VIDEO: Book Review: Super Genes, Crush It, Eat That Frog
/EAT THAT FROG (3/5)
What the book is about
It’s a productivity book: it’s designed to help you become more productive in your day, get more done, feel more motivated and focused.
Review
I’m a bit on the fence whether to recommend this book or not.
I’ve read several dozen books on productivity and efficiency. I wouldn’t rank this one towards the top.
It doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but rehashes many of the principles I’ve come across in numerous other books and some of which I apply in my daily life (and teach to others).
Do I regret reading it? No. Because it’s a short and quick read, simply written and in a “practical, action-oriented” manner, it felt like a “refresher” for my brain. It reminded me of tools I’ve read about in other books but never really applied, and have all but forgotten about.
Most of them are “common sense”, but as Brendon Burchard says: “Common says isn’t always common practice”. So this book acts as a nudge / a reminder to take some action.
Highlights
- How to determine priorities, eliminate low-impact tasks, and delegate.
- How to manage necessary but not powerful / critical tasks.
- How to get yourself motivated to “eat that frog”: do the MOST important thing first.
In Conclusion
If you’re an avid reader and student of productivity, self-improvement, etc, then there are better books out there for you.
If you’re new to this world and you’re seeking to start implementing easy and practical tips to become more productive, then give this a read.
CRUSH IT (1/5)
What the book is about
It’s about an angry guy who landed a publishing deal for his “rant”!
On a serious note, I can’t really tell what this book is about. I struggled through it trying to make sense and glean some useful tools, to no avail.
It’s supposed to a book about how to succeed as an entrepreneur in the modern digital age. So I suppose that’s about the book is “loosely” about.
Review
This is not going to sound nice: you can summarize the entire book in one sentence: “to succeed in your business, market as much as you can on as many social media platforms as you can”.
There, that’s all it is. That’s the “secret” according to Mr. Vaynerchuk! He goes on and on about how he spotted various social media platforms before anyone else and started using them, giving him an advantage.
I’m not saying he’s wrong: he’s right! But if you’re going to write a book about it, then make sure it’s a book that contains tactics, tools, tips, strategies… something that can be implemented as opposed to a “rant”!
In Conclusion
Forget it!
SUPER GENES (3/5)
What the book is about
Most of us believe that certain aspects of our bodies (and lives) are dictated by our genes.
However: studies over the past 10 years have revealed that “it’s not that simple”.
A common saying in genetic circles today is that “genes load the gun, nature pulls the trigger”. What this means is that even though we may be born with a certain set of genes, our environment, lifestyle, nutrition, and other factors impact how these genes are “expressed”.
Think of your genes as a massive switchboard with billions of “on/off” switches”. Some switches operate automatically, while others are “triggered” by other factors.
In this excellent book, Drs. Deepak Chopra and Rudolph Tanzi explain this “epigenetic” principle in simple terms, supporting it with countless evidence and examples.
They go further by proposing advice on how to “control” the expression of some of your genes to live a healthier lifestyle (e.g. certain nutrition tactics to reduce risk of cancer in people with genetic pre-disposition).
Review
I really liked this book: it’s short and easy to read, and well referenced.
I firmly believe that we can control how are genes are expressed, and that we are NOT at the mercy of our DNA. This book provides the evidence to support that and adds practical applications to do so.
Did I learn anything new? Not really, but that’s only because I’m passionate about the field and have been following the research for years.
The only negative points in my opinion were the frequent suggestions regarding certain diets: they quote studies to support those suggestions, but those studies have been shown to be flawed in recent years.
However this does not take away from the book whatsoever.
In Conclusion
A must read if you care about your health and that of your loved ones. This book will open your eyes to how much control YOU have over your genes.
However, I do not consider this book to be a good reference for “how to” live a healthier lifestyle: I would go elsewhere for “practical applications”.
Tony
#neversettle
