Customer Reviews

Finishing Well: What People Who Really Live Do Differently!

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I just attended a conference where the author was one of the speakers. Being in my late 40's, his message of how to go from success to significance hit home. I purchased Finishing Well and enjoyed the stories he featured of people making a difference in others lives by their service. However, I wish he had included examples of how ordinary people can live a life of significance without the extraordinary wealth, intelligence and fame that his examples seemed to have. Living a life of service to others can be on a small scale with a big impact, depending on your gifts, talents and resources. If you leave this earth and one person is better off because you were here, that is significant. The book left you feeling a bit inadequate, but an interesting read. Maybe better designed for wealthy people looking for a purpose.

This is a self-help book to help you determine how to make the world a better place for your having been here. First, you must make a plan and follow through. Here is a sample and suggestions for success.

Peter Drucker's principles for life include: 1) Find out who you are. 2)Reposition yourself for full effectiveness and fulfillment in life's second half. 3) Find your emotional core. 4) Make your life an endgame. 5) Planning doesn't work by itself. You must follow through. 6) You have to know your values. 7) You have to define what 'finishing well' means to you. 8) You have to know the difference between the difference between harvesting and planting. 9) Good intentions aren't enough. You have to define the results you're after. and 10) There's a downside to "no longer learning, no longer growing."

In this book, the reader will learn about giving and receiving a blessing, about the power of saying "no", about redefining what helps you to get up in the morning, about putting yourself at risk (for change), about finding the right fit, about staying the course, and most importantly finishing well. "If people see their best years behind them, they're probably not going to finish very welll, because you can't finish well when you're going backwards."

Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote in ULYSSES: "'Tis not too late to seek a newer world. Push off, and sitting well in order smite the sounding furrows; for my purpose hold to sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until I die. It may be that the gulfs will wash us down; it may be we shall touch the Happy Isles, and see the great Achilles, whom we knew. ...That which we are, we are, one equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

The author wrote HALFTIME, and praises Peter Drucker as being the leading wisdom figure in his life. "It has been lie a playwright having access to Shakespeare or a physician to Einstein." He says, "I love smart people." So do I! He ends with the interpretation of John 17:1-23 and encourages the reader to study it as needed.

I started this with hope of having a great read about people out making a difference in life. I guess it is to an extent but its more of a pat my back I'll pat yours of big time exec's going about doing the great things once they retire and who knows if they do or just lend their names or sit on boards. I was hoping for some real life people who gave their lives to causes instead of the good ole boys club that this appears to me to be. Disappointed in the work.

For many people the issue of the significance of their life becomes much more important as they get older. Most of us want to leave the world a better place and be remembered by someone for the good that we did. Bob Buford's book is an excellent place to start in getting ideas on how to do this. This book is readable and easy to understand, but it is likely to be a book you come back to again and again as you gain new levels of understanding about your own life.

If you like to read stories about people who do well, you will like this book. And since I do, I liked this book. But it lacks something that I was looking for when I bought it. If you are looking for a story that "rocks your world" that you want to give a standing ovation for..., you probably won't find it here.

My heart was racing reading this book. My desire is to finish well. The many examples shared were inspiring and gave me hope that finishing well is "doable". I adored the prayer in the back. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to make a difference in their lives and just need a little encouragement to press on. Here's to Life II!!

Great book. I highly recomend to anyone, esp. guys 45 and older. Very inspirational,and loaded with wisdom on how to finish well in life after halftime. I purchased book 4 yrs ago and just ordered 3 more to give to friends.(I read the book at least twice),and of course Amazon had best price and shipping...sincerely, Ken

By Bob Buford (Zondervan, 2011)

This book capitalizes on the opportunity that one has during the later years their life. Focusing on the years of one's life after retirement, this book contains three prime sections: (Section 1) Is There Something More?, (Section 2) Building Life II, and (Section 3) Making It Happen.

In the Introduction section of this book, Buford states, "Life I is what occurs before halftime, and Life II comes afterward. Most people have a pretty good plan for Life I, but few can see their way forward into Life II." Through nineteen abundant chapters, this book will inspire and motivate you to make the most of your final years on this Earth, based on God's plan for your life.

The core discussion posed in this book is whether one aims to live for success or significance in life. "Success commonly means using your knowledge and experience to satisfy yourself with fame and fortune. Significance, however, means using the same knowledge and experience to serve others-that is, to change lives. The outcome defines the difference and changes your attitude toward what you do," (Buford, 2011, p. 25).

Crocheted with interviews from successful people, Biblical wisdom, quotes, and insights, this book works to assist you in finding your purpose in your later years of life and offers advice on how to achieve your goals. This book would make a great personal read and a perfect gift for someone that is planning to retire soon or has already retired.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Zondervan book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255vf: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

This is really reading about 61 financially successful "first half" people describing their definition of Finishing Well. I think Buford lets the 61 people reiterate his philosphy that "Retirement" does not exist.
"We can retire from our jobs, but we can never retire from our calling"
The book is filled with jewels of wisdom and quotes from these 61 people across various professions and occupations.

Buford gives the reader plenty of resources (books, movies, plays) to encourage them to explore their own journey of discovery and/or definition of how they vision they will "Finish Well".

If you are in a transition stage of life - this is a worthy starting point in your personal discovery and spiritual journey - and how you define retirement.

"Finishing Well" is the third book I have read by Bob Buford and admittingly is my least favorite. The other two books "Halftime" and "Gameplan" appeared to be targeted towards a broader economic class while "Finishing Well" is more targeted towards those who have been financially successful and who can pretty much do what they want to do with the last 1/2 of their life.

The book is about 300 pages long and contains 18 chapters, some of which are titled:

It's About Finding Your Core
It's About Relationships and Priorities
It's About Family First
It's About the Power of New Purpose
It's About Putting Yourself at Risk
It's About Finding the Right Fit
and so on.

While the book has great ideas and suggestions, the application seems more for those who are financially loaded and have more freedom to do what they want to do. What about the more common average American who cannot afford to quit or cut back on their career and pursue a "higher calling"?

Quite frankly, I get more inspiration from the local newspaper when it lists a common average citizen who makes valuable contributions to the community. While I share the author's Christian beliefs, I would like remind him that Jesus spent most of His time with the common folk of His day. Also, there are many more examples in the Bible of common ordinary people (instead of the rich and/or extraordinary people like those interviewed by Mr. Buford) being mightily used by God. Reading both Old and New Testaments will bring anyone to a similar conclusion.

Perhaps the book would have been better titled "Finishing Well For Those Who Are Very Financially Prosperous".

Still, "Finishing Well" is a good read, but it could have been better had the book contained interviews with more common ordinary people.