I have read Ken Blanchard's, One Minute Manager, and loved the writing style. It's story form and makes for a quick easy read. Raving Fans I read in one afternoon. And it's all so impactful and relevant and easy steps to improvement. Blanchard and Bowles include the conceptual steps, but shows the in-action moments of those concepts being put to use. I love that the drive for improvement is one percent at-a-time. Flexible enough to make changes that clients will continue to rave about.
I am super excited to start applying the lessons from Raving Fans for my own clients, and help them to do the same for theirs!
writing was fine, Tom Roland did a masterful job of weaving their stories together like a giant tapestry, and there’s not a lack of events in their lives to tell about. Quite possibly it’s because I’ve always wanted to make it in the business myself and got sidetracked along the way.These men, Gene, Dan, Jimmy O., Brian, Marty, and Dana, have a great love of God and it shows throughout their lives. Their story mirrors that of other struggling artists to make it in the big leagues of Nashville music – a long road with lots of twists and turns. And while there are hundreds of people mentioned in this book as having a part in their story, the main characters stay on-path and true-to-form. This real-life story of Diamond Rio from their start at Opryland (when it was still a theme park), all the way to stardom shows how dogged determination and unique talent pays off. I enjoyed reading how one song, “Meet in the Middle,” set them on their path to greater things, and not just in the music arena. They have a heart to give back to the community through golf tournaments and runs supporting Big Brothers Big Sist
I would certainly recommend this book to any country music fan as well as anyone else who wants to see lives woven together like sheet music for a symphony orchestra to do great things and be great people. I’m rating this book 3.5 out of 5.
Are you a born writer? Were you put on earth to be a painter, a scientist, an apostle of peace? In the end the question can only be answered by action.
Do it or don't do it.
It may help to think of it this way. If you were meant to cure cancer or write a symphony or crack cold fusion and you don't do it, you not only hurt yourself, even destroy yourself. You hurt your children. You hurt me. You hurt the planet.
You shame the angels who watch over you and you spite the Almighty, who created you and only you with your unique gifts, for the sole purpose of nudging hte human race one millimeter farther along its path back to God.
Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It's a gift to the world and every being in it. Don't cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you've got.
Pressfield explains Resistance and how that affects us and everything around us. Resistance is basically fear in all its forms. "The War of Art"'s subtitle is "Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles." And boy, does he ever give you tools to break through that wall of Resistance. It's all in our thinking and action from it. And honestly, what isn't influenced by our thinking? But Pressfield pulls no punches in his opinion of fear and how to deal with it head-on. I love his style and appreciate his shared experience in these pages.
So if you want a kick-in-the-butt-type of message about getting rid of the fear that holds you back from being the YOU that God created you to be - this is the book for you! It's an easy read, and can be done on a regular devotion-style basis or straight thru. By the way, Pressfield has also wrote screenplays and novels like Bagger Vance.
What an amazing transformation to watch unfold in Sandi as she tells of the layers of shame, guilt, perfectionism, withdrawal, food addiction, and other she put on herself after a tr
agic childhood event.
Sandi is open and honest with all that took place, and that takes courage to open your life to millions of people. So I already admired her before I even read one word. When I joined her on her self-discovery journey in “Layers” I found myself relating to her greatly. My own journey is taking place and I’m beginning to peel back plenty of layers of my own life to discover who God created me to be.
While Sandi is not a professional writer, she is refreshingly open and real. That alone makes this book great. I recommend that anyone seeking to know more about themselves or the layers we put on because of our life experiences and of those around us, listen to Sandi.
I finally did it. I jumped on "The Shack" bandwagon. I had so many friends that had read this book and just loved it. And a couple of friends didn't like it - too weird they said. So I thought I would just see for myself. And I'm glad I did.
The premise of the story is that this guy, Mac, has a weekend encounter with the God of the Universe in His three Persons. I won't give away the actual story, but until I read the back cover (after I was halfway through) I didn't realize it was fiction. It's so well-written and engaged me completely so much that I thought it was someone's real-life experience. And how awesome it would be! Knowing that, I understand it as the parable it is.
The endorsements are fabulous. This book has even been compared to Pilgrim's Progress, and eye-opener for our generation. I have to admit, I can now see God for the Dad He really is for me. And Jesus as my brother (not just Savior that's untouchable), and the Holy Spirit always with me. I really liked this book and highly recommend it to anyone who reads. For more information on this book, visit TheShackBook.com.