Audible Book Reviews: UnF#ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper & Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life by Bob Proctor

Before I get started, can I rant one second about how annoying the way Blogger photos are managed these days. They changed it months ago, and now every time I want to add a previously uploaded image into a post, I have to scroll through thousands of images all smashed together into one colorful yet unsightly and unmanageable mess. It takes forever. Okay, now that that's off my chest, let's get started.

Unf#ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper, PhD, LPC-S, ACS is a resource for those seeking to understand the science of the brain from a layperson's perspective. With a heavy dose of humor and an abundance of curse words, Harper seeks to help you understand how your brain works and the advantage of storytelling to rewire your brain to get the results you want. 

Swearing doesn't bother me, but if one day sh*t, a**hole, motherf'er, and the F-bomb were all removed from the English language, I'm not sure how the author would communicate. The advice is sound and the book is filled with helpful information, but it's not like you haven't heard most of this before. If there was some groundbreaking enlightenment, then rushing out to buy this one and enduring all the cussing might make sense. 

I'm not sure if there was an issue with the audio. Other reviewers mentioned it, so don't think it's me. I had to crank up the volume to hear it. The author does a fine job as narrator despite the sound quality, and I feel it cements her style and approach with the reader so they know what to expect in her other books. I wouldn't go out of my way to read Harper again, but if this is your style, she is funny. 

Listening Length	3 hours and 39 minutes
Author	Faith G. Harper PhD LPC-S ACS ACN
Narrator	Faith G. Harper PhD LPC-S ACS ACN
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	March 20, 2018
Publisher	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B07BBY85JY
Best Sellers Rank	#10,924 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #21 in Anxiety Disorders (Audible Books & Originals) #35 in Medical Neuropsychology #43 in Popular Neuropsychology

Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life by Bob Proctor provides the inspiration and motivation to change your life by using your mind to influence your future. Proctor was a high school dropout who became a millionaire. He then set out to help others accomplish their goals using the same philosophy.

This audiobook is an interview with Dan Strutzel guiding the conversation on topics that Proctor has spoken about for decades. This conversational style provides helpful insight into Proctor's philosophy, but it isn't a step-by-step guide. Proctor shares the reality we sometimes forget: the only thing in the universe we can change is ourselves. So we have to adapt, and changing our mindset can be hard. But, we are more than the challenges and obstacles we face, so as we adapt, we can change our lives. 

Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life explores numerous concepts, which Proctor is able to dive deeper into thanks to the conversation with Strutzel. There is also a helpful contribution by Proctor's business partner, Sandy Gallagher. 

I will be reading more books by Bob Proctor in the future. His philosophy truly resonated with me. 

Listening Length	5 hours and 20 minutes
Author	Bob Proctor
Narrator	Bob Proctor, Dan Strutzel
Audible.com Release Date	September 28, 2021
Publisher	Ascent Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B09G5132VW
Best Sellers Rank	#3,166 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #78 in Business Motivation & Self-Improvement (Audible Books & Originals) #111 in Business Motivation & Self-Improvement (Books) #126 in Personal Finance (Books)

I downloaded these books thanks to my Audible membership. These reviews contain my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Audible Book Review: Start with Why by Simon Sinek

 

Life changing. Thought provoking. Inspiring. These words and more describe Start with Why by Simon Sinek. 

Since I began my real estate career ten years ago, I've been hearing about this book. Motivational speakers refer to it. Instructors quote from it. I've lost count of how many times this title has been recommended. Having now read it, I understand why.

Sinek's Golden Circle focuses on the why because that is your purpose and what you believe. In his conversational and engaging style, he talks about the importance of focusing on why, not how or what. With a study of Apple, Martin Luther King Jr, and the Wright Brothers, Sinek shows how focusing on your purpose drives how you do things and what you do, not the other way around. 

Here's a great TED Talk that summarizes what you find in the book. Sinek shares how great leaders inspire action. 

Why did this hit home for me? Because I've been a person who overanalyzes the how and what of my career, but not always the why. Because as Sinek gets down into the weeds of how starting with why makes a difference, I found myself nodding over and again. The Golden Circle makes sense. How he analyzes Apple, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Wright Brothers helps you realize how that one difference in their approach moved them forward and inspired those around them to action. Best of all, this book shows you how you can achieve this as well. 

Start with Why is a book that current and future leaders and entrepreneurs should read. 

Listening Length	7 hours and 18 minutes
Author	Simon Sinek
Narrator	Simon Sinek
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	September 05, 2017
Publisher	Penguin Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B074VF6ZLM

I used an Audible credit to purchase this book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

On Audible: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

 

Audible Studios presents a brand new recording (Dec 2020) of Charles Dickens’ timeless seasonal story A Christmas Carol, performed by Hugh Grant.

First published in 1843, it tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean and unpleasant man who dislikes people generally and Christmas especially. One Christmas Eve he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come and given a glimpse of the many homes and lives which Scrooge has touched in his wretched life to date. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.

I’ve always loved this story. Having been introduced to it in movie format first, when my daughters were in school, they each had to read this novella leading up to Dickens Day. That rekindled my interest in the story of the old miser who was transformed by the spirits. Of all the movie versions, A Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge remains my favorite.

Have you seen or read A Christmas Carol?

Audible Book Review: Shut Up and Write the Book by Jenna Moreci

If you are looking for no-nonsense, kick yourself in the pants advice and tips on how to write your first or next book, then pick up a copy of Shut Up and Write the Book by Jenna Moreci.

The author set this up in a step-by-step format, taking the reader from the planning stages through to the final editing stage, so that at the end the reader has the tools they need to, well, "shut up and write the book" they so desperately want to write. Each chapter ends with a helpful summary. 

As you might recall, I began writing as a teenager, took it seriously in 2005 once I became a stay-at-home mom, and could call myself a published author as of 2010. You might also remember that I am a total panster. I think about my idea, have it fully formed in my head, and then I write. No plan. No outline. Just the blank white page and my fingers on the keyboard. Shut Up and Write the Book might have changed me. Gasp! 

After spending six hours or so with Moreci, I am ready to consider life as a plotter. I loved how Moreci laid out her book. Found her advice spot on and motivating. Best of all, I loved her sarcasm and wit. Now, readers with gentle ears or those who might easily get offended by vulgarity or obscenities, might not find this to be the most helpful tool. It doesn't change the validity of the book's contents. 

Narrators make or break an audio book for me, so extra kudos to Lisa Cordileone for her fabulous ability to capture the author's style so well. 

Excellent resource. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to complete their first or next book. 

Listening Length	6 hours and 8 minutes
Author	Jenna Moreci
Narrator	Lisa Cordileone
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	January 24, 2023
Publisher	Jenna Moreci
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0BR632BYY

I used an Audible credit to purchase this book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Audible Book Review: The Confidence Gap by Russ Harris

 

Do you find self-confidence a challenge? Does fear and doubt keep you from doing things in life? If so, you might want to read/listen to The Confidence Gap by Russ Harris. 

Narrated by Graeme Malcolm, The Confidence Gap helps you to reconsider your thoughts on lack of confidence being a problem with you. Right up front, Harris tells you he doesn't believe the key lies in visualization, self-hypnosis, positive affirmations, and other self-esteem boosting strategies that can provide short-term results. Instead, Harris says becoming aware of what your mind is doing (the process) leads to long-term results. 

I almost gave up on The Confidence Gap, not because I didn't like it or find the information valuable, but because I felt it dragged on and on. I am not sure what I expected, since the paperback version is 272 pages. The format of providing a running thought at the end of a chapter and picking it up at the beginning of the next chapter didn't come across well in audio format. I found it distracting because it would snap me out of the book and make me wonder if I missed something until the narrator picked up again. 

What I found the most helpful is how Harris focuses the reader on the process, not the results. Showing the reader how to develop mindfulness skills to develop how to focus on how your brain works instead of trying to fool your brain into thinking positive things when you feel negative, resonated with me. If I had to boil my thoughts on this book down into one quick sentence, it would be: this book makes sense. Harris asks the reader to clarify values so you can make life changes, which is what readers of such a book are looking for.

The author offers free resources on his website, but I think it would be helpful to order a paperback version of this book so the exercises are clear as well. I've said this about other audiobooks: exercises are better when they are on paper so you can see them. I'm glad I grabbed The Confidence Gap on Audible, but for full value and usefulness, I recommend a Kindle or paper copy.

Listening Length	7 hours and 39 minutes
Author	Russ Harris, Steven Hayes PhD - foreword
Narrator	Graeme Malcolm
Audible.com Release Date	December 09, 2014
Publisher	Audible Studios
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B00O80XTZQ

I bought this book with an Audible credit. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Audible Book Review: Ninja Selling by Larry Kendall

 

For those seeking to build relational businesses, not transactional businesses; for those eager to provide value and solve problems for the people that they serve; for those seeking to rise above the crowd, there is Ninja Selling by Larry Kendall to lead the way.

Having taken the Ninja installation back in January, I knew I had to read Ninja Selling. The principles it teaches are meant not only to help you see your business in a different light, they guide you toward better work and life balance. 

Reminding the reader that TSW - The System Works - Kendall provides step-by-step instructions on how to bring greater value to your clients, going from selling to solving by asking the right questions and listening to the people you serve. This allows you to rise above the crowd, because you put the practices and systems in place to increase your productivity, be more helpful to your clients, and enjoy your life. Helpful appendices provide resources crucial to success, and the Afterword includes "The Ninja Prayer." 

Kendall has a smooth, calming voice, and his narration of Ninja Selling is what one would hear in any of his videos. His voice encourages the reader along, helping them to embrace a system that can truly make a difference if you follow the Ninja Path.

I am eager to continue along my journey. While I have always been a relational person, Ninja Selling has helped me fine-tune my skills. 

Highly recommended for business people everywhere!

Listening Length	8 hours and 6 minutes
Author	Larry Kendall
Narrator	Larry Kendall, Brandon Arthur
Audible.com Release Date	April 27, 2020
Publisher	Larry Kendall, Ninja LLC
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B087MNRSBY

I purchased a copy of this Audible book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Audible Book Review: 365 Thank Yous by John Kralik

365 Thank Yous by John Kralik came as a recommended title during a sales training class that I took this year. I liked the concept from the start, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. Thankfully, this is a well written story that captivated me from the start. 

While I feel the reading of the story may have been better with a professional reader who is used to changing tone, pace, and inflection, than the author’s slow, steady voice, I wonder if someone detached from what transpired would have provided such a genuine delivery. 

Though I’m not ready to tackle a thank you project to the author’s magnitude, I have begun to write more thank you notes and to focus on more of my blessings than challenges. 

This is a truly remarkable story! 

Listening Length	5 hours and 18 minutes
Author	John Kralik
Narrator	John Kralik
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	February 11, 2011
Publisher	Hyperion AudioBooks
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B004NEQECM

I ordered this audio book with an Audible credit. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in anyway.

Audible Book Review: Creating Magic by Lee Cockerell

 

Because I don't have a hard copy to refer to, and because I am listening to books on Audible versus sitting down, reading them, and marking them up, I will post shortened reviews of these books from time to time. 

Today, I just finished Creating Magic by Lee Cockerell, which I bought with an Audible credit.

Creating Magic has been on my TBR list for years. In an engaging and friendly style, Cockerell shares the many lessons he has learned throughout his decades in the business world. His common sense approach to leadership is easily digestible and could be implemented in any business environment.

From his early days in business to Marriott and to Disney, Cockerell wisely learned from his mistakes, embraced change, and discovered how important it is to recruit, train, and encourage people at all levels of your organization. No wonder he is a highly sought after speaker. Creating Magic will definitely change your career, and it just might change your life. 

Highly recommended!

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Currency; 1st edition (October 14, 2008)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 270 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0385523866
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0385523868

PURCHASE HERE!

This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.