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Kenneth W. Christian

Your Own Worst Enemy: Breaking the Habit of Adult Underachievement Hardcover – October 8, 2002

by Kenneth W. Christian (Author)

70 ratings

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Do you suffer from any of the following?

Procrastination
Wide swings of mood and self-esteem
Ambivalence in making decisions
Dreaming big, but never following through

If you or someone you love isn't living up to his or her potential -- and suffers from even one or two of the above feelings -- here is a program that can help. Your Own Worst Enemy is the first book devoted to the problem of adult underachievement, a problem stemming from common behavior patterns that can manifest itself in almost every walk of life -- from twentysomethings stuck in dead-end jobs to outwardly successful businesspeople who can't help feeling they've missed their true calling.

In Your Own Worst Enemy, Dr. Kenneth Christian details the telltale signs of what he calls self-limiting behavior -- everyday habits that can seem harless (like taking unchallenging jobs) or even worthwhile (like setting absurdly high standards), but that over time can send high-potential people into a tailspin of dead ends and frustration. He identifies underachieving types, from charmers, who substitute congeniality for effort, to extreme risk-takers, who casually gamble their future away, to best-or-nothings, who refuse to play if they can't win. And he offers practical 15-step guide to help underachievers shake off their old habits and start taking an active hand in their own future.

Filled with persuasive case studies and useful advice on everything from overhauling workspace to remaking self-image, Your Own Worst Enemy will help underachievers everywhere visualize their goals, break through their barriers, and start realizing their unlimited potential.

Print length

286 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Harper
Publication date

October 8, 2002
Dimensions

6 x 1.01 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

0060393920
ISBN-13

978-0060393922
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Mary-Elaine Jacobsen
256
Paperback
93 offers from $1.99

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Underachiever, and proud of it," read millions of Bart Simpson T-shirts in the early 1990s. But lots of adults aren't proud of their underachiever status, and Kenneth W. Christian has written Your Own Worst Enemy: Breaking the Habit of Adult Underachievement to help them overcome this habit. People who have a fear of failure and commitment, organizational difficulties or a tendency to misjudge success's demands will benefit from Christian's 15-step program, which focuses on visualizing and achieving goals. Christian is the founder of the Maximum Potential Project, an organization designed to help underachievers, and his book offers case studies and tried-and-true advice.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Christian does a good job describing self-defeating behaviors and pep-talking readers through groundwork for defeating them..." -- Mike Maza, Dallas Morning News, November 17, 2002

"People who have a fear of failure and commitment, organizational difficulties or a tendency to misjudge...demands will benefit..." -- Publisher's Weekly, September, 2002

"This is a life-changing, life-saving book. [It] is the best self-help book I have seen in...20 years..." -- John Porter, Gallery, Virginia National Public Radio

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper; 1st edition (October 8, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 286 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060393920
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060393922
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.01 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,783,353 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #51,951 in Personal Transformation Self-Help

Customer Reviews:
70 ratings

About the author

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Kenneth W. Christian

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Kenneth W. Christian, Ph. D., is a licensed psychologist whose focus is on helping people and orgnanizations express their true potential.

In 2002 published Your Own Worst Enemy: Breaking the Habit of Adult Underachievement, ReganBooks, HarperCollins, 2002, (paperback 2004). He also authored, with Dianne Hales, An Invitation to Personal Change, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2009. He has been cited in Psychology Today, the Financial Times, Selling Power, and Investors Business Daily and others.

Ken has been a professor, clinician, speaker, and organizational consultant. His team-building experience began as leader of a multi-racial, group of community paraprofessionals that became the highest-rated in the nation; it included being coach of his then ten-year-old daughter's softball team all the way to the league championship game, though lost due to tragically impaired umpiring!

Ken lived in Paris from 1999-2002, speaks French, and, with robust accompanying hand gestures, can find a good restaurant in Spanish.

Customer reviews

5 star		58%
4 star		20%
3 star		10%
2 star		6%
1 star		7%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Awetabon

A mishmash of what you already know

Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2019

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The first part of the book is very unpleasant, and many of the examples are “off the mark,” or irrelevant to me. But I think it is necessary to get a good look at oneself and how you have been living your life. The author believes adult underachievers had it too easy as a child, since they were quick to learn and considered special by the adults. As a result, they live life timid of failure and unraveling that ego they have built up for themselves.

The second part of the book is a mix of exercises, including visualization. It is very familiar to visualization exercises and other discovering yourself kind of creative healing exercises. Personally I feel that it is too coddling. But if it’s repeated in so many books, maybe it’s worth a try?

The last part of the book focuses on attention, and that is also a theme of many books, hence the title of this review, a mishmash of what you already know. It seems that the book doesn’t target only underachievers, just the general population that is unhappy with their lives and seeking therapy.

2 people found this helpful

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Peepah

Has affected me...

Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2013

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I haven't finished this book yet, but so far it is actually helping me. This is one of the only books of this type that has really stayed with me and changed my outlook and thoughts about certain things. I feel confident that it will continue to enlighten me and help me overcome problems of underachievement (and all that entails). It has answered a lot of questions that I have had about myself and many other people I have known, especially people in my age bracket and those who were obviously very, very gifted or intelligent that didn't do anything with it or didn't fair well in the 'real world' as 'adults.' I wish I had read this book a long time ago. I recommend it for anyone who has suffered these issues.

The only problem I have with the book so far is that the labels used can be convoluted and confusing. That really needs to be more clear/concise. It could use more helpful advice vs. case study type info.

4 people found this helpful

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David E. Schwartz

Diagnoses the problem and offers solutions

Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2014

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Were you a child with a high-level IQ that has spent your adult life struggling with underachievement? If so, this book is for you, and especially so if you'd like to change it.

The author busts open the myth that "Little Johnny Genius" did poorly in school because he was just so smart that he was bored. Instead, it speaks of the fact that such kids having always excelled and relied purely on their intellect rather than work ethic. Then, one day, they wake up in high school and discover that they do not have the skills to excel without trying and decide it is easier and safer to simply not try.

DId you know that (according to the author) 50% of genius-level students do not graduate high school? What a revelation! Imagine the pattern of failure that can develop after that.

Make no mistake, though; this is not a book about children. It is a book about the adult that child eventually becomes, and the traps and pitfalls that continue to plague such people.

The step-by-step solutions this book offers are extraordinary, although the implementations are not easy by any means.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jameelah Anderson

It Took Forever To Read, But Well Worth It

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2018

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This book is tailor made guide for adults full of talent no results. Im truly glad that I found it. The key in winning with this book is to DO ALL OF THE EXERCISES. Seriously. Dont skip anything. As he points out, talented exceptional people tend to overestimate. You want to avoid that this time, for the first time and just do the work. You'll be pleased with the results.

3 people found this helpful

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L. Davis

Worth the read!

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2017

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A lot of interesting observations...not for everybody but several good points in realtion to this field.

One person found this helpful

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J. Pitts

The Advice and Exercises are Very Helpful

Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2013

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This is a really good book by a really good man. I've talked to the author, who really seems to care about people reaching their goals and potential in a world where most people just trample over the other person to get theirs without lending a hand to help the other person achieve their goals as well. He also offers workshops for people.

In any event, I found this book useful and helpful.

5 people found this helpful

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Colin

An extremely helpful text. Absolutely a 5 star read.

Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2016

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I have not taken the time to read the negative reviews of this book. I usually look at those first as they can be very insightful. I haven't bothered though with this book.

This book 'speaks' to me. It was the right book at the right time. Its one of those where my highlighter runs out quickly or more that I shouldn't bother highlighting as I'd color the entire thing. It is straightforward and honest and deals with what the title says. I googled 'getting in my own way books' and it led me to this one. I can report that as of yet I haven't completed this book. I'm about 1/2 way through. I have been busy applying what I've learned thus far from this book. This is a book I plan to read several times through. It requires effort and work. I requests that the reader dig into themselves and their lives. It has helped me tremendously thus far. I absolutely give this book a 5 stars. There's nothing fluffy or silly new age psycho babble. It's direct, straight-forward, no non-sense and gets to the source of discontent. I highly recommend it.

4 people found this helpful

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Malcolm Gorman

An eye opener

Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2007

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This book is well written, well thought through. It's like the self-help equivalent of David Allen's Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity which is more the well-honed practical guide. Your Own Worst Enemy covers the psychological side thoroughly and effectively. In particular, it describes what may be called gifted-pride (a sideways reference to the role of pride in neurosis in Karen Horney's Self-Analysis) which holds us back because there is sometimes more pleasure in being a potential achiever than in actual achievement. This book will strip away your excuses and home in on your self-defeating thoughts and behaviors.

5 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Oluwakemi Soremekun

Great Writer - Great Book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 19, 2014

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I am currently reading this book again because it's just that good. Unlike most most self-help books that are big on theory usually new-age impratical advice. "Your own worst enemy: breaking the habit of adult underachievement" is a book that is very big on practical tips and tasks to help crack the problem of persistent underachievement. As someone who has sometimes failed to live up to my potential, this book has been a real benefit in helping to recognise the patterns and habits that have been holding me back and handle them accordingly.

The middle section of the book where Mr Christian outlines 15 tasks to help break long-held habitual behaviour is particulary useful and worthwhile. Doing the tasks as prescribed is worth doing no matter how long it takes. Going through the process helped me achieve some breakthroughs. In fact the tasks were so useful that I am repeating some of them again.

I would definitely recommend this book.

5 people found this helpful

triciaquilt

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2014

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very enlighted

One person found this helpful

M.S.

Great book!

Reviewed in Germany on May 16, 2021

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Important insights easily explained. TOP!!

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