Customer Reviews

The Paradox of Success

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I first read this book when it came out, at the time the O. J. Simpson story was just breaking. It was PERFECT timing - offering insights into how otherwise highly-successful people can have darker sides show up in their lives unless they periodically renew themselves and take stock - what might be called taking an "internal audit" of oneself. I've often thought the title for this book could have been "The Shadow Side of Success."

I highly recommend this book for anyone who's in a position of influence, power and responsibility (or who WANTS to be). The author has included a rich assortment of ways one can avoid the egoic pitfalls of success and fame - a real MASTERPIECE!

John Renesch, author, Getting to the Better Future

The book is written for leaders, but it does a fine job for us followers as well. It's one of those very rare books that inspire me to make changes - no easy feat, as I am a hard case. In very short order, the author inspired me to look at my failures, behaviors and the shadows that haunt me, make me face the truth about all of the above, and think of an action plan on how to make changes in my life.

Much of the book is devoted to necessity of pause and reflection as an energizer to face working life's challenges - but there are several more gems buried in this short text.

This book taught me the importance of balance in my life at the time when I needed to learn it the most because I had worked myself into exhaustion and burnout. I can't recommend it enough to those people who have a strong work ethic and are highly ambitious.

John O'Neil's The Paradox of Success is scary to say the least. The main theory behind the book is Carl Jung's shadow image, which contains every part of ourselves that we repress, deny, and leave undeveloped. These shadows lay in the unconscious mind, destroying successful and unsuccessful people. Though it is scary to face our shadow, or the shadow of an organization, having done so we become energized and liberated. We waste more energy denying the dark-side of our personalities than accepting them.

A huge part of my shadow was anger. Being a communication skills coach, it was "wrong" for me to feel anger. I had to be perfect. My status and position, according to O'Neil, put me in a prime position to deny what I needed to accept. Leaders often deny parts of their personality that gave them their level of success. When times change, however, their dark-side breaks them down. Unfortunately, there are endless examples of this with celebrities.

It's okay to feel anger, make mistakes, admit your wrongdoings, and even play again. We repress being playful because "adult's aren't suppose to play". Anything that gets denied goes into the shadow to take away our happiness and wholeness.

The success-sustainer creates a fertile ground for learning and openness. When the leader encourages his followers to confront their shadows and the organization's shadows, secrets get removed and organizations become renewed.

O'Neil will have you confront the dark-side of your personality. It is scary, but liberating. A must-read for anyone successful or anyone on their path to success.

Joshua Uebergang aka "Tower of Power"
[...]

It is an excellent book not only for career coaches but also retreat facilitators. In an age when one has to re-invent often with the technological evolution and globalisation taking place in the 21st century, the book provides invaluable insight to managing one's career. It also provides the guidance neccessary for career diagnosis for strategic self management. It offers suggestions in self discovery for renewal. In summary, a thought provoking book!

The paradox of success is a book about 'leadership' that rapidly becomes a hand-book to help you think about yourself as a leader and - most important - as a person. The messages therein are quite profound and I know from others that this book has had the same impact on them. I would urge you to read this book if you want to become a more effective manager / person.

This is a very good, perhaps great [?], book masquerading as a "how to succeed in business" tome. It is in reality a powerful handbook for those of us in the 4th period of life to try to make some sense of all we have done, all we have left undone, & what is the purpose of it all. I'm 65; I found this a clever combination of Jung, Jung's theory of the 'shadow', & strong suggestions for living with inner tranquility & financial success; O'Neil is a gifted & insightful writer; I doubt that many under the age of 50 would find this book worthwhile - my opinion. A minor criticism: O'Neil cites 6 - 8 - 10 authorities in this field who have written books; he provides an index; but no bibliography? Why? A very minor criticism. Extremely well done. Easy to read.

It is an amazing journey through our deepest fears and questions about life whether personal or professional. The first part goes through those questions all of us have or have had combined with real life examples and a second part where the author shares his insight as to what to do with all those questions and answers we start to get by reading the book.

A MUST read for every individual who wants to know more about being successful. This book provides insights that we do not see and will give readers a definite picture of understanding success (especially to high-flyers).

If you are one of those looking for success in life, read John R. O'Neil books and you will be absolutely grateful you did. Happy reading to all

Don't fall victim of your own success. This book reveals the paradox of success, and how to avoid downfall.