You, Inc.

by John McGrath

Providing a message 'be the best person you can be', this book enables you to apply this to both your business and your life. It also includes advice being open to change; positive thinking; goal setting; achieving clarity and focus in your life, work and business; and accepting responsibility for your successes and failures.

Genres: Business

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2003

Reviews

[Miki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually loved this book.

Simple but really effective

I wish he had more anecdotes and stories, but I have come to look at the entire McGrath business in a completely different light now.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work is more business focused than his previous effort You Don't Have To Be Born Brilliant, some of his ideas are more focused and he presents some new ideas. For the average person I still feel his earlier work is a better choice.

Combined summary from the two books:

* Do what you love with commitment and desire and success will follow
* Do not put all of your eggs in the one basket. Have 6 or 10 prospects. Work on 5 or so life goals each year - even if you only achieve 2 it will still be a great result.

Mind
* empowering beliefs - think positive - surround self with positive and inspiring people - banish negativity and limiting beliefs - passion.
* Positive thinking and persistence can conquer anything.
* Focus on what you can control - don't stress what is outside your control
* Attitude is everything

* kaizen - push just a little further each day, gradual improvement snowballs and leads to world class.
* procrastination, self doubt, etc - never go away, you just get better at dismissing it
* RAS - reticular activation system.

Goals: have daily - short term / under 90 days - long term / over 90 days
Steps:
1. Identify goals - aim big
2. write down in order of importance and achievability
3. put a date on when it should be finished
4. break it down in to achievable lists
5. make a small start
6. review progress regularly
7. be accountable - give a copy of goals to someone / ask them to keep you on track


* Look after the big things in life the smaller things will fall in to place around it - health and fitness, personal relationships, peace of mind, personal development, career and finances,. rate them out of 10, anything less than 8 needs serious attention - plan now.
* create routines, systems and checklists in ordered to get things done quickly, consistently and stay on track
* Be aware of your time and spend it wisely - most precious commodity
* Focus on productivity
* learn to say no and delegate what you do not enjoy and are not good at
* get the most important thing for the day done first
* simplify - prioritsing is important, however learning to eliminate or delegate is better
* 75% of our daily actions are habits, make them good and healthy

Review blockages to success
* excuses - opportunity to lay blame elsewhere
* distractions - anything that takes your attention from what is important to you doing or achieving
* FEAR - false evidence appearing real. Stress, fear apprehension and embarrassment - ditch them all
* resilience and persistence will overcome anything
* trust your gut and intuition
* sacrifice - give up something of lesser value for something of greater value. mindless tv may bring some enjoyment though a good book will be more fulfilling
* knowledge is useless without implementation
* inspiration fuels implementation

* conduct personal audits and annual review
* habits - appearance, attitude, self-management, personality, persistence, honesty, communication, taking action
* Ask those around you to rate you and suggest how to improve
* honesty and integrity are essential in life and business
* personable, smiling & friendly - well presented
* reliability - give 110%, under promise and over deliver - always try to give a little more.

* "there is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way." - christopher morley
* be totally clear about what you want and what you will do
* anything is possible
* surround self with great people - big thinkers
* always keep promises
* set high standards
* take action now - keep momentum
* worst mistakes in business - lack of clarity, working in business rather than on business, no plan, no accountability and poor tie management
* keep business plan short and simple - where you are now, where you want to be and how you will get there.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this book up at the cheap store about 7 years ago. I hated my job, I was confident I had a mediocre life ahead. My life had a total about face after reading this book. My bank balance has not changed but my outlook shifted. I would not read this if you have read other motivational books as it is the same rhetoric spun differently, however as a first time reader in the genera it was a powerful book.

[Lyn Daffurn]

First couple of chapters are relevant to most people's lives and useful. Middle chapters relate to business people.