Customer Reviews

17 Lies That Are Holding You Back and the Truth That Will Set You Free

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Which lies? Chandler explains that "These are the lies to the soul...[which] we send down inside ourselves that convince us that we don't have any power." His book is dedicated "to uncovering a racket -- the racket of conning ourselves into believing deep down inside we are helpless. The racket that talks us into believing in our defects instead of our energy." Chandler believes (and I agree) that honesty really is the best policy, especially with ourselves. The opposite is also true. Most of our wounds are self-inflicted. One way or another, the 17 lies he examines are forms of self-deception which can so easily enable us (key word "enable') to justify to ourselves almost anything. Ernest Hemingway once suggested that all great writers have "a built-in, shock-proof crap detector." (His own was often in need of repair.) Without such a device, we are vulnerable to lies told by others. Worse yet, we believe the lies we tell ourselves.

Chandler explains, "The widespread popularity of self-deceiving might be due to its effectiveness. It gets the job done. It takes us out of the game. It sits us down at the end of the bench so we don't have to play. It even puts a cool towel around our necks, a towel in which we can hide our faces if we become ashamed that the world is passing us by." Even those who compete can always find a reason to justify lack of effort, selfishness, insubordination, etc.

The material in this book is organized within two parts: "Lying to the Soul" which introduces the 17 lies, a chapter devoted to each; then "Finding Your Deepest Power" in which Chandler discusses the true source of power, the idea of owning one's life, the concept of self-control, and the process of locating one's "soul purpose."

Frankly, I have by now become weary of (if not hostile to) books and articles on many of these same subjects. (You know what I mean: "Give yourself a big hug and then go buy yourself South America! You deserve it because you're wonderful!") For that reason I was somewhat skeptical as I began to read Chandler's book. Almost immediately I realized that Chandler really does have some very important insights to share, most of them obtained after years of lying to himself. As I approached the final chapter, I was eager to be told how to stop the deception..."all this lying." I was ready for THE ANSWER.

Well, Chandler refuses to provide one. Only after I re-read the book did I fully understand what he means (in the final chapter) when he suggests, "The best way to stop the lying is to stop it your own way. Once you know [italics] the truth that you are powerful beyond measure, you will intuitively and immediately find your own way. The truth itself sets you free....Once you've found your own way to be straight with yourself, you will use it forever. It won't go away, because it's yours. You own it. When the time comes, don't forget to be happy. You are an owner of the human spirit."

How easy it is to read comments such as these; how difficult it was for Chandler to gain the personal experience he needed to recognize the truth in them. In the strongest terms I can now summon, I urge you to read and then re-read this book. It will not transform your life from lies to truth, from self-deception to self-revelation. Only you can do that but Chandler will help you to complete that difficult process.

If you expect this book as the sequel to the author's highly acclaimed "100 ways to motivate yourself" (I rated that a five star), you would very likely be disappointed.

To give you an idea of what the book's about and to save your time on checking the content page available here on Amazon, below please find the 17 lies/chapters for your quick reference:-

L1. It's who you know
L2. There's something wrong with me
L3. I'm too old for that
L4. I cant because I'm afraid
L5. I'd love to do that, but I dont have the time
L6. There's nothing I can do
L7. I worry because I care
L8. I'm sadder now but wiser
L9. The longer I have a habit, the harder it is to break
L10. People really upset me
L11. Winning the lottery would solve everything
L12. They're too beautiful for this world
L13. You hurt my self esteem
L14. It's a shame we didnt capture that on video
L15. That's just the way I am
L16. What (alcohol and drugs) doesnt kill me make me stronger
L17. I am helpless

If those lies happen to be your problems, you may find it helpful, though I deem the quoted examples in each chapter few and timid, which is the very reason I dont like this book much. Also, there are just too many blank pages.

In short, much better alternatives are available in a bookstore, like the author's own "100 ways to motivate yourself".

p.s. No matter what, I do like the following quotes in the book.

Whatever we learn to do, we learn by actually doing it. People come to be builders, for instance, by building, and harp players by playing the harp. In the same way, by doing just acts we come to be just. By doing self-controlled acts, we come to be self-controlled, and by doing brave acts we become brave.
- Artistole pg 25

The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek en theos, which means "the God within." If that's what enthusiasm means, you can figure out what the opposite of enthusiasm is. pg 98

The real truth is that the wiser you are, the happier you get. Because wisdom does that. If one is becoming sadder, it's not because one is becoming wiser, it is because one is quitting. One is giving up. She left me for another, so i quit. pg 100

There are many ways to victimize people. One way is to convince them that they are victims.
- Karen Huang pg 135

Having read and admired Steve Chandler's first two books, I was prepared for a lot of rehashing of the same material - which was okay as the first two were truly inspiring works. However, there's no recycling here. "17 Lies That Are Holding You Back & the Truth That Will Set You Free" is truly a book of practical thoughts to help you quit fooling yourself with self-inflicted falshoods and face life with a new attitude. Mr. Chandler does not allow for excuses (too old, not enough education, etc.) and he writes with an easy-to-read style that is without pretense. This is a guy who hit bottom, fought his way back, and plainly tells you how he managed to do it - and how you can too. This wasn't meant to be a deep psychological tome -- It was meant to be practical. For example, most "self-help" books are full of exercises that tell you that "you must stop right now and take this test," or "write this 100 word essay," before you can go on. You will find none of this in "17 Lies."

Imagine sitting across a table with a man who has hit rock bottom in his life, and between sips of coffee he tells you his story and how he climbed back, and you batter him with questions which are answered without psychobabble and in a humble, enlightening way. If you listen carefully, you'll here truth that is simple, makes sense, and hear many things to make your own life better, whatever your lot in life. Imagine that litle scene and make it happen by spending a night or two with Steve Chandler's "17 Lies That Are Holding You Back & the Truth That Will Set You Free."

True, many "self-help" books are low on substance and high on hyperbole. What a pleasant surprise to find that Chandler's "17 Lies" is high on substance and has no hyperbole.

While most "self-help" books pander to the unthinking, Chandler relies on some of the greatest thinkers ever--both of our time and other eras. Consider, for example, that he quotes my fellow Mensan, Marilyn vos Savant--who has the highest IQ ever measured. That Chandler ends each chapter with an insightful quote from a great thinker is a nice touch, but no surprise. The evidence of the breadth and depth of his reading is marvelously evident in his writing.

Chandler uses real-life examples, not just theory. These made me stop and think, "I've done that!" And now I can do something about that and be better for it. Chandler's recounting of an event in a retail outlet had me saying, "Good for you!" and "I can do that, too."

Any serious student of the martial arts knows that to prevail against the enemy before you, you must prevail against the enemy within. Chandler deftly explains how to do this, in 17 ways that will free almost anybody to greater accomplishment and vastly more happiness.

Chandler doesn't stop with exposing the 17 lies. That's in Part One of the book. In Part Two, he shows you how to use your newfound freedom.

What I really like about the book is Chandler communicates these life-changing ideas in a way that is entertaining. This kept my interest up through the whole book. That is quite a feat, considering the deepness of what he covers in this most excellent book.

This book certainly has a bold title, but Steve Chandler makes it work. One reason 17 LIES is likable is because of Chandler's positive attitude that recognizes its positivity. There's no hyperbole here, no trickery, just common sense delivered by an aware and incisive writer. Chandler has no "fear of taking a stand for greatness," as many of us do, and he shreds those weak-minded or uniformed lies we tell ourselves all the time: "There's nothing I can do," "That's just the way I am," and "What does not kill me makes me stronger" are my three favorites.

Chandler has a pleasant, open, straightforward style that draws the reader in. He clearly is in the self-improvement line for the right reasons and enjoys helping other people stop deceiving and deluding themselves. He sincerely and passionately wants to help. And help he can. In a world where enthusiasm is suspect (and rightly so, as anyone who channel-surfs past the plethora of infomercials can tell you), Chandler makes an admirable and instructive new effort to restore enthusiasm.

Cliché coming: I almost never read self-help books. My soul needs a lot more than chicken soup, but what it does not need is me lying to it. When I received the very short 17 LIES as a gift I had no trouble reading it slowly in less than two-and-a-half hours. Chandler is economical and rich at the same time. I'm sure if he wanted he could find 17 more lies we tell ourselves (a sequel, perhaps?) and make it just as useful. A worthwhile read!

Steve Chandler's third book, 17 Lies That Are Holding You Back & The Truth That Will Set You Free, is an excellent, hard-to-put-down, fast read. Here he calls attention to the myriad of incorrect assumptions that hold us hostage. Actually it's not simply the assumptions themselves; that's really just another deception. As he points out, we do it to ourselves by accepting the lies and arguing for our limitations. By seeing through the lies, we may quit deceiving ourselves and thus move forward through life with enthusiasm and joy. Steve Chandler helps us to achieve profound shifts through his clear, non-fuzzy thinking and writing. If you don't get it after reading this book , no doubt there's a fovorite lie that you use to undermine your ability to set yourself free. --Fred P. Gallo, Ph.D., Author: Energy Psychology (CRC Press, 1998); Energy Diagnostic and Treatment Methods (Norton, 2000); Energy Tapping (New Harbinger, 2000).

I have read many "Self-Help" books over the years, and this one finally delivers what I hoped for. Tangible, meaningful ideas on why people hold themselves back from being more engaged and happy individuals. Anyone that is feeling disconnected or has low mental energy, buy this book! I heard Steven Chandler speak and it literally changed my life about who I am and who I plan to become.

Chandler has a way of making what we already know something to be grasped for. "17 Lies and the Truth that will set you Free" is a straight forward account of what we teach ourselves and our children to keep us from believing in ourselves. My 80-year-old mother, who has had 2 strokes is reading this for the third time! She is no longer too old to work on improving her memory or her health. She, as we all, can identify with the lies Chandler has identified and overcome. To say the book is life-changing, may overstate; but it does remove the lies that keep us from wanting to change!

This is simple, fast, valuable reading. As another reader says, the implementation is the difficult part, but Chandler removes most of the excuses for not improving ourselves.

If you have taken the time to listen or read "17 LIES" you have no excuse for not getting yourself headed towards a better, more fufilling life. And this is not just another book about how to make more money. As you will learn some of the unhappiest people in the world are lottery winners.

Chandler's witty and knowledgeable style brings you along with him as he discusses the 17 Lies and how recognizing them have changed his life and can change yours. We may not have personally had his wide range of jobs, but one can easily see correlations to our own lives.

With a mixture of personal anectdotes and figures from studies done on different subjects, we learn about everything from how to escape boring office meetings to obesity.

Chandler has infused his book with an energy that literally jumps off the page at you, creating a desire to try out his suggestions at your next staff meeting or meditation session.

Will you become everything you always wanted to be after reading Chandler's book? Probably not after the first reading, but after the second or third you have no excuses!

I loved this book! I read it at a time of intense stress in my life, and found the concepts more than relevant to my situation.

As a diabetic who has long harboured deep feelings of inferiority, I found the section "There's something wrong with me!" absolutely life-changing. My professional life has taken on a new glow, and for the first time in 5 years I am having fun working.

I'm sure that some of these ideas are available elsewhere BUT not in such a readable format. And it's the readability that makes the book so useful.