It's Called Work for a Reason! Your Success Is Your Own Damn Fault

by Larry Winget

Are you frustrated by your lack of results at work? Have you hit a wall? Are you uninspired, stuck in a rut, feeling underappreciated? Well, good news: Your success is not up to your boss, your manager, your employees, or the economy. It's up to YOU. Studies say that we actually work only half the time we are on the job. So think about it: When you say, "Bye, honey, I'm going to work!" what is it you're really heading off to do? And how is it contributing to your overall success? Business is never bad, people are just bad at being in business. If that makes you mad, this book is for you.

It's time for a swift kick in the pants from The Pitbull of Personal Development, Larry Winget. Stop making excuses for your lack of success and stop acting like someone owes you a living! Remember the work ethic of your parents and grandparents and make yourself worth more than you cost. That's the way to get ahead, and there's no big secret that will get you there quicker.

Larry is here to ruffle your feathers and show you how to take responsibility for your results. Whether you punch a clock, own your own business, or manage other people, Larry's advice will work for you. Find out why: Success is simple, Teamwork doesn't work, Our co-workers are really only "co-goers", Results are eeverything, You don't have to love your job (but it helps!)

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Self Help, Personal Development, Leadership, Finance, Humor

Audio

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Larry Winget is a motivational speaker and writer on the topics of money, personal success and business.

Reviews

[Loy Machedo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seldom if ever, do you have a book that there will be placed on two extreme sides of an opinion. This book qualifies for that ‘once-in-a-blue-moon’ phenomenon.

Larry Winget with his ferocious teeth of wisdom, his Pitbull persistence and his Irritating persona has managed to do it yet again. This is a book you will either hate or love – I can assure you nothing in between.

If you are an employer you would wish to employ this as your official HR Manual going to the extent of ensuring each and everyone employee of your company reads passages of this book each and everyday – more like the general assembly and prayers; practiced in many schools as a regular ridiculous ritual.

However, if you are an employee, you will want to burn and detest this book with every inch of your life. It would more like the infamous ‘Book of the Dead’ in Evil Dead. It will haunt them, give them less sleep and ruin their existence forever. I mean can a book get more brutal, blunt and boisterous than this?

On a very sincere note, I can tell you without a doubt, this book made me uncomfortable - really uncomfortable, simply because it was the truth – and nothing but the truth. It just simply strips down the working environment to the simplest forms. But now even with all these praises, I doubt this book will do well.

Why?

We are a planet where people do not want to get out of their comfort zone. In fact, if I were an employee working for a company, I would hate Larry Winget to my very bones. I mean I love being lazy. I love being paid for no work. I am used to this culture. We as employees feel we are doing this universe a favor by our mere existence. And when you have a self-help guru coming out of nowhere ready to destroy that amazing luxury with hard-work, sweat and blood – no way in hell!!!

Now would I recommend this book?

Yes, without a doubt. Simply because these are the gems of wisdom I wish were inculcated into me since the day I was born. They are devoid of all the glamorous garbage motivational speakers sprinkle and techniques which are simply stupid, impractical and purely laughable.

When I closed the chapters of this book, I could say, yes, nothing said here is like a ‘new’ technique or something revolutionary. But I would conclude by saying simply this, if common sense was more common, we would have lesser problems in the world today. Larry Winget is fortunately for us a wild cowboy who is not afraid to shoot from the hip. Sometimes may be we need just that – A wild cowboy like him to help us make the change.

Overall rating – 8 out 10.

[Vlad Ardelean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was youger when I read this, and even though I was more naive back then and it made a whole lot of sense to me then, it still makes some sense now.

In the discussion regarding the amount of control we have on our lives, the author clearly sides on the "american" school of thought claiming that succes is your responsibility.

I still remember one anecdote from the book, it goes something like "Some top manager of a company needed someone on a management position. He looked around and saw a guy who always comes first and always leaves last. The manager said 'how about promoting that guy?'". Well sure that definitely makes some sense...in my experience though both very inefficient workers AND workaholics...AND people on badly managed teams will be putting in extra hours.

Another thing I remember from this book is the encouragement to just be 10% better than the rest of your competitors.

Though reality is always more complex than what these self-help books, it's good to read some of these things from time to time for keeping the motivation up.

Overall even if simplistic, the author seems genuine and his ideas are very non-corporate-bs.

[Anthony McDowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really wanted to give this book 3 or less stars because the guy comes across as a jerk, but then I look and I have 2 pages of notes front and back, so even though I would never work for someone like him, there is enough information to warrant 5 stars. I don't have to like him, but his book served its purpose.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it so far. What an eye opener! If you are a sissy... do not pick up this book. It's a tell it like it is kind and you have to be open to getting it.

[Annotaré · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Everything has a price, including both success and failure. Choose either one and be prepared to pay the price.”

… and if you cannot accept that, or you are a bleeding heart Liberal, sloucher, complainer, irresponsible, or unable to hear Blunt Truth…Don’t Read This Book. PERIOD!

Larry Winget, aka The Pitfall of Personal Development® writes bluntly about owning a business and being an employee. He gut punches, so if you are thin-skinned, don’t bother to pay Amazon the $9.28 (the best money you will ever spend) to discover truths that have made Winget an international speaker — and rich man!

Some topics to topple your old ideas include: No one owes you a living, You don’t have to love your job, Become invaluable, How to absolutely destroy the competition, and Teamwork doesn’t work. Quoting Gregory House, MD, from the Fox TV series House, “There is no I in TEAM, but if you jumble it all up, there is a ME.” Winget suggests creating Superstar groups of individuals who share a common goal — getting the job done. And this may mean as the business owner or manager, getting out of your employees way.

Winget warns readers in his Preface there may be parts we won’t like and might make us mad. He doesn’t give a whiff. Not his problem. Get over it and read the book or put it down. He will tell you of the thousands of business books he has read, most have been a “total waste of time.” He pretty much says the same about motivational books and speakers. His philosophy through experience is that: (1) People motivate themselves and, (2) Everyone does what they want to do, when they want to do it, and not until then. That said, he advises to unload dead-weight employees ASAP; that it is cheaper to train employees, that, “... stupid employees are more expensive.” And, “It's cheaper to fight bad employees when they are on the outside of the company.”

Winget’s advice to be the invaluable employee, on customer service, on respect and ethics; how not to put up with foolishness from employees, employers, companies, and in general life, is forthright and for this reader, “Right On, Bro!”

Bottom line for Winget is Respect, Honesty, Ethics, taking Responsibility for our decisions and actions and that, “Your Success Is Your Own Damn Fault.”

Read it and love it garnering the simple basic truths honed by our grandparents, practiced by our parents, put-down in the 60s, forgotten by the New Millenniums, and unknown by every complainer jamming up the Web these days. Winget says it like it is and I for one find his take “refreshing.”

Recommended for business owners, employees and anyone that can handle gut-punching truths.

[[ASIN:159240281X It's Called Work for a Reason!: Your Success Is Your Own Damn Fault]]

[Gabriel Ursan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It's Called Work for a Reason" de Larry Winget este o carte directă și provocatoare despre importanța muncii grele și a responsabilității personale în atingerea succesului. Winget, cunoscut pentru stilul său franc și fără menajamente, oferă cititorilor sfaturi practice și motivaționale pentru a-și îmbunătăți atitudinea față de muncă și viață.

Autorul subliniază că succesul nu vine din noroc, ci din efort constant și disciplină. El critică atitudinile de victimizare și lipsa de implicare, încurajând cititorii să-și asume responsabilitatea pentru propriile acțiuni și rezultate. Winget pune accent pe etica muncii, punctualitate și dedicare, subliniind că acestea sunt esențiale pentru a obține performanțe remarcabile.

Deși stilul său poate părea dur pentru unii, mesajul lui Winget este clar și puternic: succesul necesită muncă grea și o atitudine pozitivă. Cartea este o lectură recomandată pentru cei care doresc să-și schimbe mentalitatea și să devină mai eficienți și productivi în viața profesională.

[Marco · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a gift from my formal, new at the time, employer. It is practical, realistic, and helpful. This is a book new generations should read so that they understand why it takes work to do your work (No pun Intended).

[Vovka · Rating 1 out of 5]

Garbage. The rants against unions, sexual harassment claims, and advising women to forgive men for thinking “with the wrong head most of the time” were the worst parts, but there’s lots more where that came from. A shame, really, because there are some gems of advice within as well.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a reason why the indomitable Larry Winget is an Irritational Speaker. He irritates people who are expecting quick fixes and feel-good solutions. You'll get common sense suggestions and boot to the butt observations.

[Angella Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the no BS, blunt, common sense advice about work and business this book offers. So many common sense things have been lost in policy, lack of training, and no customer service. I enjoyed this read

[Petra Gelu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I was gonna hate this book because it was just gonna be three hours of a man yelling at me. It was exactly that but I lowkey loved it. I’m almost embarrassed but honestly I could see myself reading this one again later on.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic for a reason

[Kaloyan Ivanov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could be summarized in the last 2 chapters. The ultimate truths of life and business.

[Nestor Georgiev Nestorov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Книгата е добра има много просто формулирани примери, които всеки може да приложи на практика. Харесаха ми примерите как да наемаш и освобождаваш хора.

[Jes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and full of practical, no-holds-barred advice. Worth the read.

[Tammy King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing.

[Nancy]

I started listening to this audiobook - I DNF as I didn’t like being yelled at. I don’t understand all of the author’s hostility.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened as audiobook narrated by Larry himself.
Decent long-run speech on common wisdom topics.

[Kimberly Massengale · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good and quick read. I definitely appreciate the no BS approach and just telling it like it is.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished it, and I know there are parts I may want to read again. There were a few things I could identify with personally. There were also a lot of coworkers that I identified right away as the lazy bums they are that, if they worked for Larry, would have been long gone by now. A lot of this book is common sense, or at least readers may think it is common sense until they start reading. I say the readers may think it is common sense because if everybody actually embraced at least some of the ideas Mr. Winget is presenting the workplace would be a much better place-- we would have better customer service; we would have workplaces where workers put forth their best work; we would have bosses that would not micromanage and would know to get out of the way so those of us who actually work can get on with work.

Mr. Winget has a very blunt and straight style. To some it may seem like yelling on the page, but tell it like it is he does. There is no reason to accept poor customer service. There is no real reason to tolerate shoddy work in the workplace. The fact is these things would go away if more people would stop tolerating them. It's like I say: you support what you tolerate. Now, Winget does not say you have to be rude in order to demand change, but you do have to stand up and demand change--change in yourself and change in others. If you tolerate the mediocrity, you are just supporting it, and in the end, you would be as bad as those mediocre people. It's a pretty simple idea. Another simple idea: you should do the work you get paid for. It's a simple concept. You take the job, and you agree to do it for the pay the boss agrees to give you. Anything else--liking your coworkers, whether the environment is pleasant, so on-- is extra. Do your job. Don't like it, leave, but it does help if you do like the job.

Winget covers leadership and management, the workplace, advice for workers and for bosses, how sell better (and it is not just selling a product. You sell yourself every day), and customer service. Some of his stories will make you smile, and others will make you cringe. I do think that readers, whether they agree or disagree, whether they like his somewhat abrasive style or not, will gain something from this book. The sad thing is that I know many managers and workers will not read this book. I am not a big reader of "business" or "self-help" books, but this is definitely one to read and to reread when you need a little more inspiration. In some cases, you may want to grab the book and smack a certain someone over the head with it, then tell him to read it.

On an additional note, even though Mr. Winget's work is focused mostly on the business world, and a big part of it deals with sales (probably because Mr. Winget does have ample sales experience), there are lessons here for librarians and librarianship. True, we do not exist to generate a profit, but we still deal with things like customer service, our reputations and work ethic, and for those of us in the trenches, we do have to deal with the occasional less than ideal boss or coworker. And in times when libraries are suffering cutbacks, we need more than ever to be selling our products if we are to prove our value and survive. That is not just the business world. That is something we can learn and act upon as well. Overall, this is a book I would like to place in more people's hands, and it is a book I think will provide benefit to librarians who read it, discuss it, then act on it.

[Anthony Deluca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s Called Work for a Reason
By: Larry Winget
Copyright 2007
Reviewed February 2008.

This book is very straightforward, useful, easy, and even entertaining. Larry Winget gives this expectation up front and delivers throughout the book. The background for the book is the experiences and theories of the author. The motivation is very subjective, yet hit a common vein with me, and I would expect would do the same with others. I would not consider this book a solo tool for becoming a better manager, employee, or person. It is, however, a must-read from a base-line attitude aspect.

The title of the book is perfect. Larry defines what work is and should be, and how individuals approach work, both correctly and incorrectly. Early in the book Larry points out a common fact that working folks often forget: “No one owes you a living.” Many people become stagnant in a position or company after being there for a long time. Many develop an attitude that they are entitled to compensation form an organization simply because they are employed there, not because they actually generate revenue for the company. Folks need to remember that unless they are generating more money for the company than the company is paying them, technically they are not fulfilling the job for which the organization is paying them. To me, this part of the book is the most enlightening and valuable. Larry provides many comedic anecdotes from viewpoints both within and outside of a business.

Must you love your job? Larry spends a fair amount of time discussing the facts about weather you really must or even can love your job and how to deal with that. Friendships and other relationships at work, ethics, and the bottom line to keep yourself valuable, selling, are some of the other topics Larry highlights in the middle to latter section of the book. In the end, Larry offers two lists which provide a good overview to remember lessons learned in the book: “Larry’s Dirty Dozen Employee Handbook,” and “Larry’s Dirty Dozen Employer Handbook.”

I consider this book as a great tool to give yourself and members of your organization a baseline attitude check. As I stated earlier, I would not have this be a solo tool for self-improvement. While it points out many valuable lessons in an extremely pragmatic fashion, it may tend to leave one bitter as it points out the very pathetic nature of many of the folks, both leaders and followers, in our work force today. This book followed by the Seven Habits of Highly Effective people would be a great one two punch for self-improvement!

[Liz Licata · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s Called Work for a Reason!
By Larry Winget
5/7 stars
I will admit that I have avoided reading this book for years. Not because I dislike work or am not dedicated to doing a good job. Rather, I had problems with the cover. The front cover of the book is emblazoned with gold lettering and features a man wearing sunglasses, flowered shirt, gaudy rings, and chartreuse boots. First impressions are everything. My first impression was: how could someone who dresses like that teach? I am happy to say that I was wrong. Winget proved to be more insightful than I gave him credit for.

There were a few main takeaways from this book for me.

1. Your job is to get results, not work hard. While I had been putting this principle into action prior to this, it was much more haphazard than I would have liked. No one to date had put it quite this way, and I found it a good shift in perspective.

2. Success is simple, but not easy. Success comes from hard work, being focused and delivering what you say you will. I had come to suspect this for myself. I’ve never heard a success story that went “I got an opportunity and thought, I’m just going to wing this one.”

3. Ethics is never a sometimes thing. I don’t think I really need to go into this more than that.

Stylistically, It’s Called Work is highly conversational. I don’t mind this in general, but I DO mind the excessive use of exclamation points. To quote Greg Proops, “I believe that exclamation points should never, if ever be used.

There was one point which I strongly disagreed with Winget on, and that was the issue of harassment in the workplace. His general policy is “suck it up if no one is actively groping you or threating your job”. This is a naïve way to look at how women are treated in the workplace in general, and I cannot condone that part of the book.

All in all, the book is worth your time.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit, I was biased at first. I thought this book, like many other popular personal finance books would fit into one of two categories:

1: Complete and total BS, the author wrote the book for one reason, *his* personal finances.

2: Another motivational speaker who it tells it like it is.

While the book seemed to have inklings of both of the above abhorrent qualities, it was unique and interesting in it's own right. Larry describes himself as 'the world's only irratational speaker' (trademark) and gives it to you straight, that's the BS part :) I don't really care about that. But those dings aside, the book is interesting and insightful, I've since applied some of the concepts to my working career and become more aware of the traits that my coworkers poses (I'm not talking about the good ones...).

Larry seems to be an every-man man, so he's easy to relate to (unless you *were* born with a silver spoon) the subject is interesting and the book is quick to read.

It's probably not on my top 10, but definitely still on my 'must reads' for people interested in business, and more importantly successful business.

[Michele Huffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book simply because it was different from most of the other business books I have read or been told to read by management. I have been a non-mangement cog in the corporate world for almost 40 years and it was great to read something that wasn't full of team building , feel-good bull crap. I have a shelf full of books that have been given to me by the several businesses that have employed me and they were all pretty much the same. ( The budgets of these places could be put to better use----say for things like a day off with pay ). Larry has a no-nonsense approach that was a breath of fresh air. This time--I'm recommending this book to management. Maybe I can get the corp to pay for it!

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't quite believe I read this book, but I happened to be at a bookstore during my lunch break and saw it. I was having a bad day and wasn't feeling very motivated and thought this might help. I am glad I didn't buy it and just checked it out from the library.
It was cheesy and the author seems quite full of himself. Pretty much all common sense stuff and most "facts" provided by the author are his educated opinions on the way things are. He does make some good points and I can't say it was a complete waste of time to skim through it. It is just a simple reminder that you play a major role in your own success in life. Everyone has excuses but they won't get your anywhere.

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This books has loads of too the point and at times harsh statements on what employees/employers should be doing. What it lacks though is motivation.

There are loads of don't do this but do this ideas mentioned throughout, but all it's really go to do is produce a result of either; "Duh, who doesn't do that" or "Who the hell does this guy think he is?!?!. What's lacking are those that say, "This book has changed everything I've thought I was doing about work and made me more productive." I'd like to see just one person step forward and admit this book led them to a breakthrough after reading.

[Lateefah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hating this book (audio book). The author talks about how lazy workers are...and I can't relate. I rarely get a spare moment at work. So far no useful advice on how to improve performance. Heavy on silly insults and light on actual advice.

And what's with the heavy accent (on the audio book)...the author sounds exactly like Hank on King of the Hill. It's distracting, he should have paid someone to read the book and spared us the accent--but he was probably afraid the hired reader would be too lazy to complete the job.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! There are some pretty harsh statements in it but it boils down to take care of your customer, quit screwing around at work and just get the job done and stop blaming others if you're not successful. He includes some great anecdotes on customer service, or disservice as the case may be, and provides bullet point summaries of the chapters' lessons.

The language is a bit coarse (not for me, I actually didn't notice it but then I'm a potty mouth) so if you're put off by that, I'd give this book a miss.

[Christopher Lewis Kozoriz · Rating 5 out of 5]

You were hired to produce results. ~ Larry Winget, It's Called Work for a Reason

Larry Winget confronts us with the four letter word...WORK. In this book he instructs on many topics related to work. Some of them include:

- What you need to do to succeed at your work;

- What you ought not to do at work;

- Personality types of people at work i.e. The Kiss-Ass, Mr. Positive, Sweet Sally, etc; and

- Customer Service;

He also shares many useful stories from his own life that help illustrate what he is instructing on.

This book is worth the read!

[Borino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Larry Winget is a character. He writes with a no-nonsense attitude and tells it like it is. This is not your typical motivation/new-age/rah-rah flavor of the month. Winget is in your face from start to finish. Good tips, interesting examples, and his own experience make it worth while.

Yes, his attitude occasionally comes across as a shtick, but the book is full of good tips for both the corporate worker bees, managers, and business owners. And it's fun read to boot.

Recommended.