Attitude of Gratitude [Paperback]

Keith Harrell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2004

In this heartfelt memoir, motivational speaker and life coach Keith D. Harrell writes passionately about the lessons he learnt from his parents, grandmother, teachers, coaches, mentors and friends as he overcame stuttering to become one of America's top-ranking professional speakers. He presents this story as an inspiring source of encouragement for anyone who has ever experienced setbacks and wants to learn how to become better equipped to handle each challenge as it arises.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this upbeat, breezy memoir, motivational speaker Harrell (Attitude Is Everything) recounts how he overcame early insecurities to become an outstanding IBM training instructor. He details the lessons he learned along the way and shares the positive attitude he always maintains. Harrell credits his achievements to his strong Christian faith and the mentors who helped him develop. As a child, the author stuttered, to his great embarrassment. He explains how he overcame his speech impairment with the help of a good speech therapist, his little league coach and a teacher who built his confidence. Harrell gave up his first dream of playing professional basketball to shift his considerable energies to a career in business. Although IBM was not hiring at the time, rigorous coaching from a cousin got him an appointment with the company and a job offer. He describes here how he overcame setbacks such as being stereotyped by some managers as a seller of illegal drugs because he is African-American. The lessons he learned that helped him move up at IBM include promoting a personal resume, turning challenges into opportunities and doing whatever hard work it took to achieve his goals. After 14 years, he left IBM to form his own professional speaking company. Continued success has deepened his religious convictions, and Harrell stresses the importance of God in his daily life throughout this recollection.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Harrell, an inspirational speaker, recounts his own life story of struggle and eventual triumph, drawing on his experiences and faith to provide encouragement to readers. He recalls his early childhood in Seattle as a tall, skinny, awkward kid who overcame his stuttering and learned to use basketball as an outlet for achievement and personal development. He met other challenges in his youth, from racial discrimination to his parents' separation and divorce to dealing with a chronic illness. He recalls the scores of individuals who encouraged him and shared their own life lessons, including his parents, grandparents, coaches, teachers, mentors, and friends. Harrell begins each of the 21 chapters with a biblical verse and closes with a particular life lesson--changing challenges to opportunities, using turning points as learning points--drawn from his own experiences. He encourages readers to look to lessons in their own lives, understand their individual purpose in life, and develop a personal vision. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 235 pages
• Publisher: Hay House (August 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401902006
• ISBN-13: 978-1401902001
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,211,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Attitude is EVERYTHING!!! Very powerful inspiring book!, August 24, 2003

By 

Duane B. Harris "BIT Legit Hustler" (Lithonia, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Attitude of Gratitude (Hardcover)

My wife recieved a signed personal copy from the author. A matter of fact she said that he gave everyone at the doctor's office a copy and everyone was touched by his enthusiam! He even ran out to the car to get a few more for the other patients!

When I first saw the book, I was like oh no not another ego-driven from rags to riches book and how you can be like the author too.

Boy was I wrong! This book is very motivating and very direct to the point. The author uses scriptures from the bible to start off each chapter. He is a Chrisitan and he gives Glory to the God. And believe it or not it likes attending a revial and listening to one testimony and he doesn't preach he teaches the importance of having a good attitude of gratitude and how to turn a disadvantage into advantage.

Also he discussed how he dealt with racism at IBM and turn it into a positive as oppose to a negative. I was too an victim of discrimination at my former employer but I never didn't know why until I read this book. Very eye opening.

The book also include life lessons that we all have experience but couldn't really make sense of it until this book came out!

I defintely can not wait for his next book to drop in January and I strongly urge that everyone who is unemployed or feel like they are at a disadvantage in their current situation to order this book and tell their family and friends about it!

Give God the Glory! Cuz you are about to be blessed like you never been blessed!

Thank you Dr. Attitude for dropping the 411 and giving it to me indirectly through my wife.

Hallejuah!!!!!!!!!11

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Needs more digging (2 1/2 stars), August 22, 2008

By 

Chillyayo (NyC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Attitude of Gratitude (Hardcover)

In case you didn't know, Keith Harrell is a Christian and begins each chapter with scripture that sets the tone of the chapter. Harrell's religious life is less insightful than his personal struggles that highlights most of the book. His account of how he rehearsed for weeks for a job interview with IBM is more inspirational than his basketball conquest or his religious devotion. Like many motivational books this book lacks depth. The book is cleanly polished. Harrell overcame a stuttering problem, yet there's hardly any mention of the negative impact it made on his life and how he overcame it. According to the book his stuttering problem was overcome by his will to speak normally, however he never mentions the low point he must of felt throughout his tribulation, and what keep him going, was it his religious dedication? It's hard to assume that it was his faith, because as he mentioned he stopped going to church around that time and only recently rediscovered it later in life. Though I understand the book must keep true to its motivational roots of having a positive mental attitude (PMA), the advice seems without empathy. Harrell should of dug a little deeper and truly emphasized his struggle a bit more, connecting more than than just on the surface.