How They Achieved: Stories of Personal Achievement and Business Success [Hardcover]

Lucinda Watson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471388203 | ISBN-13: 978-0471388203 | Publication Date: March 30, 2001 | Edition: 1

Pearls of Wisdom from How They Achieved

"Pride comes from knowing what you want to do and trying your best. You may not always get there, but you will be proud of the experience of trying your best. And if you really, really try and enjoy the process, nine times out of ten you will get there."--John Chen, President and CEO, Sybase

"Be the most passionate guy in the room. Not the smartest, not the cleverest, but the most passionate. Care more than anybody. You'll be the guy that wins."--Ted Bell, Vice Chairman and Worldwide Creative Director, Young & Rubicam

"People who are lucky enough to be in a position to choose their career should ask themselves, 'What interests me? What makes me really excited?' Then they should get going and never take no for an answer."--Susie Tompkins Buell, founder and former owner, Esprit Clothing

"People usually plan their vacations more carefully than they plan their careers. I'm a compulsive planner, but there were times when I had no idea what I was doing."--Bob Cohn, CEO, Octel and Lucent Technologies

"A lot of it is timing, but a lot of it is a desire to work hard and to contribute, to not be somebody sitting on the sidelines and commenting, but to be someone playing a part in what's happening. It's also having the courage to toss your ideas out even though eight out of ten of them will be shot down."--Jane Cahill Pfieffer, President, NBC, and former vice president, IBM

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

What are the qualities that enable certain extraordinary individuals to transcend self-doubt and stiff competition to reach the pinnacle of success? Can these qualities be learned and emulated by others? Few people are in a better position to find answers to these questions than Lucinda Watson, whose father and grandfather turned IBM into "Big Blue."

Now an accomplished scholar in her own right, Watson grew up surrounded by the greatest business leaders and thinkers of the twentieth century. Her unique access to these top-level achievers combined with her own training and expertise make her especially qualified to obtain their fascinating inside stories.

In How They Achieved, Watson interviews outstanding men and women who have reached the very peak of their professions, distilling those special qualities of personality that separate the winners from the also-rans. These legendary CEOs, celebrated entrepreneurs, and social and cultural visionaries reveal how they discovered their life’s passions, pursued their goals, and overcame adversity.

Susie Tompkins Buell reveals how she managed the evolution of the Plain Jane Dress Company into Esprit Clothing. Faith Popcorn explains how she helps Fortune 500 companies see into the future to devise new strategies and develop new products. And Jack Kornfield, author, psychologist, and founder of the Spirit Rock meditation center, talks about how he achieved a different kind of success––measured not so much in dollars or titles but in personal satisfaction.

These and other achievers tell their stories in their own words, offering their experiences as examples for others to follow. They remember their heroes and mentors, relive their most difficult decisions, and explain how they overcame inner demons such as fear and insecurity. The message they deliver is that self-confidence and self-esteem––both key ingredients for success––are not natural gifts but can be learned, developed, and strengthened. In these compelling success stories, readers will discover proven practices and philosophies that will help them find their own passions, set their own goals, and discover the inner confidence they need to achieve.

From the Back Cover

Pearls of Wisdom from How They Achieved

"Pride comes from knowing what you want to do and trying your best. You may not always get there, but you will be proud of the experience of trying your best. And if you really, really try and enjoy the process, nine times out of ten you will get there."––John Chen, President and CEO, Sybase

"Be the most passionate guy in the room. Not the smartest, not the cleverest, but the most passionate. Care more than anybody. You’ll be the guy that wins."––Ted Bell, Vice Chairman and Worldwide Creative Director, Young & Rubicam

"People who are lucky enough to be in a position to choose their career should ask themselves, ‘What interests me? What makes me really excited?’ Then they should get going and never take no for an answer."––Susie Tompkins Buell, founder and former owner, Esprit Clothing

"People usually plan their vacations more carefully than they plan their careers. I’m a compulsive planner, but there were times when I had no idea what I was doing."––Bob Cohn, CEO, Octel and Lucent Technologies

"A lot of it is timing, but a lot of it is a desire to work hard and to contribute, to not be somebody sitting on the sidelines and commenting, but to be someone playing a part in what’s happening. It’s also having the courage to toss your ideas out even though eight out of ten of them will be shot down."––Jane Cahill Pfieffer, President, NBC, and former vice president, IBM

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (March 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471388203
• ISBN-13: 978-0471388203
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 0.9 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,223,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

What am I doing now?
I am writing poetry as well as a blog (www.lucindaw.wordpress.com) and have a happy life. Looking back at the time when I was working on this book, I remember the time and the tension of interviewing famous, successful people and I don't miss it. I loved that period of my life but it was stressful work as one never knows what one will find when meeting an interviewee for the first time. Some interviews turn out better than others. I still chat up strangers and am still making new friends on airplane rides as well as in my daily life. I love the curious life of a writer and always will.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Inspirational!, July 4, 2002

By 

Ron (North York, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How They Achieved: Stories of Personal Achievement and Business Success (Hardcover)

This book is very well organized, systematic, and most of all very very inspirational. It is a compilation of stories from 20 highly successful people. It is about how they made it, their inspirations, their values and beliefs and how all these factors combine to make them who they are today. These people are divided into 3 categories: CEO's, Entrepreneurs, and Visionaries. This distinction is very useful because there are different traits that are associated with each category. To be successful is to hold firm to your own beliefs, but we all know this is difficult because you will be taking enormous amount of risks and inevitably be facing a lot of insecurities. This book will remind you that you are not alone and many of these highly successful people have gone through the same thing. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to find support in achieving their goals and dreams.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There is no substitute for hard work..., April 19, 2001

By 

Barrington Fisher (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How They Achieved: Stories of Personal Achievement and Business Success (Hardcover)

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Watson previously and this book is every bit delightful and enlightening as she is. Her book shows that strength of character, passion and hard work are the most important components to a successful business career and happy life. She brings her subjects to life, and leaves the reader with the impression of really knowing these super-achievers at a very intimate level. How They Achieved is a badly needed antidote to the Internet generation's belief of overnight success.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Medicore read, October 26, 2009

By 

Eric Horwath - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How They Achieved: Stories of Personal Achievement and Business Success (Hardcover)

Although the people interviewed in the book are interesting individuals, I kept waiting for the good stuff of the principles that lead to there success. it is obvious from the preface to each person by Ms. Watson that they are all basically family contacts, which is not a terribe thing. What is boring is why she thinks anyone would be interested in how they met, what they look like, how they smile or how someone resembles Jim Carey. Huh?

Each "interview" is basically a story of how they grew up and there paths to where they got, but not HOW they got there. It didn't seem that Ms. Watson actually interviewed them. It had more of the feel of her turning on a tape recorder and telling them to tell us about themselves.

I did get some inspirational and usefull insights but found myself wanting the book to end. If you want a superior read with tons of usefull, inspirational storys that really make you think and re-think your attitudes and actions, read "The Richest Man in Town" by Randall Jones.