Superself: Doubling Personal Time [Hardcover]

SuperSelf shows you the person you have to be. It shows you how to flatten your fears and become more productive. I was hesitant to believe the claim "of doubling your personal effectiveness" but found that was indeed the case, I doubled my personal effectiveness and then some.

In chapter 1-Where you is, is where you is Givens states that where you are is an okay place to be but where you are going is entirely up to you. You can create your own destiny. Mr. Givens talks about the three time zones; the past, the present and the future and goes on to say that your only point of power is in the present moment.

In chapter 2-Playing to Win: The Ballpark Principle Givens explains how to win with other people even if you don't like the rules.

In chapter 3-Trying is Lying Mr. Givens explains the difference between success and failure. Concerning failure Givens explains "Failure is the refusal to establish a plan and work toward it's acomplishment regardless of the obstacles." Failure is simply the refusal to establish goals or objectives in your life and to work toward their achievement. "Talk to people who have neither goals nor the motivation to succeed" says Givens "and you'll find that their lives have no excitement, no purpose."

"To succeed" says Givens, "You will constantly find yourself sailing uncharted waters, doing things you have never done before, buut if you want anymore from life than mediocrity, then that's where you'll have to go."

Givens also blows a hole through common programming such as it doesn't matter if we win or not, just as long as we try hard. "Trying is lying." exclaims Givens. "When striving to achive your goals, there is no such thing as trying." is one of Givens mantra's.

Givens also suggests using near misses that you are off course, not that you have failed.

In Chapter 4-Devloping Your Blueprint offers 5 steps that make up your blueprint or life plan. These include:

1) Dreams list
2) Goals List
3) Values List
4) Action Plans
5) Daily Activities List

"A full 50% of accomplishing what you desire in life" Givens tells us "And most important, enjoying the experience---is dependent on how well you have drawn up your blueprint."

Givens goes on to state that if you haven't achieved what you want in life it's not because of a lack of ability, it's because of a lack of planning.

In chapter 5-Discovering Your Dreams and then realigning those dreams with your core values. Interesting is that Givens mentions two dreams that he gave up; one was to walk on the wing of an airplane and walking the full length of the Shara Desert from east to west. After careful consideration, Givens relates that these dreams were not practical so took them off his list.

"Defining what you are after is 50 percent of the battle in getting there." says Givens.

But Givens also warns; "Accelerating your life by setting goals also accelerates but does not create the problems and setbacks that you'll encounter." Here is where most people get buried. They set a goal, encounter a reversal and then quit.

SuperSelf is split up into 3 sections, 22 chapters and over 300 pages of good, powerful information. Other points that Givens makes that I believe stand out are not treating your family members as second class citizens, keeping agreements, doing discipline, managing the mundane, handling talkers and dumpers, fighting fatique and handling stress.

While I loved Mr. Givens financial books, I truly believe that SuperSelf is by far, Givens best work and a must read for anyone who wants success.