Megabastard.....great observations..as always
....now then, that being said.....will you please be my tutor? I'll trade ya an hours worth of a nutsack shine for an hours worth of your teaching. Deal?
Gumbagshinner
Alright, you left the organization.... now what?
by thecarpenter 24 Replies latest members private
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thecarpenter
Hello all, I guess it was that book salesman mentality that led me to recommend Covey's book (years of book salesman training kicking in)
But in all seriousness, I have noticed amongst many of my JW friends a slackness of how to accomplish things for themselves. Most of my JW friends are not college educated, don't have good jobs, constantly complain about their problems, etc... The ones I noticed who generally did better have ignored some of the society recommendations and did things in a way that made sense for them long term. (Went to college, trade school, bought their own house, etc, etc..)
I have read a number of self-help and motivational books such as Tony Robbins, Dwayne Dwyer, Dr. David Burns (I like his books), Stephen Covey, Richard Carlson, Robert Kiyosaki, Daniel Goleman, and so on. If I had to make two recommendations in helping a witness get their life back in order, it would be Stephen Covey's Seven Habits book and Dr David Burns Feeling Good Handbook (it deals with overcoming destructive thinking habits that can lead to depression and is based on the Cognitive Behavior Therapy works of Dr. Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis - this book is a winner)
The reason I like Covey's work is that all his recommendation deal with solid principals ex. the importance of honesty, maintaining integrity, dignifying yourself and other people, being fair to yourself and to other people and so on. When I first picked up his book, I thought it dealt with becoming a better businessman but on further reading, I discover it was all about becoming a better person. Not everyone has had a solid upbringing with elevating principals guiding them along the path. Too often we have to figure this out all on our own and many years are wasted experimenting on things that don't work well (joining the JW's for one). We are not all imbued with common sense at birth.
Now I'm not suggesting that Covey's work is the end all in helping us to become better people but it does have value. That's why I made the recommendation to read it.
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geevee
MegaDude...great summation
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jgnat
Covey is not your run-of-the-mill get-rich-quick or self-help quack. I heard of ONE PRINCIPLE eight years ago and applying it has revolutionized my work habits.
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thecarpenter
Incidentally Megadude the book touches on financial principals as well. Covey gave the example of Aesop illustration of the goose that laid golden eggs. As the illustration goes, the goose made the farmer who owned him rich. When the farmer got greedy, he pressured the goose to lay more eggs which the goose didn't so finally the farmer killed the goose to get all the golden eggs but actually realized a dead goose with no future income from it. He likens this to natural law, a principle. If you pattern your life to accumulating golden eggs without taking care of the goose who lays them, soon you will loose the asset that gave you the golden eggs. So you need to find a balance between maintaining the asset and reaping the rewards.
He mentions our most important financial asset is our capacity to earn. If we don't continually invest in improving our abilities, we severely limit our options. We become locked into our present situation, vulnerable to the variances of your employers opinion of you, more economically dependent and defensive.
He also liken this principle toward savings and debt, when you start digging into your savings instead of your investment income, you are killing future potential investment income (similar raiding your 401k or Roth). When you start getting yourself into unnecessary debt, you mortgage your future away.
Pretty interesting stuff...
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press any key
now thats freaky
I read this book a couple of years ago (prefade) and loved it, learnt alot and applied a little
then I picked it up to read again last night to go through post witnoid and then wow this topic is here today
I might write into the awake with this experience as it is obviously God leading me in the path of effectiveness
cheers, great summary of the book by the way
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Tea4Two
He also liken this principle toward savings and debt, when you start digging into your savings instead of your investment income, you are killing future potential investment income (similar raiding your 401k or Roth). When you start getting yourself into unnecessary debt, you mortgage your future away. Pretty interesting stuff...
Same as saying "Don't spend more than you have"
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greendawn
These success principles may be fine for some people but to me they appear like stating the obvious, they are common sense instructions as if directed at people that have no common sense. That gets on my nerves, I prefer something deeper and more sophisticated.
That's my take on the issue but other people may well find them very helpful. -
MegaDude
These success principles may be fine for some people but to me they appear like stating the obvious, they are common sense instructions as if directed at people that have no common sense.
True, and true. But how common is common sense?
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itsallgoodnow
I like the FranklinCovey planners ok, but I always felt it was overstepping boundaries a little bit to presume people who buy the planners need Stephen Covey's guidance in every area of their life, and I mean every area. Stephen Covey is a prominent Mormon, and I don't like a prominent mormon telling me how to think, thanks very much.