Customer Reviews

The Navigator of Life

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I did not particularly like this book. I did not find it well outlined. And I found it to be merely a Powerpoint slide show with some speaker notes instead of a book. It is very short and includes the following eight "chapters" and an appendix:

1. Introduction

2. The pledge: Be grateful, be aware, be appreciative, & be happy

3. Shame versus empowerment: Focus on positive emotions rather than negative ones

4. Life's absolutes: Change/transition, Accountability/reckoning, & endings/terminations

5. Avoiding problems and conflicts: Ignore, resolve, solve, or dissolve

6. Docking: Core beliefs

7. Charting the course: Considering 8 domains

8. Homecoming: Making a balanced decision and plan

A. Knowledge: How we know what we know

The diagram at page28 is a graphical illustration of the layout of the book's chapters. I think it belonged at page 0 which is located just before page 1 and the start of Chapter 1. Of course, this assumes that I thought the eight chapters of this book were worth going into depth about. I don't. I think the book should be totally reorganized and the new chapters written as in depth explanation and discussion.

At page 0 there is a rather complex diagram, and I liked it. I think a book built around explaining and discussing that diagram would have made a wonderful book that would have had the following seven chapters:

1. Introduction

2. The navigator's pledge

3. The core beliefs

>Positive impact

>Unconditional manners

>Language & behavior of upbuilding nature

>Higher power

>Respect

>Standards/rules

>Best appearance

>Continuous improvement

4. Docking core beliefs

>Education (I know)

>Spirituality (I believe)

>Personal Development (I am)

>Health (My fitness)

>Family & friends (I belong)

>Environment (I live)

>Financial (I have)

>Recreation (I play)

5. Chart the course (Make a balanced decision)

6. Homecoming (Keep making balanced decisions as you navigate life)

7. Conclusion

The appendix to this book starts at page 36 and continues to the end at page 52. It was just an article tacked on to the end of this book. I found it to be out of place, and not really related to the rest of the book. And Chapter 6 did not explain what "docking" is all about. In fact, it does not mention docking at all.

Our lives consist of choices. And this book provides us with a model to consider when making those choices. It is hoped that the reader will use this model so they can make decisions with greater confidence and effectiveness. And, of course, if good decisions are made, then the decision-maker will reach worthy personal and professional goals. And they will become the best they can at what they want to do. But this "book" or slide show just didn't lay it all out for me. It still needs to be made into a real book. 2 stars!

Written by doctor of education and CEO Nathaniel J. Williams, The Navigator of Life is a self-help book for readers of all backgrounds, offering a three-step process for dealing with the complicated obstacles of life, using navigation at sea as a metaphor. The three helpful phases are Dock, in which readers re-examine their core beliefs in such things as continuous improvement, unconditional manners, respect, adopting language and behavior of an uplifting behavior, and more; Chart Course, in which readers divine their best path by asking themselves questions about eight key areas of their lives (ranging from spirituality to finances, education, health, family and friends); and Home Coming, in which the answers to the previous questions offer forth the best, individually tailored approach to dealing with current problems. A straightforward, plain-terms guide to dealing with difficult issues that have different solutions depending upon what type of person is confronted with the problem, The Navigator of Life is highly recommended for personal and public library self-help collections.

In writing "The Navigator of Life," Dr. Williams used his extensive education and experience to define a plan that will help us to use his strategies to reach our personal and professional goals. He would like us to do this in a way that involves personal empowerment and happiness. Dr. Williams acknowledges that his plan is not a quick fix or that the answers will be easy, however, with some hard work, we can have the lives that we want. I love that he puts a tremendous amount of focus on the importance of being able to achieve personal fulfillment while maintaining our integrity. Through his steps, he teaches us that we are part of a much bigger plan and that it is important that we contribute to it for the good of all.

The navigation steps begin with a beautiful philosophy that makes us the Navigator's Pledge. I think that this pledge is something that we all can relate to, and should keep a copy on our desks. It includes: "Be Grateful, Be Aware, Be Appreciative, and Be Happy. This pledge is the first step because it teaches us to be committed to making the most of our goals and not hurting others as we do so. The second step involves realizing whether or not we are using shame or empowerment to form our decisions. The third is identifying and accepting the absolutes of life. These are things that we have to be aware of their existence, and that we might not be able to change them. The forth stage involves evaluating our motivations when we are decision making. Do we avoid problems and conflicts to escape? What are our motivations in decision-making? The fifth step is about identifying our core beliefs so that we can incorporate then into our decision making. The sixth step offers an extensive evaluation list to be used for charting the course. The final step is the homecoming. It resolves all of the pervious steps to enable us to be on the right course for making appropriate decisions and plans.

I found reading this book to be very beneficial. Dr. Williams provides thought provoking materials that really helped me to evaluate myself. I am so grateful to have had a chance to read this book. I realize that utilizing these steps will involve a lot of dedication, however, I feel that it will also put me on the right course for more personal fulfillment. The plan is so well organized, I think that this will help me to stay on course. I recommend this book to everybody who is on a personal journey to fulfillment. Enjoy the journey.

This is a very nice hardcover book, it is very glossy and has excellent graphics. The back of the book shows the diagram for navigating through life using your core beliefs. The book explains the importance of taking all areas of your life into consideration before making decisions, they are education, spirituality, family and friends, recreation, financial welfare, health, environment, and personal development. I agree with this authors content and think this would be an excellent book for high school graduates, it is a book for young people or those that need help in making the right decisions in life.At 52 pages it is a quick and easy read even for those who don't like to read.

Dr. Williams provides a thoughtful guide for making decisions. He draws from many sources and integrates them into a model for navigating the journey of life. His book provides tools that can help shift the course toward more satisfying life outcomes when trying to find direction or soultions and especially when one feels that s/he is battling the cross-currents. Thank you, Dr. Williams.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was an easy reading book with lots of good information. It is inspiring yet thought provoking. This is the type of book that I would read over and over. Personally it gave me a new tool to work with on those decisions in life I struggle with.

This is an excellent book that I highly recommend. It provides the framework for making balanced decisions in all areas of life. It is very empowering and inspirational. The section on the "decision highway" is extremely helpful. Dr. Williams provides an interesting insight and approach that encourages change. But more importantly, the material is presented in a manner that makes implementation workable. Each section contains a wealth of powerful information. I read it; have been incorporating the concepts and the results feel great.