Customer Reviews

Power Living - Mastering The Art of Self-Discipline

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book provided me the information I was looking for to help improve my self-discipline. There is lots of helpful advice and suggestions and thought provoking missions (i.e. exercises). The book touches on the power of the mind, setting and attacking goals and improving the body.

Like all self help books all of the information does not apply to everyone. Self help is a very personal thing and it's difficult for a book written for the general public to apply to each of us individually. I found that 80% - 90% was relavent to me. I found myself doing a lot of underlining and making notes. Most of the information is obvisious, but putting it together is difficult for most people. To improve your self-discpline I would recommend reading and re-reading this and other books on the topic to make the important points stick.

The best and worst part of the book is the 100 Secrets of Power Living. The good thing is the bullet format (concise). The bad thing is that there are number of repeated items (i.e. #24. Stop overeating and #62 Don't eat so much). The list could have been cut down to about 80-85 items. The other thing is most people would never have the time to incorporate all of the suggestions (i.e. 30 minutes per day for this and 1 hour per day for that and 1 day per week to do nothing (not with three kids and a working wife)).

All in all the book gives you what you need to help improve your self-discipline I would recommend the book and would seriously consider going to one of Michael Janke's seminar.

Despite the fact there are many positive reviews out there given by other readers, I found this book is yet another book on self-discipline, the only new ingredient is the author has some kind of military training and he keeps on reminding the reader about this(i.e. he was a navy SEAL commando). To be fair, some of the techniques outlined are useful, but this kind of information is readily available in many other books/articles as well(names like Covey, Robins come to mind), not necessarily only known to the military, as the author tries so hard to press onto the reader.

Chapter 7 (The 100 secrets of power living) is a major flop. Lots of the 'secrets' are not only redundant, some actually contradict with one another.

The redundancy is evident, for example, #17 Breath of life and #57 Power breathing are saying the same thing; #3 Exercise and #66 Endorphin Fix are also identical, namely encourage you to exercise. This is just a partial list of the redundancies. I think those 100 secrets actually can be pared down to around 50 or so and be categorized into a few groups, namely self and mind management, nutrition, physical fitness and general wisdom. These so-called 'secrets' are pretty much common-sense or common-wisdom that most people should know in order to survive. A few of them are quite subjective, like #20 Buy a pet.

In #12 Turn Off the TV, Janke described television as 'the most powerful form of mind control known to man' and urged the reader to 'Unplug the brain-washing machine!', however in #44 Enjoy nature, he said 'If you can't go to nature, bring nature to you. Watch the Discovery channel or wildlife films with your children or spouse and enjoy the marvels of Mother Nature.' This implies we should unplug the TV to avoid getting brain-washed, but in order to enjoy nature without getting outdoor, plug it back on and watch the discovery channel!! This is one of the inconsistencies I noticed, there are more sprinkled throughout the 100 secrets in Chapter 7.

This book is prosaic, in fact it is just a compilation of some general self-help books and quotes. The only 'new' thing that I can tell is it takes advantage of the curiosity ordinary people have on special operations teams and keeps pressing on the fact that the techniques in the book are used by the Navy SEALs.

I read your book in the hopes that it would present me with information that was easy to read, understand and apply. In this I was not disappointed. It obviously took a lot of effort, passion and, yes, self-discipline to develop this book and incorporate so much information in such an effective way.

However, I must say that it didn't present any original ideas for me. Having read so many similar types of books, that is understandable. I liked the "warrior" theme even though I don't personally advocate aggression as it is currently socially defined - the expression of power. I did understand how it could be used effectively as a foundation for self-mastery. I was somewhat concerned with the redundancy in the list of 100 'Secrets' of Power Living. Many of the items were so similar to each other that they didn't warrant their own bullet point. i.e. 42. Master Patience, 60. Priceless Patience. Some items were even contradictory - 4. Sleep Less, 51. Do Nothing Day - suggesting that people gain seven hours a week by getting up early and then spend one whole day a week (!) doing nothing.

Really liked the extra references at the end. It's an excellent source for related information. Much appreciated.

Would love to see more from you - but do you have anything new to add?

P.S. Reading a book by Peter McWilliams - Just Do It! Let's Get Off Our Buts. Excellent read. Very humorous. Concise - Lots of new stuff I've never seen elsewhere.

This is probably the best self-improvement book I've ever read (and I've read quite a few). I know that sounds like so much hyperbole when I say it's "the best", but it is. The author has the viewpoint that self-discipline is the key to success in any endeavor. He not only shows you how to build your discipline, but how to apply it to different areas- particularly goal-setting, fitness and nutrition. Improving your discipline can impact every area of your life, and this is the book that can help. Another reason I like this book so much is that it is well-written. So many self-improvement type books are filled with not much more than motivational platitudes (which do have their place), but Power Living tells you exactly how you can build your self-discipline and REALLY change your life!

I got this book thinking that a Navy SEAL would know a thing or two about self discipline. I have read many similar books and while this was not the best written it's straight forward style was captivating. It reads like a good friend telling you what he did to put more discipline in his life. As we all come to eventually know there are no silver bullets here. You won't find anything in this book, or any other for that matter that will be the magic key that opens the door to iron willed discipline. I find though that learning from those who have gone before and have tried and succeeded is the best way for me to find the strength within myself. I would recommend this book.

I read an article taken from Power Living - Mastering the Art of Self-Discipline from Mike's Web site and was sold before I even read the book. I got the book and wasn't disappointed. It was not like anything I read before and I read some good ones. Think and Grow Rich, Grow rich with peace of mind, and The Master Key to Riches by Napoleon Hill, The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and the Art of Exceptional Living by Jim Rohn. Out of all of these, I believe Mike's is the best. His No Nonsense approach gets your blood flowing and gets you pumped up. You will not be able to put it down. I can't wait to read it again.

The information written in this publication is POWERFUL and OUTSTANDING! The material motivates you to take action and to follow through. Any goal can be accomplished when applying this information to your life. Finally, I started a small daily exercise and a healthier eating routine using this inspirational information and within one month, I lost fifteen pounds and close to two inches in the waist.

I get a kick out of people who say they read this book and state that it has nothing new to say. If people were to apply what is inside this book they wouldn't have to read another self help book for the rest of their lives. It is about action. Succeeding in life is all about self mastery and self discipline. Just trust me and order this book. You won't be disappointed unless you are looking for a quick fix.

I began reading this book the day it arrived. As an author and avid reader, I didn't know what to expect. I read several books a week and find that most of them could be summarized into an article instead of a book. But this book is power packed with outstanding insights on literally every page. It got me thinking about the power of discipline and how it does in fact make all the difference in one's life. The author is smart as a whip and brought some fresh ideas on this well accepted concept. I took extensive notes in the book and added them to my Goals Journal that I review each morning. Everyone who wants to become successful in life should read this book and follow it's suggestions. There were so many brilliant concepts I am reluctant to single out one. This book has blessed my life with it's thoughts and I am forever in the author's debt. I wish you all the success in the world with this book, and in your life. Sincerely Robert Taylor

I ordered this book for my teenage son, but the moment I recieved it, I read it from cover to cover. Mr.Janke has written one of the most inspiring and helpful books that I have read to date. His concepts and methods are like nothing that I have ever read in any self-help book. I am proud to say that I have now stopped smoking and have been exercising and eating healthy since I adopted his methods. I particularly loved the cover art and the no-nonsense style of writing. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a better way of living. ---Robert Anselmo, Virginia