the winning attitude to overcome life's difficulties, win people over, and turn problems into opportunities.

Developing the Leaders Around You takes personal leadership one step further by showing you how to identify and train potential leaders and foster a productive team spirit.

Whatever your vocation or aspiration, you can increase your impact on others by Becoming a Person of Influence. Learn simple insightful ways to interact more positively with others, and watch you personal and organizational success go off the charts. With influence, you can achieve success at home, work, and in every other area of life.

]]> 672 John C. Maxwell Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.35 2000 Maxwell 3-in-1: The Winning Attitude,Developing the Leaders Around You,Becoming a Person of Influence
author: John C. Maxwell
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2000
rating: 0
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date added: 2015/06/13
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> Thinking, Fast and Slow 13539043 New York Times bestseller
Winner of the National Academy of Sciences Best Book Award in 2012
Selected by the New York Times Book Review as one of the best books of 2011
A Globe and Mail Best Books of the Year 2011 Title
One of The Economist's 2011 Books of the Year
One of The Wall Street Journal's Best Nonfiction Books of the Year 2011
2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient

In the international bestseller, Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman, the renowned psychologist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. The impact of overconfidence on corporate strategies, the difficulties of predicting what will make us happy in the future, the profound effect of cognitive biases on everything from playing the stock market to planning our next vacation—each of these can be understood only by knowing how the two systems shape our judgments and decisions.
Engaging the reader in a lively conversation about how we think, Kahneman reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. He offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives—and how we can use different techniques to guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble. Winner of the National Academy of Sciences Best Book Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and selected by The New York Times Book Review as one of the ten best books of 2011, Thinking, Fast and Slow is destined to be a classic.]]> 499 Daniel Kahneman 0374533555 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.26 2011 Thinking, Fast and Slow
author: Daniel Kahneman
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/06/13
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success]]> 16158498 Give and Take highlights what effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and leadership skills have in common.

For generations, we have focused on the individual drivers of success: passion, hard work, talent, and luck. But today, success is increasingly dependent on how we interact with others. It turns out that at work, most people operate as either takers, matchers, or givers. Whereas takers strive to get as much as possible from others and matchers aim to trade evenly, givers are the rare breed of people who contribute to others without expecting anything in return.

Using his own pioneering research as Wharton's youngest tenured professor, Grant shows that these styles have a surprising impact on success. Although some givers get exploited and burn out, the rest achieve extraordinary results across a wide range of industries. Combining cutting-edge evidence with captivating stories, this landmark book shows how one of America's best networkers developed his connections, why the creative genius behind one of the most popular shows in television history toiled for years in anonymity, how a basketball executive responsible for multiple draft busts transformed his franchise into a winner, and how we could have anticipated Enron's demise four years before the company collapsed - without ever looking at a single number.

Praised by bestselling authors such as Dan Pink, Tony Hsieh, Dan Ariely, Susan Cain, Dan Gilbert, Gretchen Rubin, Bob Sutton, David Allen, Robert Cialdini, and Seth Godin-as well as senior leaders from Google, McKinsey, Merck, Estee Lauder, Nike, and NASA - Give and Take highlights what effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and leadership skills have in common. This landmark book opens up an approach to success that has the power to transform not just individuals and groups, but entire organizations and communities.]]> 320 Adam M. Grant 0670026557 Brandon 5
Must read.

“When I arrived at Wharton, my charge was to teach some of the world’s finest analytic minds to become better leaders, managers, and negotiators. I decided to introduce them to reciprocity styles, posing the question that animated the introduction to this book: who do you think ends up at the bottom of the success ladder?

The verdict was nearly unanimous: givers.

When I asked who rises to the top, the students were evenly split between matchers and takers. So I chose to teach them something that struck them as heretical. “You might be underestimating the success of givers,� I told them.

It’s true that some people who consistently help others without expecting anything in return are the ones who fall to the bottom. But this same orientation toward giving, with a few adjustments, can also enable people to rise to the top. “Focus attention and energy on making a difference in the lives of others, and success might follow as a by-product.� I knew I was fighting an uphill battle, so I decided to prove them wrong.

This book is that proof.”]]> 4.05 2013 Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success
author: Adam M. Grant
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2015/04/19
date added: 2015/04/19
shelves:
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Evidence that highly successful people are givers -- you don't have to be selfish, ruthless, or a shark to make it to the top.

Must read.

“When I arrived at Wharton, my charge was to teach some of the world’s finest analytic minds to become better leaders, managers, and negotiators. I decided to introduce them to reciprocity styles, posing the question that animated the introduction to this book: who do you think ends up at the bottom of the success ladder?

The verdict was nearly unanimous: givers.

When I asked who rises to the top, the students were evenly split between matchers and takers. So I chose to teach them something that struck them as heretical. “You might be underestimating the success of givers,� I told them.

It’s true that some people who consistently help others without expecting anything in return are the ones who fall to the bottom. But this same orientation toward giving, with a few adjustments, can also enable people to rise to the top. “Focus attention and energy on making a difference in the lives of others, and success might follow as a by-product.� I knew I was fighting an uphill battle, so I decided to prove them wrong.

This book is that proof.�
]]> <![CDATA[The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal]]> 68985
This groundbreaking New York Times bestseller has helped hundreds of thousands of people at work and at home balance stress and recovery and sustain high performance despite crushing workloads and 24/7 demands on their time.

We live in digital time. Our pace is rushed, rapid-fire, and relentless. Facing crushing workloads, we try to cram as much as possible into every day. We're wired up, but we're melting down. Time management is no longer a viable solution. As bestselling authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz demonstrate in this groundbreaking book, managing energy, not time, is the key to enduring high performance as well as to health, happiness, and life balance. The Power of Full Engagement is a highly practical, scientifically based approach to managing your energy more skillfully both on and off the job by laying out the key training principles and provides a powerful, step-by-step program that will help you

* Mobilize four key sources of energy
* Balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal
* Expand capacity in the same systematic way that elite athletes do
* Create highly specific, positive energy management rituals to make lasting changes

Above all, this book provides a life-changing road map to becoming more fully engaged on and off the job, meaning physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned.]]> 222 Jim Loehr 0743226755 Brandon 4
The subtitle says it all. ]]> 3.98 2003 The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal
author: Jim Loehr
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2003
rating: 4
read at: 2014/10/24
date added: 2015/03/04
shelves:
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Foundational for the psychology of everyday life.

The subtitle says it all.
]]> <![CDATA[The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business]]> 12609433
Marketers at Procter & Gamble study videos of people making their beds. They are desperately trying to figure out how to sell a new product called Febreze, on track to be one of the biggest flops in company history. Suddenly, one of them detects a nearly imperceptible pattern—and with a slight shift in advertising, Febreze goes on to earn a billion dollars a year.

An untested CEO takes over one of the largest companies in America. His first order of business is attacking a single pattern among his employees—how they approach worker safety—and soon the firm, Alcoa, becomes the top performer in the Dow Jones.

What do all these people have in common? They achieved success by focusing on the patterns that shape every aspect of our lives.

They succeeded by transforming habits.

In The Power of Habit, award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. With penetrating intelligence and an ability to distill vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives, Duhigg brings to life a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential for transformation.

Along the way we learn why some people and companies struggle to change, despite years of trying, while others seem to remake themselves overnight. We visit laboratories where neuroscientists explore how habits work and where, exactly, they reside in our brains. We discover how the right habits were crucial to the success of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, and civil-rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr. We go inside Procter & Gamble, Target superstores, Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church, NFL locker rooms, and the nation’s largest hospitals and see how implementing so-called keystone habits can earn billions and mean the difference between failure and success, life and death.

At its core, The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, raising exceptional children, becoming more productive, building revolutionary companies and social movements, and achieving success is understanding how habits work.

Habits aren’t destiny. As Charles Duhigg shows, by harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives.]]> 375 Charles Duhigg 1400069289 Brandon 5
Essential for anyone who wants to master their behavior.]]> 4.13 2012 The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
author: Charles Duhigg
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2014/12/15
date added: 2015/03/04
shelves:
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Frameworks on habits, how to replace your old habits.

Essential for anyone who wants to master their behavior.
]]> <![CDATA[Outliers: The Story of Success]]> 3228917 Learn what sets high achievers apart � from Bill Gates to the Beatles � in this #1 bestseller from "a singular talent" (New York Times Book Review).

In this stunning book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"—the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different?

His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.

Brilliant and entertaining, Outliers is a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.]]> 309 Malcolm Gladwell 0316017922 Brandon 4 4.19 2008 Outliers: The Story of Success
author: Malcolm Gladwell
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2014/05/14
date added: 2015/03/04
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Digs deeper into examples of success to make a point that there can many external "luck" factors that affect someone's shot at success.
]]> <![CDATA[The First Billion Is the Hardest: Reflections on a Life of Comebacks and America's Energy Future]]> 2445586
It’s never too late to top your personal best.

Now eighty years old, T. Boone Pickens is a legendary figure in the business world. Known as the “Oracle of Oil� because of his uncanny ability to predict the direction of fuel prices, he built Mesa Petroleum, one of the largest independent oil companies in the United States, from a $2,500 investment. In the 1980s, Pickens became a household name when he executed a series of unsolicited buyout bids for undervalued oil companies, in the process reinventing the notion of shareholders� rights. Even his failures were successful in that they forced risk-averse managers to reconsider the way they did business.

When Pickens left Mesa at age sixty-eight after a spectacular downward spiral in the company’s profits, many counted him out. Indeed, what followed for him was a painful divorce, clinical depression, a temporary inability to predict the movement of energy prices, and the loss of 90 percent of his investing capital. But Pickens was far from out.

From that personal and professional nadir, Pickens staged one of the most impressive comebacks in the industry, turning his investment fund’s remaining $3 million into $8 billion in profit in just a few years. That made him, at age seventy-seven, the world’s second-highest-paid hedge fund manager. But he wasn’t done yet. Today, Pickens is making some of the world’s most colossal energy bets. If he has his way, most of America’s cars will eventually run on natural gas, and vast swaths of the nation’s prairie land will become places where wind can be harnessed for power generation. Currently no less bold than he was decades ago when he single-handedly transformed America’s oil industry, Pickens is staking billions on the conviction that he knows what’s coming. In this book, he spells out that future in detail, not only presenting a comprehensive plan for American energy independence but also providing a fascinating glimpse into key resources such as water—yet another area where he is putting billions on the line.

From a businessman who is extraordinarily humble yet is considered one of the world’s most visionary, The First Billion Is the Hardest is both a riveting account of a life spent pulling off improbable triumphs and a report back from the front of the global energy and natural-resource wars—of vital interest to anyone who has a stake in America’s future.]]> 272 T. Boone Pickens 0307395774 Brandon 3 3.74 2008 The First Billion Is the Hardest: Reflections on a Life of Comebacks and America's Energy Future
author: T. Boone Pickens
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2013/10/23
date added: 2015/01/25
shelves:
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Lots of anecdotes of the struggle, tenacity, expertise, and team it takes to build massive wealth.
]]> <![CDATA[Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life...]]> 4894
Two are mice named Sniff and Scurry. And two are "Littlepeople" � beings the size of mice who look and act a lot like people. Their names are Hem and Haw.

"Cheese" is a metaphor for what you want to have in life � whether it's a good job, a loving relationship, money, a possession, health, or spiritual peace of mind.

And the "Maze" is where you look for what you want � the organisation you work in or the family or community you live in.

In the story, the characters are faced with unexpected change. Eventually, one of them deals with it successfully, and writes what he has learned from his experience on the Maze walls.

When you come to see "The Handwriting on the Wall," you can discover for yourself how to deal with change, so that you can enjoy less stress and more success (however you define it) in your work and in your life.

Written for all ages, the story takes less than an hour to read, but its unique insights can last for a lifetime.]]> 98 Spencer Johnson 0091883768 Brandon 3 3.88 1999 Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life...
author: Spencer Johnson
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1999
rating: 3
read at: 2013/12/01
date added: 2015/01/25
shelves:
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Good basic help for those who have a problem getting caught up in the past/present and don't know how to move forward.
]]> <![CDATA[Bailout Riches!: How Every Day Investors Can Make a Fortune Buying Bad Loans for Pennies on the Dollar]]> 6516792 229 Bill Bartmann 047047825X Brandon 3 3.31 2009 Bailout Riches!: How Every Day Investors Can Make a Fortune Buying Bad Loans for Pennies on the Dollar
author: Bill Bartmann
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.31
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2013/02/01
date added: 2015/01/25
shelves:
review:
As an investment newbie, this book was a great intro for me into the world of NPN's.
]]> <![CDATA[So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love]]> 13525945
Not only is the cliché flawed—preexisting passions are rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work—but it can also be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping.

After making his case against passion, Newport sets out on a quest to discover the reality of how people end up loving what they do. Spending time with organic farmers, venture capitalists, screenwriters, freelance computer programmers, and others who admitted to deriving great satisfaction from their work, Newport uncovers the strategies they used and the pitfalls they avoided in developing their compelling careers.

Matching your job to a preexisting passion does not matter, he reveals. Passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before. In other words, what you do for a living is much less important than how you do it.

With a title taken from the comedian Steve Martin, who once said his advice for aspiring entertainers was to "be so good they can't ignore you," Cal Newport's clearly written manifesto is mandatory reading for anyone fretting about what to do with their life, or frustrated by their current job situation and eager to find a fresh new way to take control of their livelihood. He provides an evidence-based blueprint for creating work you love.

So Good They Can't Ignore You will change the way we think about our careers, happiness, and the crafting of a remarkable life.]]> 288 Cal Newport 1455509108 Brandon 0 to-read 4.05 2012 So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love
author: Cal Newport
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/01/25
shelves: to-read
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]]> The 48 Laws of Power 1303 Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this multi-million-copy New York Times bestseller is the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control � from the author of The Laws of Human Nature.

In the book that People magazine proclaimed “beguiling� and “fascinating,� Robert Greene and Joost Elffers have distilled three thousand years of the history of power into 48 essential laws by drawing from the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, and Carl Von Clausewitz and also from the lives of figures ranging from Henry Kissinger to P.T. Barnum.

Some laws teach the need for prudence (“Law 1: Never Outshine the Master�), others teach the value of confidence (“Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness�), and many recommend absolute self-preservation (“Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally�). Every law, though, has one thing in common: an interest in total domination. In a bold and arresting two-color package, The 48 Laws of Power is ideal whether your aim is conquest, self-defense, or simply to understand the rules of the game.]]> 452 Robert Greene 0140280197 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.11 1998 The 48 Laws of Power
author: Robert Greene
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1998
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/12/15
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The E-myth Revisited 81948 Small business coaching. 269 Michael E. Gerber 0887307280 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.06 1985 The E-myth Revisited
author: Michael E. Gerber
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1985
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/12/15
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less]]> 6019060 240 Sam Carpenter 1929774877 Brandon 0 currently-reading 3.87 Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less
author: Sam Carpenter
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.87
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2014/12/15
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be: A Six-week Program]]> 89973 53 Jay Abraham 0788189050 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.56 1994 How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be: A Six-week Program
author: Jay Abraham
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.56
book published: 1994
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/08/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got: 21 Ways You Can Out-Think, Out-Perform, and Out-Earn the Competition]]> 89969
Unseen opportunities face each of us every day. Using clear examples from his own experience, Jay explains just how easy it can be to find and/or create new opportunities for wealth-building in any existing business, enterprise, or venture.

And just how easy can it be? One entrepreneur took the concept of the ballpoint pen and refined it into a multimillion-dollar roll-on deodorant. Fred Smith of Federal Express took the methods that banks use for clearing checks to develop an overnight delivery company that has revolutionized the way we do business. Now, what have you seen--or are going to see--that you could take and turn to your advantage?

In Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've 21 Ways You Can Out-Think, Out-Perform, and Out-Earn the Competition , the program focuses on helping you spot the hidden assets, overlooked opportunities, and untapped resources around you, and gives you, and gives you fresh eyes with which to see and capitalize on them. You'll also learn how to adapt and apply these tools to your unique circumstances to maximize your income, influence, power, and success.]]> 384 Jay Abraham 0312284543 Brandon 0 currently-reading 3.95 2000 Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got: 21 Ways You Can Out-Think, Out-Perform, and Out-Earn the Competition
author: Jay Abraham
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/08/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Sticking Point Solution: 9 Ways to Move Your Business from Stagnation to Stunning Growth InTough Economic Times]]> 6515635 The Sticking Point Solution is to help entrepreneurs and executives recognize the ways in which their businesses may be stuck, and to then give them tools for getting unstuck and enjoying exponential growth. To achieve this, Jay will help you to identify the nine “sticking points� that keep entrepreneurs and executives alike grinding just to survive, instead of growing and thriving.Unlocking that true business potential and diagnosing the specific issues that each reader/business owner/entrepreneur/employee faces is the mission of this book. The results: freedom from stagnation and stalling; new levels of profitability and success; and a much greater sense of control and pleasure from running the enterprise.]]> 262 Jay Abraham 1593155107 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.28 2009 The Sticking Point Solution: 9 Ways to Move Your Business from Stagnation to Stunning Growth InTough Economic Times
author: Jay Abraham
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/08/26
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> My Years with General Motors 275912
Only a handful of business books have reached the status of a classic, having withstood the test of over fifty years' time. Even today, Bill Gates praises My Years with General Motors as the best book to read on business, and Business Week has named it the number one choice for its "bookshelf of indispensable reading."]]> 496 Alfred P. Sloan 0385042353 Brandon 0 currently-reading 3.91 1964 My Years with General Motors
author: Alfred P. Sloan
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.91
book published: 1964
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/08/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> My Life in Advertising 8083756 48 Claude C. Hopkins 1150464518 Brandon 0 currently-reading 4.20 1917 My Life in Advertising
author: Claude C. Hopkins
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1917
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/08/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time]]> 84699
Climb the ladder to personal success?

The secret, master networker Keith Ferrazzi claims, is in reaching out to other people. As Ferrazzi discovered early in life, what distinguishes highly successful people from everyone else is the way they use the power of relationships—so that everyone wins.

In Never Eat Alone , Ferrazzi lays out the specific steps—and inner mindset—he uses to reach out to connect with the thousands of colleagues, friends, and associates on his Rolodex, people he has helped and who have helped him.

The son of a small-town steelworker and a cleaning lady, Ferrazzi first used his remarkable ability to connect with others to pave the way to a scholarship at Yale, a Harvard MBA, and several top executive posts. Not yet out of his thirties, he developed a network of relationships that stretched from Washington’s corridors of power to Hollywood’s A-list, leading to him being named one of Crain’s 40 Under 40 and selected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the Davos World Economic Forum.

Ferrazzi's form of connecting to the world around him is based on generosity, helping friends connect with other friends. Ferrazzi distinguishes genuine relationship-building from the crude, desperate glad-handling usually associated with “networking.� He then distills his system of reaching out to people into practical, proven principles. Among them:

Don’t keep score: It’s never simply about getting what you want. It’s about getting what you want and making sure that the people who are important to you get what they want, too.

“Ping� constantly: The Ins and Outs of reaching out to those in your circle of contacts all the time—not just when you need something.

Never eat alone: The dynamics of status are the same whether you’re working at a corporation or attending a society event� “invisibility� is a fate worse than failure.

In the course of the book, Ferrazzi outlines the timeless strategies shared by the world’s most connected individuals, from Katherine Graham to Bill Clinton, Vernon Jordan to the Dalai Lama.

Chock full of specific advice on handling rejection, getting past gatekeepers, becoming a “conference commando,� and more, Never Eat Alone is destined to take its place alongside How to Win Friends and Influence People as an inspirational classic.]]> 309 Keith Ferrazzi 0385512058 Brandon 0 currently-reading 3.84 Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
author: Keith Ferrazzi
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.84
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2014/06/20
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> The First-time Manager 249918 223 Loren B. Belker 0814408214 Brandon 0 currently-reading 3.73 1978 The First-time Manager
author: Loren B. Belker
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.73
book published: 1978
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/06/20
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Rich Dad's Guide to Investing 18911739 471 Robert T. Kiyosaki 1612680224 Brandon 4 4.00 2000 Rich Dad's Guide to Investing
author: Robert T. Kiyosaki
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2000
rating: 4
read at: 2012/07/01
date added: 2014/05/03
shelves:
review:
Great place to start for someone just getting started into the world of investing. Had heard of the cashflow quadrant concept previously so that definitely helped prime me for this.
]]> I Will Teach You to Be Rich 4924862
Sethi covers how to save time by not wasting it managing money; the guns and cars myth of credit cards; how to negotiate like an Indian—the conversation begins with "no"; why "Budgeting Doesn't Have to Suck!"; how to get things rolling—for real—with only $20; what most people don't understand about taxes; how to get a CEO to take you out to lunch; how to avoid the Super Mario Brothers trap by making your savings work harder than you do; the difference between cheap and frugal; the hidden relationship between money and food. Not to mention his first key lesson: Getting started is more important than being the smartest person in the room. Integrated with his website, where readers can use interactive charts, follow up on the latest information, and join the community, it is a hip blueprint to building wealth and financial security.

Every month, 175,000 unique visitors come to Ramit Sethi's website, Iwillteachyoutoberich.com, to discover the path to financial freedom. They praise him thoughtfully ("Your site summarizes everything I want with my life—to be rich in finances, rich in experience, rich in family blessings," --Dan Esparza) and effusively ("Dude, you rock. I love this site!" --Richard Wu). The press has caught on, too: "Ramit Sethi is a rising star in the world of personal finance writing . . . one singularly attuned to the sensibilities of his generation. his style is part frat boy and part silicon Valley geek, with a little bit of San Francisco hipster thrown in" (San Francisco Chronicle). His writing is smart, his voice is full of attitude, and his ideas are uncommonly sound and refreshingly hype-free.]]> 272 Ramit Sethi 0761147489 Brandon 3 4.05 2009 I Will Teach You to Be Rich
author: Ramit Sethi
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2012/07/01
date added: 2014/03/04
shelves:
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]]> The 4-Hour Workweek 368593
Join Tim Ferriss as he teaches you:
- How to outsource your life to overseas virtual assistants for $5 per hour and do whatever you want?
- How blue-chip escape artists travel the world without quitting their jobs?
- How to eliminate 50% of your work in 48 hours using the principles of a forgotten Italian economist?
- How to trade a long-haul career for short work bursts and freuent "mini-retirements"?
- What the crucial difference is between absolute and relative income?
- How to train your boss to value performance over presence, or kill your job (or company) if it's beyond repair?
- What automated cash-flow "muses" are and how to create one in 2 to 4 weeks?
- How to cultivate selective ignorance-and create time-with a low-information diet?
- What the management secrets of Remote Control CEOs are?
- How to get free housing worldwide and airfare at 50-80% off?
- How to fill the void and create a meaningful life after removing work and the office]]> 308 Timothy Ferriss 0307353133 Brandon 4 3.93 2007 The 4-Hour Workweek
author: Timothy Ferriss
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2012/09/01
date added: 2014/03/04
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything]]> 1202
These may not sound like typical questions for an economist to ask. But Steven D. Levitt is not a typical economist. He is a much heralded scholar who studies the stuff and riddles of everyday life -- from cheating and crime to sports and child rearing -- and whose conclusions regularly turn the conventional wisdom on its head. He usually begins with a mountain of data and a simple, unasked question. Some of these questions concern life-and-death issues; others have an admittedly freakish quality. Thus the new field of study contained in this book: freakonomics.

Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, Levitt and co-author Stephen J. Dubner show that economics is, at root, the study of incentives -- how people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing. In Freakonomics, they set out to explore the hidden side of ... well, everything. The inner workings of a crack gang. The truth about real-estate agents. The myths of campaign finance. The telltale marks of a cheating schoolteacher. The secrets of the Ku Klux Klan.

What unites all these stories is a belief that the modern world, despite a surfeit of obfuscation, complication, and downright deceit, is not impenetrable, is not unknowable, and -- if the right questions are asked -- is even more intriguing than we think. All it takes is a new way of looking. Steven Levitt, through devilishly clever and clear-eyed thinking, shows how to see through all the clutter.

Freakonomics establishes this unconventional premise: If morality represents how we would like the world to work, then economics represents how it actually does work. It is true that readers of this book will be armed with enough riddles and stories to last a thousand cocktail parties. But Freakonomics can provide more than that. It will literally redefine the way we view the modern world.
(front flap)]]> 268 Steven D. Levitt 0061234001 Brandon 4 Brain candy. 4.01 2005 Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
author: Steven D. Levitt
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 2013/10/31
date added: 2014/03/04
shelves:
review:
Brain candy.
]]> The Richest Man in Babylon 1052
The Success Secrets of the Ancients�
An Assured Road to Happiness and Prosperity

Countless readers have been helped by the famous “Babylonian parables,� hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth. In language as simple as that found in the Bible, these fascinating and informative stories set you on a sure path to prosperity and its accompanying joys. Acclaimed as a modern-day classic, this celebrated bestseller offers an understanding of—and a solution to—your personal financial problems that will guide you through a lifetime. This is the book that holds the secrets to keeping your money—and making more.

The Richest Man in Babylon
Read it and recommend it to loved ones�
and get on the road to riches.

MORE THAN TWO MILLION BOOKS SOLD]]> 194 George S. Clason 0451205367 Brandon 4 4.25 1926 The Richest Man in Babylon
author: George S. Clason
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1926
rating: 4
read at: 2013/10/01
date added: 2014/03/04
shelves:
review:
Money lessons in parable form. Things you don't learn in school.
]]> <![CDATA[Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson]]> 6900
Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded. Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you?

Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life. Knowing he was dying of ALS - or motor neurone disease - Mitch visited Morrie in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final 'class': lessons in how to live.]]> 210 Mitch Albom Brandon 5 4.19 1997 Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson
author: Mitch Albom
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1997
rating: 5
read at: 2014/03/03
date added: 2014/03/04
shelves:
review:
Resonates in every way. The way Morrie speaks is how I challenge many of those around me in normal conversation.
]]> <![CDATA[The Wealthy Code; What the Wealthy Know About Money That Most People Will Never Know!]]> 12530291


"A masterpiece! The Wealthy Code continues where the others leave off!"
Jim Britt, Peak Performance Coach, Author of Do This. Get Rich!

"I have read hundreds of books on becoming wealthy. This tops them all. Brilliant!"
Willie Hooks, CEO of Million Dollar Coaching

"Absolutely amazing! I use the same secrets to generate double-digit returns for my investors. Now the secret is out!"
John Taylor, CEO & Investment Manager, NorCal Capital Management]]> 176 George Antone 098270450X Brandon 4
]]> 4.14 2010 The Wealthy Code; What the Wealthy Know About Money That Most People Will Never Know!
author: George Antone
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2013/01/01
date added: 2014/03/04
shelves:
review:
Great book to follow a Rich Dad book -- does a good job to build on the foundation. Gives you more context and more a practical strategy for long-term investments in real estate.


]]> <![CDATA[You Are Special (Wemmicksville, #1)]]> 56728 32 Max Lucado 1859855423 Brandon 5 4.45 You Are Special (Wemmicksville, #1)
author: Max Lucado
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.45
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/11/12
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]]> <![CDATA[So You Think Your Mind is Renewed]]> 13577869
“Your life is transformed to the degree that your mind is renewed. Cornel’s book goes a long way toward removing the hindrances to that renewal.� Curry R. Blake, General Overseer of John G. Lake Ministries]]> 95 Cornel Marais Brandon 5 4.37 2009 So You Think Your Mind is Renewed
author: Cornel Marais
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/11/12
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review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Supernatural Ways of Royalty: Discovering Your Rights and Privileges of Being a Son or Daughter of God]]> 289455 232 Kris Vallotton 0768423236 Brandon 5 4.43 2006 The Supernatural Ways of Royalty: Discovering Your Rights and Privileges of Being a Son or Daughter of God
author: Kris Vallotton
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/11/12
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens]]> 14389 272 Neil Cole 078798129X Brandon 4 3.89 2005 Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens
author: Neil Cole
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2012/11/12
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]]> Mere Christianity 11138 191 C.S. Lewis 0684823780 Brandon 3 4.32 1952 Mere Christianity
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1952
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2012/11/12
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization]]> 2741559 Tribal Leadership gives amazingly insightful perspective on how people interact and succeed. I learned about myself and learned lessons I will carry with me and reflect on for the rest of my life.�
—John W. Fanning, Founding Chairman and CEO napster Inc.

“An unusually nuanced view of high-performance cultures.�
Ěýâ€�Inc.

Within each corporation are anywhere from a few to hundreds of separate tribes. In Tribal Leadership, Dave Logan, John King, and Halee Fischer-Wright demonstrate how these tribes develop—and show you how to assess them and lead them to maximize productivity and growth. A business management book like no other, Tribal Leadership is an essential tool to help managers and business leaders take better control of their organizations by utilizing the unique characteristics of the tribes that exist within.
]]> 320 Dave Logan 0061251305 Brandon 5 3.96 2008 Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization
author: Dave Logan
name: Brandon
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/11/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[How to Win Friends & Influence People]]> 4865
Since its release in 1936, How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold more than 30 million copies. Dale Carnegie's first book is a timeless bestseller, packed with rock-solid advice that has carried thousands of now famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives.

As relevant as ever before, Dale Carnegie's principles endure, and will help you achieve your maximum potential in the complex and competitive modern age.

Learn the six ways to make people like you, the twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking, and the nine ways to change people without arousing resentment.]]> 288 Dale Carnegie Brandon 5 4.22 1936 How to Win Friends & Influence People
author: Dale Carnegie
name: Brandon
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1936
rating: 5
read at: 2010/01/01
date added: 2012/11/09
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Should be required in high school reading. Basic people skills that are never taught.
]]>