Customer Reviews
Deep, deep undercover - By: D. C. Palmer, 31 Oct 2008 
I've enjoyed everything I have ever read on Steve Pavlina's website, but for me the first half of this book is way too deep. There is so much depth that seeing the immediate practicalities is so difficult that it spoils the read. So much attention is required that I frequently pick it up only to put it down again - it's not academicallly difficult, just, well, wearing. I hope the seond part is better & more practical.
What a cracking read! - By: P. Nelson, 15 Oct 2008 
If you haven't heard of Steve Pavlina then you have to check his website out: www.stevepavlina.com.
I have read only the first half of this book, but that's alll you need to read to know a classic. This book is by far the best in its category, it offers crisp, clean & clear, no bulls**t explanations as to why your failing & how to succeed. Its not about false confidence, lying to yourself or doing the Tony Robbin's chest pounding exercise - its about finding the reasons, the core reasons, as to why you fail & then rectifying them.
To use an analogy most self help books are like looking at an object at the macrocosmic scale & moving it about, PDSP is like looking at the world at a quantum - fundamental - level & manipulating it as such.
I urge you to buy it. I urge you to take what he says very seriously. I urge you to look at your life through the lens Steve Pavlina holds up for you, because you will be shocked, & if your like me, a little disgusted by what you see - or the lack of what you see!.
It's not fluffy nonsense, it's not mumbo-jumbo rubbish. Its clear cutting, straight to the point practical information. It will help you, & it will also make you slightly ashamed you've lived like you have for so long.
A breath of clear fresh air... - By: Mr. C. A. Jackson, 25 Sep 2008 Steve has managed to condense a great deal of material into 154 pages. Pages that will serve you for many years for it is certain that with each re-reading you will gain new insights & aha's into areas within your life that are in need of further clarification, care & attention.
These are likely aspects which you may have been unconsciously avoiding or that you now recognise need re-visiting for fresh insight. So to this end its fair to expect the reading of the book to feel uncomfortable at times as you are challlenged to explore the truth of its key themes & subsequently recognise where you are in denial or failing to apply them wholeheartedly in your life. You may feel little pangs of panic from your lower self as it senses change knocking once more at your door, because, as you've likely already discovered, it does not matter how much personal work you've done ~ there's always another level to explore. This reaction is of course a very useful sign.
Steve states that he _"... set out to find the common pattern behind alll successful growth efforts, to identify a complete set of core principles that would be universallly applicable."_ & that furthermore _"First, these principles must be universal. They must be applicable by anyone, anywhere, in any situation. They must work equallly well for alll areas of life: health, relationships, career, spiritual growth, & so on. They must be timeless, meaning that they can still be expected to work 1,000 years from now, & they would have worked 1,000 years ago. They must be culturallly independent: they need to work for alll those living on Earth, as well as for people aboard a space station in orbit. They must work both individuallly & collectively, so they're effective for any group of any size."_
The result of that enquiry is the following themes:
* Truth: Accept reality & rid your life of falsehood & denial.
* Love: Improve your ability to connect with yourself & others.
* Power: Build your motivation & discipline to create the life you desire.
* Oneness: Stop fighting against resistance, & make the world your allly.
* Authority: Take command of your life, & learn to make clear decisions.
* Courage: Summon the inner strength to take action in spite of fear.
* Intelligence: Live authenticallly, & express your genuine creativity.
These themes are further clarified & explored in part one of the book & then looked at from a highly practical standpoint in particular relationship to the following key areas of your life.
* Habits: Create a daily routine that gives you a sense of flow
* Career: Build a career you're truly passionate about
* Money: Achieve financial abundance without compromising your integrity
* Health: Adopt health habits that empower your physical body
* Relationships: Enjoy loving relationships that help you grow
* Spirituality: Raise your awareness & live more consciously
He offers a wide variety of questions, challlenges & practices in relation to these that when answered, tried & explored, have the potential to yield tremendous benefits in your life in terms of becoming more you, more real, & ever more deeply satisfied & fulfilled.
However at no point does he suggest that any of this is likely to be particularly easy, quite the reverse in fact, but he always maintains that the rewards are worth the effort & that with the right inspiration & personal alignment its not so hard to summon the resolve to meet any challlenge honestly & courageously.
Steve Pavlina is obviously a very clever man, highly skilled in the use of his mind & applying it logicallly to any & every situation including mathematics, computer programming, chess, gaming or whatever & he is clearly highly intuitive to boot. To my perception his great strength lies in delivering, intelligent, linear, thought out, rationalised & intensely practical approaches & solutions to the difficulties we alll face in creating deeply fulfilling, happy, meaningful lives for ourselves. This he does without any extraneous nonsense or embellishment,
It is a wonderful gift but can feel a little "dry" & that is about the only criticism that I'd level at his book. I felt at times like I was reading an _owners workshop manual for life_, it is perhaps more practical than inspiring.
I felt there was a huge amount of information about what to do but somewhat less there to actuallly inspire & motivate you to get on & do it beyond the inherent truth & wisdom callling you to action from the pages. Of course, this should be enough but I suspect that to a populace so currently gripped in victim & blame culture that there may be many who shy away from such positive action.
For those who are ready though its a massive gift & they will likely pick up this book & sigh inwardly..._"oh... at last, at last, thank you...". I'll certainly be ordering my hardcopy when I finish writing this.
Another wonderful aspect of his approach is not that he is saying _"be like me & you'll get great results"_ but rather that he is simply saying use these principals & apply them to You in Your way & You will get the results that You uniquely desire. Its highly empowering.
I highly recommend it.
