A Strategy for Winning [Hardcover]

Carl Mays (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1879111756 | ISBN-13: 978-1879111752 | Publication Date: June 1, 1991 | Edition: 1St Edition

In the Foreword, sports and TV personality Lou Holtz writes, "I recommend Carl Mays' A STRATEGY FOR WINNING to anyone who has a burning desire to improve his or her life. If you do not have a burning desire, this book can light your fire." This is a how-to book that guides the reader on how to be more efficient and productive, and how to enjoy life more. It deals with winning in business, sports, family and life. A chapter is devoted to each of the following principles: (1) Accept your own self-worth (2) Develop and maintain a winning attitude (3) Learn to be creative (4) Build on failure (5) Clarify your values (6) Set goals (7) Visualize (8) Appreciate other people and (9) Do it now! We all have abilities we can tap, powers we can use - but sometimes we don't know how or where to begin. That's where A STRATEGY FOR WINNING comes in. Combining the nine principles with anecdotes and case studies, Carl Mays weaves an entertaining and compelling guide for people who are already successful in some areas, encouraging them on to higher ground. At the same time, he gives step-by-step advice to those who have yet to realize even a small portion of their potentials. Mays shares true stories of people who have overcome adversity to taste the sweetness of success and, importantly, how the reader can do the same.

Editorial Reviews

Review

It doesn't take genius or superhuman ability to win in our careers, in sports and in all areas of life. What it does take is the ability to maximize what we already have in order to overcome everyday obstacles. This is what Carl Mays espouses in A STRATEGY FOR WINNING. According to Mays, we must be able to keep the temporary setbacks we all experience from turning into defeats. In this 272-page hardcover book, Mays has collected winning strategies of business leaders, great sports figures, coaches and entertainers, and distilled them - along with lessons from his own life - into principles that can be valuable to anyone. It is an easy-flowing, entertaining book that caused this reader to think about how in our hi-tech society we often overlook low-tech solutions to our problems. -- Bottom Line/Personal

Most journalists try to avoid self-help book writers like travelers try to avoid rolling down their windows near the paper mills in Mobile, Alabama. The noxious fumes of me-ism have a tendency to smother anyone who has to listen. Carl Mays is a self-help book writer. He is, however, rather like the clean cold air of an air-conditioned room sweeping through an open door into a mosquito-laden humid summer night. His reasoning is clear and inviting. His book, A STRATEGY FOR WINNING, takes the basic pasta of 1,000 other psychological recipes for better living and adds the sauce of common sense and good story-telling. His basic ingredients include: self-image; attitude; creativity; values; building on failure; goals; visualization; teamwork and overcoming procrastination. -- The Jackson Sun Newspaper

To reach your goals in life, you have to take the offensive. You can't sit back and wait for things to happen. You have to MAKE them happen. This, according to author Carl Mays, is a basic tenet in his book, A STRATEGY FOR WINNING. In working with business groups, sports teams and other organizations, Mays developed a formula for success, using the acronym A-C-T-I-O-N. Here's what the letters stand for: ATTACK the problems or obstacles that loom between you and your goal. Don't wait for someone else to take care of things. Don't wait for another person, group or team to make the first move. CREATE opportunities. According to Mays, an ancient Chinese proverb states: "One who waits for roast duck to fly into mouth must wait very, very long time." TEAM up with others to achieve your goals. Winners work together. Winners believe in one another. Winners help one another to get the best from themselves. INSTILL a burning desire to succeed. -- National Enquirer

About the Author

Carl Mays is a specialist in motivation, human relations and performance improvement. With a solid background in business and athletics, along with degrees in psychology and communications, Carl Mays is a highly sought-after speaker and writer. The founder of a multimillion-dollar hotel/convention sales organization and a consultant to several champion sports teams, Carl has spoken to over 2,000 groups, totaling over a million people. He presents keynote addresses, banquet talks, seminars and workshops. Carl has been recognized by the National Speakers Association for reaching the pinnacle of his profession, having received the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) and the Council Of Peers Award For Excellence (CPAE) designations. He has been elected into the National Speakers Association's "Speaker Hall Of Fame." Carl also serves as a personal coach to athletes and business leaders, which involves being a combination of motivator, goal facilitator and counselor. Among his honorary awards is the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Murray State University. The Faith & Freedom Award was presented to him by W. Clement Stone, founder of Success Magazine. This award goes to national communicators who contribute to the high ideals and values upon which America was founded. Earlier recipients include Paul Harvey, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Dr. Billy Graham, Zig Ziglar, President Ronald Reagan and Art Linkletter. Carl is the author of the popular hardcover book, A STRATEGY FOR WINNING, which has a Foreword by sports and TV personality Lou Holtz. Carl's softcover books, ANATOMY OF A LEADER and WINNING THOUGHTS, are also favorites of many leaders in business, sports and education. His unique book, PRAYERS FROM THE HEART, is dedicated to one of his mentors, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. Articles by and about Carl have appeared in many magazines. He writes a weekly newspaper column titled A STRATEGY FOR WINNING.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Lincoln-Bradley Pub Group; 1St Edition edition (June 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879111756
• ISBN-13: 978-1879111752
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,109,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Carl Mays has been a featured speaker at over 3,500 events and is the author of over a dozen published works, including books, dramas and musicals. He has received the Council of Peers Award for Excellence and the Certified Speaking Professional designations from the National Speakers Association, and is a member of the NSA Speaker Hall of Fame.

With an undergraduate degree in communications from Murray State University, a graduate degree in education/psychology from New Orleans Seminary, and additional study at University of Memphis, Mays focuses on leadership, teamwork, communication and performance improvement. MyMerlin.net, the free mentoring site for students and adults, is based on his "A Strategy For Winning" book.

Among his honors is the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Murray State University. W. Clement Stone, founder of Success magazine, presented Mays with the Faith & Freedom Award, given to national communicators who contribute to the high ideals and values on which America was founded. Earlier recipients include Paul Harvey, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Dr. Billy Graham, Zig Ziglar, former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Art Linkletter.

Having been born in Humboldt, TN, and having lived in KY, AL, LA and GA, Carl Mays has been a resident of Gatlinburg, TN since 1972, where his leadership contributions have included being Charter Chairman of the Gatlinburg Board of Education.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lou Holtz Is Right!, August 5, 2004

By 

Fourth and One (Roselle, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Strategy for Winning (Hardcover)

I agree with Lou Holtz - great book!

Football coach and motivational speaker Lou Holtz wrote the Foreword to this book, and that is what first drew me to it. Then after I got into it, I was captivated by the author's 'down-to-earth' style and the practical suggestions and easy-to-follow guidelines he suggests. This is a how-to book. It shows the reader how to be more efficient, productive, creative and successful. The author says we all have things we can do well; we all have abilities we can tap, but sometimes we don't know where to begin. That's where A STRATEGY FOR WINNING comes in. Mays emphasizes nine principles that lead to success in business, sports, family and life. A chapter is dedicated to each of these principles: (1) self-image (2) attitude (3) creativity (4) building on failure (5) values (6) goals (7) visualization (8) teamwork and (9) overcoming procrastination.

With degrees in communication and psychology, Mays is a professional speaker who has spoken to over 2,500 businesses, sports teams and other groups, and I like the way he uses real examples to illustrate the points he makes. One of my favorite points Mays makes is, 'In the history of the world, there has been only one you. There will never be anyone else exactly like you. If you don't develop what you have, the world will never experience the contribution you could have made. The victories, the completeness, the success and the lifestyle you can achieve is only for you. And you deserve to be the best you possible.'

I highly recommend this book. It is not only a great practical instructional tool, it is a very interesting and entertaining read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Positive, Precision Blueprint for Success!, February 11, 2005

By 

Running On Full (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Strategy for Winning (Hardcover)

Dr. Homer Rice, retired Director of Athletics at Georgia Tech recommended this book to me - and I'm glad he did. After reading this practical, inspiring, and entertaining work, I can understand why Dr. Rice wrote a testimonial that appears in the book. Part of his testimonial reads, "Carl has taken proven principles and presented them with a fresh, new approach... I especially suggest you spend a lot time with chapters seven (Set Goals) and eight (Visualize). Chapter seven alone is worth much, much more than the price of the book!"

Over two dozen other testimonials from such personalities as Major League Baseball manager Tony La Russa, women's basketball coach Pat Summitt, legendary entertainer Art Linkletter, businesswoman Mary Kay Ash, businessman and NBA team owner Rich DeVos, football coach Lou Holtz, and NFL Players Association Executive Director Gene Upshaw all attest to the fact that Carl Mays presents 'mile markers' on how to win and how to stay on track to win again.

What makes A Strategy For Winning stand out from among other such self-help books? Well, according to the testimonial by former LSU basketball coach Dale Brown, "There are probably thousands of books written on 'how to' do something, but very few tell you what to do after you try to do something and don't succeed. A Strategy For Winning is different because it not only tells you how to do it, but also how to pick yourself up when you get knocked down. It's a wonderful book and provides an excellent game plan to finding peace, love, happiness and success in your life." I concur with Dale Brown.

Thank you Dr. Rice for recommending A Strategy For Winning to me - and thank you Carl Mays for writing it!