Succeeding: How to Choose the Right Goals and Increase Your Chances of Achieving Them [Paperback]

John T. Reed (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2003

High goals are fine. Author John T. Reed reached several high goals in his life like making a million dollars, getting degrees from West Point and Harvard, being listed in Who's Who in America, appearing on TV shows like 60 Minutes, writing over two dozen well-received books, as well as celebrating a 30-year marriage and raising three fine sons. His experience has also been varied from being the son of an alcoholic father to living in the country, suburbs, and big city to serving a tour in Vietnam to working for a large corporation to successful self-employment and extended bachelorhood. He also failed significantly in various pursuits and thereby learned many important lessons. "Succeeding" will tell you how to achieve high success, but it will constantly remind you to go for enough, not more; and to pursue what suits you, not just some goal chosen solely based on how much you think it will impress others. Strategies, tactics, tips, and tricks on how to succeed. Lessons learned by one man in his 50 plus years. The book focuses on choosing the right spouse and career. Unlike most success books that encourage you to choose whatever extremely high goals your heart desires, this book emphasizes the importance of choosing the right goals. If you choose your goals carefully, you are far more likely to achieve them and far more likely to be happy when you do.

Product Details

• Paperback: 205 pages
• Publisher: John T. Reed (2003)
• ISBN-10: 0939224569
• ISBN-13: 978-0939224562
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,437 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Much Ado About Nothing, January 20, 2008

By 

H. Perera (Danbury, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Succeeding: How to Choose the Right Goals and Increase Your Chances of Achieving Them (Paperback)

I must say that I'm a little bit disappointed with "Succeeding" by John T Reed. The book reads more like an autobiography than a "how to" book. The author spends too much time describing his own (and his family's) experiences, rather than emphasizing the principles that made him successful. Also, the author's constant talk about his sons (in particular "Dan")and how great they are grew to be a little bit irritating. I didn't pick up this book to hear how wonderful Mr Reed thinks his sons are (though that is a good quality, and I'm sure he must be a great father).

On a positive note, the book does pick up a little bit in the second half, and there is some useful advice stuck in there between all the biographical aspects. Also, from the little that Reed talks about real estate in the book, he comes across as being very knowledgeable in that field.

To conclude, I would say that if you are looking for real estate advice you should definitely pick up one of his other books and give him a try. I'm sure they will be great and information packed (this is something I plan to do in the near future). However, I would leave "Succeeding" firmly off your list of what to read.

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, March 1, 2007

By 

Interested Observer (Battle Creek, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Succeeding: How to Choose the Right Goals and Increase Your Chances of Achieving Them (Paperback)

Mr. Reed recommends you read this one first. The reason is sound. One should be clear on one's objectives, capabilities, ethics and character before starting on a demanding project with large financial risk if not executed with skill and diligence. Reed describes his life and how his views on several things including real estate developed. At one time he overreached because of unclearly understood objectives (what is enough) only to get wiped out by the Texas meltdown and the 1986 tax changes that dropped income property values by about 25% overnight. He recovered, and did so without cheating anybody or running a shady series of infomercials with deceptive and deceptively priced products.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A hard read, but of some value., October 31, 2008

By 

mark nw "mark nw" (NW WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Succeeding: How to Choose the Right Goals and Increase Your Chances of Achieving Them (Paperback)

Succeeding lays lifes' lessons, dos and don'ts out in black and white. It's pretty meaty, straight talking and doesn't pull punches.

On the front cover,
"How to choose the right goals and increase your chances of achieving them". How true.

Excerpts from page 4 chapter 1;
"You belong somewhere. One of the main purposes of this book is to help you figure out where you belong then help you get there as early as possible in your life."........"You belong with someone. Another of the main purposes of this book is to help you find that person.".......... "Succeeding is being where you belong with whom you belong. Wealth and fame may be part of your success, but not necessarily. You can have great success without either."

HOWEVER

Succeeding is a hard 185 pages to read. If you are driven to succeed it may not be that tough for you. For some it might just be a review of their lives and may help focus efforts. Others that can't identify with it will probably never finish it.

You immediately find that it's his biography, it's his thoughts, his stories, his family, his life lessons and life experiences and it's all over the place and awkward at times. Has very good albeit elusive info in it. Be sure to buy a highlighter pen, as it's difficult to pick useful info out of each paragraph with chapters and paragraphs that don't flow well.

Would make a great textbook for a class in school that had 3 months to cover it. This would be a great parent/child project in small doses. I could only read a page or two at a time, and sometimes had to reread it. To digest a whole chapter in a single sitting was quite a feat. Somebody have a cliffnotes version of it or an outline?

Would I buy it again? A definite Yes! Giving my copy to my son-in law.

I do not know John and am not in any way affiliated except for having bought this book. (and a highlighter)