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Knowledge is not enough… Action is the Ultimate Power

Published by Stefan on February 19, 2009 in Articles, Motivation and Self Improvement. 1 Comment

This is something that took me a long time to understand.

I used to spend countless hours learning and gaining knowledge.   I thought more knowledge and information would make me more successful and happier.  Not the case.  Unfortunately, this is how most of society operates.

If this was the case, then everybody with a PHD would be successful.

What separates the most successful from the rest, is not that they’re more intelligent or smarter… it’s because they stepped up and took action!

Our ability to make decisions and take action is something that everyone is capable of.  You don’t need resources or money or more time than anyone else… all you need to do are take the actions necessary to get to where you want to be.

People think that you need to learn as much as possible about a subject before you take action on it — WRONG!  This is not the case… however, knowing a lot about it can help, it is also hindering you from achieving the success that you want.

Men think that learning as much as possible about meeting women and relationships is going to make them successful in this area… WRONG!  I can’t tell you how many guys I know that know so much about meeting women and all the theory and tactics… but still suck at it and can’t get a girlfriend if they wanted to.

We are not short of information.  The information is there and always will be.  We live in an information age.  What is lacking, is our ability to make decisions and take action towards our goals.  

Forget learning more… you know enough!  Don’t get caught up in the trap of constantly going to seminars, reading books, going to classes, etc… as long as it’s not holding you from acting on what you need to do.

Yes, I still see a ton of value in learning and reading and all that jazz.  In fact, I do that constantly.  However, it’s your ability to take what you learn and practice and apply it that will make you successful and achieve the goals that you want.

Ask yourself… what actions can you take today that will make you closer to achieving what you want?

It isn’t learning more about health and fitness… it’s going to the gym!

It isn’t learning more about meeting women and dating… it’s going out and approaching 12 women!

Hopefully this post will call some people to action!

Stefan
Executive Coach
Lifestyle Transformations 

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Lance Armstrong - It’s Not About the Bike Review

Published by Stefan on September 23, 2008 in Health & Fitness, Motivation and Reviews. 2 Comments

One of the most recent books I’ve read was Lance Armstrong’s biography, titled “It’s Not About the Bike - My Journey Back to Life.” Incredible story.

I really didn’t know much about Lance Armstrong before picking up this book. I knew that he was a record-breaking seven-time winner of the Tour De France and a cancer survivor — which makes him an incredible inspiration to others. But, other than that, I had no interest in the cycling sport or anything else. But, nonetheless, I decided to pick it up.

After the first few chapters of this book, I was hooked. There are a lot of qualities of Lance Armstrong outlined in this book that is worth modelling for every human being.

For one, his “never give up” mentality. His mother taught him at a young age never to quit. Never give up. And in my opinion, this is the virtue that allowed him to overcome testicular cancer and to make his comeback to cycling, pushing himself to break the record of winning the Dour De France seven times!

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The 4th Secret of the One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard & Margret McBridge Review

Published by Stefan on September 21, 2008 in Reviews. 1 Comment

After reading the popular management book The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard, I decided to pick up the sequel, The 4th Secret of the One Minute Manager.

I’d say that The 4th Secret of the One Minute Manager wasn’t as good as the original #1 seller, but nontheless, it had a good message.

Have you read the One Minute Manager book review? If you haven’t go here first to learn the first 3 secrets.

Okay, are you ready for it?

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The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber Review

Published by Stefan on September 10, 2008 in Reviews. 0 Comments

Next up for review, The E-Myth by Michael Gerber. 

I actually bought this book from my old roommate and heard great things about it, especially it being recommended by Timothy Ferris in The Four Hour Work Week.

As an entrepeneur looking to kickstart a business, I found this book very useful.  It provided a lot of tools and strategies on how to build a successful business, and also what to avoid.

The book hit me hard with saying: “Your business is nothing more than a distinct reflection of who you are.”

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The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard & Spencer Johnson Review

Published by Stefan on September 2, 2008 in Articles and Reviews. 2 Comments

I’ve been hammering through books like no tomorrow lately.

Up for review is The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson.  Incredible book.  A total MUST for any business owner who works with a team or with a group of people.

What was a defining factor in buying this book is how successful it’s been and how it’s contributed to many well-known businesses and organizations around the world.  Apple, Chevron, AT&T, Wal-Mart, Holiday Inns, Hewlett-Packard, Pepsi-Cola, KFC, Harvard University, US Army, Navy & Air Force, etc, etc…

If this little book has contributed to the successes of all these amazing organizations, then something is up.  I wanted to find out what that is and I did.

The essence of the book is based on “People Who Feel Good About Themselves Produce Results.”

When do you work your best?  It’s when you feel good about yourself.

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The Dip by Seth Godin Review

Published by Stefan on August 31, 2008 in Motivation, Reviews and Self Improvement. 0 Comments

The Dip is a great little book written by the popular business blogger Seth Godin.  In my opinion, everyone should read this book as early in their life as possible.  It’s a quick quick and you’ll get through it in about 2 hours.

Seth’s message is simple.  His writing is direct and to the point.  Very easy to understand.

When is it time to quit?

In todays society, we’re taught never to give up.  Don’t quit.

Seth has a different perspective.  He states that winners quit all the time and that it’s important to know how to quit the right stuff at the right time.

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Jim Collins – Good To Great Review

Published by Cheyenne on August 5, 2008 in Reviews and Self Improvement. 0 Comments

Book Photo 

This book had been sitting on my bookshelf for quite some time. When I left for Europe it was one of three books I took with me, The 4-Hour Workweek and As A Man Thinketh being the other two.

The amount of research and analysis that has gone into this book is mind-boggling. A research team of over 25 people, headed by Jim Collins, spent 5 years (!) to distill what it takes to make the leap from an average company with average results to an outstanding company with outstanding results – consistently and over very long timeframes. Data was accumulated by looking at revenues, stock value, and by performing intensive interviews with employees and executives of companies.

The simplicity of the concepts belies their power and effectiveness. I found as much a set of things to do as much as I found a set of things NOT to do. The basis of making the transition to greatness comes down to three key areas: Continue reading ‘Jim Collins – Good To Great Review’

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As a Man Thinketh - James Allen Book Review

Published by Stefan on June 19, 2008 in Reviews and Self Improvement. 2 Comments

Recently just finished a quick read: As a Man Thinketh by James Allen.

I’ve heard about this book time and time again.  It’s a classic.  I had to see what I was missing out on.

The message is simple and it’s a short 1-hour read.

“As you think, you shall become.”

That is the underlying message of the book.  James Allen was the first to discover this fact.

The theme of all of Allen’s works is that each one of us has the power to form our own character and to create our own happiness.  The conditions of our lives are closely related to our inner state.  Allen encourages his readers to think positive thoughts, which will inevitably lead them to take positive actions.

This is what “the Secret” and the “Law of Attraction” is based on.  By focusing on the positive, you attract more positive in your life.  By focusing on the negative, you attract the negative.  But, this book is a lot deeper than that.

James Allen goes into how disease and health are related to your thoughts.  In fact, everything from WHO YOU ARE is made up by your thoughts.

Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought.  Sickly thoughts will express themselves through a sickly body.  Thoughts of fear have been known to kill a person as speedily as a bullet, and they are continually killing thousands of people just as surely though less rapidly.  The people who live in fear of disease are the people who get it.  Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body and lays it open to the entrance of disease; while impure thoughts, even if not physically indulged, will soon shatter the nervous system.

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Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki Book Review

Published by Stefan on June 14, 2008 in Reviews. 3 Comments

 

Okay, back to the book reviews!  I’ve been extremely busy lately and haven’t been reading as much.  Other priorities have popped up and a lot of big, fun and exciting things have been going on with Lifestyle Transformations recently.  I can’t wait to make a few exciting announcements in the next upcoming weeks.

The book I read recently is on the topic of finance.  You’ve heard of it before, I’m sure, it’s called Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki.

I knew of this book years ago.  In fact, my sister read it.  It was always on my list of books to read, but it wasn’t until I was in the book store and that I’ve begun taking more interest in developing my financial education that I decided to pick up this book.

After learning about Robert Kiyosaki through watching videos of him on YouTube, I couldn’t be more of a fan.  Through Rich Dad, Poor Dad I learned a lot of valuable lessons.  I’m going to go through a few of them here.

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The Richest Man in Babylon Review

Published by Stefan on May 24, 2008 in Miscellaneous and Reviews. 2 Comments

Lately I’ve decided to pick up a few books on the area of finances and money.  It’s such an important subject, and to be honest, has probably been the least of my priorities in my life thus-far.  I’ve always focused on my relationships to an extensive degree, as well as health and my emotional well-being.  But, for some reason, money hasn’t ever been a motivator for me or a concern.

I never really had money growing up or anything, or have I been rich or financially free by any means.  Perhaps I just haven’t experienced enough pain to want to make strides or changes in this area.  But, after re-evaluating my life and where I’m at several months ago, this is an area that I’d like to learn more about and master, as for every other area of life.

I’ve read a few finance books, such as the Wealthy Barber and others.  I decided to pick up the book called The Richest Man in Babylon, by George S. Clason, which I heard is to be a classic.

I found it to be a very interesting and fascinating book.  The lessons and principles were pretty simple and to the point, however, I found the story to be more interesting.

The book consists of different stories back in the Babylonian days.  One in particular, of a slave that was in debt and extremely poor, who sought out the rich to learn the wisdom and knowledge on how to become wealthy.

The lessons which he had learned and applied to his life were remarkable, and this slave had managed to turn his life around by applying the principles and lessons he had learned.

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