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I don’t think it’s much of a secret that I’m a fan of personal development books. So, when I heard that Life Coach Tim Brownson (who I’ve featured on this blog previously) was co-authoring a book called How To Be Rich and Happy, I was excited to read and review it. I don’t always agree with Tim, but that’s okay. I respect the fact that he’s honest about who he is, and, on the whole he’s a pretty awesome dude.
I was even more excited when Tim offered me a free copy to review on this site. I’m a sucker for free stuff. If you click through this link, you can get the first three sections of the book as a free download, as well.
The thing is, I’m pretty picky about the books that I read, and I’m even more picky about the books that I recommend. John Maxwell’s book Developing The Leader Within You is one of, if not the, most recently published personal development books that I own. It was published in 1993. Other books that I often recommend are:
- Enthusiasm Makes The Difference, by Norman Vincent Peale (published 1967)
- The Richest Man In Babylon, by George S. Clason (1926)
- How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success In Selling, by Frank Bettger (1947)
- Hung By The Tongue, by Francis P. Martin (1979)
- The Magic of Thinking Big, by David J. Schwartz (1959)
- The Go-Getter, by Peter B. Kyne (1921)
- How To Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie (1936)
With the exception of Hung By The Tongue, all of these books are older than I am (a couple are older than my grandparents, for cryin’ out loud). Personally, I think that’s an advantage. If you can still find a book that, in the case of The Richest Man In Babylon, has been around for 83 years and is still in print, there’s probably something there you should pay attention to.
Truth stands the test of time. Hype fades.
Which brings me back to How To Be Rich and Happy. What Tim and his co-author John Strelecky have written is nothing earth-shattering.
In my mind, that’s a HUGE compliment.
With so many so-called gurus and lifestyle designers out there today, it’s refreshing to read a book by contemporary authors that emphasize time-tested personal development theories. Topics such as:
- Aligning your goals and values
- The power of positive self-talk and daily, verbal affirmations
- Greeting life’s challenges with enthusiasm, rather than trying to do everything possible to side-step them
- And more…
Of course, they put these ideas into their own words and provide timely examples to drive the concepts home. They’re simply updating timeless truths for a new generation of people who haven’t yet been introduced to them.
As I read through the book, every single chapter had me thinking, “This is the one I’ll feature. This is the one that the rest of the book hinges on. This is the one that will be most helpful to my readers”. Then I’d read one chapter further and change my mind. There are so many great points made that it’s impossible to pick just one or two to single out.
I don’t know about you, but there have been many times in my life where I’ve heard a piece of advice that I’d heard many times previously, yet all of a sudden it finally clicks. Many of the things that Tim and John wrote about in this book are issues that I addressed in my Life Design Series on this very blog.
Even though the content of the message wasn’t different, the way they said it, and the examples they used to support it, somehow shed a whole new light on many of these concepts. For me, that’s great. I can never hear positive lessons too many times, because so often I lose sight of them.
Having read through the book in two days, I really feel as though I’ve had the opportunity to have some one-on-one time with the authors, asking them questions and getting their opinions on how to address some of the challenges I face. And I’m certain that when I read through it again (which I will very soon), I’ll pick up on many things that I missed the first time.
Are there areas where I would have written something a little differently, or chosen a different example? Sure there are. But that’s the great thing about this book. What I’ve said in the past may have planted a seed that will be watered and come to fruition through reading How To Be Rich and Happy. Each one of us can’t reach everyone, but we can all reach someone that no one else can.
I can’t recommend this book highly enough, which is why I’m happy to say that it’s the first product that I’ve been willing to feature on this blog and carry an ad for (which you can find on the right hand side of your screen). Give it a read. You won’t be disappointed.
Have you read How To Be Rich and Happy? What did you think? Let the rest of us know in the comments…
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, by Dr. David Schwartz. I’d like to highlight a little of what he’s talking about in Chap. 2, just to give you a taste of some of the topics he covers. Though this is an older book (first published in 1959), the principles are timeless.
) who face greater limitations to their ability to function in society than most of us will ever dream. These people don’t waste time pitying themselves; they go out and find ways to circumvent their challenges and thrive and achieve at the highest levels of society.
