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It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be [Paperback]

Paul Arden
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
RRP: £5.95
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It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be + Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite + A Technique for Producing Ideas (McGraw-Hill Advertising Classic)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 128 pages
  • Publisher: Phaidon Press Ltd; ? edition (31 May 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0714843377
  • ISBN-13: 978-0714843377
  • Product Dimensions: 17.7 x 12.2 x 1.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • See Complete Table of Contents

More About the Author

Paul Arden
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Product Description

Product Description

"It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be" is a handbook of how to succeed in the world - a pocket "bible" for the talented and timid to help make the unthinkable and the impossible possible. Advertising guru Paul Arden offers up his wisdom on issues as diverse as problem solving, responding to a brief, communicating, playing your cards right, making mistakes and creativity, all endeavours that can be applied to aspects of modern life. This book provides an insight into the world of advertising and is a quirky compilation of quotes, facts, pictures, wit and wisdom, packed into easy-to-digest, bite-sized spreads.

About the Author

Advertising guru Paul Arden is a creative genius whose extraordinary drive and energy is allied to a kind of common sense that just isn't, well, common. Paul Arden began his career in advertising at the age of 16. Formerly Creative Director at Saatchi and Saatchi, he is responsible for some of Britain's best known campaigns including British Airways, Silk Cut, Anchor Butter, InterCity and Fuji and famous slogans which include 'The Car in front is a Toyota' and 'The Independent - It Is - Are You?'. In 1993 he set up the London-based production company Arden Sutherland-Dodd where he is now a commercials director for clients such as BT, BMW, Ford, Nestle and Levis. Author's Residence: London

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Customer Reviews

47 Reviews
5 star:
 (24)
4 star:
 (13)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (5)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (47 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 65 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational advice for creative individuals!, 26 Dec 2004
By 
Tim Burness (Brighton, England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be (Paperback)
"The world's best-selling book" (the tongue-in-cheek subtitle), is a great little collection of ideas, suggestions and practical advice from a man responsible for many successful British advertising campaigns over the last 25 years. Although there is a practical bias towards the business world of advertising and media, this book is likely to appeal to any individual who is interested in creativity and thinking for themselves. It is beautifully designed and very entertaining indeed!

In the first few pages, Paul Arden encourages you to set your goals high and aim beyond what you believe you are capable of. Then there are "The Fundamentals" such as "Do not seek praise. Seek criticism", "Give away everything you know, and more will come back to you", "Don't promise what you can't deliver". My favourite is "It's right to be wrong", where Arden points out how anything is possible when you're not trying to be right. The risk is greater, you are in the unknown, but "there's more chance of it being amazing".

A combination of "common sense", awareness, business advice, communication skills, positive thinking, a few presentation tricks and some quirky strokes of genius. Great stuff.

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31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Digestible inspiration!, 8 Dec 2003
By 
This review is from: It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be (Paperback)
A fabulous little book. And I mean little. You can read this in an hour but the messages will stay with you for much longer. I would recommend it to anyone looking to rediscover their edge or seeking ways to inject new energy and meaning into their lives.

No bull, this is a great little read. You will not be disappointed.

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars It's cheeky and cheap and has a few good ideas., 14 Feb 2009
By 
Steven Unwin "Steve Unwin" (Preston, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be (Paperback)
This is a little book, you can read it in an hour and maybe I should describe it as a cheeky little book. In the inside front cover it sets out to compare itself to Sun Tzu's Art of War and Machiavellis The Prince as a metaphore for business. In my view it is not worthy of the comparison. however I still like the book because with the book the writer is living the key message of the book.

To be big, good, great, you have to think yourself big, good, great, and that's what the book does. It proudly claims to be `The world's best-selling book by Paul Arden. For all I know this might be because it's the only book by Paul Arden. But that doesn't matter, it isn't being deceitful, it's the very point of the book. It presents itself as a best seller as part of becoming a best seller. I bought the book at the airport en route to a conference and I suspect that this bold claim tipped the balance in favour of selecting the book over others, so it works.

So it's a small book, easily read and cheeky. What else. Well it's cheap and does have one or two useful ideas. Often the lasting effect of a visit to a conference may be one or two new ideas, so at the price it's a bargain. The book contains lessons, or thoughts from the experience of a marketing man. The final few pages began to feel specific to this target audience, but for the most part the thoughts are widely applicable. It's nicely produced and has plenty of pictures again projecting the message `be what you want to become'.

As an example of what you'll read, I liked the thoughts about right being wrong being right. In a changing world if you think you know the right answer, then it's highly likely to be wrong as the world will have changed since it was right. By the same token being wrong opens up the opportunity of trying new things and maybe becoming right.

It won't make a dent in your wallet or diary and perhaps contains nothing profound, but it illustrates how a simple message can be communicated in a straightforward and concise manner with style so that how you say, reinforces what you say.
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