Game Plan: Winning Strategies for the Second Half of Your Life [Hardcover]

Bob Buford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1997

The overwhelming response to Bob Buford's book Halftime shows that Bob struck a chord - men in their mid-thirties to mid-fifties who have achieved various degrees of success still find themselves yearning for something more. That something, says Buford, is significance, which can only come from applying your unique, God-given talents to activities that benefit the kingdom. An extension of Halftime, Game Plan is a personal, practical guide for men who want to apply the principles of Halftime in their lives - to make their lives really count. Game Plan takes men, individually or in groups, through a series of steps that help them evaluate where they are, determine where they are most suited to go, and develop a plan that will take them there. Personal inventories, activities, and assignments help a man apply the Halftime principles directly to his unique personality and gifts. They help him develop a strategy that will work - one that will help him make a lasting impact on the world by being exactly who God created him to be.

Editorial Reviews

Review

''Game Plan' guides us in our efforts to convert good intentions into effective and fulfilling action. It's an invaluable tool to produce results.' -- J. McDonald Williams, Chairman, The Trammell Crow Company

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

A practical, personal guide helps men make the journey from success to significance by being all God created them to be.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan Publishing Company (April 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310212057
• ISBN-13: 978-0310212058
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,130,768 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Until its sale in 1999, Bob Buford served as Chairman and CEO of Buford Television, Inc., a family-owned business that started with an ABC affiliate in Tyler, Texas, and grew to a network of cable systems across the US.

In 1995, Buford wrote Halftime, a book that came from his mind and heart on how to find meaning and fulfillment in the second half of life. Those who read Halftime and Game Plan (published in 1997) often ask what Bob is involved in as a result of his own "halftime" experience. His third book, Stuck in Halftime: Reinvesting Your One and Only Life was released in 2001. Finishing Well, a compilation of more than sixty inspiring interviews threaded with Buford's own experiences, was released in 2004. Halftime was updated and released in 2008, along with Beyond Halftime, a collection of Bob's musings on what matters most in moving from gaining success to leaving a legacy.

In 1997, Bob founded Halftime, an organization to help successful people convert their experience and passions into action (www.halftime.org). Halftime's mission is to inspire and equip leaders to achieve maximum leverage and return on the investment of their resources, measured in changed lives and healthier communities.

Bob hosts The Halftime Institute, a 27 hour experience designed to help those who attend accelerate their transition from success to significance. For dates and to register, visit http://www.halftime.org/the-halftime-institute.

Bob is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and of the Owner Managed Program at the Harvard Business School. He has played active roles in Young Presidents' Organization and World Presidents' Organization and served on the board of the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard. Buford was the 2000 recipient of The Samaritan Institute Award and the 2005 Christian Management Association Award. "Lead Like Jesus" presented Buford the Leadership Award in 2008 and Roaring Lambs Ministry honored him in 2009. He was the 2010 recipient of the J. Erik Jonsson Ethics Award from SMU Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility.

Bob and his wife, Linda, live in Dallas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent thesis, insights, writing, and recommendations., November 14, 2000

By 

Clayton Phillips (Colorado Springs, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Game Plan: Winning Strategies for the Second Half of Your Life (Paperback)

This book is a gem and will impact the design for the rest of your life. It offers a critical challenge and practical strategies for creating significance in the second half of life. Bob Buford presents a refreshing view for being active in our middle and senior years. He cites that our accumulated experience and wisdom over our first 20 professional years have prepared us to truly take our gifts and talents to another level, to contribute to the lives of many, and to leave a legacy that continues to make a positive difference after we're gone. His insights are valuable. His recommendations work well. His references to God and Christian principles are sensitively presented and make good sense regardless of the reader's stance on faith. I've been using the strategies effectively for the past 6 months. I have an enhanced personal vision and purpose and an expanded set of goals for my next several decades. I highly recommend this book.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read for Those Struggling With Mid-Life, March 21, 2003

By 

Michael Taylor "Michael Taylor" (Indian Trail NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Game Plan: Winning Strategies for the Second Half of Your Life (Paperback)

Game Plan is an excellent read for those who are struggling with their purpose and significance in life.

Among some of the excellent points Buford mentions are:

1. The first half of life is spent on someone else's agenda while the second half is more about your true self.
2. Learn to say no to many good things.
3. We must have time alone with God and let Him speak to us.
4. Eventually, you will have to take a chance in the second half of your life (career, relationships, interests, etc).
5. The second half of your life can be much better than the first half.

All in all, an excellent read for the person who wants to finish well!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Second Half Career Advise, October 25, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Game Plan: Winning Strategies for the Second Half of Your Life (Paperback)

For those who have climbed the "ladder of success" and then wondered "is that all there is?", this book will help direct one in their pursuit of real meaning in life. While being driven from the early days of our first career to achieve "success" in line with the secular world, it is helpful to reflect on how our life can move to being of value to others. In redirecting our developed skills and ambitions, we can uncover real satisfaction and meaning from our contributions. Highly recommended for those who have already "achieved" much, but are looking to "significance" for the remaining years.