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Summary: Play to Win
Review: Read this excellent book only if you dare to risk change. My life changed entirely when I began focussing on fulfillment rather than safety.
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Summary: Excellent, common-sense approach to development.
Review: Readable, step-by-step approach to personal and professional growth and development. While adhering to the maxim there's nothing new under the sun, I find some people combine a talent for retelling the information and making it interesting. That's what the Wilsons do in Play to Win.
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Summary: A guide to life as an adventure!
Review: Reading 'Play to Win: Choosing Growth over Fear in Work and Life' was, like its authors profess life to the fullest should be -- an adventure! Instead of focusing on success, it focused on fulfillment (of which success is a byproduct). 'Play to Win' acknowledged and identifed elements that keep one from a fulfilled life. It educated and provided processes, complete with catch phrases, to achieve an adventuresome life. The only reason it took me two nights to read was that I was stopped in my tracks when I came to, what was for me, a powerful quotation at the beginning of Part V, " One has to abandon altogether the search for security and reach out to the risk of living with both arms."--Morris L. West. How on earth would I begin to abandon my need for security? I was afraid to read on because 'Play To Win' might tell me how and then, my life would be . . . different. Could I choose Growth Over Fear?(the subtitle). The book presents many familiar methods, and for me, new defintions and processes to live a more fulfilled, balanced life. I use the "Stop Challenge Choose" mantra daily in trying to overcome my usual reactionary attitude. I had always thought of my life as a journey, but I want the adventure set forth by the Wilsons! By completing the simple written exercise using easy-to-understand definitions, 'Play To Win' helped me re-affirm my life purpose and establish a new vision (what do I want) for a balanced, fulfilled life and a flexible plan of -- what can I give up to get what I want?/What do I need to DO to get what I want? I recommend this book for anyone seeking self-understanding or anyone who may feel discontent with their life but do not know why or what is missing. It really helped me sort things out and gave me a vision for today of where I want to be and tools to get me there. I shared my copy with a friend, who immediately wanted her own copy to pass along to others as well.
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Summary: This book can change your life -- if you choose to let it
Review: The insights shared in "Play To Win!" have had deep and profound impact on me, both personally and professionally. In business, I have new tools to greatly improve my results -- and enjoy my work in the process. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to leaders and shop floor employees alike. The learnings are too important to "discriminate" based on corporate caste systems. Personally, what I've learned from "Play To Win!" has helped me survive the stress and devastation of watching my six- year-old son undergo a bone marrow transplant to beat cancer. This book IS about choosing growth over fear, no matter what our situations in life. From Larry and Hersch Wilson, I now understand that while we cannot control all the events that happen in our lives, we have a great deal of choice in how we respond to them. Do yourself a favor -- don't just read this book -- USE IT.
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Summary: This book can change your life -- if you choose to let it
Review: The insights shared in "Play To Win!" have had deep and profound impact on me, both personally and professionally. In business, I have new tools to greatly improve my results -- and enjoy my work in the process. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to leaders and shop floor employees alike. The learnings are too important to "discriminate" based on corporate caste systems. Personally, what I've learned from "Play To Win!" has helped me survive the stress and devastation of watching my six- year-old son undergo a bone marrow transplant to beat cancer. This book IS about choosing growth over fear, no matter what our situations in life. From Larry and Hersch Wilson, I now understand that while we cannot control all the events that happen in our lives, we have a great deal of choice in how we respond to them. Do yourself a favor -- don't just read this book -- USE IT.
Rating: 
Summary: Falls short in some aspects
Review: The message of the book is very easy to understand. It boils down to not having fear or letting fear and emotions control our reactions. Always STOP, CHALLENGE and CHOOSE in the face of crisis. Stop to think. Challenge your moment's thoughts and reactions. Choose the optimal course of action. The definition of the author for winning is lovely indeed: to do the best that one can with all that one has.Now, in terms of implementation, there is a lot of space devoted to the what, but barely one chapter devoted to the how to put the book's ideas in practice, although it's fair to say that there's a good number of examples and cases brought forward. The second to last chapter is dedicated to putting together a Statement of Purpose, followed by a Vision and a plan to set it all in motion, but I can't help remembering the level of detail that Stephen Covey goes into in his book "The 7 Habits..." when discussing this same topic, and this is one that he covers early on in his book, devoting the rest of it to ways to make it happen. All in all, it feels like a useful Step 1 book, whose key message (STOP, CHALLENGE and CHOOSE) is helpful to have present at all times, but not a book that will help make a huge step in changing your life for the long term: it falls short in some aspects, which is why I recommend Stephen Covey's work more.
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Summary: Choosing growth over fear.
Review: This great book by Larry Wilson is all about choosing growth over fear. It's about the miracle of personal development and no one knows more about personal development than Larry Wilson.Playing to Win is a soup to nuts approach to personal development as only Larry Wilson can do.Are you playing it a little bit too safe? What is that costing you? Read Playing to Win. It may revolutionize your whole life as it has mine. Outstanding book.
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Summary: An absolute life changing book!!
Review: This is a book to live your life by! If a generation X person(or younger) could read and comprehend what is being shared in this book, their life would be so much more. As is, mostly baby boomers and older will read this and say "if only I knew what is being shared here when I was younger". My wife and I plan on sharing this wonderful, insightful book with everyone we love and care about.
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Summary: I keep recommending it & I am on my second reading.
Review: This is the best book I have read on self improvement. I can't stop reading it and keep recommending it. I wish I owned stock in the concept. Make it a major part of your life, you can't go wrong.
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Summary: A great book for getting you into action.
Review: This self-help, motivational book is about achieving self-fulfillment and emotional and spiritual growth. It is filled with insights and very specific guidelines, real-life situations to illustrate key points, and clear rules that highlight the discussion. The book presents steps to take to put intention into action. A key theme is helping the reader to think by learning to stop, challenge and choose-an approach that this book explains in detail. A great book for getting you into action.
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