Rating: 
Summary: Don't Just Sit There, Get a Move on it!
Review: As with Harris' first book, this one is full of useful advice, a great deal of memorable quotes and wisdom, delivered with a direct approach. What people need to do is stop wasting time and making excuses as to why they can't do things (boundaries set by others and perceptions of others), and set their own goals and milestones. A theme of Harris' book is, you only measure success against yourself.
The idea of charting wasted time is a great eye-opener! Try it, you will be shocked (and perhaps, temporarily depressed, but YOU can change that!). Harris also focuses on the down-to-earth things too, like kids, charities, aging and retirement. The book itself doesn't inspire you, but it is written in a way, that makes you look inside yourself, where motivation lies.
My favorite quote from the book is Will Rogers, "Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." That is what Harris writes about, you know the problems, admit them, create a plan to address your weaknesses, set goals, and achieve them! This book, like his previous one, really caused me to think how the topics applied to me. I didn't feel like I was just reading about him and his ideas, and that to me, makes it one I can recommend.
Rating:
Summary: Success, Don't Dream It, Live It!
Review: Both Mr. Kern and Ms. Willi give you a new perspective to the limitless boundaries of discipline. They provide real life stories and practical advice, gained through their personal achievements, on how to attain it. By reading this book, you begin to wonder how much one can accomplish and it motivates you to start setting new goals beyond what you ever imagined were possible.
Rating:
Summary: Mind the Discipline
Review: Discipline: Training the Mind to Manage Your Life is a more detailed, practical, and straight-forward continuation to the original book on the subject by Kern (Discipline: Six Steps to Unleashing Your Hidden Potential). This publication builds on the principles presented in the first installment of the series, but it is not merely a repetition of the same material. Instead, the author provides his readers with an excellent methodology for translating the theory of discipline into action.
The concept Kern identifies as the PRIME (Personally Regulated Improvement Model to Excel) acts as a spotlight to point out all the areas of one's life where time is being used inefficiently. It is an exercise that anyone can do with their present routine at any time. Furthermore, its simplicity allows it to be manipulated with ease to instantly include the priorities, goals, and agendas that one dreads never having time for - starting today.
Having read this book, you will not only be out of excuses for not doing the things you know you have to, you will find it practically impossible not to do them! Once again, Kern's lessons on self-motivation and empowerment leave you buzzing with confidence and raring to go after your dreams.
In my opinion, the greatest feature of this work is that it speaks to so many people on fundamentally different levels. Maybe you are just discovering the importance of discipline for the very first time and need a swift kick in the rear end to get yourself moving. Or perhaps you are an ambitious over-achiever like Kern himself who merely needs to know there are others like him out there in the world... Whatever the case, your time could not be better spent than learning (or revisiting) the powerful lessons discipline brings into your life - if you allow it to. Thank you Harris, we hope to hear from you again soon.
Rating:
Summary: If They Can Do It, So Can You
Review: Harris Kern is a committed and a solid persona who just wishes each of us could realize their dreams as he has - by setting obtainable goals and then simply doing what it takes to achieve those goals.
It is exciting to have a personal friend, whose friendship began as a co-worker, publish a book! Being able to write a review with Amazon is as a gift and a trust which I'd like to extend to readers as they question time invested in this reading: Consider what more you wish to achieve, then find the teachers, the disciples, who are willing to give training through instruction and promoting the practice so to better yourself. Harris and Karen are offering their examples.
I've been fortunate to witness Harris' self-determination to share ideas, to become an author and publish a book with the intent of inspiring others. This book follows his publication "Discipline: Six Steps to Unleashing Your Hidden Potential" which gave background as to the basis for his personal drive!
In reading the lessons within, I'm humbled as I sense I could better have gained from his example and strengthen my own level of skills in a more productive manner; the years go by whether we improve ourselves or not! (Have you heard the expression, "Do you think education is expensive? Try ignorance!")
Looking, many more opportunities to invest in myself were missed than were taken; Harris' examples demonstrate a sense of urgency to "make positive changes" while one can! While YOU can!!! Don't wait - Opportunities may be lost.
Harris has co-authored numerous technical books; and, it is his personal energy that brings the curiosity - The question as to where the energy originates.
In an Secretarial/Administrator role, I supported Harris several years via schedule/travel itineraries as he was traveling throughout the world presenting guidance in designing Data Centers for Sun Microsystems, Inc. His enthusiasm, discipline, and energy level inspired; I knew the heavy (crazy) travel schedule and how he spent time at a gym on a daily basis, regardless of where in the world he found himself!
What an example to see his success: To have become aware of his goal building - to recognize his constant study to better his skills, and watch how he questions and learns from responses,
watching his life develop, and to note over the years how he brought goals to fruition!
The lesson is simple: Give your goals the focus they deserve; your quality of life depends upon it!
Within the pages, you'll hear Harris and Karen's voices strong with their fortitude. Keep it simple: just follow their examples for a more rewarding life!
Realize: "If they can do it; I can do it!"
Feel the success of goals accomplished and in doing so, be happy!
Rating:
Summary: Two books which will change your life!
Review: Having purchased both of Harris Kern's books on discipline, I am very impressed by the way he has used discipline to create the life he wanted. Over the years I have spent hundreds of dollars on self help books expecting something miraculous to happen just by having read them. I was always looking outside of myself for the answers. My life, up to the point in which I purchased Harris' books had been a "woulda, coulda, shoulda" existence. At 50 years of age I really wanted to make some extreme changes. It was the terrible news that my best friend had received that really made me think about my own mortality and the time I had already wasted. He was told he was terminally ill and only had 3 to 5 months to live and he's only 46 years old. I'm sure he thought he would have another 25 or 30 years to do everything he wanted to do.
Discipline Six Steps to Unleashing Your hidden Potential by Harris Kern and Discipline Training The Mind To Manage Your Life by Harris Kern and Karen Willi do not come with a enchanted wand or a promise that by just reading the books your life will change. What they do say is this, if you follow the advice given in the books you will develop discipline. Discipline in mind, body and spirit. And when you have discipline you can accomplish all your goals. I might as well throw away all the other self- help books I purchased over the years because none of them can even come close to the effectiveness of these two books.
Bravo Mr. Kern!
Rating:
Summary: Discipline, The Secret of Success
Review: If you're not a disciplined person, this is a must read. If you consider yourself disciplined, as I do myself, it helps you affirm your methodology of attaining your goals through the discipline model you incorporate in your daily personal and professional life. For those of you who know Harris, I'm sure that you all will agree that he is by far the most disciplined person you have ever met. This book tells it like Harris lives it. Karen Willi contributes great insights to family disciplines and brings a balance that many of us forget when we are so focused on our careers. This stuff really works, and if you haven't discovered how to set and attain goals by managing your time and efforts then you need to read this book. One of my favorite quotes from the book is where Harris tells his readers to live their lives as if this is your last year on earth.
Rating:
Summary: The Discipline in Discipline
Review: Life is what you make it. Always has been. Always will be.
-Grandma Moses
This is one of the opening quotes from the book Discipline: Training the Mind To Manage Your Life by Harris Kern. I caught my eye because there is certain genius in stating the obvious, depending of course on how you say it. The quote is concise, to the point and memorable, and sets the tone for rest of the book, a somewhat eclectic but to the point combination of the spiritual, the practical, and good common sense, to master the most difficult thing for any of us to truly master ones self. It is not a book of spine-tingling genius but it is one of precise insight. Mr. Kern has a keen sense of the complexity of life while nimbly explaining the best way of dealing with it, namely, making and keeping life simple.
The concept of controlling one's life through general outlook and simple routine may not be devastating but like Grandma's quote, it certainly hits the target. I enjoyed reading this book not just because everything Mr. Kern suggests and describes are things anybody can do, but are things anybody should do. Most "self-help" books have a tendency to state the obvious and rely on altering a person's "state-of mind" to maximize some positive effect. Indeed, Mr. Kern, is not above this himself, but he seems to concentrate on the real and sensible actions we all have to take in everyday to give his disciplined "state-of-mind" not only reference but substance. Very refreshing in this day and age of mostly "tell me, not show me."
Rating: 
Summary: My Intentions were there
Review: Page 161, Kerns 16th common phrase for the unprimed. My humblest apologies for the delay in providing feedback on the book and in adding my rating to Amazon.com. (4 stars), taking it to 4.5 or just under. Despite having started to read this the day we last spoke, I lacked the discipline to finish it earlier, however had time yesterday when I flew to Melbourne and Canberra. No excuses on my part. Too much time wasted in the interim, too many minutes lost. I noted down some of my thoughts last evening on the flight back from Canberra and I will just put these down as feedback as is and then summarise my thoughts. Thought provoking, self affirmation, lessons from the heart, lift the self esteem, reinforcement, a recipe for worth, guilt trip, shared experiences, get me back on track, pathway of the future, not for luddites, easy to get lost upon the way, not for the feint of heart, born or made? can mere words succeed in transforming the masses, a lifelong journey. A thoroughly enjoyable read. One that I will be getting the wife and two daughters to start on. Discipline, we all have it in some form or other, however many loose sight of it along the way (the easy path). Competing priorities and personal circumstance all influence us and detract our thoughts. So much self affirmation of my life to date and the accomplishments made. Maybe after reading the book my wife will understand why I cant sleep in, get up at 05:00 to go for a run, am at work at 07:00 to beat the traffic and get early bird parking, refuse to let myself get sick, or when I am refuse to slow down and still go to work. Have to complete things in the one day and work to achieve this. Create the vision and help others live it. Provide empathy and walk the talk with staff. Honour my commitments where humanly possible. Never say die. Become bored when the challenging becomes the norm. Am always looking for new challenges and opportunities. Groan and moan in my sleep as my brain is still engaged in dialogue. I once attended a presentation called the "Adrenalin Junkie" and saw significant reflection. Even to the point of flushing the toilet before you have finished peeing. The mind continuing to race. Finishing the sentence for others because they are too slow at completing it. Your book (compliments to both you and Karen) is a work of self reflection, shared to bring about realisation and create aspiration. Also to bring a few lost sheep such as me back to the fold. We all get lost along the way as Karen eluded to and your book has helped me see the light once again and reinforce the discipline of mind that others see as a weakness. Peer pressure to conform to the norm, to fit in. Very influential in youth, but as you become more disciplined less important. Doing things for ones self, the key. Being able to lead by example and not caring if others disapprove. We are what we are and will be what we will be. The influence is within us. Looking forward to getting back into making every minute more valuable. Hoping we may one day get the opportunity to spend some time in reflection, face to face. I know we have a lot in common and followed similar paths, however I do not feel I have yet reached a comparable level of personal attainment and strive to make the rest of my life more challenging than the past almost 48 years. Best wishes and kindest regards Brian Kissell
Rating:
Summary: Worth the Time - A Great Read!
Review: Quite a book! Prepare for a serious look inside your day-to-day behavior - business and personal. The authors have taken a dry subject and made it eminently readable. For example, learn about Playing the Mind Game when "I don't feel very inspired today." They help us to look honestly at the excuses we all use, and learn how to take relatively small steps that achieve breakthrough results. It's a complement to a book when you realize how straightforward actions can be used on rather routine challenges....you wonder "why didn't I think of that!" This book is chock full of these kind of personal Eurekas. Personally, I found the most valuable insights to be in the areas that I would consider my greatest weaknesses. Somehow, Discipline Training helps you see the glass as half full. As you might suspect, the theme is discipline....self-discipline in knowing what outcomes you want and doggedly plotting a course to achieve them. My favorite sections are on gaining a sense of urgency, and reflecting on just how much time each of us wastes each day. Redirection and perseverance are compelling strategies, but how do you discipline yourself to take advantage of your unique competencies to exploit these resources? Check out the Personally Regulated Improvement Model and the chapter on Training Your Mind. This is an easy read. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: The ideas in this book will help anyone
Review: The authors have given us fresh, contemporary insights into a concept passionately promoted by famous "doers" for centuries: self-discipline is a cornerstone of character and a key to success. Encouraging to readers of any age and situation, their message is that this all-important quality can be found in each of us, nurtured, and made into a source of personal power that will bring us more of what we want in life. Kern and Willi give us a quick-reading, results-oriented mix of personal anecdotes, wise advice and motivating quotes from famous and successful role models, and original step-by-step methods to build discipline and put it to work to bring a sense of purpose to our lives through achievement. I love to learn from original thinkers, and from the experience of recognized greats, so this book and the way it was done were right up my alley. The authors have found an important subject and have hit a home run with it. I'd recommend this book to students, parents, professionals at any career stage, and anyone who wants to enrich their life by accomplishing more. As terrific as the authors' advice is for young people, it's just as useful as a "refresher course" for those with more experience. People have faced the same kinds of problems across thousands of years of recorded history, and self-discipline has always been critical in overcoming those problems. I enjoyed this book so much that I'm looking forward to seeing what self-improvement element will be their next project. Great work Harris and Karen!
|
