Once Upon a Cow: Eliminating Excuses and Settling for Nothing but Success [Hardcover]

Dr. Camilo Cruz (Author), Mark Victor Hansen (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

An insightful and deceptively simple guide-from a popular speaker and life coach.

In this empowering book, bestselling author and speaker Dr. Camilo Cruz helps readers identify the hidden excuses that hold them back-even the most entrenched ones-and open the door to greater success and fulfillment. Inspired by a brief parable in which a family of farmers learns to thrive without their beloved (yet costly and unproductive) cow, this upbeat book speaks to readers of every age and lifestyle, helping them take ownership of their choices and their lives.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Camilo Cruz, is a bestselling author, business coach, and motivational speaker. His workshops draw large audiences, and his corporate clients include Goodyear, AT&T, 3M, and Motorola. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399535403
• ISBN-13: 978-0399535406
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,078,925 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Camilo Cruz, an award-winning and international best-selling author of more than 30 books, is the one of the most prolific Latino authors in the United States, and a sought-after speaker in the areas of personal and professional development, business excellence and leadership. He is widely regarded in the Latin American corporate arena and the U.S. Hispanic market as one of the most influential speakers in the fields of peak performance, personal and organizational success. His enthusiasm, sense of humor, and refreshing perspectives on "what it takes to succeed" have delighted and enlightened audiences in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

As he writes in his book, In Search of the American Dream - A Guide to Succeeding in the United States, Camilo arrived in the U. S. in 1980, with no knowledge of the language, and with no more credentials than a high school diploma, less than two hundred dollars and a bag full of dreams. The oldest son of school teachers from a modest home in Latin America, he came to the U.S. in search of his American Dream; made it come true and now teaches others how to make their dreams a reality. His accomplishments are a great example of the entrepreneurial spirit that he shares in his presentations. He earned his M.S. in Chemistry and his Ph.D. in Science from Seton Hall University, and he is a graduate of Harvard Business School's program on Corporate Governance.

Dr. Cruz is an international best-selling author of thirty books and audio books, with sales of more than two million copies. His book "Once Upon a Cow" received the Latino Book Award for Best Self-Help Book in Spanish and has been translated to twelve languages. Through in-house workshops attended by a couple of hundred people to life-changing events for 15,000 people, Dr. Cruz has counseled people from every walk of life, from "Fortune 500" executives to educators, entrepreneurs, students, community and business leaders.

Dr. Camilo Cruz has been a professor of Quantum Physics, Thermodynamics and Chemistry and Mathematics at several universities in the U.S. He earned his M.S. in Chemistry and his Ph.D. in Science from Seton Hall University.

In spite of all of these accomplishments, when asked if he regards himself as an author, speaker, entrepreneur or academician, Dr. Cruz prefers to think of himself as both a coach and a cheerleader to those individuals that have accepted the challenge to become architects of their own destiny.

His passion for his work is only surpassed by his love for his family. He currently lives in South Florida with Shirley, his college sweetheart and wife of 20 years and his three children, Richard Alexander, Mark Anthony and Daniel Sebastian.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Send your sacred cows to slaughter., September 22, 2009

By 

Monty Rainey (New Braunfels, TX) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Once Upon a Cow: Eliminating Excuses and Settling for Nothing but Success (Hardcover)

So many self-improvement books pander to our emotions. We read them and are charged with an emotional high that usually lasts for somewhere between an hour and a week, then it's gone. We may retain a few tid-bits that we can throw out there every now and then that are useful, but for the most part, the reading public goes unchanged. In ONCE UPON A COW, business coach and speaker Camilo Cruz gives you actionable steps to put into immediate motion to bring about the changes you so desperately want to make in your life.

I myself am a leader, coach and mentor. I work diligently to stay on top of life, stay motivated and elevate others, but I quickly identified areas of weakness in my own life, the excuses I've used to hide behind, and ways to take positive action.

We develop our excuses (cows) at an early age. We use them, nurture and protect them, and even refine them until they are no longer excuses but a part of our own little reality. We finally wake up one day and realize we've led a very mediocre existence. We don't understand why, or even how it happened. Dr. Cruz will show you how to fix it.

This is a brilliant book. It is very entertaining with a good mix of anecdotal examples to prove the author's points, and it is a very quick and easy read. I stumbled across this totally by accident and am really glad I did. I highly recommend this one. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to my first ballroom dance class that I've been putting off for 3 years now. Life's too short to make excuses.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Call into action, September 23, 2009

By 

Suzanne Richards (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Once Upon a Cow: Eliminating Excuses and Settling for Nothing but Success (Hardcover)

This book is inspirational and provides a practical guide to overcome barriers to achieve personal dreams. The author makes us to realize that perhaps our own way of thinking and attitude towards life are the only reasons we don't succeed.

When would you think that killing an only cow that provides support to an entire family is a good thing! Well, when you read the book you come to the conclusion that perhaps the cow was the roadblock that kept the family "save", unchallenged, and in the mediocrity.

A good-inspirational book, and easy to put into practice!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for eliminating excuses, September 21, 2009

By 

Carlos Cardona (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Once Upon a Cow: Eliminating Excuses and Settling for Nothing but Success (Hardcover)

This book was a great quick read! Once Upon a Cow reminded me of "Who moved my Cheese?" Simple, straight forward and a great lesson: We must not allow excuses to rule our life. It is incredible how easy it is to pick up all of these excuses and justifications. I was particularly inspired by the story of Roger Bannister.