Play To Win: Choosing Growth Over Fear in Work and Life

This book is very insightful, I suggest that if you want a new perspective on life. This will help you learn.

I've been relatively successful at most things in my life, but I've definitely have one shortcoming through all of it: I've been afraid of really putting myself out there and playing to win rather than playing just not to lose. For example, I've always been pretty good at interviews--I've received a job offer after at least half of the interviews I've had in my life. Yet, once I have a job, I haven't always felt all that successful. "Why?", I've asked myself a number of times. I'm intelligent and quite capable. What I feel it has come down to is that I've been playing not to lose. Once I have something, rather than playing for more, I've simply been playing to not lose what I have.This book helped me to recognize a lot of these behaviors in myself. It offers a number of insights as to how to approach life in a winning way. No, it doesn't have all the answers; it does, however, have a lot of good thoughts and ideas. It didn't result in a complete turnaround in my life--I still have plenty of work to do--but it has helped me to look at things in new ways.It's a pretty easy read. There are plenty of colors and pictures, most of it probably unnecessary, but it makes for a pretty book. :) I definitely recommend this one to anybody who feels stuck somewhere in life or who feels like he or she has all the tools but hasn't figured out the attitude to get to what he or she wants in life.

Play to Win is a great book. It was recommended by an a associate of mine who thought it would be helpful to me to get focus on my career track and my life during these difficult economic times. I think the book is outstanding and helpful as it focuses on tips to stay the course and not focus on the negative. This book deals with the psychological aspects of achievement and growth. I found it to be incredibly helpful to me. Overcome the negative thoughts and utilize your interests and desires to achieve. This is not a book to be brought on vacation, however. I should have brought a book in which I did not have to think so much about how each lesson or section in the book can help me. It took me a long time to read this book, because I was hanging on every lesson or word. That is fine as I want to gain knowledge from this book, but this is a textbook in one sense as opposed to relaxed reading. I highly recommend this book over many of its better known competitors. This book is a must read for those battling this new work economy and for those trying to re invent themselves and become vital in a new direction in 2009 and beyond as I write this review. Go out and get it, you will not be sorry. The lack of 5 stars is only because it took me a long time to finish this book, which is probably more my fault than the text of this book.

I received this book about 5 years ago and it sat on a shelf in my office. I retired, moved, and was cleaning up stuff to get rid of. Had the book in my hand and looking at the waste basket. Felt guilty enough to look inside and noticed a forward by Ken Blanchard whom I have much admiration for. I read the forward and discoved that Ken stated this was the best thing since sliced bread. Decided to read it.Blancard was right. The title is a misnomer. It should really be: Learn to Live. But who would read that?This book offers thoughts on how to think about thinking; the importance of appropriate risk taking in our lives; what is involved in the good decision process and strategies to do so - the 2 minute drill; how to turn your live around and move forward. The book concludes with the importance of building your spiritual life and why that is important.I recommended this book for the inclusion to a course we teach for the chronically unemployed - addicts, felons, etc with a St Vincent de Paul program in Cincinnati called Operation Bootstraps. It has helped us tremedously with these people - they continually tell us how important the book is to them.My biggest problem is finding more books which is becoming an issue.Dennis Coyne

I believe many times when we don't have the faith to move forward we left ourselves of the hook. We give ourselves and others what we believe are legitimate reasons for not moving forward on a goal. In fact, they are just excuses. If you want to put that kind of behavior behind you then read this book. Play to Win! will help you acknowledge your fear and then give you the tools to choose to move beyond that fear. Ask yourself what do you really really want and what has stopped you in the past. Then read Play to Win! for the solutions. When I am not taking action on something I can simply begin flipping through this book and will always discover what is in my way. A must have for any bookshelf especially solo business owners that do not have a team around them.

At a glance, the title could be misleading: this might at first be misunderstood as just another book about how to be a better salesperson, or a better negotiator. While such personal improvement may arise as a result of having read it, the book is better described by its subtitle.Play to Win! helps the reader to take a factual look at how s/he views life and reacts to its events. And most importantly, it guides you in a direction which allows you to discard inadequate (or even destructive) thinking and replace it with objective, honest fact. VERY useful for learning how to improve your relationship with the world and to get more out of your life.

This is one of the best and most wholesome books on personal development I've read. It was recommended by one of my University professors and I figured I'd check it out. I wasn't disappointed. For one, it is to the point and it's a fun read. It cuts to the chase. It gives you practical pointers that naturally make their way into how you handle yourself and life. After finishing the book, a lot of corrupting thought patterns will be forgotten. You will naturally think in new ways that focus on growth rather than stagnation.Other great books along similar lines are The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Psycho-Cybernetics.

I rarely write reviews but this is the stand out book for me this year. There are many books in this field but few that bring all that is important in a very readable and understandable way.

You know most of this stuff already, but actually doing it is of far greater significance. I thoroughly recommend it.

brought for the wife not sure if she liked it or not, not even sure if she read it all either

Great book. A really good read.

I bought this book as it was suggested to me by someone at work for my professional career but it also helped me reflect on my personal life. Great and easy read!