I thought I'd start my year out with this book by Tony Robbins' mentor, Jim Rohn. I think it's the first book by Mr. Rohn that I've ever read. I had no idea how very much of Tony Robbins' work was extracted from Jim Rohn's teaching. Wow. Such a huge amount! But Jim Rohn had his own flair and I always enjoy being reminded of Tony Robbins' teachings so it was a great read for me. He's not like so many of today's speakers who just tell you what you want to hear. He gets real about discipline and other subjects.

Here's what Amazon had to say: "Jim Rohn’s exceptional personal and business solutions culminate in this powerful yet simple and direct book, The Art of Exceptional Living. His more than thirty years of studying human behavior and presenting well-received self-development seminars worldwide resulted in this guidebook on turning ideas into positive action to make every dream a reality.

Inspirational insights and strategies place readers on the fast track to harnessing the power of personal ambition and innate motivation to achieve the highest levels of success.

A dozen focused, concise, and practical chapters cover topics such as:

Five Essential Abilities
Developing Your Personal Philosophy
Goal Setting
Designing Your Future
Living Uniquely
How to Start Your Better Life Today

Throughout The Art of Exceptional Living are energizing questions that will incite readers to uproot routines and habits that may be preventing them from enjoying the lifestyle they desire.

The author stresses: “The greatest value in life is not what you get—the greatest value in life is what you become.” Personal and sometimes humorous stories prove that statement correct, as lessons and examples are shared that will prompt readers to become more valuable—at home, in the workplace, as a parent, and in every endeavor.

Every reader who internalizes and acts on the ideas shared in The Art of Exceptional Living will satisfy their lifelong appetite for both wealth and happiness."

People who like personal development, especially fans of Tony Robbins. People who like inspiration, advice, and how-to books.

The word for word similarities between Jim Rohn in this book and Tony Robbin's live talks was surprising to me. Maybe it wasn't really word for word though, and it just seemed like that to me? I tend to remember the meanings of things more than the exact words used.

I liked that he was very real and honest and didn't sugarcoat things, but also remained positive and optimistic.

I didn't like that he insinuated that everyone in America who is not thriving financially is personally at fault. Though following his plan would likely improve most people's situations, it's not a guarantee and he doesn't say that. Or if he did, I missed it. ANd there are people with disabilities and other situations who literally can't work so I felt like there should have been some caveat or mention of that to soften things. But probably most people who listened to his talks (I think this book was derived from some of his talks) were working business people, so the audience he was addressing didn't probably need the caveat.

Make a note to read it again next year. This would be a good book to read more than once.

He had me smiling and laughing and nodding at some points, which was great. But I felt bad for the folks who can't implement his advice and would just feel discouraged.

About the author (from Amazon): "For more than 40 years, Jim Rohn honed his craft like a skilled artist--helping people the world over sculpt life strategies that have expanded their imagination of what is possible. Those who had the privilege of hearing him speak can attest to the elegance and common sense of his material. It is no coincidence, then, that he is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of our time, and thought of by many as a national treasure. Jim authored countless books and audio and video programs, and helped motivate and shape an entire generation of personal-development trainers, hundreds of executives from America's top corporations and millions of achievers worldwide.

To learn more about the life and legacy visit www.jimrohn.com."

It was a fun and encouraging read for me.

See the "I didn't like" section, above.

I own my copy of this book and it's one that I plan to keep.

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Created Jan 04, 2024 at 3:47pm • Submit your own review...