Customer Reviews

Dash

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I will never be the same after reading this book. I've read (or at least, tried to read) a few motivational books in the past but from the first chapter, this one was different.

First of all, the author is not one of those blow-dried, air-brushed guys you might see on QVC. He's a real guy who's had some real problems and some real successes. All throughout the book I kept thinking, "If this guy can do it, so can I!"

That being said, the author is no country bumpkin. You don't have to go through many chapters before you realize that this guy knows his stuff. In the book, he mentions that he has read hundreds of books in the area of personal development and it shows. He doesn't just spout out useless slogans and mantras but he backs them up with statistics and real-life examples. Obviously, this guy earned his Ph.D. from the university of hard knocks.

Another thing I liked about the book is that it gives practical tips that you can start using immediately. For example, he gives a tip on time management that I've already implemented and believe me, it works!

However, the best thing for me was that the book was a much needed wake-up call for me to make the most out of my "dash." From the introduction, it had my mind churning and it never stopped throughout the book. I kept thinking, "Is there really more to life than what I'm living?" and the book kept answering, "Yes! And here's how to get it."

I hope my friends and family like this book because this is what they're getting for Christmas from me this year!

I came to Dash with high expectations. I enjoy reading books by those who have turned their lives around, and often feel inspired by their stories. The book was also highly recommended to me.

The book opens with Linda Ellis's Dash poem which describes a eulogy at a funeral focusing on the "dash" between the dates of birth and death. The idea is to make the most of our time on Earth. It's a nice touch.

Mr. Aronson goes on to turn that concept of a dash into an acronym for a way to improve your life: Live with Determination, Attitude, Success and Happiness. The book contains 28 brief chapters that detail those four principles. The chapters employ a number of stories to get across the major points. A particular strength of the book is that Mr. Aronson emphasizes that we will all face hurdles, and provides lots of information about how to get over the hurdles when they arrive.

Several things bothered me about the book, though. First, the material is very derivative. I had either read or heard almost every story in the book before. Second, the stories were often slightly altered in careless ways. Third, attribution was often not provided to the original sources. As an example of this problem, there's a story about riding in a subway car while a man lets his children run wild. That's a story from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Steven Covey. Although Dr. Covey is given credit for another story, this one is unattributed. In the story, the person who observes this is a woman . . . although in the real story, the person is Dr. Covey. Rather than read such an inaccurate derivative story without attribution, I would rather have heard more about what Mr. Aronson had learned from his life's experiences. Fourth, the book is filled with typos and misspellings. "Disneyworld" is employed rather than Disney World. In another place "bed" is used where "bad" is intended. In a section on the benefits of hiring Mr. Aronson's firm to coach you, he talks about his top "coahces" at Dash Systems. Fifth, the book ends with a pitch for coaching services from his firm. Although he kindly offers the first session for free, I don't like to read books that end up with an advertisement for their services.

I was also troubled a little by having the book conform to the acronym. My own thinking has led me to see that life evolves best when we focus first on health, then happiness, then peace and finally on prosperity. Without health, happiness is potentially more limited. Without happiness, we cannot find peace. Without health, happiness and peace, we have a hard time creating and sustaining prosperity in serving others. Dash puts happiness at the end of the chain. I'm not sure it belongs there.

Although Mr. Aronson may be sincere in his approach to helping readers, I came away with the feeling that he is either not very competent or is not totally sincere. As a result, the book did not motivate me to want to change anything in my life. I hope in future editions, he will correct the flaws in this book, inject more of himself and clarify his sincere desire to help the reader.

If you like this book, I suggest that you read any of Tony Robbins's books. Much of this material comes from Mr. Robbins in unattributed ways, and Mr. Robbins's books are very motivational.

Finally something worth reading!! With the fast paced society that we live in, it can be easy to get wrapped up and forget about what is important and especially how to stay in touch with ourselves. This book has changed my life. I never realized that something as obvious as the DASH principles, Determination, Attitude, Success, and Happiness was what I was lacking in my life. I had the power to grasp these concepts all along and now, thanks to this book, I have learned how. It was so inspiring to read how an ordinary guy was able to take charge of his life when he was at the bottom and rise to the top with such pride and confidence that so many of us lack. The author made it very easy to relate to his story and see things from his point of view. The power to change our lives is within all of us, but until now I never understood how simple it actually was. I would recommend this book to anyone. It has made such an impact in my life, I can't wait to pass it on.

My life has had it's ups and down's, but nothing like the author of this book. This man has been through hell and back only to have the decency to help his fellow man. If I were him, I would be like most and become negative and cynical. For Mr. Aronson to share his life experiences with the public in such a way only makes him a role model for all people. His motivation for assisting others after the nightmares he's encountered makes him different than most. Being a reader of many motivational books, there is no one in the field of self development that can hold a candle to the writing of this wonderful masterpiece. There are always times in life when you capture perfection and Mr. Aronson has done it with DASH.

First of all, let me say that I am not a big fan of reviews since everyone has a different opinion about everything and anything. There is one undisputable fact though. This book DASH is an all encompassing book that brings living your life to a whole new level. Realizing that your entire life comes down to that little line between those 2 dates is hitting the nail on the head.
When you read this book, I could finally come to the realization that my life was all about the ladder of success but I was climbing up the wrong building. Money was the answer. The assets was the most important thing. That was until I lost the most precious asset I ever had, my child. Get this book and take the time to really read what life is about. You will regret it if you don't and someday, someone will look down at your tombstone and realize that your whole existence comes down to that little line...that DASH. Make it worthwhile by giving it value. Those values are found in this 21st century masterpiece.

Hi. my name is Mary. 4 months ago I was a depressed, overweight and single 37 year old divorcee with 2 kids. I know it sounds hard to believe, but after reading this book, I have overcome my bout with depression, lost 30 pounds, I am dating the greatest guy in the world and my relationship with my kids are better than it ever has been.

I am not one for writing reviews, but the world has to know how great this book really is!!!!! This book was a turning point in my life that changed everything for the better. I have so many friends who on the outside look and appear happy, but are upset and miserable on the inside. I must have referred this book to 20 friends and family and they all have thanked me for giving them something that has helped them as well. That is why I have to give thanks to the person responsible for changing so many lives.... Eric Aronson. For Mr. Aronson to go through the things that he has gone through and come back the way he did....It is an inspiration to us all. There should be more people out there that can come through the adversity and challenges like Mr. Aronson did with the courage and strength and the ability to share. I look forward to reading any and all other work by this author.

From a letter sent to Mr. Aronson...I AM, AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE ULTIMATE PESSIMIST. THIS BOOK GAVE ME IDEAS TO CHANGE MY WAYS AND THOUGHT PROCESS TO BE MORE POSITIVE. THIS IS A BOOK FOR THE MASSES.

As an Author, Coach, and Motivational Speaker I read alot of books about people, their motivations, and their relationships. I'm glad I added DASH to my bookshelf!

I first heard the metaphor of the Dash from Motivational Speaker and Life Coach Sandy Griffin. I was so impressed with Sandy's presentation that when I heard that there was a book coming out by the same title I was intrigued. When I read DASH I found a truism from the book right away; each person has a unique perpective on a topic, no one better than the other, just different.

The author's version of DASH has many of the traditional tips for living a life you love and feeds them to you in a short and easily digestible format. Using the acronym DASH for his four themes of Determination, Attitude, Success, and Happiness the author guides you through snippets of wisdom to support each theme. If you're looking for deep research then pass this book by. If you're in the market for a quick, motivational, and practical read then I recommend DASH, buy yourself a copy today.

Being a Father, I have looked for ways to assist my oldest boy get through some difficult times. with out getting into detail, he has addictions. I have searched high and low for a way to get him to stay on the straight and narrow only to fail to his love and desire to drugs and alcohol. After reading DASH, Not only did it give me the things that I needed to assist my son, It also gave my son the ability to stay clean and sober for the last 37 days. Like most reviews, they thank the author for a book, However, I would like to thank the author for giving me back my son. Thank you and may the lord bless you.

From an email received from a Hofstra student........I recently attended a lecture where the author spoke about the DASH principles as well as his personal experiences. There are many " motivational speakers " out there, but none that I have heard of that elaborate on what truly makes you successful. Eric Aronson tells it like it is and makes you realize that you only have so long on this earth to make something happen. As a college student about to go into the real world, I am thankful that I had the opportunity to hear it from someone who has been through both the best and the worse that life has to offer.