Customer Reviews

Play to Win!: Choosing Growth Over Fear in Work and Life

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Reading 'Play to Win: Choosing Growth over Fear in Work and Life' was, like its authors profess life to the fullest should be -- an adventure! Instead of focusing on success, it focused on fulfillment (of which success is a byproduct). 'Play to Win' acknowledged and identifed elements that keep one from a fulfilled life. It educated and provided processes, complete with catch phrases, to achieve an adventuresome life. The only reason it took me two nights to read was that I was stopped in my tracks when I came to, what was for me, a powerful quotation at the beginning of Part V, " One has to abandon altogether the search for security and reach out to the risk of living with both arms."--Morris L. West. How on earth would I begin to abandon my need for security? I was afraid to read on because 'Play To Win' might tell me how and then, my life would be . . . different. Could I choose Growth Over Fear?(the subtitle). The book presents many familiar methods, and for me, new defintions and processes to live a more fulfilled, balanced life. I use the "Stop Challenge Choose" mantra daily in trying to overcome my usual reactionary attitude. I had always thought of my life as a journey, but I want the adventure set forth by the Wilsons! By completing the simple written exercise using easy-to-understand definitions, 'Play To Win' helped me re-affirm my life purpose and establish a new vision (what do I want) for a balanced, fulfilled life and a flexible plan of -- what can I give up to get what I want?/What do I need to DO to get what I want? I recommend this book for anyone seeking self-understanding or anyone who may feel discontent with their life but do not know why or what is missing. It really helped me sort things out and gave me a vision for today of where I want to be and tools to get me there. I shared my copy with a friend, who immediately wanted her own copy to pass along to others as well.

The insights shared in "Play To Win!" have had deep and profound impact on me, both personally and professionally. In business, I have new tools to greatly improve my results -- and enjoy my work in the process. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to leaders and shop floor employees alike. The learnings are too important to "discriminate" based on corporate caste systems. Personally, what I've learned from "Play To Win!" has helped me survive the stress and devastation of watching my six- year-old son undergo a bone marrow transplant to beat cancer. This book IS about choosing growth over fear, no matter what our situations in life. From Larry and Hersch Wilson, I now understand that while we cannot control all the events that happen in our lives, we have a great deal of choice in how we respond to them. Do yourself a favor -- don't just read this book -- USE IT.

The message of the book is very easy to understand. It boils down to not having fear or letting fear and emotions control our reactions. Always STOP, CHALLENGE and CHOOSE in the face of crisis. Stop to think. Challenge your moment's thoughts and reactions. Choose the optimal course of action. The definition of the author for winning is lovely indeed: to do the best that one can with all that one has.

Now, in terms of implementation, there is a lot of space devoted to the what, but barely one chapter devoted to the how to put the book's ideas in practice, although it's fair to say that there's a good number of examples and cases brought forward. The second to last chapter is dedicated to putting together a Statement of Purpose, followed by a Vision and a plan to set it all in motion, but I can't help remembering the level of detail that Stephen Covey goes into in his book "The 7 Habits..." when discussing this same topic, and this is one that he covers early on in his book, devoting the rest of it to ways to make it happen.

All in all, it feels like a useful Step 1 book, whose key message (STOP, CHALLENGE and CHOOSE) is helpful to have present at all times, but not a book that will help make a huge step in changing your life for the long term: it falls short in some aspects, which is why I recommend Stephen Covey's work more.

Readable, step-by-step approach to personal and professional growth and development. While adhering to the maxim there's nothing new under the sun, I find some people combine a talent for retelling the information and making it interesting. That's what the Wilsons do in Play to Win.

If you want a life of results, accomplishment, happiness, one you won't regret when you're on your deathbed, this book can be powerfully helpful. Concise and to the point, this book does not ramble on with long-winded platitudes. Instead, it presents tools and concepts you can put to work immediately to effect change in your life. Of course, there are no magic pills here. To effect real change in yourself or the world, you have to begin by looking honestly in the mirror and challenging the defeatest voices in your own head...not an easy thing to do. Having read a lot of self-help books, I rank this and Byron Katie's work at the top of the heap.

I received this book about 5 years ago and it sat on a shelf in my office. I retired, moved, and was cleaning up stuff to get rid of. Had the book in my hand and looking at the waste basket. Felt guilty enough to look inside and noticed a forward by Ken Blanchard whom I have much admiration for. I read the forward and discoved that Ken stated this was the best thing since sliced bread. Decided to read it.

Blancard was right. The title is a misnomer. It should really be: Learn to Live. But who would read that?

This book offers thoughts on how to think about thinking; the importance of appropriate risk taking in our lives; what is involved in the good decision process and strategies to do so - the 2 minute drill; how to turn your live around and move forward. The book concludes with the importance of building your spiritual life and why that is important.

I recommended this book for the inclusion to a course we teach for the chronically unemployed - addicts, felons, etc with a St Vincent de Paul program in Cincinnati called Operation Bootstraps. It has helped us tremedously with these people - they continually tell us how important the book is to them.

My biggest problem is finding more books which is becoming an issue.

Dennis Coyne

This is a very solid book. I took a class provided by the company the authors either work for or own (I read the book as well). This was a tremendous gift for me to read this. Much of what prevents both businesses and individuals from reaching their potential is fear. This book deals with the very issues that commonly hold us back, and gives logical solutions to those issues. I learned things from this book that I was able to implement in my life that changed my personal and professional life for the better. I don't agree with every concept in here. However, I do have to admit that I was able to look at my life from a different perspective after I read this. I used concepts in this book (as well as the bible and other books) to challenge myself to get my nursing degree (which really helped the company that originally sent me to this), buy a home, and become a better husband. I might add that my company's production went way WAY up after a group from our clinic took this class (which is just the book in lecture format). No, I'm not saying this book will take all your problems away. I am saying that some of the concepts in here can only benefit an individual/company's life if implemented with a real desire to improve.

Play to Win is the finest, most on-target business book I have ever read.Since he founded Wilson learning corporation in 1965, Larry Wilson has been teaching the worlds largest organizations how to lead people to the promise land of success. Of all the Larry Wilson books, Play to Win is my favorite. It cuts to the chase, speaks in easy to understand language, and drives home the point that we all have the choice to choose growth over fear. Only Larry and Hersch Wilson could have written this book. I've recommended it to clients all over the world. Its pure genius written in terms the rest of us can understand and implement.

This self-help, motivational book is about achieving self-fulfillment and emotional and spiritual growth. It is filled with insights and very specific guidelines, real-life situations to illustrate key points, and clear rules that highlight the discussion. The book presents steps to take to put intention into action. A key theme is helping the reader to think by learning to stop, challenge and choose-an approach that this book explains in detail. A great book for getting you into action.

Play to Win is a great book. It was recommended by an a associate of mine who thought it would be helpful to me to get focus on my career track and my life during these difficult economic times. I think the book is outstanding and helpful as it focuses on tips to stay the course and not focus on the negative. This book deals with the psychological aspects of achievement and growth. I found it to be incredibly helpful to me. Overcome the negative thoughts and utilize your interests and desires to achieve. This is not a book to be brought on vacation, however. I should have brought a book in which I did not have to think so much about how each lesson or section in the book can help me. It took me a long time to read this book, because I was hanging on every lesson or word. That is fine as I want to gain knowledge from this book, but this is a textbook in one sense as opposed to relaxed reading. I highly recommend this book over many of its better known competitors. This book is a must read for those battling this new work economy and for those trying to re invent themselves and become vital in a new direction in 2009 and beyond as I write this review. Go out and get it, you will not be sorry. The lack of 5 stars is only because it took me a long time to finish this book, which is probably more my fault than the text of this book.