Customer Reviews

Do Less, Achieve More: Discover the Hidden Powers Giving In

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Taoist concepts to bring our modern go-go-go life back into a more natural rhythm.

1) "Everyone seems to be doing more and despite their best efforts, there is always more to do."

2) Busy is not necessarily always good. In Chinese, the two characters that mean busy are "heart" and "death".

3) Effort and ease are not opposites, but compliments. Think of a champion runner: Although they train mercilessly, when they run in a competition, they are trying to find their own internal tempo. When their effort becomes easy, then they really perform.

4) Don't try to manage time and fight it. Time is always the same, it is only the difference of our perception about time. Time is only a series of NOWs. So the way we spend NOW will determine our destiny.

5) Success does not necessarily mean more. Life is like a full glass. To put more in, you have to pour some out. Prioritize and do what is REALLY meaningful to you.

6) Be willing to walk away from negative relationships.

7) There is wisdom in irritation. It is a sign telling us to change our lives. Enjoy the game of life, and the challenge to find the real you.

8) There is no failure, only re-direction. We keep failing as we progress towards success.

9) Believe that there is a divine plan for you. Give into this spiritual guidance.

10) Accept death. It helps us to focus on what is most important, gives us fearlessness. Don't live a fearful life. "Thrive, not just survive."

I love this book. Have read it at least four times, usually on long flights above the ocean or across a country. Here are its five principal lessons:

Desired outcome after reading:
Accomplish more by finding a better balance between effort and ease.

1. Trade what you have for what you want
"At any moment, your life is completely full... You had twenty four hours yesterday, and I guarantee that you used every minute and second of it." To make your life today different than it was yesterday, you have to give up something to make room for activities that will bring you what you desire. "Often, the greater the reward, the larger the adjustment you will have to make in your life."

2. Change your dreams, change your life
"Your dreams are like a movie projector reflecting your conscious and unconscious thoughts. If you want to know the quality of your life, examine the quality of your dreams." Do whatever you can to push your dreams to new levels: cut out pictures from magazines, imagine that you are (not will be, but are right now) wildly successful. Take long, imaginary rides in your yacht or Ferrari.

3. Surrender, and see your destiny
Giving into destiny does not mean doing nothing. It means "accepting life as you find it. It means using your given ability, talent and strength to do all you can to bring about a better life for yourself and others." She believes destiny reveals itself in three stages: first, you are dissatisfied with life; next, you come to some dramatic turning point - be careful not to get stuck here, as many do; finally you recognize that no one can take away what is destined to be yours, and then you have much in common with other great men and woemn.

4. Be willing not to survive
Once you turn to face the worst of all consequences, fear disappears. Death can actually become your protector. Once you accept death and turn to face it, daily stress and frustration drifts away. You gain the freedom to recognize what is truly important, rather than what you feel compelled to do.

5. Put your mind at ease
"The only reality that exists for you is in your own mind." Grant yourself grace. You can choose to enjoy or dread your ride through life; this is a choice that happens in your mind, not in the world around you.

This book is titled 'The Secrets of the Rainmaker' in Australia, which I reckon is a title more reflecting the style of the book.

It is so logical, the thinking... that I wondered why I didn't see...but at the same time reading the book has increased my confidence because, on another level, I realised that it was exactly how I thought.

I know that the best things happen to me when I am cruising along with life and not trying to force it.

This book explains why it is so. I would recommend it and have recommended it to anyone wanting to connect the spiritual with the day to day.

I love Chin Ning Chu and am amazed at the depth of her writing ability. I have read all her books and I never do that (read more than two books from the same author). I even read Rainmaker twice and keep picking it up and letting it fall open where it may.

Get it, read it and relax into life!!

I find that books of this type are a pleasure to read and highlight, always finding a permanent place within my library. The author will guide you through stories, anecdotes, and metaphors which lead to specific things to do to better your life and change it, in an almost effortless way. Yes, it does have parts which personally do not appeal to me, being a little too 'step-by-step' and/or unnecessary(for me), but the rest of the book more than makes up for it in value. This book will primarily change your outlook on life(if you have an open mind and are ready), and direct you through 3 'secrets': 1. Fine-tune your actions. 2. Put your mind at ease. 3. Discover the divine power. This book is a start or part of an ongoing process of learning, like all books, it does not 'have it all', but it does have everything you need to practice. Keep this in mind when reading. With that try these other books: For more direct/specific ACTIONS to get anything you want try 'Mind Power: Into the 21st Century' by John Kehoe - definitely worth more than just five stars. For more of the big picture try 'Pyscho-Pictography: The new way to use the miracle power of your mind' by Vernon Howard. This was published in 1965, hence the wackiness of the title, but WELL worth a read and study.

I ordered this book on the recommendation of a colleague (we're both executive coaches) that grew out of a conversation we had.

"Have you read Do Less, Achieve More? Your writing reflects Chin-Ning Chu's thinking."
"No, I'm not familiar with her, so I'll check out Amazon.com."

I received the book today, and could not put it down! The accessibility of the material and lack of "woo woo" mentality was very satisfying. Practical applications abound, and I'm glad it's the hardback version for I will constantly refer to it. The First Secret -- Fine-Tune Your Actions -- was so well-crafted, it could stand on its own as a small reference book of 72 pages - almost every page has something I deemed worthy of underlining. Then what a delight in The Second Secret --Put Your Mind At Ease -- with a twenty-page piece of history on George Washington to demonstrate the Three Phases of Destiny, and a lucid explanation of quantum theory. And I'm only on page 150 of the 200 pages! Buy the book for The Third Secret - not what you're expecting. Elegantly weaving the secrets of the Rainmaker parable from Carl Jung and multiple cultural viewpoints (The Bible, Buddhist, Hindu to name just a few) throughout the book, this author delivers the goods. She brings so much added value to the premise of the title, any reader or writer or professional mentor / coach / consultant will enjoy it and their clients will also benefit.

I loved this book. It is a wonderful blend of East/West ideas. I found the author easy to read without being facile. This book is not a self help book or a time management book, it is about developing a whole way of being in the world and spirituality. I loved the way she weaved the story of the Rainmaker in to the book. I found reading the book gave me a sense of peace and helped me find my centre. It taught me to learn to relax and let the universe unfold as it should, and this philosophy has changed my life. I feared I would find the book to "New Age" but the author employs a style that is very down to earth.

I picked this book up at an airport book store and read it on the flight back from a stressful business conference. Do Less, Achieve More spoke eloquently in soft words to a part of me that generally gets drowned out by a hectic pace and far too many to-do's. During the flight, I was treated to a delightful banquet of timeless "ah-ha's", little gems of wisdom that I may have known but don't consistently practice. The author provides simple but profound ideas in a clear and practical manner. I've tried the ideas on for size since then, and they work! Since they worked for me, I figured they would work for others, and I bought copies for everyone in my company. Thanks Chin-Ning for helping me to achieve more by trusting the parts of me that are truly powerful but which I had ignored.

This book helped me to realize my potential in simple areas rather than always striving to do the impossible every day and never achieving anything. It is far better to do one thing very well than to do a thousands things haplessly. This book's message is simple, direct, and very practical. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a strong motivational book that does not place unrealistic demands on the reader.

The same way I rarely watch a movie twice - I NEVER read a book twice! But I am reading this one again. Without wanting to sound flakey - the first time I read it - wonderful unexpected massive improvements started happening in my life. It was incredible. After I finished the book - I found myself stuck again a few weeks later - so I'm reading it again - and it's like a major pivoting tool of some sort... things are taking off again. I can't explain it. All I can say is this is the most special book I have ever read in my life... and I've read some!

A very easy to read and understand book that uses eastern analogies and stories to convey simple yet powerful messages about life, the soul and the ability to be who you want to be. The author has captured the essence of self enlightenment and put this process into words. For anyone interested in spirituality or just being a better more loving person, this book comes highly reccommended.