The Magic of Groundhog Day: Transform Your Life Day by Day [Hardcover]

Paul Hannam (Author), Danny Rubin (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 8, 2008

The movie Groundhog Day has touched millions with its hilarious and profound tale of personal transformation. The day does not change, the location does not change, and the townspeople do not change. It is the main character, Phil Connors, who changes. His extraordinary journey involves no travel, only a change in his mind and heart. He turns the worst day into the best day of his life, simply by thinking and acting differently.

Now The Magic of Groundhog Day reveals how you can transfer the magic of the movie into your own life at home and work. You too can break free from repetitive thoughts and behaviors that keep you stuck in a rut, and transform a mundane day into a magical day by simply changing your attitudes. You too can wake up to the ever-present magic and discover the extraordinary in the ordinary. You too can create the Life you want to live, not the one you were conditioned to live.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Paul Hannam has written an insightful book that can help us all get out of our own ruts and live more productive and joyful lives. THE MAGIC OF GROUNDHOG DAY is enjoyable entertainment and a remarkable self-help guide as well." -- Thom Hartmann, Author of "Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight" and host of THE THOM HARTMANN RADIO SHOW on AIR AMERICA.

"I recommend The Magic of Groundhog Day as a stimulating and effective guide to living and working. It can help executives and employees break free from limiting habits." -- Marshall Goldsmith, Author of "What Got You Here Won't Get You There", (Hyperion) the New York Times bestseller and Wall Street Journal #1 business book.

"Paul Hannam does an excellent job of highlighting the problems of getting stuck in a routine. He shows how you can break out of a routine and start thinking 'What do I really want to do, and how can I go about achieving that?' It's an extremely valuable book." -- Richard Price, PhD Fellow of All Souls College, University of Oxford Richard Price, PhD Fellow of All Souls College, University of Oxford Richard Price, PhD, Fellow of All Souls College,University of Oxford

I hope you enjoy this book as I did, are entertained and stimulated. Whether you are interested in solving the world's problems, revisiting issues affecting your own life, or simply peering at the movie from new angles, I invite you onward through these pages to spend a bit more time immersing yourself in the magic that is Groundhog Day. -- Danny Rubin, Creator and screenwriter of the movie "Groundhog Day"

I recommend The Magic of Groundhog Day as a stimulating and effective guide to living and working. It can help executives and employees break free from limiting habits. -- Marshall Goldsmith, Author of What Got You Here Won't Get You There, the New York Times bestseller and Wall Street Journal #1 business book

Paul Hannam does an excellent job of highlighting the problems of getting stuck in a routine. He shows how you can break out of a routine and start thinking 'What do I really want to do, and how can I go about achieving that?' It's an extremely valuable book. -- Richard Price, PhD, Fellow of All Souls College, University of Oxford

Paul Hannam has written an insightful book that can help us all get out of our own ruts and live more productive and joyful lives. The Magic of Groundhog Day is enjoyable entertainment and a remarkable self-help guide as well. -- Thom Hartmann, Author of Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight and host of the Thom Hartmann Radio Show on Air America

Using the 1993 movie Groundhog Day as a springboard to illustrate the principle of repetitive thought patterns, professional entrepreneur and lecturer Hannam (Oxford Univ. Environmental Change Inst.; coauthor, Take Charge of Your Mind) discusses how to change one's inner life to see the beauty in the world. According to Hannam, the "groundhog effect" is the force that keeps people feeling stuck and powerless to change. Only by breaking free of this looplike effect, he posits, can they liberate themselves to enjoy healthy habits, relationships, and careers. Hannam instructs readers on how to do this on first a personal and then an environmental level, offering a fresh approach to changing old behaviors. Recommended for all libraries. -- Library Journal Review January 15, 2008

From the Inside Flap

$21.95 US/$24.95 CAN

Transform your Life Day by Day!

The movie Groundhog Day has touched millions with its hilarious and profound tale of personal transformation. Now The Magic of Groundhog Day reveals how you can unlock the magic of the movie to transform your life at home and at work

* Break free from repetitive thoughts and behaviors that keep you stuck in a rut

* Wake up to the ever-present magic and discover the extraordinary in the ordinary.

* Transform a mundane day into a magical day by simply changing your attitudes

* Be more creative and manage your time more effectively at home and in the office

* Achieve lasting change in your personal and business life

* Find meaning and purpose in your work through service, creativity and compassion

Paul Hannam, renowned green entrepreneur, teacher and speaker, has written a powerful and accessible guide to using the principles and ideas found in a much loved movie to help individuals transform their lives. Read this book. See the movie again. Take action at home or at work to make real change now! You will find out how easy it is to make a difference. Change yourself, change your world.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 215 pages
• Publisher: Waterside (January 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933754575
• ISBN-13: 978-1933754574
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #366,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST-READ FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE!!!, February 5, 2008

By 

ALEX (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Magic of Groundhog Day: Transform Your Life Day by Day (Hardcover)

This book is MUCH more than just another self-help book providing unoriginal advice that makes us feel good but does little to change our attitudes and behaviors. This book tackles the complex issue of change in a way we can all relate to, understand and apply to our daily lives. It's deeply philosophical, but also entirely practical.

I was one of the many fortunate graduate students at Oxford University that had the pleasure of taking classes with Mr. Hannam during the time he taught there. He was, by far, the best instructor I had at Oxford. Throughout his courses on Organizational Behavior, Environmental Leadership and other issues, Paul was able to get to the heart of any problem, rather than just focusing on the symptoms of that problem - as most academics and environmental scholars tend to do.

"The Magic of Groundhog Day" is no different. In this book, Paul transforms what for most of us is just a classic comedy with Bill Murray into an amazing metaphor about personal change. His advice is not only appropriate for changing our personal lives, but is essential if we are to change our relationship with our communities and with the natural environment.

Even as GDP has gone up in America and other industrialized countries, mental health indicators are on a steady decline. The richest countries are suffering from more depression, stress, anxiety and overall unhappiness than ever before. Indeed, our unsustainable focus on unconstrained economic growth has converted the global ecosystem into a commodity and has led to cultural homogenization, manic consumerism, isolating affluence, hyper-individualism and human alienation.

Paul's book helps those of us interested in breaking out of the drudgery of contemporary consumer culture and our unhealthy routines do so by focusing and appreciating the things that truly matter: time, security, mental health and authentic happiness.

Anyone who is interested in improving their own lives and, for that matter, life on this planet, should read this book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great parable and life's lessons presented in an actionable way, January 19, 2008

By 

M Leigh "Gadget Guy" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Magic of Groundhog Day: Transform Your Life Day by Day (Hardcover)

This book is a very easy read, but its simplicity is its beauty. Using the movie, Groundhog Day, as it's metaphor for change, Paul Hannam, gives us straightforward strategies for taking a step back, recognizing the patterns that keep us stuck, and creating new patterns of behavior that help us develop as people and find real happiness and true love in our lives.

It's an inspirational read and it's strategies are within the reach of just about everyone. That's the amazing part of Groundhog Day!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Inspirational!!, January 14, 2008

By 

Kathy Henry - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Magic of Groundhog Day: Transform Your Life Day by Day (Hardcover)

Although I usually don't read self help books, I loved this book and am very glad I read it. I would recommend it to everyone. Not only is it fascinating and eye opening, but life changing. Paul gives you very useful and easy to follow advice. It made me see the movie Ground Hog Day in a whole new light - how could I have missed so much when I saw it before?