Don't Bullsh*t Yourself!: Crush the Excuses That Are Holding You Back

by Jon Taffer

New York Times  Bestseller and  Wall Street Journal  Bestseller!  Bar Rescue 's Jon Taffer presents a new guide to getting what you want in life and business--to stop making excuses so you can get back to winning.

During his many years as an entrepreneur, consultant, and star of the Paramount Network's hit show  Bar Rescue , Jon Taffer has witnessed the destruction that results when people bullsh*t themselves. Excuses are the root cause of nearly every business and personal problem, but fortunately, Jon knows how to fix your excuse habit for good.

This book is almost as good as having Jon in your face on  Bar Rescue , telling you the hard truths you've been avoiding.  Don't Bullsh*t Yourself!  is Jon Taffer's brutally honest, no-nonsense guide to help you kick those excuses to the curb. If you can stop bullsh*tting yourself and address your real issues, you will gain the power to turn your life around completely.

Taffer breaks excuses down into six major categories, illustrating them with real-life examples such as Marcus Luttrell, the lone survivor of a SEAL team mission in Afghanistan who barely escaped Taliban territory, and Christine King, founder and CEO of Your Best Fit, who, despite being paralyzed in a horrific boating accident, went on to build a successful fitness company. These inspiring stories, combined with Taffer's own experiences, will give you the confidence to identify and face your own excuses head-on. 

It's Taffer Time! Time to stop bullsh*tting yourself and start crushing it!

Genres: Self Help, Business, Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

Published March 13, 2018

About the author

JON TAFFER is chairman of Taffer Dynamics (www.tafferdynamics.com), president of the Nightclub & Bar Media Group, and host of Spike TV's wildly popular Bar Rescue.

Reviews

[Bernard Martis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pompous, arrogant, self indulgent essays that promote the TV show "Bar Rescue" and all the people who collaborate on it.

This is what it looks like when a narcissist takes his resume and blows it up into a book. The entire book is Taffer sucking himself off and ejaculating his "accomplishments" all over my face with as much condescension Taffert could muster.

The sparse and banal advice is actually at the end of each ejaculation (chapter) bearing remarkable resemblance to a PowerPoint slide. If the generic advice was printed on it's own it would barely fit a trifold pamphlet.

[Carter Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really strong and direct points, Jon Taffer goes over many of the issues we face internally that keep us from going after the important things. Each argument, from fear to scarcity is delved into with personal accounts of different people that makes the issues come alive. Great read!

[NET7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stop making excuses for why you are where u are and why u aren't where u want to be. John Taffer takes 6 of the biggest excuses we give to say why we haven't succeeded or haven't gotten where we thought we would be and continually he stresses that an excuse mentality that takes no responsibility for oneself or where they currently are in their life is not only holding you back, it's just true. You are the master of your own destiny. You want something in life, go get it, make it happen. Focus your energies and efforts on REAL and PRODUCTIVE work that tramslates to RESULTS. Cut the negativity and woe is me attitude and make the effort to achieve your dreams, step out in risk and uncertainty, learn all you can, cut out if yor life bad habits, and keep your chin up. An excellent self book for people who need a kick in the pants but for aspiring or starting business owners.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If what you are doing is not working for you personally or professionally and you finally admit to yourself that you are tired of making excuses when you know that it's really you and not other people to blame, this book is the one to dig you out of the hole. I like Taffer's "in your face" style and appreciate not only his "to do lists" but also his "Bullshit buster" success stories as ways to turn excuses ranging from fear, time, circumstances and scarcity into workable solutions.

[Valerie Altom · Rating 1 out of 5]

The content of this book could have been a blog post. For an entertaining show, this read very dryly. Very disappointing.

[Barbara Spencer]

It

[Joe Molenaar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy Jon Taffer's personality and I think that he is an excellent host for Bar Rescue, but as most authors would not make good television hosts, television hosts do not necessarily make good authors... It read to me like he didn't get an editor for this book. I learned about the same (if not less) amount of the same information that I learned in my high school economics class. That being said, I think Jon Taffer would make an excellent economics or business teacher. Each of the six chapters has basically the same structure: he introduces the topic of the chapter, gives examples of people who failed (in his eyes) to realize that idea and busts their asses for it, then talks about his successful celebrity friends in a section titled "Bullshit Busters," and finally relates their success to his own in a way that feels transparently vicarious. He calls both Steve Buscemi and Ina Garten ugly in this book, references Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, but, to my surprise, only mentions Donald Trump one time. Anyway, the only reason I give this book two stars is because it was written by Jon Taffer. I learned nothing and agreed with almost no statements made in this book.

[P Michael N · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easy to digest and enjoyable book with tons of practical advice and examples of ways we can trip ourselves up in business and in life in general. Jon Taffer identifies 6 main themes and breaks down how they manifest and ways to deal with them. The 6 themes are below together with the gist of what it's all about. More details and examples of real life "bullsh*t busters" are in the book of course:

Fear - we are usually irrational about the consequences of the actions we wish to take towards our goals / reality is that taking action is not as devastating as it seems.

Knowledge - we feel we need to know everything in order to accomplish things / take actions incrementally and trust you will learn what you need to when the time comes.

Time - we don't seem to have enough of it / watch what you do with your time and prioritize your tasks.

Circumstances - they seem to be holding us back / it's not the circumstances but our responses to the stuff of life that we can neither know for sure or control.

Ego - we let our self defined limitations box us in / realize you are never too young, unattractive, late etc. to pursue and make progress towards your interests.

Scarcity - we tend to think there's not enough or it's too late / break this mindset and realize there are opportunities everywhere and there's room for you.

The advice is simple enough and pretty self-evident. There's a focus on the positive side to things and a general optimistic vibe to the book. It's also backed up by studies and a bunch of examples including those from the authors own experience. Nice read.

[Alex Devero · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does exactly what it promises. It offers actionable and no BS advice and tips on crushing and conquering the most notorious excuses we have when we think about starting a business. From the fear itself to lack of knowledge, time, money, to scarcity mindset, "bad" circumstances or your own ego. There is some actionable step or tip for each of these excuses we like to tell ourselves. With that, the only thing that remains, after reading, is taking an action. To make this part easier, book illustrates these tips and steps on a number of inspiring stories and real-life examples, examples of people who overcame their excuses and succeeded in their ventures. One warning. Jon Taffer is brutally honest. He goes straight to the root problem and delivers a no-nonsense guide to deal with that problem, immediately.

I recommend this book for anyone who wants to start something, but is constantly looking for, or telling herself, some excuses. Read it and then take action!

[Loren]

blowhard's boring vanity project that tells you nothing of importance. I realize that his Bar Rescue show uses his childlike tantrums to gain viewership. But I was hoping for something more substantial in his book. It is filled with meaningless platitudes and boring little stories showing his "great intelligence" and infallibility. Don't waste your time or $$$ on this egotistical treakel

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow starter but a very good book on life. Jon has been around and can hang. He's got a great mindset and walks the walk. Impressive.

My 👂 heard ⤵️

the time we lose to excuses is devastating
if your business is failing it's only because of you
on your failure and you will own your success
get back to the point where you crave success instead of fearing failure
being fired is not the final curtain call
fear
should be a motivator not a handicap
rethink that arrogance
I was willing to fly without landing gear?
oedb.com
university of oxford podcasts
academic earth
what people say and how they feel are very important to me
your customers dwell in these places
listening to your employees is helpful listening to your customers is everything
turnover is expensive
I learned about potj part of the job
measure yourself on output not activity
I accepted the no I could not change
learn from the past but don't live there
don't drown in news you can do little or nothing about
I'm optimistic everyday
Sarah will tell me if my habits are getting in my way
when you'redeep into your own b******* you can be blind to to the times when you slip up
you have to figure out how to get back to your high performance levels otherwise we are going to have to demote you or fire you
the best revenge is being successful
be who you are and let that shine
stop comparing yourself with others we get into trouble when we use comparisons to deny oursleves the right to take actions
positive self-tracking is a great way to stay motivated and on task
for those who don't live in fears of scarcity life is unlimited
don't sell tomorrow for today
it's time to get over your scarcity excuses and stop b*********** yourself
not having money is no excuse
the size of your phone book is much more valuable than the size of your checkbook
don't get under water
you have to get into the trenches on make your business happen especially if you don't have a huge staff
make sure everything a guest or customer touches is as perfect as it can be
inviting clean and attractive
customers equal income
an undercurrent of anxiety
today's successes are part of tomorrow's growth
instead of looking in the mirror he was blaming everything else for his demise

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book caught my eye because I'm a fan of Jon Taffer and Bar Rescue, a reality TV series that has been on since 2011. Jon is a long-time food and beverage industry consultant specializing in nightclubs and pubs. He offers his professional expertise plus renovations and equipment to desperately failing bars in order to save them from closing.

Jon feels that excuse-making is just a form of lying and when you make excuses, you are holding yourself back. And why would you do that? Don't Bullsh*t Yourself! teaches you how to identify and face those lies head-on and turn them around into positive action.

According to Jon, there are six major excuses:

* Fear
* Knowledge
* Time
* Circumstance
* Ego
* Scarcity

Jon's goal is for you to become accountable every day for every decision you make and every action you take. He rejects excuses and embraces solutions. You must be willing to make the changes necessary to turn your life from excuse-filled to one in which you are going after what's really important and not letting anything stand in your way.

I liked this book and I liked the writing style (I could hear Jon's voice). Each chapter discusses the excuse, gives examples, provides ways to change the excuse into a solution, and has stories about people who have conquered the excuse and created success in their lives. There are profiles of Bullsh*t Busters and at the end of each chapter, there is a DBY (Don't Bullsh*t Yourself) to-do-list.

This book would be good for business owners, if you starting a business or thinking of started one, if you are working their way up in a company or want to leave it, or if you want to change bad habits that are holding you back in life.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/05...

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this is what it would feel like to be yelled at by a meatball sub for a few hours.

There’s nothing particularly revolutionary in this book. There might be some success stories you’ve never heard regarding people who have the means to do things you can’t. You know, when you want to write a book, just buy a round trip plane ticket to the other side of the world so you can write in peace. Can’t do that? Well do it anyway.
If the hard-nosed method of motivation is your game or you find Jon Taffer generally appealing, maybe this one will do it for you. I’m not inclined toward the “stop being lazy and do it” method of motivating myself. I’ve also never watched Jon’s critically acclaimed (have they acclaimed it?) television program, Bar Rescue, and I have very little interest in doing so. He tried his hardest to sell himself and his TV show to people who are probably already watching it (who accidentally starts reading a Jon Taffer self help book??) and make a few macaronis on the side but it just didn’t work for me.

And since I know you’re thinking “well why did you read it then? (you idiot!)” (because I know you’re out there Jon, watching my every move), it was gifted to me kind of as a joke…I think.

[Dixie Normous · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always curious for books that tell the story of successful people that aren't connected to the military, so Taffer, who appears to have not only risen through the ranks of the various worlds he delved in to, but has the results to prove not only his success, but to back up his words is always a good find.

If you're sick and tired of being sick and tired, and want to actually do something about it, well, this book compliments that very well. your career or business sucks, this books doesn't sugar coat anything. Are you with the wrong person? Same thing applies. Taffer easily calls you out on anything that even remotely resembles an excuse, so you have nothing else to do but accept personal responsibility for it, so you can start fixing the problems.

Five stars, and honestly, this book could easily be added to high school required reading, and middle school required reading. ;)

[RfhenWulf Studios Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honest, succinct, and sometimes blunt assessment into the daily traps we all put in front of ourselves, which keep us from obtaining our goals!

John doesn’t pull punches, or whitewash with subtle inference. We all know, sometimes we are our own worst enemies. With blinding accuracy, Mr. Taffer succinctly states the most common ways we seem to sabotage our own actions, which ultimately keep us from doing and obtaining the goals we say we desperately desire!
This is a fast read, but the elements of truth are sometimes not hard to explain, just hard to admit! I’m very happy and humbled to have found such a no-nonsense self help source. One of which I’m certain to refer to again and again, because it’s just to simple, and I know, deep down, is so brutally accurate, it’s almost scary, and yet I know John’s absolutely correct, I need to stop Bullsh*tting mysexlf!

[Julie Kwiat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught my eye because I'm a fan of Jon Taffer and Bar Rescue, a reality TV series that has been on since 2011. Jon is a long-time food and beverage industry consultant specializing in nightclubs and pubs. This book is an in-your-face no holds barred guide to self-improvement follow Jon‘s advice to take control of your life and business and you’ll be able to achieve more than you ever thought possible . This book may help you navigate through your own bullshit if you follow the steps and a device he gives. In order to take hold of your life you have to be willing to be honest with who matters most, yourself. There should be a warning label on this book for safe spacers and snowflakes.

[Robert Theodorson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as "Raise The Bar" but still a very decent self-help book authored by a guy who is extremely active in making his own present and future work for him.

Taffer's style is fun to read and one gets the sense that while reading it's like having Jon talk to you face to face.

Unlike "Raise The Bar" which is much more business and bar science inclined, you're probably not going to learn much new in this book if you've read similar subjects. Don't BS Yourself reinforces the idea that a lot of the time you are the one holding yourself back from greatness. Having said that, if you recognize this in your own life, a lot of this book might resonate with you. If you are intent on keeping a victim mentality or have one already this book might not help you much.

[Drew Denham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t embrace excuses, I embrace solutions.

Don’t wait until you know everything to start. There’s never a perfect time to start a new project or business. Start not as learn as you go!

70% rule - if someone can do the task at least 70% as well as you can, delegate the task to that person. In real life, some things need to be done to 100%, but many tasks don’t have to be.

Value your time properly. Delegate.

I can’t find good people??? Response: if you can’t find the right people, then how the hell do your competitors find them!?

⭐️if you have a great idea for a service or product, but no funds to create samples or photo types, do what you can with the resources you have.

What can you learn today?

Evaluate yourself on output, not activity.

Can train but cannot teach.

3 Cs - have a conversation with her by asking questions that require expressive answers, I demonstrate conviction about my company and the job I’m offering, I show curiosity about her.

[Jordan Huffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable book from a likable guy

This was an enjoyable read. Not too long and I did learn some things about being honest with yourself, which is always a good thing. I got this book rather than one of his others because this one did not seem as business oriented as those, but there was still business information in here. It wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, but it was informative and nice, so I didn’t mind all that much.

I’m a fan of Bar Rescue, and I really like Jon’s No nonsense sensibilities, And all of those things really come out in this book. So if you also like those things, then you definitely should read this.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Jon Taffer (a lot) and that's the reason I liked this book. It really is that simple, if you like Jon Taffer then you will like this book. This book is not groundbreaking stuff and if you're into self-improvement you've probably read a lot of similar stuff in blog posts or other places, but it's still great advice delivered in Taffer style. It doesn't take a long time to read and it's really easy to absorb and remember the information, which is something I thought was really valuable. I recommend the book, you'll definitely get at least something out of it. Cheesy title, good book.

[Maree Rexroad · Rating 2 out of 5]

He lost me on page 63

He’s preaching trust and listen and learn and delegate then he says “I rarely trust someone other than me.” How can he expect people to listen to him if he doesn’t trust anyone else.

Also, the first chapter grabbed me and made me feel like I could conquer anything. But the chapters after that were all about work life and business running. No advice on running your life if you’re not already in business, if you’re just starting out, if all you want is a life. No advice if you don’t want to be Nelson Rockefeller.

[Beaver Buzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a fan of Jon Taffer then you'll probably enjoy reading this book. None of the information is by any means "profound", and at times it felt like the writing style was as if Taffer was just typing the way he speaks in conversation which was somewhat confusing. Nevertheless the book is enjoyable and good for anyone who thinks of themselves as a procrastinator or finds themselves being confronted with excuses.

[Marilyn Sue Michel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I am having trouble motivating myself to go to the gym (open under current regulations in Utah). None of the chapters addressed my particular problem, but the general approach is good: confront your excuses, write them down and analyze them if necessary, and if that doesn't work, talk to someone with knowledge of that area who can assess the incredible nonsense you are driveling!

[Bruna Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taffer's passionate work and dedication to helping others really shines through here! It definitely opens my eyes to some of the mistakes ( excuses) I make each day! "Don't bullshit yourself!" will give you some essential hard hitting facts to prime you for better productivity and a healthier psychology!

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're ever watched an episode of Bar Rescue then you know what you're in for here from Jon Taffer. This was a quick and somewhat interesting book, but the advice is all common-sense and nothing that I found super helpful.

I did like the real life examples of people succeeding against the odds, though.

[Donny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The boisterous Bar Rescue personality attempts to channel that signature energy into a self-help book. While Taffer's musings can certainly be used in any "ordinary" life situation, it always goes back to the bar, which is understandable. Taffer's ability to tap into true stories (outside of his own experiences) to bolster his arguments is what makes this a fascinating read.

[Doc Bullfrog · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book to hold onto until it's lessons are ingrained. I got this book because when I watch Bar Rescue I often see myself in the failing bar owners and I benefit from Jon's advice and tactics. The book is excellent. And whether you're struggling in business or in life Jon is an ally if you're open to learning and taking responsibility.

[Valiant Vasquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an easy read, to the point, and genius. He makes important concepts fully clear with the reader. I can not argue with anything he has to say. It is a short book with brevity. This is easily 5 stars because it is well worth re-reading. I said the same exact thing about his other book, "Raise the Bar."

[Autumn Kearney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon Taffer isn’t for everyone. He’s as abrasive as a classic kitchen cleanser. He gets the job done without any frills or fancy packaging. He doesn’t coddle himself or anyone else. Throughout this entire book, he’s tough and direct. He challenges you while also cheering for you every step of the way. Your success is his success.

[Thomas Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't promise this book will change your life, but Jon Taffer GETS IT.

Drawing on his long experience, he puts out examples of success stories and prove strategies for how to succeed in business. It goes beyond just the idea of stopping excuses.