Somebody stop me! I am in the midst of further changing my life for the better and found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow in the book The Aladdin Factor by the New York Times bestselling authors of Chicken Soup for the Soul - Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. Life is great people and we each have a specific task to fulfill during our lifetime! If you need a jump-start in awaking, finding or rededicating yourself to your purpose in life then this is the book and a great tool to utilize!
Be forewarned, you will need to read this book several times in order to absorb all the wonderful, practical, and life altering information presented within it's pages! Who knows, maybe you'll follow suit and find a partner to work with you through the book the second time you read it. A friend of mine and I have each read the book and plan on starting our New Year off right by doing the exercises and sharing our self-discoveries with each other - chapter by chapter week by week. If you are serious about applying the information in this book, YOU will not be sorry! However, this book is so rich and so informative that if you read it at least once, you will see changes in your life if you apply the material AND you will learn how to ask for and receive the things that life holds for you!
Now on to the content of the book, throughout the first two sections of the book the authors creatively include their wisdom and the lessons they wish to bestow upon the reader hidden in the story of Aladdin and the magic lamp with the genie. This approach is both entertaining and enlightening, and keeps the reader's attention focused on the overall theme of the story, but also leaves the reader subconsciously taking mental notes of the information presented for personal use once the book has been completed.
The most unique and fundamental information is presented prior to the start of the story. Chapter One is entitled "The Five Barriers To Asking: The Main Reasons We Don't Ask for What We Want". How about that? They are going to dispel any preconceived notions that you and I have AND they are going to lay it on the line by telling us why we don't ask and therefore don't receive. By this point in the book the reader can sense serious life changing information is being presented, which is a great sign since it is only the beginning of the book!
According to the authors, the five reasons why we don't ask for what we want are:
(1) Ignorance - we don't know what to ask for, we don't know what is available and possible, we don't know what we really need/want, and we don't know how to ask.
(2) Limiting and Inaccurate Beliefs - we are programmed by our parents, schools, major media, religious training, etc. One of the greatest examples used that has stuck in my mind ever since I read the book was the following - Many people who are in relationships fall into this trap - "If you really loved me, I wouldn't have to ask". If you think about it, that statement is just plain silly! We are all human and we cannot read minds. I've used this one myself on many occasions and Canfield and Hansen made me stop and really think about what I was expecting from others in my life. If I cannot read their minds, how can I realistically expect them to read mine? Do you know how much heartache and hurt feelings we could completely avoid if we would learn that this notion is not true? We all need to learn how to develop our communication skills more and this book is a great place to start!
(3) Fear - fear of rejection, fear of looking stupid, fear of being powerless, fear of humiliation, and fear of abandonment.
(4) Low Self-Esteem - feeling of unworthiness and the feeling of "my needs" are not important.
(5) Pride - afraid to appear weak and needy, fear of other's judgment, and the notion that we are supposed to be able to figure things out for ourselves.
After the authors lead the reader through Aladdin's journey and lessons learned, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen tie up the book nicely with the third part entitled "How to Ask, Who to Ask and What to Ask for". Not only do they tell you how to ask, they tell you how to ask at home, how to ask at school, how to ask at work, how to ask the world, how to ask yourself and how to ask a Higher Power.
The authors also skillfully teach you how to give of yourself, how to strengthen your relationships (in all areas of your life), how to turn rejection into acceptance, how to be diplomatic, how to be a person of excellent character, how to persevere - and that is only naming a few! I couldn't possibly list all the things you will learn from these fine authors, or else I would end up rewriting their book word for word!
If you have read any of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, which I am guessing about 99.9% of you have, you will find the same content and style that has made Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen both famous and bestsellers. They include stories of the lives, trials, successes, and lessons learned by many different people. They also include their well-known and awe-inspiring quotes as found in their Chicken Soup series, which drive the lessons home effectively! I just love their use of quotes.
The Aladdin Factor by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen is a "must have" in the personal home library of any individual who seeks to become a well rounded and a successful person in all areas of their life. Happy Reading!
Lisa Vaden
