No Opportunity Wasted : Creating a List for Life

Rating:
Summary: Well worth your read!
Review:
It is Tony Robins taken to the extreme! It reads almost like a novel while still being a self-help book. You make no risk giving it as a gift even to someone who would normally not read books from this genre.

Mr. Keoghan did also give ME a big kick in the a... But I am thankful because I learn now how to live more fully and take pleasure in life. So if you want to later look back and feel good that you lived your life to the fullest, you need to get this book and follow it to the word. If on top of that, you want to live long and healthy, get "Can We Live 150 Years?" by Tombak. At least check both of them out.


Rating:
Summary: A Challenge!
Review: I have read and reviewed countless self-help books during my reviewing career. They all can pretty much be summed up in this; follow my directions and your life will change. Most times, you are not going to follow their directions and the only change in your life has been the thirty somewhat dollars that you lost. And so it is.
However, there are times when the author is so enthusiastic about his concept that it oozes off the pages and you sit up alert thinking, maybe he has something here?
You sense in the words screaming at you from the pages that this author truly has something that he has seen work, believes in, and wants to share it with you. Refreshing!
That is what happens in this book by author Phil Keoghan, host of the Discovery Channel's "NOW."
As with other books in this category, he gives you steps to take to reach the life goal that you have pushed aside for so long. He shares stories of others that didn't think they could, but plunged ahead and found their victory. He doesn't hide the fact that there will be obstacles to face and that perhaps there will be some failures, but his zest for life and his encouraging words make you think, perhaps I can! It's worth a shot at trying. And he also gives you tips to help overcome the many obstacles that would keep you from your victory. Including many of his own victories.That is refreshing in a self-help book.
All of us have a hidden desire, an accomplishment that we long to achieve but perhaps have given up on ever having that goal met. This work will challenge you to rethink that goal, to look at the obstacles that have kept you from it, and perhaps give you enough courage to take the leap. Well worth your read and your consideration.
Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review

Rating:
Summary: Now Lit a Fire
Review: After receiving this book as a Christmas gift, I have a new found desire to both excel to reach my dreams and read more books on the subject. One of the best gifts I have ever received.

Rating:
Summary: Look back with no regrets
Review: Have you ever seen someone with a case of the "shoulda couldas" or had a case, yourself? That's where you should have done something you could have done, and now regret never having done so. It's a consequence of wasting an opportunity. Sometimes, age shuts the door of opportunity permanently. It's just this kind of situation that Phil Keoghan will help you prevent.

This book goes beyond just giving you inspirational examples (such as the nun who, in her 70s, competes in triathlon events--and wins). The subtitle of this book is "8 Ways to Create a List for the Life You Want," and the book delivers on that promise.
The first chapter does what first chapters are supposed to do--it explains the premise of the book. But, it starts with a frightening near-death diving experience--the one that launched Keoghan on his opportunity-making, opportunity-taking lifestyle. This chapter then goes on to chronicle Keoghan's own "List for Life" and how it evolved as he matured, in addition to getting the reader hooked on the idea of creating a "List for Life."

Chapters 2 and 3 talk about getting rid of excuses (such as not having time or money) and facing your fear, respectively. This isn't rah-rah stuff, but practical advice. One particular account show this very clearly. Koeghan works with a woman who is scared of heights. She eventually rappels down the highest bridge in the USA--and wants more. Keoghan uses many interesting examples to illustrate his principles in action.

Chapters 4, 5, and 6 deal with getting lost in the moment, testing your limits, and taking a leap of faith (respectively). I group these together, because they address getting out of your comfort zone. Again, Keoghan uses many interesting examples to illustrate that he's not just spouting theory or "new age talk." He's speaking from experience.

Chapter 7 gives perhaps the main reason for doing any of this in the first place--rediscovering your childhood. Keoghan has a way of making, enjoying, and sharing special moments. He also recognizes this ability in others--people like 89-year old skier Banana George.

Chapters 8 and 9 discuss shedding inhibitions and breaking new ground, respectively. Here, Keoghan talks about taking an honest look at self-imposed rules and limitations. Are those really helping you? Is there something better? Dare to explore.

Chapter 10 shows how rewarding it can be to help others realize their dreams, and it gives you practical advice on how to do so. It's rather motivating. Chapter 11 gives example after example of "Dreamers all around us"--folks who have broken through their own constraints and reached for new opportunities. The book ends with Chapter 12, which provides a methodology for getting from point A (where you are now) to point B (where you want to be). I think Keoghan took exceptional pains to make the line between those points short.

So if you want to be able to look back on your life and feel good that you lived it to the fullest, this book is a "must read." It's inspirational, informative, and entertaining. Get one copy for yourself, and a second one for somebody you really care about.

Rating:
Summary: Just Leave It
Review: I'm giving this book 4 stars because it does a good job of speaking directly to the people most likely to pick it up - adventurous travelers and thrill seekers. However, I'd give it one star for the average reader. This book is nothing more than another entry into the self-help arena. Personally, I did not identify with any of the participants' stories - swimming underwater with sharks, diving off cliffs just for fun, riding 72 roller coasters in 72 hours, etc. are not activities that the `average' person can do. The underlying message however, is that regardless of what the activity may be, you can do it if you follow the 8-steps - face your fears, rediscover your childhood, aim for the heart, etc. The book is a bunch of drivel really, and there are actually qualified psychologists and therapists with much better books to guide your inner soul if it wishes to be thrilled a bit. This book is an instance of someone hoping to capitalize on the fleeting fame of his reality program.. perhaps he should have written a travel guide instead.

Rating:
Summary: Most helpful self-help/adventure book
Review: Interesting book: I didn't know too much about this book, but I was pleasently surprised. Looks like the author has done a lot of traveling and he really knows how to (entertainingly) awaken that zest to go out and live life fully.
After I finished reading I decided to finally sign up for pilot's school and to go by bicycle from San Francisco to L.A. It gave me a good kick in the ass to move instead of procrastinate. Definitely recommend!

Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Book!
Review: Phil Keoghan has written an exceptional book. Best known as the host of "The Amazing Race," Phil begins No Opportunity Wasted (N.O.W.) telling about a life changing experience he had at the ripe old age of nineteen. That experience made him realize that life is precious, so live every day like it's your last. Since then, he's lived adventures many people only dream about.

Unlike the countless self-help books promising to improve your life, No Opportunity Wasted doesn't ask you to follow a complicated plan. Phil's message is as clear as it is simple- don't wait to pursue your dreams. Instead, make of list of "NOW" moments you'd like to experience in your lifetime and start making them come true.

Phil urges readers to live adventurously, letting go of the handrails and swerving off the predictable path you've been following. Living adventurously doesn't have to mean extreme adventure sports. Every person has their own list of special moments they'd like to create and dreams they'd like to fulfill. NOW is about moving outside your comfort zone to try something different and expand your horizons.

Filled with short, inspirational stories woven together to illustrate his themes, N.O.W. is easy and enjoyable to read. It's very well written, and his enthusiasm jumps off the page. This book will definitely change your perspective, and it could truly change your life.

-Mike Merrill, Author of Dare to Lead! Uncommon Sense and Unconventional Wisdom from 50 Top CEOs

Rating:
Summary: No Opportunity Wasted
Review: Something new in self help. A unique look at how we choose to live our lives and what can be done to make them better by realizing our dreams, no matter what they are. Dream large or dream small, dream climbing Mt. Everest or dream a quiet walk on the beach, each could be a source of happiness, a sense of fulfillment. Help others or help yourself to realize a dream. All suggestions within ghis book and many others and a guide to make them happen. Getting rid of the excuses and taking a positive approach as shown in No Opportunity Wasted leads to a richer, fuller life while getting rid of the negative baggage that holds you back. Once you begin working toward a specific dream, you will realize there are other things you can accomplish as well. Not only does this book show the way to self realization, but the philosophy of you-can-do-it becomes I-can-do-it as Mr. Keoghan coaches from the sidelines. A must read for anyone seeking to build their self confidence. A keeper you will refer to time and again. Start making your lists. I will

Rating:
Summary: a kick in the seat
Review: The idea of living each day as if it were your last is not a new concept, however what Phil Keoghan and Warren Berger do through a list of stories, ideas and challenges, is push the reader towards making all of the things we've always said that we would get to someday, now become things to do today. I too have had a list of things to accomplish before I die for many years...this book helps to put it all in perspective and also delivers ideas to help you turn those dreams into reality. I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure.

Rating:
Summary: What is No Opportunity Wasted?
Review: What if I never do those things that I dreamed I would do? What must we do before we die? You need a list of things that you want to do before you die and then you MUST visualize yourself doing them.
In essence, No Opportunity Wasted is about learning how to live while you still have a chance, about letting go of the handrails, taking off your tie and living. It is the philosophy of following our many and varied dreams in order to live a fuller more richly blessed life. But we must first figure them out-and write them down!!!
You don't have to go half way around the world or spend a ton of money to experience your dreams. There are opportunities for unforgettable experiences all around us and a good imagination is the best form of currency when it comes to acquiring great experiences. Being adventurous is about taking mental leaps. And we all have an adventure gene hardwired in us, we just need to find it. (By the way it is called the D4DR Gene)

Do I need to do this NOW? YES!!
· Because now you can----We are blessed to live in a time of huge opportunity. Many other generations didn't have the opportunities to.
· Because tomorrow the world may change----It most surely will. In a day of increasing terrorism, some of the things we take for granted today may not be available tomorrow.
· Because our circumstances and capabilities will change----There are things we can do right now that we may not be able to do in 5-10 years.
· Because probability decreases as procrastination increases----The longer we put it off, the less likely we will act on it.
· Because life is a gift that comes with an expiration date----Even worse that date is unknown. We have all heard the stories of someone who was going to do something great and then passed unexpectedly and suddenly.

So get this Book and Start on the Journey of Living!!!