Supercoach: 10 Secrets to Transform Anyone's Life

by Michael Neill

"Supercoach: 10 Secrets to Transform Anyone's Life".

Genres: Self Help, Business, Nonfiction, Psychology, Leadership, Personal Development, Philosophy

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 2, 2009

About the author

Michael Neill is a world-renowned teacher, author, and speaker with over 30 years of experience coaching high performers. Known for his inside-out approach to success, he helps leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives achieve peak performance without stress. As CEO of Genius Catalyst Inc., he delivers transformative training to thousands worldwide through live events, online courses, and self-study programs. His bestselling books, including The Inside-Out Revolution and Creating the Impossible, have been translated into nearly 30 languages. A top coaching thought leader, Neill’s TEDx talks and global keynotes inspire resilient, creative, and effortless success across industries and continents.

Reviews

[Tõnu Vahtra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have always mixed feelings towards books that introduce themselves like that:

"Internationally renowned success coach Michael Neill shares the secrets of transforming your life and the lives of the people you care about most—your family, friends, colleagues, and clients.
Inside, you will learn:
· How to stop thinking like a victim
· The secret to financial security in any economy
· Proven techniques to produce dramatic changes in yourself and others
· Simple ways to create lasting relationships
· The key to lifelong happiness
· Strategies for increasing productivity, energy, well-being . . . and more!"

I get more worried when quite many pages in the beginning are spent on self-appraisal of the author and his methods. I overall I'm probably too rational person for such book (i.e. "the law of attraction"), parts of it feel like hocus-pocus and it would probably be more appreciated by the snowflakes generation. Just believing and waiting and assuring yourself that you will get everything that you want will not get you very far in the real world. Another thing that disturbed me in the book was it's dominating positive theme, I did find that these were balanced enough with challenges or counterarguments.

[Alkan Öztürk · Rating 5 out of 5]

One sentence: Everyone should read this book! Let me be clear: I will be reading this book over and over again throughout my life. Thank you Michael for writing it.

[Bev Siddons · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a relatively newly trained life coach, as well as being an "info-holic", I read Neill's "Supercoach: 10 Secrets to Transform Anyone's Life". I return to it to receive his experience, wisdom and motivation. "Supercoach" exudes common sense sprinkled with humor.

One of the misconceptions, Neill clears up relates to the law of attraction which has been around for decades. I have spoken with people who wonder why they are not attracting the "things" they want--like a good parking space, a bigger bank account, or the perfect mate. "Instead of actually shifting the basis of their approach to life to one of planting seeds of kindness, beauty, and love and reaping the harvest of a bountiful life, people are attempting to get (stuff) . . . by 'thinking the right thoughts.' "

Neill is definitely a coach's coach, and "Supercoach" will remain on my bookshelf as a handy, go-to resource.

[Sara Modig · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s not that hard really. Everything you need to know in order to live the life you want is already inside you. That’s the message that remains with me after finishing this book. And yes, I adhere to that principle. The what and why. But then, there’s the how... and this is not very developed in the book. Which leaves me somewhat hanging with that challenge...

[Miika Kallasoja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the original Supercoach from 2009, but and while some of the useful sections, tips and strategies that were present in the original are missing from this new version, this one certainly feels more coherent and more in line with Neil's more recent 3 Principles based work, such as the Inside-Out Revolution (a great one) and Creating the Impossible. Like those books, this one is really insightful and enjoyable to read, and one to return to from time to time.

[Svetlana Kurilova · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love about this book is that it's actionable and packed with tools and steps in making small changes, developing new habits, reshaping some stigmatic views and most importantly transforming the life as a result.

I took a lot of notes for later references and excited to share some lessons learned with my networks.

[Clint Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: (all out of 5 stars)

Quality of the writing: 5 / 5

This is the 10th Anniversary Edition, Revised and Updated.

Michael Neill’s writing is evocative and action oriented.

Throughout the book, the reader is provided with many actionable thoughts, super-coaching tips and each chapter has a solid chapter in a nutshell summary.

This is how I like to read books. My summary of the book, which is 18 typed pages, includes a section for the coaching tips, a section for the summaries, and then all of the detailed notes from each chapter.

Quality of the content/organisation/research: 5 / 5

As outlined above, very well organized, laid out and actionable.

Very well-presented material for the reader.

Impact on my perspective: 5 /5

I am new to coaching and this book is a solid introduction.

The 10 secrets to transform anyone’s life are aligned to a myriad of concepts that are near and dear to my heart and way of thinking, from Buddhism to cognitive behavior therapy techniques.

Each of these secrets resonates. Makes sense. Is something teachable. Simple to understand.

The super-coaching tips are excellent. Within days of reading this book, I was using these super coaching techniques with friends, family and colleagues.

Personal resonance: 5 /5

This book shines a light on what I want to be as a coach someday. How I want to help people.

Michael says "And that’s what I want for everyone in my life – my family, my friends, my clients – and yes, even you that you may act your dreams with open eyes and make them possible."

In a speech I gave recently on building and leading the teams of my dreams, I said that nothing makes me happier in life than seeing anyone, everyone, achieve their personal goals and dreams – 100% aligned with Michael on this.

Recommendation potential: 5 /5

For anyone who is going to be leading people or who wants to coach people, I would recommend this book as one of the best books on coaching that I have read.

Overall score (averaged and rounded): 5/ 5
 
Personal:

Why I read Super Coach:

I have a long-term life goal of pivoting into personal and career coaching

Focus areas of my reading that will assist in driving my eventual practice are:

 Stoicism
 Buddhism
 Mindfulness
 Men’s Work
 Shadow Work
 Emotional Intelligence

Super Coach jumped out at me when I was researching books on becoming a coach.

Context of reading:

During covid, I have found that I have more time at home isolated; hence, I have picked up more reading material to start to drive towards my long-term goals discussed above.

I also began to work with some young men on how to achieve their goals and financial plans in light of covid and the impact it was having on them.

In doing that, I felt that I should read some material to better respond to their needs, desires and questions.

Where I heard about it/who suggested it:

Super Coach is one of five books that I purchased on coaching after online searches for "top coaching books" and it was the first one I read.

Review:

A summary of the book:

Super Coach is built around 10 insights, or secrets, about human potential in the form of a coaching conversation with an imaginary client.

The book provides a lot of back-story around each of those secrets and each chapter finishes with the key take-aways of the secret.

As well, Michael provides the reader with super coaching tips for most of the secrets that will allow you to have practical tools at your disposal for coaching your clients.

My feelings/assessments of it:

I felt this book a joy to read.

It was very educational and a reminder of certain best practices. Further, it is a very practical book that I was implementing almost immediately with people.

Interesting titbits:

Some interesting tidbits are:

- We think we are experiencing reality, but we are actually experiencing our thinking
- You are a diamond, buried in horse crap, coated in nail polish
- Obsessing about goals is like playing a game of fetch with yourself, using your happiness and self-worth as a bone
- It is not up to you, but it is not not up to you
- The number of reasons we have for doing something is inversely proportional to how much we actually want to do it
- Urgency is nearly always a signal to slow down and, or, take a break
- The cumulative effects of a series of average days is really quite extraordinary
- When it comes to relationships, if you are playing to win, you've already lost
- There are four people in every couple, and two of them are really in the way
- As long as you see money as a scarce resource, you will continually inconvenience yourself in order to get it. As soon as you have made yourself the scarce resource, money will inconvenience itself to get you
- You can't think your way out of a problem you've made up with your thinking
For more, read the book.

[Vlad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could see how this would be a decent read for those new to self help books. But this wasn't all that special to me. It was surprisingly disappointing in fact. The narration makes it sound as if it is better than it actually is (similar to how sometimes the marketing for a product is better than the actual product).

This wasn't at all written in the manner of "how you can use these tools/ideas to help others". It was a collection of ideas directed towards how the reader can help themselves, not help/coach others. Making the title and book incredibly misleading.

Overall the author certainly seems well intentioned, but the ideas presented here felt pretty surface level. He only barely grazed the surface of each and every topic. There's no real depth or lasting perspective shift for those who have read plenty of other quality self help books.

Quotes:

"If source energy is the paint, the principle of thought is the magical paintbrush. Our life is the canvas, and our consciousness is what allows us to appreciate the painting."

"People hire a coach for one reason: People want to get more out of themselves and their lives than they seem to be getting on their own."

"That’s because in and of themselves, thoughts have no power. It’s only when you invest your own energy and consciousness into them that they begin to become real. A thought without your personal investment is no more powerful than a tea bag without boiling water. It’s only after you add the water that the tea begins to infuse and create the flavor, and it’s only after you add your agreement and energy to a thought that it begins to impact your life."

"As long as you see money as a scarce resource, you will continually inconvenience yourself in order to get it. As soon as you have made yourself the scarce resource, the money will inconvenience itself to get you."

“The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.” - Lily Tomlin

[Dillan Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never written so many notes for one book.

I thought this would be riddled with woo woo mystical Law of Attraction pixie dust talk...but it was simply incredible.

This book has one of my favorite characteristics of any piece of content: it's actionable.

Michael dives into ten secrets (spiritual truths). Each one could be its own standalone piece of work. The numerous stories, exercises, and philosophies provide a TON of insight on how to act and live.

It's impossible to summarize my main takeaway...so here are several:

• We all have different perceptions of reality. We delete, distort, and generalize information. In other words, the way we think determines what we see, hear, and feel, regardless of what’s actually going on around us in the world.

• In and of themselves, thoughts have no power. It’s only when we invest energy and consciousness into them that they begin to become real. You can only choose which thoughts to dwell on, not which ones pop into your head.

• What you decide will never impact your life as much as how you handle the consequences of that decision.

• Every emotion you experience is the direct result of a thought, not the world around you.

• The most successful leaders and creators in the world do one thing: figure out what they don’t like doing and stop doing it.

• When it comes to relationships, when you’re playing to win, you’ve already lost.

• You can ask anyone for anything when you make it okay for them to say “no.”

• Argue for your limitations, and you get to keep them. Argue for your possibilities, and sure enough, you will find much more capacity and ability inside yourself than you ever dreamed possible.

9/10

[Susan A. Loy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Joy in Reading This Book!

I felt sincerely joyous as I read Supercoach. It is well written with an appealing tone and a genuine voice. You don't have to be a coach to benefit from this book, being a person who do. It's not terribly long, but each of the ten chapters focus on a substantive concept, giving a clear explanation with relatable examples. Each chapter begins with a short story connected to the chapter's main idea. Each chapter has an exercise to try, coaching tips, and a summary of points. It provides a great insight into transformation!

[Brian Canavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Michael's writing style. He writes like he's having a conversation with you and his experience and knowledge of his subject is not hidden behind a lot of jargon or fluff.

I've worked through this book a couple of times now, and have reminders set to read certain passages, and do the work, set in my planners.

It's just that good!

If you want to challenge yourself or others to live the life you really want then this is a MUST READ; and I don't often say that.

[Narayan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Michael Neill's videos and podcasts. I have also enjoyed much of his writing. This book however, in my opinion, reflect that well on all he has to offer. That is perhaps because, this was written around the time that Neill transitioned from NLP to 3 Principles. So his own understanding, or at least the articulation of it, is not as mature as his later work.

[Catalin Dobre · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting book. Although I found the same ideas Michael Neill presents in many other books and coaching conferences, the way he explains them, makes them easy to understand for yourself, as a person, but as a coach. I recommend the book for an easy way to organize and clear your mind of not_so_healthy_thinking_habits! :)

[Dave McAuley · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on coaching I’ve read. Michael Neil’s style of writing is very easy, completed the entire book in 3 days on holiday. Love his ability to turn his teachings into actionable steps and to feel a more mindful style of coaching is possible. Look forward to reading “Creating the Impossible” and bl being the advice into my own coaching practice and programs.

[Christopher Armani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. He makes great points and offers exercises to implement each strategy into your life. While I didn't agree with everything suggested by the author, that may have more to do with my ingrained patterns and beliefs than his content. ;)
This is a book to read at least twice, then work through step by step. Yes, it's that good.

[Karen Briscoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 10 secrets to transform your life really aren't secrets - Michael Neill shares them in this book! Dream; Be happy; Think in a new way; Make decisions; There are no bad days; get stuff done; Connect; Ask; Lifetime Security can be yours; Hope has Power! Karen Briscoe, author and podcast host 5 Minute Success

[Zaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally I hate when books give stories from other people's lives as examples.

"We experience what we think."
"We think we are experiencing our reality but we are really experiencing is our thinking."
"It's not the thoughts that pass through your head that impact your life; it's the ones you take possession of and think about all day long."

[Michele Schiavino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must for any coach of any sort.
Michael Neill is able to transform anyone's life, even without talking to them.

This book is really like getting coached. If you're able to read for insights, you'll see how life can actually look different once you understand the clear Principles behind it.

And Michael is great on explaining them.

[Petra Slade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I will read again to get all the wisdom it holds.
There are a lot of exercises to do, for yourself, to use with clients or as an advice to a friend.
It is easy to read and makes sense. Inspirational and motivational.

[Saso Jakljevic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am suggesting this book to anyone. Even if they are not on the path of becoming a Coach themselves. It contains really nicely outlined insights on 3 principles as well as some exercises to see the nature of the mind.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, insightful, and enjoyable read, Michael Neill offers up ten key insights that he takes you through, chapter by chapter. It's a great reminder and his perspectives are interesting, thoughtful, and inspiring. Good stories too. Highly recommended and worth repeat reading.

[T. Laane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was expecting a very rational “to do” lists, but was surprised by the spiritual teachings in such a book. The author gives a lot of wise content in quick a short book. Took a lot of notes, recommending for sure!

[Dejan Simic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous!

As usual, Michael Neill is brilliant! His books are inspiring, and when you are finishing reading, you are eager to start exploring what you learn and grab the opportunities to develop yourself and the other people around you by making the world a better place to live!

[Evert O · Rating 3 out of 5]

The books is balance between some relatively new ideas and insights and some old self-help 'financial freedom' hacks. The former is inspiring, the latter is tiring and makes you doubt the ideas in the first part. I can understand the appeal of the book and the success of it.

[Leon Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Empowering and practical. Michael is knowledgeable and influential. I enjoyed the similarities between his advice and ancient philosophies. Wisdom includes doing less, and finding clarity, structure, planning, and goals.

[José Fernández · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

The book caught my full attention from the very beginning. It has a lot of valuable things to reflect upon.

[Fee · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice peptalk and I enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I need more than a peptalk to truly change my life. This book can't substitute real live help and support.

[Pedro Rustizu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Frankly, nothing new to be added, very basic.

[General · Rating 3 out of 5]

La tua giornata viene rovinata dai tuoi pensieri.
Quando ti accorgi che un pensiero negativo sta risalendo, abbandonalo e cambialo con un pensiero migliore

[Sandra Mateus · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy read for anyone wanting to improve their coaching professionally, to consult particular chapters or to simply embrace a book that could easily bring self-improvement!