Customer Reviews

Get Motivated!: Overcome Any Obstacle, Achieve Any Goal and Accelerate Your Success with Motivational DNA

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

WHAT I LIKED

1) Honesty upfront. The author plainly states that there is no 1 size fits all and you're free to disagree with her framwork.
2) A variety of helpful best practices for getting you motivated, despite what your personality may be.
3) The author does try to shove in as much information as possible.

WHAT'S LACKING
1) The study needs to be included as an appendix to the book. I would gladly add a star to my review for this. On page 5, the author tells us that the ". . . system that I am about to unveil is based on an eight-year study that my team and I have conducted with more than 10,000 people. It is a research-based, systematic approach to achievement--and it works." If you're going to claim that an approach is backed up by scientific data, then you have to provide more details about the data and the science that you used.
2) The middle core chapters fail to actually help you "get motivated". There's inspirational stories, lots of quotes, bulleted and numbered listes, but little in the way of actionable steps that help one become motivated. Let me use chapter 9 to illustrate:

i) 1 page story on Mother Theresa
ii) 1 page describing the temperment of internals
iii) 2 1/2 pages on the personal story of Joshua Hanson
iv) 1 page on Pat Riley
v) 1 1/2 pages of quotes by internals
vi) 1/2 page description of the communication style of internals and a bulleted list of how to communicate with internals
vii) 1 page description on how internals look at the world
viii) a bulleted list of 6 strengths of internals, including "virtuous character"
ix) 1/2 page of the weaknesses of internals
x) 1 page of what internals want at work
xi) 7 bullets on how to work with internals, including "demonstrate interest in their family, concerns, and passions".
xii) short descriptive sections (1/3 page or less each) on "internals at play", "internals in relationships", "resolving conflict with internals", and "value to organization"
xiii) 1/3 page on what de-motivates internals
xiv) 10 point list on what motivates internals
xv) 1 page on what rewards to give internals to motivate them
xvi) 1/4 page of "Advice for Internals"

See the problem here? Out of 16 pages in the chapter, only 1.6% of chapter 9 contained information about what internals were supposed to do to become motivated. Wasn't that the point of the book?

The author does include, in chapter 15, 4 pages on how she, as a someone of "variety" motivated herself to get serious about workouts through variety. Then in the Appendix A, there are several (typically 4) questions for each category that are supposed to be used by people to ask themselves in order to get better motivated. Even so, that's not enough. This book should have included instructive lessons on how to get motivated in each of the core DNA chapters backed up by multiple case studies, instead of the descriptions, quotes and bullet points.

I want this to be a 5 star book and here's 3 things the author could make to achieve that:

1) Make it easier for an individual to identify which DNA categories that they fall into. Be much more detailed, such as a list of 50 questions, instead of just describing general characteristics of a group.
2) Re-do the core chapters. First, begin with the purpose that the chapters MUST teach an individual how to improve their own motivation. If I'm buying a book on motivation, it must mean that I want someone else's advice on better ways to become motivated. Telling me characteristics about myself or how a boss might motivate me with recognition, private praise, etc. isn't of much help. Second, the items from Appendix A should be worked into the chapters. If this book is to be truly useful, it must be organized in a way that it can act as a reference. The styles in 7 Habits and How to Meet Friends are good examples of how to organize the content so that it is straightforward and can be used as a reference.
3) Add an appendix with detailed explanation of the research.

When I saw the title of this book I thought, what a timely book for a day and age when motivation is needed more than ever. Of course, I did wonder, would it deliver? As I read the book I was surprised at how applicable it was to the many challenges that I'm facing as a leader of a national organization, a father and a husband. Rarely do you find a book that speaks to developing both your business skills and personal skills. However, the principles in this book had clear application to all facets of my life. I found myself stopping and taking notes about how I can implement some of the great lessons discovered in these pages. Tamara's writing style is very engaging and practical. I liked the way the book is laid out with assessments and studies of real life leaders and how their motivational styles influence their leadership. I ordered copies for all of my employees and have asked them to take the Motivation DNA survey in order to discover better how to relate together as a team. I'm also working on applying the principles at home and in my personal life. I've discovered that I tend to try and motivate my children through the things that motivate me which can often be ineffective and leave us both frustrated. As I've worked to motivate my kids in their unique style, I have seen better results. The only thing I wish were different about the book was I wish I had it 20 years ago. If you want to grow as a leader and unleash the power of motivation to help you achieve more, I would recommend you order this book today and choose express shipping.

This book was easy to read... and really gave me insight into why I am the way I am and how I can motivate myself to accomplish more. I'm inspired and feel like the DNA model is something I can actually use. Thank you, Tamara!!

If you are one of the millions of individuals, including teens, who can't seem to get, find or to stay motivated, this is the book for you. However, even if you are highly motivated, it's still 100% awesome just because it helps to pinpoint possible reasons about being so goal-oriented. For example, my siblings are constantly asking where my energy-level comes from...now, using pertinent information discovered in this book, that I'll refer to as DNA Motivational Achievement, I think they will be able to understand my passion a little better.

It's clearly helpful and can actually be fun to delve inside perceptions of what makes us tick, to sort of speak, and what may be holding us back in specific areas, and best of all, how to change it into a harmonious balance to move forward with success. Great read!

I love this book. Tamara strikes a great balance between motivating you through the success stories of others and teaching you had to determine your own motivational factors and triggers. The blueprint for goal-setting and motivation is excellent.

The premise of this valuable work is really quite simple; we're all motivated differently. The examples in the first sections of the book illustrate this point. Then the book takes you through the process of determining what motivates you with a valuable questionnaire. Keep the results of the questionnaire - post them on your refridgerator, in your office, in your bathroom! Don't get confused like many of us do by letting other people's motivating factors become your own. The most important thing to get right in this book is what your motivational DNA is, then you can take the next logical and mechanical steps to factor that into building a blueprint for success. Then, of course, the keys to success at that point are to review your motivations to keep them always foremost in your daily life and to develop and follow your plan religiously. Track your progress and make adjustments as necessary.

A wonderful read. Discipline, however, will yield results once you know what you're trying to do and why. I highly recommend this to get you going.

Kevin Brett
CEO Kevin Brett Studios, Inc.
Author: "The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts and in Life!"

The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts and in Life!

I recently read Get Motivated! Overcome Any Obstacle, Achieve Any Goal, and Accelerate Your Success with Motivational DNA by Tamara Lowe, and I would highly recommend it to everyone. Like other tools to understand ourselves and others, Tamara Lowe's Motivational DNA matrix is potentially transformative, on both a personal and a professional level.

In the book, four laws of motivation are laid out: 1) everyone is motivated differently; 2) each individual has a unique and distinct motivational type; 3) what motivates one person can de-motivate another; and 4) no one motivational type is better than any other. Each motivational type has its advantages and disadvantages. Understanding these types can significantly impact the way you interact with your staff, volunteers, board members, and donors.

Each of us reflects a bit of each motivational type, but we also have a dominant combination. The basic dynamics of each motivational profile are a combination of the following:

Drives: The internal forces that mobilize a person to act.

Are you driven to increase Production or Connection?

Needs: The core requirements that you must have to feel fulfilled.

Do you need Stability or Variety?

Awards: The preferred ways you desire to be recognized for achievement.

Are you motivated by Internal Rewards or External Rewards?

It may seem straightforward, but I encourage you to take the online quiz at [...], because my actual results were slightly different than what I thought they'd be. I expected to be a CVI (Connections, Variety, Internal), and I turned out to be a PVI (Production, Variety, Internal).

1. Directors - Motivational Type PSI (Producer, Stability, Internal)

Driven by results, need a stable environment (not likely to challenge the status quo), are rewarded by less tangible awards such as private recognition, internal feeling that the work is worth doing, etc.

Have any volunteers, staff, board members, or donors that match this profile?

2. Visionary - Motivational Type PVI (Producer, Variety, Internal

Driven by results, thrive on variety and are likely to shake things up, are rewarded by less tangible awards such as private recognition, internal feeling that the work is worth doing, etc.

If you are a consultant, working with multiple clients, does this fit you?

3. The Chief - Motivational Type PSE (Producer, Stability, External)

Driven by results, need a stable environment (not likely to challenge the status quo), rewarded by tangible awards such as public recognition, higher pay, etc.

Some corporate CEOs probably fit this type.

4. The Champion - Motivational Type PVE (Producer, Variety, External)

Driven by results, thrive on variety and are likely to shake things up, rewarded by tangible awards such as public recognition, higher pay or status, etc.

Many entrepreneurial CEOs probably fit this type.

5. The Supporter - Motivational Type CSI (Connection, Stability, Internal)

Driven by relationships, need a stable environment (not likely to challenge the status quo), rewarded by less tangible awards such as private recognition, internal feeling that the work is worth doing, etc.

Have any donors that fit this profile?

6. The Relater - Motivational Type CVI (Connection, Variety, Internal)

Driven by relationships, thrive on variety and are likely to shake things up, rewarded by less tangible awards such as private recognition, internal feeling that the work is worth doing, etc.

Perhaps your events staff matches this style.

7. The Refiner - Motivational Type CSE (Connection, Stability, External)

Driven by relationships, need a stable environment (not likely to challenge the status quo), rewarded by tangible awards such as public recognition, etc.

Perhaps some of your corporate supporters fall into this category.

8. The Explorer - Motivational Type CVE (Connection, Variety, External)

Driven by relationships, thrive on variety and are likely to shake things up, rewarded by tangible awards such as public recognition, higher pay, etc.

Perhaps the motivational type for individuals who love to travel the world, meet new people, and make a lot of money. Know anyone like that?

To learn more, including what motivates and demotivates each style, and also get some tips on how to achieve your personal goals, read the book or take the Motivational DNA Test.

If you purchase the book, Tamara Lowe includes numerous bonus items. Ms. Lowe is also donating 100% of her proceeds from this book to children's charities.

I hope you will add this book to your collection and use the profile to understand and balance the dynamics of your staff, volunteers, and board members. Use it to segment your donors, and learn how to reward them for their generosity in the most effective way.

Set achievable goals for yourself using the knowledge gained about your own Motivational DNA. Improve relationships with coworkers, friends, and family. The potential application of this knowledge is tremendous.

I received the book on Thursday and finished it last night. I have got to tell you, I am already seeing results!

My son, who is 9, is having trouble at school. Not bad stuff, but his grades this year started as A's and now they are B's. I have seen him rush through his work, leaving questions blank and sloppy handwriting. We only have the one kiddo, and we have taken away his video games and sleepovers until he slows down his work. I have found his DNA is the same as mine (CVE) and now realize I was motivating him to work better the wrong way! I talked to him LAST NIGHT and found he would rather have a sleepover as a reward for good work rather than $10. I also found out he would rather lose his video games instead of sleepovers for bad work. As a variable, I see his spelling as his worst subject and realized, its a list of words. So tonight, I plan on handing him his list and asking him to write a story using the spelling words~I bet we get better grades this Friday!
I am very anxious to lock into the free gifts and learn as much as I can to improve my relationships at work and home. The book has already paid for itself in just these 2 instances!

Thank you again, Tamara. I was a fan before, but now I'm a walking advertisement for your system!

I first heard of and heard Tamara at a Get Motivated seminar. She had me riveted. I took the quiz online to find out my DNA - PVI. I was amazed by how the quiz felt like it was going to say something strange about my motivational DNA (something I wouldn't agree with) but when I saw the result, I saw it was on point. I bought the book. I can barely get through it because I keep reading something that motivates me to do something! I decided to take it to work and all my co-workers are in awe of what they have learned from the quiz and now they want the book too! They even gave the test to their spouses and significant others. I gave the test to my PSE husband too who was delighted to find out he was The Chief. He's not easily led and he agreed the result was on point for him. The whole thing has taken on a life of its own. :-) I'll surely get it as Christmas gifts for my co-workers but I'll bet they'll buy their own copies before I get a chance to!

I HIGHLY recommend this. At a time when I had already made a list of some things I was not satisfied about in my life, this book came along and suddenly had me motivated to do some things that affected those very same unsatisfactory areas. It's nothing you don't already know, I think, but then again so often you do know what to do and need a little motivation to act on it.

This book does that. Plus, the profits go to charities. Love it.

This review is written by someone whose father was given the book at a sales conference, and left it lying around the house for his daughter to chance upon it to read during her college break.

The first thought that ran across my mind when I saw the image of a business woman (Tamara) in a red suit, arms folded, next to the words, "Get motivated!" distinctly gave me the impression that this would be one of those cheesy, gimmicky, overrated motivational books full of general advice and gung-ho substance-less pep talk. Not knowing that the book was given freely, my immediate thoughts were "What a waste of money." While these thoughts generally held true for many aspects of the book; however, I was pleasantly surprised to find Tamara's perspective on motivational behavior refreshing and insightful. Here, I will briefly mention what aspects I found helpful, what parts I found useless, and my overall impression of her work.

What I Liked:
-Tamara's book starts out with a thought-provoking discussion of the concept of motivation, how each person has different motivational factors in their life, and how to harvest this power to one's advantage.
This discussion leads to a test that assesses the reader's motivational desires and categorizes the reader into a specific "type." Tamara goes on to discuss that the key to motivating people is to tailor their goals according to their type. For example, she uses the analogy of a "variable" personality type that tries to lose weight by sticking to a strict diet. The person will fail miserably because the rigid nature of the diet goes against their personality (as opposed to say, someone that is "stabilizer" type), and recommends incorporating variety into the diet. This is the basic idea of the chapter, and Tamara recommends using the same approach for all goals in life, with each person tailoring his goals according to his motivational type.
Maybe it's because I love these kinds of tests that categorize people--e.g. Myers-Briggs--but I found Tamara's own version to be easy to understand and interpret. Her advice gave fresh insight as to why people fail to achieve their goals, and how their failure is not an indication of a lack of motivation but a lack of actions that are tailored to their motivational type.

What I Didn't Like:
-Tamara uses scientific terms, particularly concerning DNA, when making analogies to motivation. As someone with a science background, hearing Tamara talk of mDNA ("motivational DNA"), gene splicing and blood types only served to undermine her credibility in this book.

-Unfortunately, everything else goes downhill after Part I. The book "Get Motivated!" states its intent in a succinct phrase. I felt like this book detracted from its original purpose, especially when it divulged into other topics, such as raising successful children (Part III: `How to Raise Positive, Self-Motivated Children'). Tamara makes statements such as `eat dinner as a family,' and I found this section revolved more around her own personal narrative as a Mom than helpful advice for parents. [She also gets it wrong in many parts. On page 213, Tamara asserts "...even if they act embarrassed by the presence of their parents, your teenagers are secretly thrilled that you are there." As a teenager, I think I can speak for all of us that, NO Tamara--on the contrary--we actually ARE genuinely embarrassed at times by our parents.] Overall, I felt that these 32 pages of advice on raising a child from birth to adulthood were completely unnecessary and the advice so general that it should have been cut out. Part IV also contained advice so broad and general that, ironically, the author manages to accomplish exactly what she purports NOT to do in the very beginning of the book: dish out the equivalent of Kool-aid for readers by delivering sugar without substance.

The verdict? I probably would not have purchased this book if I saw it at a bookstore. If you do happen to get a copy of the book, it makes for a decent light read during breaks or weekend reading. The book's main redeeming quality is the discussion about motivation, and the rest of the book is mostly practical advice and common sense--nothing really mindblowing. I do not think the book is worth $25, but the book mentions that 100% of the proceeds go to charity, which makes the price tag a little easier to swallow.

I have made a lifelong practice of reading motivational books. From Napoleon Hill to Norman Vincent Peale to Tony Robbins, I've read them all, and can say that through visualization, persistence and prayer, I did accomplish my outlandish life-list of goals by age 40. The toughest parts were always: maintaining my level of enthusiasm over the long run, and not understanding why those around me didn't always get fired up by ideas that I believed were the greatest!

Right on time for my second set of goals comes Get Motivated by Tamara Lowe. This remarkable book gets down to business and explains why people think and act the way they do. We each arrive for our life's journey equipped with a unique set of characteristics, and while everyone is certainly different, there are perceptible patterns to what drives and motivates each of us. Understanding how to intentionally create and sustain motivation in yourself and your team, instead of waiting for inspiration to strike at random, is an effective skill that can be easily learned and applied.

With my busy lifestyle, I have neither time nor inclination to pore over charts and diagrams and scholarly texts; just give me the facts that work in the real world--that produce results FAST--and I'm good to go! Tamara's writing style is friendly and direct; the book's premise is clear and memorable. Of the 20+ books in my library of motivational classics, Get Motivated has provided the most practical insights into my day-to-day personal challenges and business relationships.

My staff has caught my enthusiasm for Get Motivated, and we are already seeing results--increased productivity and smoother team communication. I highly recommend this book and the accompanying web resources.