Book Review Success Built to Last Essay Example

will work harder and longer than those who are only partially invested.

Chapter 3 (Portfolio of Passions – It’s not About Balance) challenges the popular belief that individuals should strive for balance in their lives. In this context, balance refers to dividing one's time equally among various activities or tasks. However, this chapter proposes a different perspective, defining balance as the pursuit of a portfolio that holds personal meaning rather than aiming for perfect equilibrium.

Successful individuals prioritize what truly matters to them, thus not considering balance a significant concern. Although builders may have diverse interests, the fulfillment they derive from their pursuits serves as their desired equilibrium. Chapter 4 (Why Successful People Stay Successful – Integrity to Meaning) delves into the shared core value of all accomplished individuals: integrity (personal significance) to their respective passions, a value that distinguishes their lives and professional endeavors. Builders abstain from wasting their time on trivial matters.

The text discusses the concept of driving for meaning and working towards it in order to achieve success. Part II focuses on the Thought Style element, with Chapter 5 exploring the challenge of doing what matters. The authors refer to this challenge as the 'silent scream,' a voice within that reveals what truly matters to an individual. When a person listens to this 'silent scream' and takes action, it leads to happy endings and a sense of fulfillment. This inner voice guides individuals towards their true passions and what brings meaning to their lives.

However, not everybody pays attention and listens to it, as a result, success is not achieved. In addition, this chapter also highlights the reasons why this calling is sometimes ignored, which

the authors refer to as 'traps'. These traps hinder one's ability to express their inner thoughts silently. The traps are: (1) It is not perceived as a respectable career, (2) Material possessions such as fancy cars, impressive resumes, and engagement rings. Ultimately, no material gain or activity can truly fulfill what truly matters to an individual, (3) The allure of expertise (or our innate tendency to follow a misleading leader), and (4) The burden of choosing one thing over another. Builders have determined that their dedication to serving others is also in their own best interest. Chapter 6 (The Cause has Charisma - You Don't Have to be Charismatic to be Successful), reveals that many Builders may be hesitant or introverted individuals, but they still manage to succeed.

Despite lacking charisma or personality, builders determine their success based on how they utilize their personalities. They possess a strong personal commitment that drives them to do whatever matters to them. In Chapter 7, titled "The Tripping Point - Always Make New Mistakes," mistakes are seen as valuable learning opportunities for builders to achieve long-lasting success. Builders continuously find ways to handle setbacks and refuse to give up on their goals and dreams, even in the face of adversity. They view both success and failure as sources of feedback, rather than as definitive wins or losses, recognizing the significance of both outcomes.

Chapter 8 (Wounds to Wisdom – Trusting your Weaknesses and Using your Core Competencies) offers another perspective for builders regarding weaknesses. Instead of viewing weaknesses as flaws that hinder their actions, builders see them as opportunities for growth. While it is normal to feel embarrassed or overwhelmed

by weaknesses at times, builders do not allow themselves or the problem to be marginalized. Instead, they embrace these "disabilities" as essential components of greatness and lasting success. The third part of the book explores the final element, Action Styles, within the "success that lasts formula".

Chapter 9 of the book discusses how Builders believe that their path to success has been a series of fortunate events, but these opportunities were often earned through hard work and sacrifice. They prioritize meaningful work and diligently search for valuable insights. Builders set ambitious goals and fully dedicate themselves to their current tasks. As a result, they are able to turn seemingly negative or irrelevant situations into opportunities. Chapter 10, titled "Naked Conversations – Harvesting contentions," explores how successful individuals embrace contention as a source of inspiration. They intentionally seek out contentious issues rather than personal conflicts, aiming to foster productive debates that generate the best and most innovative ideas.

In the previous chapter, titled "Creating Alignment – The Environment Always Wins," the focus was on the importance of aligning three key elements to achieve long-lasting success. This chapter stressed the significance of the relationships individuals form. Builders discover that when their fundamental values, expressions, and behaviors are in harmony, they feel a sense of direction and consequently attract the appropriate individuals to help them accomplish their objectives. All meaningful aspects are organized within a Thought Style and are subsequently converted into words and actions, known as Action Styles, which uphold their priorities.

Builders emphasize the importance of consistently working towards alignment in both personal and professional lives, recognizing that this is the key to lasting success. In the

final section of their book, The Pleasure of Finding Things Out – A look at the Research behind Success Built to Last, the authors discuss their research methodology and significant findings. The book is a result of two separate studies: personal interviews with successful individuals and the results of the World Success Survey, which gathered perceptions of success from various respondents.

This text was compared to support their findings about how successful people find meaning, define success, their attitudes, and mindsets. The strengths of Success Built to Last, an inspiring book to read, were mainly in terms of its source of data, the manner it was written, how ideas are explained, how it transformed simple concepts to a formula of lasting success, and its ability to personally connect to the reader. The book is a result of over a hundred personal interviews with different people who made a difference in their lives or became successful, to put it in simple perspective.

Drawing on almost ten years of interviews with successful individuals from various backgrounds, the authors of this book sought to define success in a standardized manner that endures. They meticulously selected their sources to ensure a more authentic discussion, rather than simply presenting random ideas about lasting success. Additionally, the authors cross-referenced the interview findings with the results of the World Success Survey, further substantiating their concepts and insights. This book goes beyond providing a mere narrative on achieving enduring success; it is a product of empirical research, which can often be abstract. Furthermore, it distinguishes itself through its well-crafted prose and coherent presentation of thoughts and ideas.

The book starts by explaining that lasting success

is achieved through aligning three crucial elements: Meaning, Thought Style, and Action Style. This introduction provides readers with an overview of what to anticipate in the book. Moreover, it begins with a strong reference to Nelson Mandela, a renowned world leader, as a smooth transition from the previous book Built to Last to the concept of Success Built to Last. Additionally, a simple diagram is included in order to aid comprehension of the main idea and key contents of the book.

It is important to highlight that the author delved deeply into the Meaning element. The book was easy to read due to the inclusion of numerous personal conversations with resource people, which are quoted extensively. Consequently, reading the book becomes a personal experience for the reader, as they engage in these conversations with successful individuals. As previously mentioned, the book comprises genuine dialogues with actual people, which is crucial for conveying and elaborating on the ideas and principles presented in the book. These conversations serve as a testimony to the effectiveness of the authors' writing in aiding successful individuals in attaining long-lasting success.

The book goes beyond providing a simple list of tips or highlighting the habits of successful individuals. Instead, it offers a carefully researched and analyzed formula for achieving lasting success. The book contains numerous inspiring principles, many of which may seem like common sense but are often overlooked by people. It demonstrates that success does not require exceptional intelligence or expertise, but rather finding meaning in life and translating it into actionable ideas. The authors effectively convey the message that success is not elusive, but rather lies within oneself.

The authors of this book

present simple principles that may seem well-known by readers, but which they may struggle to translate and organize into a formula for lasting success. However, the authors succeed in providing a strong human element through various interviews and quotes from successful individuals, allowing readers to connect with the content. Rather than imposing strict guidelines, the book is more like a friendly conversation aimed at inspiring readers to build lasting success. It encourages readers to think deeply and reflect on every word they read, resulting in a strong connection and a lasting impact on their lives. However, despite its strengths, the book could still be improved by giving equal attention to the important element of Action Style, rather than focusing primarily on the Meaning element.

Good ideas are pointless if they cannot be turned into action. The book inadequately addresses the third element, as it fails to fully delve into how one can effectively implement their ideas. It lacks specific steps for taking action, ultimately making it the end result that validates the approach. If the execution is weak, there is a potential for failure or delayed achievement.

The book's chapters lack diversity due to excessive repetition in explaining major key points. Despite thorough analysis and an ambitious survey, the book primarily focuses on using biography as a source of inspiration. It is widely known that genuine passion for one's work, finding deep purpose in their chosen path, and being willing to pursue it without monetary gain are traits of truly successful individuals. Furthermore, it is common knowledge that these individuals display unwavering optimism and resilience in the face of failure.

Although the book may cover familiar ideas and

principles, it remains an inspiring read that imparts valuable lessons. One such lesson is a unique outlook on success, emphasizing that it is not solely determined by material wealth, fame, or power. Rather, the book motivates individuals to wholeheartedly pursue what truly holds significance to them.

Success and excellence are sought after by individuals who value the significance and duration of their work. Those who feel discontent with their efforts will face obstacles in achieving long-term success. Having a genuine love for our work is crucial, as there will always be others who possess such passion. This principle holds true even in competitive work environments, where our authentic enthusiasm determines our ultimate potential.

If someone loves and is passionate about their work more than you, it can lead to your failure. However, those who love and are passionate about what they do will succeed through hard work and giving their best efforts. It's important to understand that people can have multiple passions instead of just one thing they truly love, despite the belief in having only one passion.

However, the challenge is finding a place to store all the important things. According to this book, it teaches us that maintaining balance is crucial and closely connected to preserving honesty in our actions. True achievement cannot happen without integrity. It is still essential to stay grounded in our core values and mission.

The book emphasizes the significance of adhering to one's own path and personal values in order to maintain success. It stresses the importance of not adopting someone else's value system, as this would compromise integrity and what truly matters in life. Additionally, setting goals without knowing how to

achieve them often poses challenges for individuals. While ambitious goals are advantageous, it is vital to ensure their realism and feasibility.

Otherwise, the purpose of an audacious idea would not be served. Contentment is an important lesson from the book. Successful individuals encourage others to foster creative tension, leading to the emergence of new ideas. Being open to others' ideas can be fruitful in some way.

Even though we have our own goals, know our passions, and have ideas for taking action, it is beneficial to also pay attention to others' ideas in order to enhance our current initiatives and bring more innovation to them. From all the knowledge acquired, personally, I found the concept of discovering what truly matters to us the most impactful. The book emphasizes that one should engage in activities they love. If we are unsure of what we truly love, that is the fundamental issue.

After reading these words, I took a moment to reflect on what truly matters to me. I realized that I am still on a journey to discover the meaning of life, but I am hopeful that I will find it soon. I am grateful for having read this book because it served as a wake-up call for me. It prompted me to contemplate the search for meaning, develop ideas from it, and turn those ideas into actions. In terms of rating, on a scale of 10 with 10 being the highest, I would give this book an 8. It is an easy read and has a friendly tone, not being imposing or preachy. This book has the power to make readers reflect on what truly matters to them

and how they can find satisfaction in life. Personally, I found great inspiration from this book.

Although the book has some weaknesses, such as redundant and common ideas, it is still worth reading. Not only will it entertain you, but it will also inspire and motivate you to achieve lasting success. I highly recommend this book, especially to those who are unsure about their goals. It not only applies to professional success but also enriches personal relationships. The principles discussed can become the foundation for our own journey.