Rating: 
Summary: WHAT IS YOUR PRIMARY TARGET??
Review: Proven Principles taught by a S.E.A.L. You're either moving towards knocking down targets or you're not. Machowics teaches you the techniques that he used to survive in combat. These same principles are put into context in our everyday lives. There is NO EGO involved in this book. The guy just lays down the cold hard facts. He teaches you how to access your environment, whether it be a jungle or the boardroom, to weigh and make important decisions, and how to use the best tools (weapons)you have available to you. Simple truths are taught, and it really makes sense to the reader. He shows you how to stack the ADVANTAGES in your own court in order to win. A Great book that is easily read, and it drives home many important concepts.
Rating:
Summary: Wow...
Review: I haven't even read the whole book, I just looked at the pages available on amazon, and covering the CARVER matrix, and already I've been able to sort out my goals in terms of whether I should pursue them or not. This saved me a lot of time, and I'm now focussed like a laser on getting exactly what I want. The story of Machowicz' journey through BUD/S training was also very inspiring. This is a must have book!
Rating: 
Summary: No-Nonsense and Content Rich
Review: I thought I would easily knock this book out on a recent cross-country flight. After all, it is less than 200 pages. But Machowicz packs more useful, tactical methods for effective living in these 200 pages than in the thousands of pages I've read in dozens of books on the subject. What surprised me most was the wisdom behind his words. Honestly, I had some preconceptions about what an ex-Navy SEAL would have to say about how to live successfully -- hard work, discipline, "just do it" -- and those elements have a place, but they are balanced with a deeper attitude reflected in Machowicz's statement: "I truely believe there are two root emotions to everything a person experiences. You are either moving toward fear or you're moving toward love." Through anecdotes of his days as a SEAL and by his explanation of how to apply the 7 principles of combat to one's life, Machowicz shows that underneath it all is the human spirit. What I thought would be a quick read has turned out to be a long study, and well worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Best confidence building book I have read
Review: I would give this book a 4 instead of a 5. This book has some great ideas for stress but about the 3/4 through the book things get a little bit slow (the author could probably work on this part). But overall this book is great, the author who is an ex navy seal obviously has had his fill of stress/fear has overcome it and thought about it retrospectively.
The author has a few great original ideas for overcoming fear. In one instance he calls fear a "paper thin curtain" impossible to see through but once you are through it's retrospectively not a big deal. Thus he points out that fear isn't a big deal, but if we do not face our fears (breaking up, finding a new job) we will be stuck in a stale, better than nothing life. One of the most interesting fears he points out is the fear of looking stupid (there truly is no such thing as a stupid question).
There are other great ideas like making yourself just do it (i.e. if you are faced with a tough decision with time constraints just arbitrarily take one path, or else you'll become like a deer in road looking at the headlights coming. Another interesting idea an one of the best for me, is that the way we talk to ourselves becomes a form of conditioning. Thereby to attain confidence you have to talk to yourself in a more positive (what are the opportunities in this situation) and less self degrading manner.
There is alot of great stuff in this book and it deserves not just being read once but a couple of times to absorb all good advice.
Rating:
Summary: Great even for a pacifist!!
Review: I'm a middle aged woman whose biggest battle in life has been with my weight. I don't care for the testosterone-laden metaphors for business and life, and have little interest in martial arts. Yet this has to be one of the most powerful and helpful books I've read in a long time. MACHOwicz (can you believe that name!!!) fills the book with very practical steps on how to identify the "targets" in your business and life, and how to approach them with the mindset of a Navy Seal. I did that and have accomplished more in the past two months than I have in the last couple of years put together. The only weakness in the book is that some of the analogies to military action are difficult to apply to non-military "targets" and I wish he had given a few more examples, particularly of the CARVER procedure. Still, that's such a minor complaint that I couldn't bring myself to lower the rating by even one point. By the way, if you like this kind of book, check out Michael Janke's "Take Control" and "Power Living." Janke is also an ex-Navy Seal and his books are written in the same vein.
Rating:
Summary: GO FOR IT!
Review: If you want a no nonsense simple and direct approach to success, you've got it here. I will be recommending this book to my students.
Rating:
Summary: It deserve 6 stars
Review: Read it and study it are the only advice I have for you. I have bought several book on self improvement and this is my favorite.
He gives you several "down to earth"/highly effective way of building a self confident personnality. He used the thing he learn in his 10 years career as a navy seal. HE TEACH YOU HOW HE GOT TOUGH MENTALY AND HOW YOU CAN DO IT TOO.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful Ideas Tested Under Extreme Stress
Review: The author says that SEALs comb the earth for the best training available. I guess, this is true, because the book is filled with powerful ideas adopted from different fields and tested under extreme stress of life-threatening situations.
First, you have several ideas from NLP. ACTE model is almost a copy of NLP's T.O.T.E. model. Fear Crusher has NLP's Belief Change Pattern underlying it. And verbal-influence conditioning is called "limiting beliefs" in NLP.
Another interesting application comes from yoga. Consider the description of the author's experience at the sniper school in the context of yoga's ideas of focus, awareness and being in the present moment.
So, I guess, this book is powerful because it is based on powerful ideas. And those are described clearly, using real life examples.
Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: It deserve 6 stars
Review: This is one of a very few books I have read in one sitting. As someone who has read all the self-help books I can get my hands on, I had identified self-discipline, organization, and a plan of action as lacking in my efforts to achieve my goals. This book addresses all of concerns, as though it were written especially for me. I can't thank the author enough for the additional tools he has given me to achieve my goals. Only 189 pages, but the author has made each one count. Easily one of the 5 favorites in my library of over 1,000 books.
Rating:
Summary: This man speaks of truth and learned wisdom
Review: This man speaks of a truth. He has a gift from God for the common sense that seems to be so uncommon and yearned for by people like myself. The other 5 star ratings are right on and anything less than 5 stars would be unjust. Stop reading the reviews and go read it, buy it, and study it.
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