If there was a book you could read in just a day or two that contained no-nonsense wisdom, but without all the fluff, is that something you would be interested in?

I know I would be, and Don't Ask Stupid Questions (There Are No Stupid Questions) by Tim Brownson, fills the bill nicely, without you needing to commit a huge block of time to the effort!

I am frequently approached by authors to do book reviews of their work here on the blog, and if I think the book will have value for my readers, I am normally happy to do so. In this case, however, it was a double bonus, because Tim Brownson lives in the Orlando, FL area, just as I do, so I got to meet him face-to-face and see what he was all about.

In addition to being the author of Don't Ask Stupid Questions, Tim is also an accomplished life coach, and I was truly grateful to realize by talking to him that Tim is one of those rare people on planet earth who does what he does because he enjoys it! In talking to him about his book and about being a life coach, I was often reminded of my own days as a personal trainer, and remembering the passionate joy that one feels when working one-on-one with people in order to help them out.

Tim is exactly the kind of life coach that someone would hire if they wanted results, not hype. Tim's book, Don't Ask Stupid Questions, is written in that same manner. The ultimate goal is to inform and empower the reader, and it is accomplished in short order, and without the unnecessary bells and whistles that many books contain.

In addition, Tim has a wry sense of humor that punctuates (sometimes literally, sometimes not!) the messages that he delivers in his book, and since I read the book before I met him, I was able to compare the mental image that I had to the real Tim Brownson. I am happy to report that he is the same in "real life" as he is in the pages of his book.

• He cares about people's success.
• He can see the humor in life.
• He gets down to business without drawing things out.

I would definitely recommend that you pick up a copy of Don't Ask Stupid Questions (There Are No Stupid Questions), and that you also see the book for what it is: a short, no-nonsense approach to living your life that provides valuable information, not hundreds of pages of filler.

Pay special attention to Chapter 10, entitled Do You Get It? That chapter alone spells things out in a black and white truth that even present self improvement junkies could use as a frequent reminder.

Also, as I said earlier, Tim is the type of life coach that anyone who is truly looking for results would want to hire. If you are within a 45-minute driving distance of Orlando, FL, and you are looking for an Orlando life coach, I would highly recommend Tim's services.

For everyone else, Tim has both a hard-cover and an eBook version of Don't Ask Stupid Questions, and I also strongly encouraged him to take some of his life-changing coaching techniques, and put them into electronic format that can be delivered over the 'net, so keep an eye out for that.

You can keep track of what is going on with Tim by checking out his blog, called The Discomfort Zone (love it!), and be sure to read the post Just Another Blog On Gratitude, where Tim talks about important things such as abdicating personal responsibility, what it's like when a parent passes on, and what to do about your "inherited" traits. It's awesome stuff.

Tim - glad to have you as part of my experience here on planet earth. Everyone else - pick up a copy of Don't Ask Stupid Questions, and enjoy Tim's simple, yet effective methods for creating your life.

The following is a non-sponsored review of the book 'A Touch of Greatness', by Frank Tibolt. If you enjoy the review and are interested in the book, please click the book graphics or text links contained in this review in order to get more information.

One of the "master motivators" before it became the "in" thing to be was a man by the name of Frank Tibolt, and he spent over 50 years teaching people to be successful by getting in touch with their own "inner greatness".

Any regular readers here at Today is that Day will know that I am a BIG believer in the power that each and every one of us has to create our lives to be anything and everything that we want them to be, so reading a book written by someone who spent decades teaching people that very thing was right up my alley.

Once I started reading A Touch of Greatness, I didn't get any further than the initial lessons before I started implementing some of Frank's teachings into my own life. Overall, I was impressed with both the lifestyle concepts that were discussed, as well as the actual action steps that Frank suggested in order to get - and stay - on the path to greatness. In fact, the chapter about writing down tasks (actually WRITING them down, not typing them) has powered my daily productivity ever since I first picked up the book.

Another thing that I liked about Frank's teachings is that he often discusses 3 critical factors that I also believe are crucial to long-term success:

1. The power of repetition
2. The power of the subconscious mind
3. The power of having big dreams

Frank discusses each of those concepts - and many more - in much detail, explaining why they are so important, and what actions can be taken in order to harness the power of those and similarly powerful concepts.

Another thing that impressed me was that the book often discusses not just what to do, but HOW to do it. The success concepts that are covered are put into the context of a lifestyle of successful habits, rather than just some "routine" that is put down once a certain goal has been attained.

Frank also often talks about how helping others via our words and actions will ultimately create our own success, and I thought that was a powerful lesson to keep in mind. As we all run about in our very busy lives, chasing our own desires, it is often forgotten that one of the oldest truths of existence is that the easiest way to get what we want is to help enough other people to get what they want.

Throughout the book, Frank was very insistent on the fact that we need to write things down, which I have personally seen to be an amazingly powerful lifestyle change. Paraphrasing what was said in the book, the basic idea is that our minds can only process so many thoughts, ideas, or concepts at any one time. By writing things down - both small as well as larger-scale tasks and ideas - we "free up" our mental capital so that it can then be used for other things.

One example is the daily writing down of goals. Based on Frank's teachings, I have a prioritized task list for any given day, yet I still write down my long-term goal at the top of my task list - every single day. Doing so has opened up the floodgates for my creativity, and I now have far more ideas for success than I actually have time to implement each day.

One final thing that I was really impressed with was the "find your path" section at the back of the book. There is an incredibly in-depth system that Frank teaches which allows people to dig deep - really deep - in order to decide just what it is that they want to do with their lives. His system addresses all of the "career choice" things that one would normally associate with that type of exercise, but it also goes much deeper than that, and includes a step-by-step method for sorting it all out.

Conclusion

Overall, reading A Touch of Greatness was more than time well-spent for me personally. Despite the fact that I already live a life centered around growth and improvement, there were ideas in the book that I probably never would have thought of on my own. There were also timely reminders for me of things that I already knew, but that I wasn't implementing consistently.

I don't really have anything negative to say about the book, other than the fact that Frank's writing style didn't really resonate with me. The information that he shared was priceless, but his delivery just didn't appeal to me personally. That is just me, though, and I was raised reading Stephen King, Dean R. Koontz, and wondering who that hyper Tony Robbins guy was.

So, other than a bit of a dry delivery (in my opinion), I did like A Touch of Greatness, and the folks over at MindStudio are offering it in softcover, audio, or eBook format, so you can pick whichever medium works best for you.

p.s. - If you've read A 'Touch of Greatness', or if you end up reading it as a result of this review, please drop your thoughts into the comment section below and let us know what you thought of it! 

Discuss this post at Personal Development Partners 

Do you think that it's possible to become wealthy in only 30 days?

Most people will answer a question like that with any one of a number of negative thoughts or beliefs, and in most cases, those same negative thoughts or beliefs are the very reason why those people aren't wealthy.

Yes, there are certain "real world" circumstances that human beings create in order to experience financial abundance, but as with all things, the process needs to start in our heads before any progress can be made out in the real world.

One of the Senior Thought Leaders at Personal Development Partners has a great eBook that discusses these types of concepts, and after reading the book just now, I wanted to share some of the highlights with you. The book is called 30 Days to Wealth, and it was written by the indomitable Shauna Arthurs of Follow Your Path.

Shauna's book is basically a "point A to point B" trip that takes the reader on a 30-day journey of self discovery as well as real-world action that changes the reader's understanding of their relationship with money, and ultimately with themselves.

Overall I was impressed with the book, and despite my own abundant mentality, I found several nuggets of information that helped me with my relationship with money, and several timely reminders as well. Things that really struck me included:

• The fact that the book is all about creating a certain way of "being" rather than a mindless "map to riches". The book talks about and describes methods for becoming wealthy on the inside so that wealth manifests automatically on the outside.
• There were several very practical exercises that teach the reader how to invoke the feelings of wealth, even without actually having it. Learning to have those feelings, of course, then causes the creation of actual wealth out in the "real world".
• One of the best lessons in the book involves how to deal with our desire for wealth by describing a selfish vs. a selfless situation. I found that to be some valuable insight, since so many people think that wanting money is a "bad" thing.
• There was also a unique time line exercise about making note of things that we regret in our lives for the purpose of releasing the self-limiting beliefs that we created as a result of those events.
• Another great exercise included a method for noticing the things that create negative reactions for us. This is powerful because as we figure out what creates negativity in our lives, we are instantly empowered to release our attachment to those beliefs or concepts, thus breaking their hold over us.
• One of my favorite features was an awesome list of pointed questions that help to identify a person's true inner beliefs about wealth (or lack thereof), actual motivations behind wealth building efforts, and also whether or not certain actions are truly in alignment with stated desires for wealth and abundance.

Also, one "bonus" lesson outside of the stated 30-day regimen is the very act of focusing on wealth and abundance every single day for 30 days straight. That in and of itself is a valuable exercise that seems simple, but ask yourself how many times you have actually done it.

Overall, I was impressed with 30 Days to Wealth, and I saw it as a valuable tool for creating the "wealth mindset" which in turn creates actual wealth. Great job, Shauna!

If you would like to get your hands on a copy of 30 Days to Wealth, it is one of over a dozen free product downloads that are available to all Premium level or above members of the Personal Development Partners website, or you can purchase the eBook directly.

Discuss this post at Personal Development Partners 

Anyone who can motivate me beyond my already high level of motivation deserves a medal!

Brain Kim's eBook 'The Hidden Secret in Think and Grow Rich' was - I must admit - even better than I thought it was going to be.

Not better in a "I was moved to tears" kind of way, but better in a "Oh my God, if people actually did this, they could truly change their lives" kind of way.

The book is based upon the premise of discovering just what it is that has made 'Think and Grow Rich' one of the most well-known books in history. Brian not only delivers on that, but he shows you how to use the knowledge contained in the book to start making immediate and effective changes in your life.

Also, unlike 'Think and Grow Rich', this book does not focus almost exclusively on making money. Although you can use this formula (easily) to make money, Brian points out repeatedly that this process can be used for any goal that you have in your life; weight loss, relationships, career success, etc. 

In a nutshell, here is what Brian does in the book:

• He explains what the "hidden secret" itself is. You would think that would be the crowning jewel of the book, but in all actuality, that is just the beginning.
• A lot of self-help books would stop with the delivery of the message, but Brian goes on to explain how to actually apply what you have learned in order to start making immediate positive changes in your life.
• He dissects the book 'Think and Grow Rich' chapter by chapter, showing you that the hidden secret can be found in each chapter. This brings both credibility and empowerment to the whole process.
• Brian then takes the hidden secret itself and dissects that as well. He goes into great detail (although not overkill) about not just what each step means, but how each step is part of the whole process. He also gives examples of the pieces of the hidden secret, as well as how to apply them to a real-world scenario.
• Throughout each step, he reiterates not only the hidden secret, but how each step applies to whatever process or example is being discussed at that moment.
• He reinforces the strength of each step by giving you ways to "power up" the entire process, which then makes each step and the process as a whole much more effective.
• He explains that by using the hidden secret, success is a natural by-product of the process. It would be impossible for you NOT to succeed if you actually follow the given instructions.

Although it is apparent throughout the book that Brian is passionate about the material, he doesn't "get high on fluff," as it were. Although there are several concepts that are repeated in various parts of the book, they are repeated for clarification and the power of repetition, rather than being used as filler.

Bonus Goodies

I can honestly say that I am not very big on bonus materials when I buy things online. If a product is that good, it shouldn't need to rely on a bunch of other products to make it a valuable purchase.

Again, Brian keeps it real by only adding in things related to the 'The Hidden Secret in Think and Grow Rich'. They include:

• An electronic copy of the original 'Think and Grow Rich' - one of the best books ever written, and life-changing in its own regard.
• A short report entitled 'The Three Biggest Mistakes People Make With The Hidden Secret', which I found to be a great reminder of what needs to be done after reading the book.
• The 'Hidden Secret Workbook', which I highly recommend that you use! When you understand the hidden secret, you will have an opportunity in front of you to effect unlimited positive changes in your life. However, rather than leaving your understanding of the material to chance, Brian's workbook holds your hand and takes you step by step through the things that you need to do after reading the book. 

Bottom Line: Do I recommend that you buy this book? Absolutely!

However, understand this. There is an infallible process that you will learn about by reading 'The Hidden Secret in Think and Grow Rich'. However, it is a process.

You will not be required to pull rabbits out of hats or do any sort of nonsense that the average person is unable to do. The process is simple, and it is effective. 

However, if you think that you can just read this book and magically transform your life without taking ownership of your future, and taking the action needed to secure that future, then don't bother reading it. 

On the other hand, if you've been reaching for success, yet you wonder why it keeps eluding you, then this book can teach you a process to bring all of your focus and resources to bear on creating that success.

If you're ready to take action - and take control - then pick up your copy of 'The Hidden Secret in Think and Grow Rich'! 

As part of a campaign to raise awareness for an empowering book that was just released in June of 2007, I have been asked to take part in a "Book Blog Tour", and having just finished the book a few hours ago, I am happy to give you my thoughts while the content is still very fresh in my mind.

The book is 'Life on Purpose - Six Passages to an Inspired Life', and it was written by Dr. Brad Swift. In addition to reading this review of the book, and picking up your own copy, I encourage you to visit Dr. Swift's website where you will find a lot of additional information and value, including several blogs, free reports that you can download, and also registration for free teleclasses held by Dr. Swift and his staff.

Full Disclosure: This is not a paid review of this book. If you decide to purchase the book using the links in this post, Amazon will throw me a few cents, but my review of the book itself is based on my true feelings about the material, not financial compensation from the author or the publishing company.

My Thoughts on Life on Purpose - Six Passages to an Inspired Life

Overall, I have very positive feedback and I do recommend the book to anyone who is having trouble deciding what they "want to do with their lives".

The book is replete with several different systems and concepts that will certainly help the average lost soul to find their path in life. However, unlike other "how to" resources, Life on Purpose explains the entire process, rather than just telling the reader what to do.

The systems and concepts that Dr. Swift writes about are explained in detail, and he also discusses how the thinking behind each process works. It has been my experience that people do things much more enthusiastically when they understand why they are doing those things to begin with.

If I had anything negative to say about the book, it wouldn't be about the book itself. Rather, it would be a caution to the potential reader that although one of the strengths of the book is the detail with which everything is explained, it could also be easy to get lost in those details.

Although I personally saw value in pretty much every system or concept that Dr. Swift mentioned in the book, I do not plan to implement every single one of them into my life because - speaking for myself - I would get lost in the process.

However, that being said, there were many valuable concepts that I do plan to implement, and I urge you to also pick and choose the systems or the concepts that resonate with you personally. In fact, I doubt that Dr. Swift ever intended to overwhelm the reader with details, but rather to simply give the reader plenty of options for taking effective forward steps, and he has done so very well.

As a related aside to my review of Life on Purpose, I do want to point out that many of the concepts that were discussed in the book are certainly due much more merit than there is room for in this book review. For that reason, I will be crediting Dr. Swift's wisdom as the inspiration for several follow up posts that discuss some of his concepts in more detail. They will all be linked from the "Life on Purpose" category that you will now see over in the right-hand navigation console, and they will be coming up over the next few weeks.

My Favorite Tools

Life on Purpose includes many different tools or systems that the reader is encouraged to use in order to find their life's purpose, as well as to maintain the proper state of mind once an initial purposeful path has been determined. Of those, my favorites were:

• 3 Major Obstacles Along the Purposeful Path: The Monkey Mind, The Full Cup Syndrome, and Bias. Found in the beginning of the book, Dr. Swift discusses how each of these 3 practices will stand in your way, and he goes into brief but effective dialogue about how and why to avoid them.
• The Living on Purpose Self Test - 20 questions that you score yourself on from 1 to 10. I am not generally a fan of these types of tests because I find them to be either very general, or very biased towards a particular way of thinking. However, this self test had value and it included the questions, as well as a full explanation of what each question was designed to help you realize. That extra effort was very helpful and effective.
• 3 Different Approaches to Living a Life on Purpose: The Dynamite Approach, The Hammer and Chisel Approach, and The Polishing Cloth Approach. Again, generic concepts like this normally don't do it for me, but Dr. Swift's explanation of each of these methods from an objective point of view was informative and thought provoking for me, although brief and not over-done.
• Powerful Purpose Practices - As described in the book: Activities in which you engage on a regular basis to keep yourself present and aware of your life purpose. These concepts really resonated with me because they are inline with something that I have been saying for a long time. Just picking up good habits is not enough - you must consistently practice those good habits over the long-term. Dr. Swift's Powerful Purpose Practices are several effective methods for doing just that.

My Favorite Concepts

• The book discusses the fact that many people judge their lives based on only one part of their life, tending to define themselves by the job that they have, or the role that they play in their family or their relationships. However, the book discusses ways of finding your purpose that go far beyond just doing your part at work or in your personal life.
• Dr. Swift also gives a detailed understanding of what he calls our "Inherited Purpose". This is a part of who we are, but he points out that it should only be recognized, rather than used as a blueprint for our future or for our efforts at living a purposeful life.

Summary