Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation (Hardcover)

by Mike Robbins (Author), Richard Carlson (Foreword)
Key Phrases: proactive acknowledgment, choose positive thoughts, cultural negativity, San Francisco, United States, Kansas City Royals (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Motivational speaker and professional coach Robbins sets out for well-worn territory, turning out a useful but unsurprising exploration of the power of positive thinking and the art of appreciation. Like self-help titles such as The Secret, Robbins insists that like attracts like, and to get what we want in life we must focus on what we want (rather than what we don't). In this never preachy three-part primer, Robbins explains how the simple act of appreciation can change our lives, making up in empathy, anecdote and readability what he lacks in fresh ideas. In part one, Robbins analyzes the effects of living in a culture of negativity and fear, which keeps individuals from connecting with others, and from seeing the good in both people and life. Part two elucidates his Five Principles of Appreciation ("be grateful," "use positive words," etc.) and part three is about putting the principles into action ("it's not what we know, but what we do that matters"); exercises and "positive practices" throughout give readers further steps to put appreciation's power to work in daily life.
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Review
Motivational speaker and professional coach Robbins sets out for well-worn territory, turning out a useful but unsurprising exploration of the power of positive thinking and the art of appreciation. Like self-help titles such as "The Secret," Robbins insists that like attracts like, and to get what we want in life we must focus on what we want (rather than what we don't). In this never preachy three-part primer, Robbins explains how the simple act of appreciation can change our lives, making up in empathy, anecdote and readability what he lacks in fresh ideas. In part one, Robbins analyzes the effects of living in a culture of negativity and fear, which keeps individuals from connecting with others, and from seeing the good in both people and life. Part two elucidates his Five Principles of Appreciation ("be grateful," "use positive words," etc.) and part three is about putting the principles into action ("it's not what we know, but what we do that matters"); exercises and "positive practices" throughout give readers further steps to put appreciation's power to work in daily life. "(Aug.)" ("Publishers Weekly," September 3, 2007)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (August 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787988790
• ISBN-13: 978-0787988791
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,346 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book!!, August 15, 2007

By	Jessica Bart-Williams (Bay Area, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book - perhaps better identified as a work book - is a simple journey, using several practices in appreciation and acknowledgement that become a portal out of a cynical and resigned way of life into a world worth living in. Ask yourself, "if there was nothing wrong with me, and nothing to fix or change, who would I be and what would I do with my life?" By the end of this book, you will be that person, living that life.

Mike Robbins has written this book with a genuine approach. Instead of browbeating the reader with his expertise (which he could very well have done), he joins with the reader on this journey, sharing delicate and intimate moments of his life along the way. In so doing, he creates the space for taking this simple and elegant process very seriously.

Before reading "Focus on the Good Stuff", I considered myself highly trained in positive thinking, transformational process, etc. However, I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that I never thought I could impact how I thought. I knew I could sound good, I knew I could do good things, and I knew I could turn situations around on a dime; but I never thought those knee-jerk negative thoughts would ever go away. And if they didn't go away, I would always be compensating for them somehow. Those days are gone. Inside the space created by Robbins' process, I was able to retrain my thinking. Now, by simply shifting my attention outside myself, my experience of life has expanded. I'm regaining the passion in my life by focusing on what's out there and what's available to me, rather than what's wrong. I highly recommend this book.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A BOOK THAT SHOULD BE READ BY EVERYONE!, August 28, 2007

By	John E. Welshons (Northern New Jersey) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In today's world where civility, kindness, and generosity have often been replaced by rudeness, cynicism, conflict, and self-absorption, Mike Robbins offers us a delicious and refreshing reminder of the power of appreciation. This book is both beautifully written, and easy to read. It reminds us that happiness is difficult to come by in a "culture of complaint." But the simple act of consciously focusing on what is good, noticing what we have to be grateful for, and offering appreciation to others can magically transform our lives and our hearts. The Power of Appreciation offers a much-needed reminder of the spiritually uplifting experience gained by simply cultivating an enduring sense of gratitude. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Focus on the Good Stuff hits the mark!, August 18, 2007

By	Gerald Benoit (Walnut Creek, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Do self-help books really help? The best answer to this question is probably that some hit their mark with a select few, while others hit home with practically everyone who reads it. I believe that Focus on the Good Stuff is the latter - it will be of value to all who read it.

There have been a lot of books written about positive thinking, but author Mike Robbins' book takes the reader into a unique look at the power of appreciation.

Mike shows how negativity will influence our lives unless we consciously undertake actions to move toward a more positive life. Negativity - about things around us and of our own selves - can be replaced by appreciation. And it is a set of simple acts that reaps a world of good for all.

It's actually both a book and a workbook, allowing the reader to take action.

I come away from the experience finding it easier to appreciate those around me as well as a deeper appreciation of myself.

Wouldn't the world be a better place if everyone could find a little more happiness this way?

I give the book a five star rating.