Customer Reviews

Mastering the Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success: An Owner's Manual to the New York Times Bestseller, The Traveler's Gift

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Andy Andrews not only has been successful in changing the attitudes and approaches to happy and successful lives in a large throng of followers, he continues to offer refresher courses in his philosophy that are solid, well constructed aids to gently polish the doctrines of his original Seven Decisions. This reader received a smart package from the publisher that not only contained the hardback 2002 book THE TRAVELER'S BOOK in a deluxe format, but the well designed box contained an advance copy of the latest addition to the Andrews library - MASTERING THE SEVEN DECISIONS THAT DETERMINE PERSONAL SUCCESS, a pocket calendar with the 'decisions reminders', and even a mouse pad with the seven decisions printed on a high quality pad, a daily reminder for the desktop of the important steps toward a happy life.

MASTERING THE SEVEN DECISIONS is a refresher course, one designed to repeat the information from the original book while fortifying that information with letters from established 'successes' who share their enthusiasm for Andrews' postulates. He gives stories, examples and revisions of the wording of his first book and while there is nothing particularly profound here, there is a lot of useful information that helps extend the reader's ability to incorporate Andrews' ideas.

One way in which Andrews freshens his approach is to 'rename' the seven decisions. In this book they become the following: The Responsible Decision, The Guided Decision, The Active Decision, The Certain Decision, The Joyful Decision, The Compassionate Decision, and The Persistent Decision. The concepts remain the same, and yes, for this reader, it does help to read THE TRAVELER'S GIFT first, but as with all refresher courses, this book retains the information presented in the first book and merely guides the reader more specifically in how to apply the information to the individual. He adds his opinions, such as 'A true friend holds you to a higher standard - he or she expects you to do what you said you were going to do, when you said you were going to do it. A true friend makes you better by his or her presence.' And he offers pauses for exercises, such as the section on The Deathbed Exercise, an exercise in imagining a eulogy that 'will help you clarify what you want your life's accomplishments to be and help you build momentum to achieve it'.

Andrews knows his material, understands how to communicate his thoughts and ideals, and, as in his first book, he relates this information in such a user friendly manner that reading the book is a growing experience for even the most doubting reader. Take charge of your life is a recurring theme and he says it well as in the following: 'There are generations yet unborn who depend upon the choices you make, because everything you do matters - not just for you, not just for your family, not just for your hometown - everything you do matters to all of us - forever.' There are many people who make snide remarks about books of this type: the comments sections of reviews of these books overflow with negativisms. But if each of us works toward making our lives happy and successful, who will have the last laugh?! Grady Harp, February 08

I ended up buying quite a few copies of The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success for friends because I liked it so much, I read it cover to cover twice without stopping. I really believe in what the author has to say. The seven decisions are an attitude that (akin to positive thinking) can change how you view the world and deal with the world, and ultimately, how the world deals with you.

The seven decisions are:
The Responsible Decision: The buck stops here. I accept responsibility for my past. I am responsible for my success. I will not let my history control my destiny.
The Guided Decision: I will seek wisdom.
The Active Decision: I am a person of action.
The Certain Decision: I have a decided heart. Criticism, condemnation, and complaint have no power over me.
The Joyful Decision: Today I will choose to be happy.
The Compassionate Decision: I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit.
The Persistent Decision: I will persist without exception.

The problem with motivational books is that they are inspiring to read, they make us feel great, but then we aren't really easily able to change our behavior. Reading is passive, changing attitude and behavior is active and more difficult. The author gives techniques to master these attitudes. Some are as simple (on the surface) as smiling when you really don't feel like it. But smiling is a muscular action, and it fires neurons in the brain. The brain, even though it may be simmering about the hellish traffic you are in, the disastrous breakfast you just ate and the unpleasant meeting with the boss you are heading for, is not so bright. The neurons firing in your brain saying "I'm smiling!" tell the brain "I'm happy!" and you find you are turning on the good music and relaxing rather than tensing up and formulating curses at the driver in front of you.

There are many more of these techniques in the book. If you love "The Traveler's Gift" and want to get more out of it, I'd suggest this companion volume. I think it would make great reading with a book club or church group or at home for dinnertime discussions. Sometimes your future can be positively changed by something as simple as a smile--or this book. Highly recommended.

"The Seven Decisions" by Andy Andrews is an excellent book that millions of people should read. I suggest that anyone reading through this book keep both a highlighter and a pen in hand in order to make points which you find that apply to your own life STAND OUT. I have read this book along with Andy's other book "The Traveler's Gift" and highly recommend both of them to anyone interested in gaining a very personal understanding of both themselves AND putting into play some life-changing principles.

Kind regards to all, H. K. Leinberger, M.D.

This book takes the seven principles taught in Andy Andrew's best selling parable "The Traveler's Gift" The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success and devotes a chapter to helping you think more deeply about each principle. He provides a short introduction about how these principles were revealed to him through his own difficulties in life; difficulties most of us share at one time or another. Andrews wants you to read these chapters actively and slowly rather than dashing through the book. He suggests that you re-read them and focus on those that resonate most with where you are in your life now.

The chapters are organized so that you get a little excerpt from "The Traveler's Gift" so you can connect it to the principle being discussed in that chapter. The principles are discussed by providing several short stories or essays rather than a philosophical or theological discussion of abstractions.

These seven principles are about: 1) taking responsibility for your life, 2) being willing to learn wisdom from others, 3) being active in living your life, 4) being confident and purposeful in your course in life, 5) being joyful in each day regardless of circumstances, 6) forgiving others and yourself and being compassionate in outlook, 7) live your life with tenacity, persistence, and faith.

This is a book that is unashamedly Christian and religious in outlook, which I personally find refreshing. However, I thought you should know in case you are allergic to faith.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

I read almost 100 books a year. This is at the top of my list. Andy's exercises are so practical & thought provoking you'll want to dig right in & grow. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it an 11.

And the DVD goes right along with everything Andy says.

Ed Cerny

A quick and easy read, the author takes us through the seven decisions in a story-like fashion. A man searches for the best way to lead his life, and Andrews advises through reflections on the experiences of many famous people he has interviewed over the years.
The great nuggets of advice he relates, spoken by celebrities, are very inspiring: how tough it was for Joan Rivers to make it as a prominent comedianne, how Norman Schwarzkopf was passed up for a promotion early in his career. People who we assume easily acquired fame all truly had their own struggles.
My favorite part is reading the quotes and letters from highly respectful professionals in their own fields, explaining how they had to fight an uphill battle to get where they are today.
The principle of the book is that there are 7 decisions you can make that will help you get ahead (persistence, giving freely --- I won't give them all away here!) with examples of how others used them to get where they are today.
I rarely save books after I read them, but not only did I save this one--I continue to buy copies to give as gifts :)

"Mastering the Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success" is a book that makes you think about where you need be in life, if your young in your career, and if older it gives you the tools to think about how your doing, and what you can do to improve on the remainder of your career. It is never too late to make changes.

Very easy read, and takes some work to really get the full benefits of it, but it well worth the effort.

It truely was a blessing to me, and I am still working on it.

Andy's steps are so simple, not necessarily easy, as they force us to look at habits accumulated over a lifetime

I have the book, but didn't have time to sit and read it. Audio book is the way to go! Hearing Andy Andrews read his book really allows you to get what he was writing and gain a better understanding of the 7 Decisions. It's almost like a conversation than a book! Loved it! Highly recommend reading his "Traveler's Gift" book first.

It's best to read the "Travelrs Gift" before this book. This is one of the most motivating books I have read in a long time. I couldn't put it down. When I finished reading it I read it again.