What do you think?
Rate this book
212 the Extra Degree by Sam Parker, Mac Anderson (2006) Hardcover
At 211º water is hot. At 212º, it boils. And with boiling water, comes steam. And steam can power a locomotive. The one extra degree makes the difference. This simple analogy reflects the ultimate definition of excellence. Because it's the one extra degree of effort, in business and life, that can separate the good from the great. This powerful book by Sam Parker and Mac Anderson gives solid examples of how to incorporate the 212º philosophy into all aspects of your life - at work, with friends and as a parent. Great quotes and great stories illustrate the 212º concept in a memorable format. A warning...once you read it, it will be hard to forget.
"The theme for our annual convention was created around The Extra Degree. The video was powerful and the book made a perfect meeting gift!"
- Mike Butkus, McDonalds Corporation
• Learn how the 212 approach to life will impact your business and your life
• Use the 212 movie to open your next team meeting and give the book as a meeting takeaway
• Recommended reading for team building, personal development, sports teams and schools
110 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
140 people are currently reading
1048 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
Read
October 25, 2008My manager has required that we all read this. I knocked it out in a few minutes because every other page is just a photo of what is basically on the wall of the Gold's Gym yoga studio. I haven't read a motivational book before but I am now prepared to do whatever it is my management has in mind, which, based on the book's context, is to either win the Kentucky Derby or sell Amway.
December 14, 2018
I really liked the idea of the book: sometimes just a little more effort will produce extraordinary results. For example, as (bluntly) hinted by the title and description of the book, water at 210 degrees is still water, but one extra degree will produce steam. Steam can used to produce kinetic energy and is the backbone of the industrial revolution. The point is, sometimes the distinction between success and failure, between the mediocre and extraordinary is only a fine line, and most people are standing on the edge. Therefore just a little more effort, like study in your chosen subject an extra hour each day, will push you into the realm of greatness.
This is contrary to the popular belief and a myriad of motivational books on the market promising more reward for less effort. This book is telling you hard work is the only way to success. Effort = Results. The key is working more than the general populace to stand out from the general populace.
The book is very short and easy to digest. The only complaint is that there's nothing much beyond that simple idea. Perhaps it's not a bad thing. You have to appreciate a clear and succinct rhetoric in this day and age. When it comes to motivational stuff, sometimes all you need is a quick primer.
This is contrary to the popular belief and a myriad of motivational books on the market promising more reward for less effort. This book is telling you hard work is the only way to success. Effort = Results. The key is working more than the general populace to stand out from the general populace.
The book is very short and easy to digest. The only complaint is that there's nothing much beyond that simple idea. Perhaps it's not a bad thing. You have to appreciate a clear and succinct rhetoric in this day and age. When it comes to motivational stuff, sometimes all you need is a quick primer.
January 26, 2014
It's really funny to read some of the reviews of this book. So many people felt it was, "obvious," "cheesy," etc. It would be interesting to see if they actually applied what was being proposed in this book. Sometimes, we need to be reminded of the "basics." I thought this was a great, fast read and it helped me re-focus on the little things that make the biggest difference. Too often, we get caught up in the busyness of life and forget to step back and re-evaluate. That's what this book did for me and it found it to be very beneficial.
August 2, 2017
If you are needing a lame gift for your corporate employees for the holidays, this book is for you.
April 28, 2012
I really wanted to love this book. The metaphor is simple and powerful. But the book? Not so much. This concept might have been more effective with the addition of stories of individuals who had benefited greatly from putting forth the extra "degree". As it stands, though, it is full of statistics, quotes, and suggestions (very generic ones) on how to apply the strategy to your life.
At least it was short.
At least it was short.
December 29, 2023
One star for the concept. This could’ve been 5 pages instead of 90. It’s the same idea repeated over and over with numerous quotes from historical figures and stats from historical sporting events used as justification that make up half of the book. The other half is made up of examples of how you could put this into practice.
May 22, 2022
Had to read for work. For those books--long equals "hated it" and short equals "liked it". This one was really short so loved it!
November 7, 2014
Finished in like 20 minutes between calls. Typical motivational book. Dull, redundant. Recommended by my boss. I read it, I'm counting it.
June 7, 2020
Simple book with powerful advice
March 6, 2014
This book was given to me by my former supervisor at the university I attended and worked during my undergrad years, and though it is short, it makes great points and offers simple advice to better oneself in all aspects of life including professional, academic, and personal relations.
I often reference this for my professional development:
"Service is the lifeblood of any organization. Everything flows from it and is nourished by it. Customer service is not a department... it's an attitude." This reinforces the way I try to live my life, as stated by Aristotle: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
For growth professionally and academically, I like to remember that, "If you will spend an extra hour each day of study in your chosen field, you will be a national expert in that field in five years or less."
For personal relations, customer service, or just persistence, I remember it's that one degree that makes a difference: At 211 degrees water is hot. At 212 degrees it boils."
"The drops of rain make a hole in he stone not by violence, but oft falling."
This short book is full of inspiration and work a stay on any bookshelf.
I often reference this for my professional development:
"Service is the lifeblood of any organization. Everything flows from it and is nourished by it. Customer service is not a department... it's an attitude." This reinforces the way I try to live my life, as stated by Aristotle: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
For growth professionally and academically, I like to remember that, "If you will spend an extra hour each day of study in your chosen field, you will be a national expert in that field in five years or less."
For personal relations, customer service, or just persistence, I remember it's that one degree that makes a difference: At 211 degrees water is hot. At 212 degrees it boils."
"The drops of rain make a hole in he stone not by violence, but oft falling."
This short book is full of inspiration and work a stay on any bookshelf.
July 19, 2017
It's a quick fix in that it's short, sweet, and to the point. With lots of pictures so it doesn't take long to read.
BUT it does encourage REFLECTION. If you THINK about what you've read, and actually apply it, it's likely that you will, in fact, wind up being a bit more successful.
It seems simplistic to say that if you go the extra mile (or even the extra yard), while eliminating negative thoughts and wasted time, you'll succeed more. And yet, how could you not?
I rather want to take all the images and quotes in the book (they take up a lot of the pages) and, even though they're reminiscent of all those images with quotes we share on face book, make a rotating screen saver out of them. They'd be good reminders.
BUT it does encourage REFLECTION. If you THINK about what you've read, and actually apply it, it's likely that you will, in fact, wind up being a bit more successful.
It seems simplistic to say that if you go the extra mile (or even the extra yard), while eliminating negative thoughts and wasted time, you'll succeed more. And yet, how could you not?
I rather want to take all the images and quotes in the book (they take up a lot of the pages) and, even though they're reminiscent of all those images with quotes we share on face book, make a rotating screen saver out of them. They'd be good reminders.
August 26, 2016
This book would be a great blog post. It is not a great book.
It's essentially one simple (albeit inspiring) illustration about work, and then just a bunch of success platitudes and random statistics about golf, olympics, and horse racing.
The general idea of the book is that at 211 degrees water is simply hot water, but at 212 degrees it boils and produces steam which can power a locomotive. Thus, if we push a little harder towards whatever goal we have, we can achieve greater things. Great! I love this analogy....but then it was just dragged out with quotes and stats that lost my attention. Again, would be a great blog post or blog series, but it's just an "eh" book. I'm really glad I received this as an ARC, because I definitely would've been angry if I had paid $15 for this.
It's essentially one simple (albeit inspiring) illustration about work, and then just a bunch of success platitudes and random statistics about golf, olympics, and horse racing.
The general idea of the book is that at 211 degrees water is simply hot water, but at 212 degrees it boils and produces steam which can power a locomotive. Thus, if we push a little harder towards whatever goal we have, we can achieve greater things. Great! I love this analogy....but then it was just dragged out with quotes and stats that lost my attention. Again, would be a great blog post or blog series, but it's just an "eh" book. I'm really glad I received this as an ARC, because I definitely would've been angry if I had paid $15 for this.
July 4, 2012
This was required reading for my new job. It's an easy (and mostly cheesy) read. I get it. Work hard. Put in the extra effort. Don't give up. Sometimes it's that "extra degree" of effort that causes extraordinary results.
That said, sometimes boiling water is too hot. Ever had a cup of coffee or tea that you had to let cool? No one wants to be scalded. I'm not saying you shouldn't work hard, but you can't give extra to EVERY area of your life. No one can live with that intensity, and the people around you will find you annoying.
This silly little book makes its point on the cover, but if you are required to read the pages in between, it will go quickly.
That said, sometimes boiling water is too hot. Ever had a cup of coffee or tea that you had to let cool? No one wants to be scalded. I'm not saying you shouldn't work hard, but you can't give extra to EVERY area of your life. No one can live with that intensity, and the people around you will find you annoying.
This silly little book makes its point on the cover, but if you are required to read the pages in between, it will go quickly.
Read
April 17, 2015I was asking myself a question "Why am I be given this book" the i realized that everyone seems to believe that incapable of success. "At 211 degrees water is hot. At 212 degrees it boils. And with boiling water comes steam. And with steam you can power a train" I was given this book this book because it was given for people who are too lazy to go and get what they want and have no motivational drive what so ever. I guess i'm lazy and there are a whole bunch of people out there who are just like me. On the verge of giving up. People who tell the,selves that they are incompetent and need others to rely.
August 18, 2015
My Grade = 68% - D
I found this one at the thrift shop for a quarter or two, so I picked it up. It's one of those expensive (like $12.00) type of books you can find at the Hallmark store that make cute little inspierational gifts. A total of 105 pages - mostly pictures or phrases.
The whole gist of the book is that at 211 degrees, water is very hot, but at 212 degrees that hot water turns into a boil.
It's all about going that extra degree in everything you do in life. It really is a good idea, but not as good as selling the idea into a book in order to make a lot of money.
I found this one at the thrift shop for a quarter or two, so I picked it up. It's one of those expensive (like $12.00) type of books you can find at the Hallmark store that make cute little inspierational gifts. A total of 105 pages - mostly pictures or phrases.
The whole gist of the book is that at 211 degrees, water is very hot, but at 212 degrees that hot water turns into a boil.
It's all about going that extra degree in everything you do in life. It really is a good idea, but not as good as selling the idea into a book in order to make a lot of money.
November 24, 2018
Concept that makes sense but you can check the YouTube video on it and in few minutes you’ll get that content.
April 4, 2011
I really liked this quick read. I received it while serving as a conference facilitator for the NAME conference at UVU. I had never heard of it, but I enjoyed the little tidbits that were encompassed within its covers. "It's your life. You are responsible for your results. It's time to turn up the heat." "To get what we've never had, we must do what we've never done." I would recommend this book for a snowy Saturday night...to feel light, inspired, and uplifted in our heavy-laden world.
February 25, 2016
Some good life lessons. One more act of kindness each week = 52 moments of inspiration. Complain once less a day chokes off 365 seeds of negativity. Remove 2 distractions a week. Take one risk a week. Visit or talk to a friend each week. Invest 15 minutes in your children.
The secret to success is to do what you can "and then some". Go the extra degree. Water boils at 212 and is so much more powerful than one degree less =211. Imagine the possibilities of doing "some more" each day.
The secret to success is to do what you can "and then some". Go the extra degree. Water boils at 212 and is so much more powerful than one degree less =211. Imagine the possibilities of doing "some more" each day.
September 4, 2019
This isn’t really a “book.” You can get the whole idea by reading the back cover (24 words). But it’s a really nice refreshment from other “business books”. Other books are so long. They’re like complicated recipes. Sometimes you can spend all day on them and end up with something that tastes horrible that you end up throwing out. This book is boxed macaroni and cheese. It takes 15 minutes to make and does the job.
May 19, 2020
“At 211 degrees, water is hot.
At 212 degrees, it boils.
And with boiling water, comes steam.
And steam can power a locomotive.”
I received this as a graduation present at the end of high school and it’s a short, helpful book to revisit every so often. There’s something about reading about perseverance and the power of effort which makes words I know are a truth really come to life. Not particularly a book I’d spend money on, but a decent read nonetheless.
At 212 degrees, it boils.
And with boiling water, comes steam.
And steam can power a locomotive.”
I received this as a graduation present at the end of high school and it’s a short, helpful book to revisit every so often. There’s something about reading about perseverance and the power of effort which makes words I know are a truth really come to life. Not particularly a book I’d spend money on, but a decent read nonetheless.
May 18, 2013
This quick motivational concept has some good stories, most about how a little more effort for just a little longer can make huge differences in the outcome. The framework makes sense, but the wrapper just didn't move me. Plus many of the stories were already too familiar. It would probably have more effect for someone not already steeped in the genre.
Read
February 9, 2020Such a short book that it’s hard to rate. I liked the premise of it but thought it could have gone much deeper with personal (his own or others) reflections on practicing the 212 concept. This was probably the point, though...have it short and sweet to make it super digestible and relatable to anyone.
January 18, 2019
I loved the idea but it didn’t have much substance. It may be good for someone to grasp the quick idea. It just was not what I needed or expected. It took me a little less than a hour to read if you are looking for a quick read!
December 26, 2017
Just a little more "extra"
At 211°, water is hot.
At 212°, it boils.
And with boiling water, comes steam…
And with steam, you can power a locomotive.
At 211°, water is hot.
At 212°, it boils.
And with boiling water, comes steam…
And with steam, you can power a locomotive.
June 19, 2019
Quick motivational read.
January 16, 2023
A fairly easy read, but it is quite fascinating!!! He makes excellent points with his one degree theory and how much just a little more, changes everything!
September 16, 2019
Interesting stuff. Like the concept but too many examples turned to for into this practice. Still a good philosophy
November 25, 2019
Quick read on effective leadership. Lots of tips we can use to build positive relationships and committing to excellence in everything we do. Read this over coffee one morning.
Read
January 23, 2020very good book. I've read it numerous times. What step will you take to go the extra degree
February 9, 2025
My work provided this book after framing their 2025 motto: 212 the extra degree
The book is small yet packed with points to focus on, ideally giving that extra small effort towards something yet little did the author mention that giving that extra degree to get/reach somewhere might not work as expected especially with company politics, unfortunate circumstances, and life itself (life might be a bitch to some)
While I did enjoy the theme of the book and the fact that this extra effort might lead me somewhere but never took into account how life works, you can lead yourself to burnout and frustration when you are giving your all and extra while getting screwed and overloaded because you are giving more. A good book to consider is Seth Godin’s book “The Dip” which you would quit when something is not serving you yet go all in if it is working when being in the dip, this book lacked the idea of being in a rut or shit situation and expects you to give more that extra mile in life (which won’t work on everything and everyone)
Yet again, decent book would recommend to others to consider over how small it is
The book is small yet packed with points to focus on, ideally giving that extra small effort towards something yet little did the author mention that giving that extra degree to get/reach somewhere might not work as expected especially with company politics, unfortunate circumstances, and life itself (life might be a bitch to some)
While I did enjoy the theme of the book and the fact that this extra effort might lead me somewhere but never took into account how life works, you can lead yourself to burnout and frustration when you are giving your all and extra while getting screwed and overloaded because you are giving more. A good book to consider is Seth Godin’s book “The Dip” which you would quit when something is not serving you yet go all in if it is working when being in the dip, this book lacked the idea of being in a rut or shit situation and expects you to give more that extra mile in life (which won’t work on everything and everyone)
Yet again, decent book would recommend to others to consider over how small it is
Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews