Practice Management Books

I've read this book from cover to cover. I've read many books on software development, software processes, best practices, qualitative approaches, and quantitative approaches, many from SEI. This book has to be one of the top two. For software professionals in leadership positions facing today's pressures of delivering quality software that meets customer expectations according to plan, this book is a must-read. You will be able to implement techniques directly into your organizational processes and deliverables with considerable ease. Kolawa and Huizinga have forged a grimoire that should be on every software leaders' desk, be they Project Managers, Software Architects, PMO Directors, of Vice Presidents of Development. Here are the key take-aways from this book:

1. Clarity: All concepts, practices, and examples were extraordinarily clear. There was never a question as to what was meant, or confusion in the information conveyed.

2. Readability: The text is very user-friendly. Coming from a very technical background, I tend to read challenging and complicated material. In this book, you were able to frame both technical and complex material in a readable way. In other words, I never had to re-read anything in the book. All of the material was very easy to understand. I feel the ability to effectively reduce complexity to simplicity is the hallmark of good authorship.

3. Implementable: I found the practice-side of the book to be what I call `out-of-the-box.' This means I was able to take material directly from the text and apply that into my process(es) or deliverables with very little work or trouble. (I actually did this multiple times.) This is a testament to the subtitle of the book, Best Practices in Software Management.

4. Usefulness: The book is actually aimed at being useful within for-profit businesses. Theoretical books are good for concepts, but it's up to the readers to find ways to translate the theory into executable practices (which often is beyond the role and responsibility of the readers). Your book actually bridges this gap, and provides mechanisms to help readers implement valuable techniques into their organizations, independent of their infrastructure.

These four points make a huge difference for readers looking to improve their software development processes to ensure profitability, cost savings, and customer satisfaction. Producing quality software while building defect prevention into your processes is key in today's competitive software marketplace. With these techniques, your organization will continue to become better, managing, reducing, and even eliminating the traditional sources of defects in software deliverables. You won't be disappointed in buying this book, as you'll refer to over and over again as you build process improvement into your organization.

What sets this book apart from other software quality management books is its focus on real-world solutions. Many quality improvement strategies sound great on paper, but are impractical to implement because they end up slowing project progress and stirring resentment throughout the ranks. Rather than ignore the demands of modern day development, this book embraces them. The result is a refreshingly realistic approach to boosting software quality... while at the same time actually improving team productivity and developer satisfaction.

This book offers a straight-forward, realistic approach to solving challenges of day-to-day projects that the software industry faces. Not only does it address the necessity of technology businesses to increase efficiency and productivity, but it also takes into account the psychological need for individual software professionals to be challenged and intellectually fulfilled on a daily basis. The powerful gains of software automation are amplified by the strategic best practices described in this software management book.

Automated Defect Prevention delivers a realistic approach to the nagging software quality problem. If you are responsible for developers who deliver business applications, you need to read this book. If you are an software architect or engineer, the book will offer a pragmatic road map to achieve incremental productivity gains within your software development lifecycle.

When I read this book I had a huge realization. Most of the quality initiatives that I had been involved with or observed had introduced (or layered on) additional tasks and responsibilities for either the architect, developer or QA engineer. Over time, these layered tasks ultimately resulted in dragging down productivity. Investing in the *correct* infrastructure to automate the monotonous/repetitive is the key to success. Quality should be the outcome of intelligent investment in productivity.

One issue I have with the software industry is that too many project managers, or stake holders managing software people, lack the understanding of just how important software quality is and how it can benefit the software teams and products. As the people most accountable for what happens with a software initiative, managers should have a solid understanding of what options are available to improve developer skills and the software they release. This book provides that needed information and helps explain who is responsible for what tasks, when they should be considering phasing in a particular practice and the benefits of a given item.

I like the way the information is presented in this book because I feel a project manager would be able to quickly evaluate a practice for phasing in without facing an all-or-nothing approach that some other books take. If, for example, a manager felt that they enjoyed the chapter on testing models, this book provides the information on what is needed, the benefits and the roles people need to take to phase that approach into their teams.

I enjoyed this book and I wish that more development teams used many of the practices in this book. While there were samples at the end of the chapters and a chapter on case studies, I would have liked to have seen a bit more information on difficulty and time constraints presented within some of the sections themselves. Overall this is a great book and definitely worth having on your desk.

Detailed, comprehensive and nuanced: the info is presented in a variety of ways made easy for every type of reader. Each systematic analysis is accessible via key-point charts, procedural outlines, step charts, & schedule charts - as well as lucid text. I would not have expected sections on preparing a data room, selection & structuring of so many functional prep teams, how-to's on retention planning, post-deal process assessment, etc. Inspires total confidence. Referenced with a 7-page Index.

Almost any business person would rather do an acquisiton than a divestiture - making a no-nonsense business approach a must.
This comprehensive guide takes you through all the steps. From the initial strategic discussion which centers on analytics instead of emotional political biases or 'sacred' company history; to the project management of the sale transaction; to the softer human issues (which are usually given inadequate analysis).
If you are looking for a pragmatic guide to a process that can get emotionally charged - this is your book.

Not only a lucid thorough and very practical guide, it also presents a wide mix of strategic theories and analyses for corporate planners. The authors clearly come from the real world involved in these events. It will be a prerequisite to newcomers and other professionals involved in these activities.

This one-of-kind guide provides a step-by-step road map for all practitioners of divestitures -- whether on the front-lines or the executive suite. It hits upon the many issues that are often overlooked in the divestiture process. Having been through many divestitures at large billion-dollar corporations and at smaller private companies, I have seen how divestitures can receive short shrift. Following "Corporate Divestitures" logical and highly informed approach will provide your organization with significantly increased shareholder value for the deals consummated. I particularly like the chapter on Disentanglement, an issue, which when poorly planned can bring not only major headaches, but also significant unanticipated negative financial impact. Chapter 5 is a must read!! Thanks for doing justice to a vitally important topic that is usually overlooked.

This is great guide for people interested in executing a successful transaction. It's not your typical M&A book that is filled with professorial theories and indecipherable MBA lingo. This is for people who need to make it happen. Its step-by-step approach provides clarity and confidence to those who look to turn theories into action.

I took the classes & didn't understand much but as soon as I got this book I read it about 20 times before i took the exam. I believe this is the one reason i passed the exam and i recommend this book to anyone that wants to pass the exam. I learned more from this book than the Teachers i had in class and i had no prior knowledge of coding. But I passed the Exam on the first try and I am the youngest coder in the hospital. So it's worth the extra money so you can pass the exam on the first try :) good luck!!!

I believe this book helped me pass my CPC exam. The CD ROM is great because it keeps track of your time (which is just like the real exam). Great product

I thought this book was very informative and helpful in preparing me for the CPC Exam.I liked the Cd-Rom which was included because that helped me monitor my own progress in reference to what i learned from the material in the book and also if I could complete the exam in the time allotted for me to take it.I would recommend future exam books like these to others who may be taking the same exam in the future.

THe content is thorough and well presented. Includes your medical terminology and anatomy with the prospective system being taught within each chapter! Chapter quizes and op reports are terrific. GREAT tool for preparing to take the CPC exam!

This book helped me a great deal to study for my final in the PMCC course. I would reccomend in highly.

This book is a useful tool for anyone who feels they are held back by their own habits and beliefs. It examines the self-limiting behaviours which we can succumb to - from procrastination to insecurity to alcohol abuse to a host of other habits - and provides real answers as to how we can work on turning these behaviours around to start living up to our true potential. The exercises are great, as rather than just reading the book the reader has a chance to really examine which sabotaging behaviours apply to them and how they can make changes to avoid repeating mistakes they may have made in the past. It makes it a much more relevant and useful book and would be the main reason I give this book five stars. The worksheets give the book a really practical applicable side, which other books of this nature can lack. They encourage and aid you in really examining your own situation and how Sheri's advice can be applied to help you, rather than just reading case studies of others. A real help!

From Sabotage to Success is an appropriate title for this book. It reflects my own personal journey from a place of despair and lack of information to one of empowerment and success. My journey continued as I found that the strategies I used to overcome my own self-defeating behavior were just as successful in helping others overcome theirs. This book was born out of years of personal experience as well as working with others to end self-sabotage.

I have taught workshops on overcoming self-sabotage since 1992. In the beginning, before each workshop I wrote a lesson plan but the participants always added new ideas and insights which further enhanced each proceeding workshop. Eventually, my notes turned into handouts, then book chapters, and finally a full-fledged book. Throughout the book I provide real-life examples of persons dealing with a wide range of self-defeating behavior. I outline step-by-step techniques to overcome self-sabotage and each chapter ends with a task list and action plan including worksheets, journal ideas, charts, and graphs to help readers apply the principles of the book to their daily lives.

I sabotaged my own success for many years. It wasn't until I began to change my old self-talk and stopped associating with negative, unsupportive people that true change occurred. I found that self-sabotage is often due to impatience and unrealistic expectations. I discovered that small, manageable goals followed by feasible rewards were an effective way to gain and maintain success. When you begin to focus on solutions, goals, and successes instead of problems and limitations, you can choose to recreate your life at any time, despite age or background. This book focuses on a holistic view of success. Rather than concentrating solely on material or career accomplishments, I invite the reader to define his or her own concept of success to include contentment, balance, and peace.

My hope is that this book will help you feel more alive; that you will see your own value and cease acting in self-destructive ways. I offer many time-tested techniques for you to do so. The rest is up to you. I would love to hear about the successes you encounter as a result of applying this book to your life.

From Sabotage to Success(or by another name, REACH YOUR FULL POTENTIAL)by Sheri Zampelli is an easy to read and very practical guide to overcoming barriors in our lives.I use the book everyday...one of the best self-help books I've ever used.I really would encourage everyone who is interesting in their personal growth to buy this book.

Ever wonder why life is not showing up for you the way you think it should? Have you considered that you could be the only obstacle standing in the way of success? And speaking of success: Do you know what your personal success looks like? If you've answered "yes" to the first and "no" to any of the following: Sheri Zampelli can help you.

As you may recall, I recently read and reviewed Zampelli's Donate Your Weight Weight Loss Program. After doing so - I rushed to collect the rest of Zampelli's parchment. Why? For starters, I like the way she leads readers from A to Z helping them overcome the most important obstacles: the intangible ones. After all, these are the challenges that keep us standing in our own way. And she uses this methodology to help readers overcome all of life's greatest challenges - including, but not limited to, weight loss.

She does it in this way.

In From Sabotage To Success, Zampelli first asks you to get to know and be honest with yourself. Through carefully crafted exercises, she asks you to step forward and review your "self" and your life - deciding your "role" as you see it. This information may surprise you as most of us define ourselves through others. Once established, this "coming clean" with regard to the past and present creates a jumping off point for charting a path to a destination of our own choosing. Next, you will create the ideal life you see for yourself. Zampelli asks you to "fast forward" and create this life by building your ideal version of it. You'll then back peddle into reality and prepare steps forward to reach this destination.

Said differently, Zampelli asks the hard questions that we are afraid to ask ourselves. For example: She challenges us to make absolutely sure that our goals for ourselves are truly our goals. Why? She explains: most often roadblocks to success come when we define ourselves by others and the groups or "tribes" to which we belong. Therefore, to identify our authentic selves is the first cut to reaching personal success. Secondly, Zampelli helps you realize the hidden ways you can Sabotage this process - ways that until now you may not have recognized. Mostly this involves letting go of the negative ideas we currently hold about ourselves - those which often stem from our childhood.


Perhaps you are overcompensating for your past by:

Controlling others?
Putting off your life?
Holding back from expressing your feelings?
Waiting for things to "work themselves out"?
Focusing on the negative?


Zampelli tells us, it's time to stop. In the second portion of the book, she leads readers by the hand to help us find our own definition of success, then offers exercises that you can use to work through these and other hurdles that could be standing between you and your vision for yourself. Here, she uses many of my favorite tools like creative journaling, mind mapping and affirmations. These will all help take you from where you are to where you'd like to be. This book then, becomes a personal roadmap to freedom.


From Sabotage To Success will be even more effective for those who:

~Have read every self-help book imaginable and still have found themselves stuck in their same old patterns.

~Are interested in changing the habits associated with self defeating behaviors that can keep them from reaching their full potential.

~Want to identify personal roadblocks, bring them to the surface to heal, then move on to claim the success they know is theirs.


The three best things about From Sabotage To Success in my opinion are:

One: Zampelli uses examples, anecdotes and stories from other real life individuals that exemplify the struggles we all face. This helps me identify with the issue at hand, realize I am not alone and that I am not "different" or "crazy" for having the feelings I do. In turn, this helps me to heal and overcome my highest hurdles.

Two: Zampelli fills the book with exercises, thought provoking ideas and tools. Soon after reading, I found myself excited about my life again. Through identifying and removing ways I stand in my own way through negative thinking - I've learned to identify when I'm "unhealthy." Free from negativity, I'm liberated to be excited about my life and the possibilities it holds for me.

Three: Zampelli, as customary, presents all of her work in a "been there done that" format. It's hard hitting as her story is a deep and painful one. Yet, this accessibility is exactly what makes Zampelli's books worth reading and applying - she speaks from her own passion to overcome obstacles, and her passion to succeed becomes contagious.

A Final Note: Just like her other work - this is not a book you will finish, close, then never look at again. It is a reference book you can consult over and over. As usual, I always choose to take the broad brush stroke first, then walk back through slowly - taking each exercise one at a time. Zampelli has penned another winner here - and she takes you right along with her.

I found From Sabotage to Success to be a delightfully fresh approach to presenting psychological theories, techniques, concepts, and jargon into an enjoyable, easy-to-read format. Ms. Zampelli offers a fresh new approach to presenting a wide array of comprehensive self-help techniques to just about any person who picks up the book!

Although I have read probably just about every self-help book on the market, I found Sabotage to Success to be among the very best of its kind. Since it is my observation that most of the women who I work with tend to sabotage their own chances for happiness and success, I will be recommending it as a "Must Read" for all of my clients. If you want to improve your life in any way, this book will help you discover what's holding you back...and what you can do to grow.

Cathy Garger
Personal Coach

This book was recieved quickly. I founds the book to be very informative and useful. I found the answers to several of my questions I had. I will keep the book close to use for a reference and I am sure I will use it a lot. Thanks.

I have the 4th edition (at this time is the most recent edition in print) and as a psych home care nurse, this little, portable wealth of knowledge has helped me validate to management, as well as to public health and other surveyors, the range in situations that qualify "homebound status" for psychiatric patients. Throughout the book there are samples provided to support a variety of situations that help the nurse better understand, and therefore more accurately report, on each sector of the OASIS forms. Medicare regulations are explained in detail, and I learned information that I had not known in the 14 years I have been doing mental health home care nursing. The manual provides a history and background of homecare, its evolution, provides an overview of documentaion, including the importance of coding, and its significance in home care. Also, valuable tips on improving the nursing visit, setting achievable goals, managing the case, and the guidelines for care for all the home care disciplines, are provided, so the nurse can be knowledgable regarding the roles of the other disciplines. There is a great resource section at the end of the book, and home care definitions, roles, and abbreviations are delineated in this manual as well. All home care codes are listed.

With the often-confusing regulations and data gathering tools out there, at least we on the front lines have this portable manual to help us sort out our assessments and evaluations into the accurate coding and leveling criteria that supports what we do, what we observe, and allows for the appropriate revenue to support the levels of care our patients require. As OASIS data-gathering evolves, newer editions will be needed to keep up with the miriad of changes that will ensue, but at least here is a standard we can all make good use of, and I am willing to bet every nurse, from novice to manager, will find something in this manual that was not known or delineated as well to them in the past.

This manual would also make a wonderful teaching tool for nursing students. They may as well learn early on how intricate the data-gathering tools are in the real working world. Accurate notations on the OASIS forms can either make or break a case, not only regarding reimbursement, but as to whether the levels of care, and variety of disciplines, that you feel are needed, are allowed to provide services to your patient. Hasty and inaccurate translation of evaluations and assessments onto the OASIS forms results in inability to justify to Medicare that the levels of intervention you are requesting are appropriate.

I love this book because, being in the home health industry you have to know what you're charting. If charting is lacking then you will not get the full reimbursement that you are entitled to. Thanks alot.

i had the early verison and used it for making my care plan. the content is now updated and still valuable.

A MUST resource guide for all nurses who work in the Home Health industry.

A refreshing book that focuses its energy on the qualities of leadership beyond "book smarts." This was a real eye opener!

This approach to leadership is comprehensive and easy to understand. The wholehearted leading approach embraces the four chambers of competency, intimacy, integrity and passion, and illustrates how they work together in a synergistic manner to provide the foundation for effective leadership. Each chamber of the heart model is critical for success. Informative with practical applications!

Few books on leadership provide as clear, dynamic and strategic guidance and insight as The Seven Acts of Courage and The Heart of Leadership. They provide the reader with a sound and useful foundation upon which and rom which to grow. In my experience as a Personal and Professional Development Coach, I have had the pleasure of working with many individuals who have read and studied these books and find these individuals not only motivated, but inspired by the principles they have gleaned. Perhaps the greatest benefit of these books is that the principles they present are readily teachable to those being led. Dusty's insights and intimacy are powerful and penetrating. Dusty sets the leadership bar, both higher and deeper!

The FOUR Chambers of the Heart model makes this approach easy to visualize, grasp and learn. It teaches a balanced approach to leadership -- all parts of the chambers are equally important. I recommend this book to everyone. It's a GREAT book!

In Robert Staub's The Heart Of Leadership: 12 Practices Of Courageous Leaders, lays out an articulate inquiry into, and explanation of, critically essential aspects of effective business leadership including competency, intimacy, integrity, and passion. Articulate, educative, ardent, and inspiring Staub offers a thoroughly "reader friendly" and practical presentation that is very highly recommended for anyone charged with an entrepreneurial or business management responsibility, from the smallest company to the largest international corporation.

This book is a wonderfully engaging, well-written autobiography; it also brings vividly to life a crucially-important part of recent US social history. Charles Halpern worked at the heart of an era of progressive change in law and society that started in the 1960s, and he stayed creatively active even throughout the subsequent period of reaction--which arguably has lasted down to the present day.

But Halpern's autobiography goes further even than providing a vivid, personal chronicle of our recent past. It also gives readers a present-day model of and incitement to progressive change-making. It models change-making as an intensely creative and imaginative activity, as it charts Halpern's succession of activities as an architect and leader of Center for Law and Social Policy, the nation's first public interest law firm; then as the designer and first dean of the CUNY Law School, an educationally and socially innovative institution that focused on public interest law; and ultimately as head of the progressive Nathan Cummings foundation. The scope and sheer variety of Halpern's constant, ongoing innovation and institutional invention is fascinating and even breathtaking.

At the same time, Halpern writes of what informs and grounds this unusual creativity. His book is also an account of intellectual and spiritual growth, as Halpern experiments with and incorporates contemplative practice in his life--drawing on it to sustain and empower him in his public career. Halpern then feeds back personal discovery back into institutional creativity, as he sets up a series of programs devoted to transforming intellectual and professional practice in a wide variety of fields--in law schools, colleges, universities, and social movements.

Making Waves and Riding the Currents takes a life well-lived and transforms it into a book that will interest, involve, inform and inspire generations of readers.

I highly recommend this engaging memoir, which is an inspiration and fast read. Charles Halpern graduated from Harvard and Yale, and parlayed a legal career into the first public interest law firm and law school. Upon discovering meditation, Mr. Halpern, incorporated his practice into his life's work. As a result of Halpern's efforts, oil pipelines were put in Alaskan soil sustainably, DDT was banned, public interest lawyers found their needed education, and graduates started influential environmental groups such as EarthJustice. The ripple of Halpern's positive wave continues, and you can catch it by reading Making Waves and Riding the Currents.

No matter what your political persuasion or your profession, this book is a great source of wisdom and insight. Beyond a fascinating history of the birth of public interest law, Charlie Halpern provides a deeply personal and affirming account of how to pursue one's ideals in a way that is nurturing of our deeper selves and respectful of others. A key lesson of this book is that it is not just what you stand or fight for, but who you are and how you act as you do it. By cultivating an awareness that allows a deeper wisdom to emerge, Charlie points to ways we all can contribute to the world in a way that contributes to far greater tolerance and balance, without compromising our effectiveness. And in the process, we also become healthier and more loving and also create a world that reflects this.

Making Waves and Riding Currents is a book that everyone should read. No soft tale here but a journey not unlike rafting white waters. Charles sees the real and the ideal, the what "could be and is not yet", takes time to grasp the whole, sees the way and then takes it. He combines courage, a genuine interest in life and a willingness to "live and learn" both on a professional and personal level. This is a story of major entrepreneurial ventures that impact our own lives, created and co-created, experienced and shared in ways allowing every one involved to learn, use their experience, as well as to question and relinquish old patterns, recognize blocks and crack open into wider realms of understanding and living that center on Wisdom. This book documents changes in thinking that have make our society more humane and just. This is not your usual "lawyer" story. This is speaks to everyone's potential to develop wisdom, played out large, and saying: Come on, you can do it! I can't stop thinking about what one life can do.

From the beginning of this tale of Charles Halpern's remarkable accomplishments, it was obvious that he was an intelligent, effective individual with many skills. But competent doesn't necessarily mean wise. Fortunately for us readers, interwoven with the story of his doing is the story of his psychological/spiritual development -- the story of his growth in wisdom and the integration of that wisdom into his many activities.

Halpern had the courage to place himself in a wide variety of challenging, often uncomfortable, growth-fostering situations. Too many to recount here, they included a winter camping adventure in the Adirondacks, a week-long vision quest based on Native American traditions that included many hours in a sweat lodge, and a five-day mindfulness meditation retreat led by Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. This last was a watershed event, about which Halpern wrote: "The experience of extended meditation practice...awakened my interest in exploring the connection between meditation and wisdom. Could I undertake to practice wisdom, living the wise life that would generate wise actions and decisions? Could this be a new way to approach activism, to start from the place of wisdom and compassion rather than the place of anger and insistence on legal rights?"

Meditation became a central focus in his life, and numerous retreats followed. To some extent facilitated by the Nathan Cummings Foundation of which he was now President, he met and got to know many of America and the world's foremost spiritual teachers. "Longtime meditators and respected teachers," he wrote, "gave me a new model for a way to be in the world--committed to serving others, cultivating wisdom, being open to changing themselves, and exposing their own vulnerability." Currently, Charles Halpern is Chair of The Center for Contemplative Mind and Society.

MAKING WAVES AND RIDING THE CURRENTS is a truly inspiring and uplifting book. It is the tale of a life marked by great accomplishment and developing wisdom, told with an engaging frankness about his own vulnerabilities by the man who has lived it.

As an owner of my own design business I cannot express, both the business and personal benefits of this book. It will make you more profitable, more fufilled, less stressed and all around ahead of where you were before....

Dr. Cloud has an impeccable ability to communicate to the reader in a straight forward, no bull kind of manner .... perfect for the multi-tasker, busy professional.

A must read!

Interior Design Professional

Henry Cloud once again gives a fine exposition on how to live your life without inherent conflicts.

In an age when self-help, self-improvement books line shelves and racks of every bookstore, it's difficult to find a book that stands out. This one does. Author Henry Cloud offers a perspective that applies to many situations I have observed, many I have been a party to.

How often have you watched interactions slide into disaster because someone, a boss, a spouse, a sibling, failed to define limits and then stick to those limits? How often have people crossed your personal limits without knowing they were? Could the disaster have been eliminated before it destroyed a relationship? Can you actually improve your life by clearly setting limits in your relationships? Those are the sticky wickets Dr. Henry Cloud tackles in "The One-Life Solution."

For me, the whole book was a thought-provoking review - of people and situations I have observed, of situations in my own life I could have prevented or handled more effectively. I thought of friends who won't set limits for their children - and what a disagreeable experience it is to be around those children. I thought of times I allowed people to go beyond my personal boundaries because I was trying too hard to please. I thought of the times when work was routinely a 24-hour-a-day ordeal, and how I could have managed the demands placed on me more effectively. I decided what I would do in the future to avoid or mitigate such situations.

Author Cloud will show you how to set limits effectively and actually improve situations that may now be causing you significant discomfort. He focuses primarily on work relationships, but the problems and solutions he presents fit many human interactions.

You'll find this book especially helpful if you're hiring friends or relatives, so don't miss the tips found in the Appendix. They're pure gold.

I highly recommend this book - for bosses, employees, spouses, lovers, friends, and parents, that is for everyone. If we take his advice, openly declare our boundaries, listen and observe the boundaries of others, our relationships will improve - for everyone involved.

The author does a good job of defining the grey area
of boundaries. Dividing lines are needed to live a
good life- one undisturbed by constant interruptions.

A boundary provides structure so that work and other
issues do not invade our spare time without escape.
People need to gain control in order to relax, plan
and catch up with an ever growing schedule.

The author asks the question " Which areas of your life
do you control? " . If work or play takes up 100% of the
time, then realistic boundaries aren't being set.
These problems are encountered by young people. For
instance, friends may occupy an inordinate amount of
time leaving no opportunity to complete studies or
household duties. Resultingly, people need to develop
and implement rules to ensure that important
activities are scheduled/completed in every event.

At some point, people need to be assertive when their
valuable space or time is being taken up without
a compelling rationale. The volume is excellent for
any individual who seeks to plan to enjoy a more
wholesome and pro-active lifestyle.

Dr. Cloud has an amazing ability to articulate extraordinary complex psychological principals in a manner that any person can comprehend. This book gives the reader a blueprint of what is possible should he/she choose to take ownership of their life. The section that I love the most was "Follow the Misery and Make a Rule." Dr. Cloud does an excellent job in describing how despite all of the modern "advances" that technology has brought us (i.e., email, pda's, blackberry, cell phones, etc.) we, as a society, have become more "disconnected" from our loved ones due to the increasing demands placed upon us. The importance of creating structure and deciding where, when and with whom we will spend our energy and time is clearly evident as these can be a source of energy or a major distraction to accomplishing our goals. As I finished reading this book I felt a sense of empowerment, hope, excitement, and sheer joy for I read on it's pages exactly the tools which I have needed to assist me in completing the tedious process of completing my doctoral dissertation. I have already begun implementing the tools that I have learned from this book and they have made an amazing difference! This book can help anyone learn how to have balance in their work, home and family life. Dr. Cloud has done a stellar job and I recommend this book to anyone who desires to grow or who is in the growth process. Thank you Dr. Cloud! CD, MS

Being that this was my first major operation, I wanted it to go as smoothly as possible. I listened to the instructional CD as soon as I received it and followed the suggestions. Three days before my surgery I listened to the guided imagery and it helped me to relax and anticipate nothing would go wrong during or after the surgery.

The voice was very calming and the exercise was very easy to follow. It had me so relaxed I didn't need as much pain medication before or after.

I very much recomend these relaxation exercises to anyone who is contemplaing surgery.

I used this cd for the month before surgery, day of surgery and recovery time. It helped me tremendously and I highly recommend it to anyone facing surgery or procedures of any kind. I think pre-op dept should be offering this cd to their patients.

Deep relaxation, combined with guided imagery, can help you prepare and heal before and after surgery.

Dr. Martin Rossman, M.D., begins this CD with an explanation of the benefits of guided imagery. He explains that research shows that those who use guided imagery prior to surgery have better outcomes, faster healing, and even less loss of blood than those who do not use these methods.

In soothing tones, he then presents 3 exercises (about 25 minutes each) that will help you:

1) Prepare for a successful surgery
2) Prepare on the day of surgery
3) Heal well after surgery.

Surgery is stressful on the body and the psyche. This relaxing CD can help you use the power of your mind to visualize healing and a good outcome. And what we can imagine, we can often produce.

This CD was very effective in helping me prepare for surgery and recovery. I would recommend it for anyone facing surgery.

I found this CD very helpful. His voice is very soothing & his visualization methods worked for me very well. I listened to it for about a week before surgery and plan to share it with any friends or family who will be going through surgery. I am myself, a certified clinical hypnotherapist and thought this CD was extremely helpful & highly recommend it.

This book is very cool. I think people forget that we are creatures of habit, and that the best way to open ourselves to new experiences and beauty is to know ourselves very well and accept a stable path - the regular giving of joy often equals the regular receiving of joy. Well, whatever. This is a bit off track from what the author talks about, suffice it to say that he has a great point and I highly recommend this book.

I found the book to be very informative, entertaining and well written. Highly recommend it!

Author Mark Cornelius helped me realize that a rut (understood as the two grooves in the road originally made by the wheels of a Roman chariot), is not neccessarily a bad thing. A rut is merely the already "grooved" path I'm on, my road, my way and his book showed me how to manage my rut and how to move forward so I don't get stuck so I can continue, as you Yankees say, my "Life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness___!"

After Author Mark Cornelius helped me define my right RUT, my "groove," he helped me with a plan to manage my rut and get from wanna-be to gonna-be! Excellent book for finding or refining your passion!

[What is this new Amazon "insert product link"? Well anyway below is a link to another book I highly recommend]

The A Club: What is an American?

The focus of this book seems to me to be to help one see the benefit of perservering on a well thought out course, and it does so beautifully. For me, its blessing is the realization that the rut I am in is not getting me to any place I want to go. It is a wake up call. Thank you Mark A. Cornelius. I will keep your book to remind me of your wise advice and renew my enthusiasm.

This is a great book. Mark Cornelius has a style that reminds me of Dave Barry. It is a fun way to look at the ruts and routines of life.