Andrew GriffithsThe Australian Financial Review has included The ME MYTH as one of their top books in 2009 – AFR BOSS 2009 LIST – in the motivation and life perspective category.
Archive for the ‘Book Review’ Category
ME MYTH one of the AFR BOSS Books of 2009
Friday, December 4th, 2009BOOK REVIEW – THE ME MYTH
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009I don’t tend to put up too many of my book reviews on my blog, but I felt that this one was so well written and personal that I would share it. It is written by Ben Zipper, from the Australian Women and Leadership Forum – you can visit their website here – CLICK or read it here.
Book review: The Me Myth
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Book author: Andrew Griffiths
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Like many of his peers in the professional development sphere, Andrew Griffiths has written a slew of books on everything from building your business to having a life in the doing.
Two things, however, set Andrew apart. First, his childhood origins are remarkable for the tragedy that he experienced. As an orphan growing up in Western Australia, Andrew survived neglect and abuse.
Second, this upbringing has clearly played a role in the kind of inspiring and motivating consultant that Andrew has become.
He is regularly described as contagiously positive, funny and endlessly enthusiastic. He has taken what life has thrown at him and grown from it rather than letting it overwhelm him.
It’s an outlook that is borne out in his latest book. In The Me Myth, he argues that we are brought down by the overarching attitude that ‘it’s all about me’.
Instead of being self-centred and self-focused in our search for answers, Andrew believes that we need to start looking outwards to find the greatest lessons in life.
Andrew argues his case both passionately and succinctly. He shares stories of his life with frankness as a launching point to provoke us to consider some of his more difficult challenges.
He takes us on the journey of being abandoned by his mother at the age of six months, and shows us the cathartic release he found when, as an adult, he was able to empathise with her difficult decision.
In the context of his tales of teenage delinquency, crime and drug abuse, we are called on to reflect on our own moral code.
Like the author’s life, The Me Myth is a remarkable book. On reading the short chapter on getting back to doing the things that you love, I had to put the book down and write my own list of passionate activities. With a small list that included doing jigsaws and hiking, I quickly realised that I was deeply fortunate to have read this book.
If anything, the book’s title does the contents a disservice. Absent in the title is the subtle paradox that by turning our attention away from our immediate, self-focused pleasures and desires, we can actually focus more on developing our larger, more significant selves.
Nonetheless, if sales of Andrew Griffith’s previous books are any indication, The Me Myth will likely find a wide audience.
In a milieu in which advertising and the media bombard us with constant pressures to tend to our own selves, The Me Myth ought to find a counterpoint to the hegemonic forces that surround us.
Our rating: 10/10
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Monday, October 5th, 2009My recently released “get through tough times” book, Bulletproof Your Business NOW (Allen & Unwin) is being promoted as one of the top business book recommendations by Angus and Robertson.
This means that it will be featured prominantly at all Angus and Robertson stores throughout Australia for the next few months – and it can be purchased online – check it out at -
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Wednesday, October 29th, 2008I came across a very interesting book recently called “BRAIN RULES” by Dr John Medina. This is a fantastic publication for anyone who has to deal with other human beings. It provides a great insight into how we actually think and how to make your brain work a whole lot better. It isn’t a book filled with scientific jargon, as you will tell from the following book introduction. It is well worth taking a few moments to have a look at this. Clearly it is focused on anyway in the presenting game. I certainly found it very interesting and enlightening.
Enjoy!
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Reader feedback – 101 Secrets to Building a Winning Business
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
Hi Andrew,
Firstly congratulations on a fabulous new book. I had not read any of your other books but picked up 101 secrets to building a winning business in Melbourne airport on the way back from a conference yesterday, and basically read it cover to cover on the plane. You have, for me, reinforced all the things that I believe are important in creating a successful business. I own and run a bookkeeping business which has taken off much faster than I had anticipated, my goal is to not just offer bookkeeping services, but also offer a wholistic business service. All of my clients are small business owners, often in the very early stages of their businesses. Most of the comments I get are similar to ‘why did I not meet you when I was starting up’ or ‘why has no one told me that before’. Most of what I do is making sure they comply with the requirements of the ATO, but what I love and am passionate about is helping them get on top of things, teaching them to do it themselves, putting systems into place, and offering them a coffee and a friendly ear when they come across the next challenge/hurdle/opportunity. I have just put on an exceptional bookkeeper so I can start to develop these other areas and programs without having to do all of the ‘billable hours’ as well.
Very excitedly my business has grown from the spare room of my house, to the entire living area and 1 staff member to moving into the Small Business Development Centre with 2 staff members at the end of the month. Once there I am going to offer a monthly training/information session, (as a start), basically covering many of the aspects that are in your book, which are all things my clients have asked me about. I am (in a very round about way, I do apologise, I realise that you are a very busy man) asking permission to use some of your templates and questions to help the small business owners in Townsville.
May be once I have these sessions up and running, and my new office is set up we could convince you to visit your neighbours!! Am also planning on buying the rest of your books (probably even multiples of) to have with the other business resources we have available!! I will definitely be booking in for your 2 day seminar in Cairns in September.
Warm Regards Amee Porter
http://www.ameesbookkeeping.com
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