Book Review: The Answer - John Assaraf and Murray Smith
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I read the Answer: Grow Any Business, Achieve Financial Freedom, and Live and Extraordinary Life sometime last month. It’s authored by John Assaraf, one of the teachers featured in the secret and Murray Smith his business partner.
Why the review?
This one was a tough book to review because there were some really good things and some things I really didn’t like. Nonetheless, it’s a book of some value.
The Part I like:
The Vision Board
If you’ve watched the Secret, you will probably remember John Assaraf’s biggest advice was to use vision boards. I think that’s a good advice. Like they say..
A picture speaks a thousand words
So, visualization and vision boards are a good tool. Vision boards are easier to focus on than sitting down and visualizing at least when you’re stressed out and in the middle of something rather hectic.
2. Some good points on Business
Murray Smith authors the second section of the book which provides more of business advice. He talks about finding out who your ideal customers are, their hot buttons and such. Also some good ready to use tips thrown in at some points.
Case studies are also used to illustrate various points so they are quite helpful.
3. The Appendices
The Appendices are rather good.
One of them is the customer survey forms (one for B2C and another for B2B) - a good starting point for creating your own surveys for your customers.
The Second one is a listing of hot buttons for major industries and some common marketing channels
The Parts I didn’t like:
1. Not Enough Action Steps - A bit too much theoretical explanation
That maybe helpful for a lot of people but I personally don’t like reading too much of why a theory should work. I prefer learning how it works in daily life and ways for me to use it. So, reading pages upon pages of explanation on the Law of Attraction kind of bored me. Although, to be fair..it’s not just all about the Law of Attraction.
My recommendation:
Read this book if/when you feel you need some inspiration and/or motivation.
Personally, I’d give it a 7/10
My Bias
Before you take my word, let me tell you..I’m heavily cautious when it comes to books that try to prove the Law of Attraction saying Quantum Physics proves it. It’s not that I don’t believe in the Law of Attraction, I do but if someone says there’s a scientific proof for something..I’m not looking at just examples of things happening. I’m looking for hard science backup.
How to Turn a Bad Day Into a Brilliant Day in 3 Easy Steps..
photo credit: The Anti-ZIM
Alright..I had what some people might call a “bad day”…
Which meant a perfect opportunity for something like this post.
Had a bad day? Besides the usual finding the cause of the problem and fixing it..here’s 5 other easy steps to ligten your mood..because let’s face it..I don’t know of anyone who’ll sit down and analyze when someone has really pissed them off!
These 5 steps will help you go from “I really hate her (or him)” to “Ok, what’s going on here and what can I do to move on”
1. Watch something Pointless and/or Funny
Like babies laughing on youtube. Seriously, I don’t know why these babies are laughing (when I obviously can’t see a reason to laugh — the world should be mourning this incident with me!). Watch these babies laugh for a couple minutes…it will take your mind off the problem and will probably make you laugh as well.
2. Use some NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming)
One of my favorite NLP exercises is…this:
Play the incident back in your head (the one that’s upsetting you)..clearly remember the person who has pissed you off…NOW, put bunny ears on them…play back what they said in Mickey Mouse’s voice…change the context…change the colors…change their voice..change their height..
Besides being crazy, it is also a proven technique..try it out…Mickey mouse trying to piss you off? With bunny ears too! I don’t know about you but I’d honestly be busy laughing..not getting mad..
3. Blow up!
Alright..the most sensitive of the 3 approaches. Use this only as your last resort.
There’s two ways to blow up..
One is to really blow up and tell them how mad you are..
The other is more entertaining…it will give the devils among us more joy 
Tell them how much you appreciate them and how they saved your life…sarcastically!
Here’s what happened today. I was at a store and clearly the lady on the counter was trying her best to make things incredibly difficult for me. I needed to speak with her manager…Here’s how it went..
A. being polite me, I line up..the line is huge..there’s only one counter open.
B. I get there….so I ask one of the people there if I can speak with the manager..
C. She tells me the manager is on the phone and so..I’ll have to wait..
D. I wait for about 10 minutes and I’m getting a little irritated..(you know how I HATE wasting time)
E. I line up again…this time there’s a different lady (the one that pissed me off..atleast the one before was polite!)
F. Then she starts acting like she’s the bodyguard to the president or something. I mean, excuse me, I’m asking to talk to a fricking manager not the Queen!!
G. Anyhow..I tell her my reasons..she isn’t convinced and she’s definitely RUDE
H. So she gives me a vague “look around the store!!!”
I. Fine, I really needed to talk to her…so I decide to hunt for that person…(I’m half deciding to just give up and go home)..but after 15 minutes of not finding..I’m back lining up (i don’t know why!)
J. Now, this lady there sees me waiting in the line for what 10 minutes? I finally get to the counter..This is when I feel like slapping her.
K. So, she tells me the manager can’t talk to me because she’s busy…too busy to talk to a customer? And, guess what the manager was busy doing? Gossiping on the phone!
L. Whatever…the lady at the counter continues to be rude and I’m at the point where I feel like yelling at her.
But…Yelling wouldn’t really help here would it? I mean I’d let my frustration out but..thatd still leave me frustrated! I wanted something to clearly show her that I was mad and still get some entertainment out of it.
So…that’s when you bring up a sarcastic lecture on how much you appreciate their help.
Makes you feel really good and (hopefully it will make them realize their mistakes)
For me, the lady did..
And I got a bit of entertainment out a horrible experience..
*use step 3 at your own discretion
5 Things You Can Do Today To Get More out of Your life
Do you want more out of your life? Trying to figure out how to get “the edge”?
Here’s 7 things you can do today..
1. Figure out what you really want.
Do you know what “the edge” you’re looking for is? Do you know what your most important goals are?
Do you know what you want out of your life?
Do a quick self inventory and find out all the values that are important to you..
Write them down
Now, ask yourself what is the future you want to create?
Write that down in a couple sentences too.
2. Find a charity you’re passionate about and help out!
A little depressed? Get out of yourself and try giving. Make someone else’s day and your day is easily made beautiful!
Find a charity or a cause you really care about.
What is it?
Is it raising money for breast cancer research? Volunteering with the kids? Making sandwiches for the homeless? Fighting AIDS? What is it?
Personally, the cause I’m most passionate about is clean drinking water and sanitation in the third world. If that interests you, please check out Hydraid.org
3. Shut up and Listen
Give your mind some rest. It really works. A relaxed mind = highly productive mind. Instead of having to talk talk talk all the time, practice some quietness and listening to others.
A lot of BIG problems can be solved if we are only willing to shut up and listen to others who are offering us the solution!!
4. Plan How You’re Going to Do It
A goal without a plan is…..still a dream.
Sit down and plan how you’re going to get to your goals. Your plans can change later, the important bit is to give yourself a point to start.
5. Create Time for Things That are Important
Tired of running around all day doing “nothing”?
Find out what values are important to you..
Make them your priorities and learn how to manage your time
Create more time for your goals and your family
More time for things that are important to you = satisfied you = brilliant you!
(sidenote - start with my FREE Time Management Course here)
6. Give More than Expected
Working on a new project? Doing something for someone else?
Give it a little more..
Whether it’s taking action towards your goals or doing something nice for a friend..
A. It suprises them
B. It suprises you (Seriously it does, difficult project? Persist a little more and you have something to be really proud of and celebrate)
C. It makes you happy
D. You almost always get positive results
