The Motivation Myth

I'd Listen To Ray Porter Read Me Math

I would NEVER have listened to this book if Ray weren't narrating it. I"m required to do 40 hours of training a year at my job. This book ended up being completely interesting and 85% of it hit home. Whether for business or personal reasons, there's something in this book for anyone who needs help with motivation and the rationalization behind it. The author tells stories and experiences in an honest, down to earth way that people will be able to understand and try and Ray Porter gives all of the inflection and personality needed to keep me listening.

18 sur 18 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

A quick and worthwhile read

What I like most about this book is that the author doesn't waste my time. There aren't chapters filled with bragging that many books with similar goals seem to think is required, perhaps to qualify the author.

Instead there are excellent ideas that I'd not heard before about how motivation actually works, as well as details about building frameworks and processes to achieve your goals. Well thought out examples clarified and "todo" lists called me to action and helped me realize that I'd been working toward the wrong things, and in the incorrect order.

Ray Porter's narration is perfect, as always. He reads with passion and his style fits the author's voice well. Recommended!

31 sur 33 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Absolutely brilliant!

it's basically everything you already known, but what everyone should keep hearing! Love it so much, that it has turned into my go-to book.... whenever actually

6 sur 6 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

nothing you haven't heard before

I am annoyed. The author holds definitions of terms that aren't quite how I define those terms. They lack nuance. These are essential terms of motivation, willpower, and what a SMART goal actually is. To paraphrase: Forget your goal, but set reminders of your goal. Motivation isn't about spark, but by the way, start with a very productive day. You don't need willpower, limit your choices...which takes willpower. Motivate from the small successes, but don't break the chain (willpower), and I'm not going to tell you how to motivate to your first success. SMART goals are stupid, but essentially, use SMART goals (aka working your number).
If I wasn't having trouble working my numbers, I wouldn't be looking for an answer to motivation. These are old steps that didn't need a retelling with no new insights. It's not that the author's points aren't supported or are badly ordered, so I wouldn't give it a 1 star. It just didn't deliver.

5 sur 5 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Life changing

Any additional comments?

As an artist and writer I was under the (wrong) preconception that I had to wait for “inspiration” to strike or for “passion” to move me to work. I realise now that was a load of bollucks which is why I rarely finished any work. Since reading this book (and the War of Art, another book I would highly recommend) I now produce about 4-5 large paintings a month. I have recommended this work to several creators I know who are struggling with writer’s block. The ones who read these books have begun creating again and the others are still waiting for lightening to strike.

3 sur 3 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Excellent advice but...

A little flag raises in my head when one person attempts to distill truth, with such conviction, on such a wide range of subjects. To be fair, the professional wrestling-like narration might have injected more pathos than might have been intended by the writer.

Having said that, his explicit connection of motivation to a routine was very appreciated. Also, his writing style, combined with the wrestling commentator narration was greatly entertaining. I can't give it full marks, though, when compared to works from Duhigg, Dalio and others.

7 sur 8 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Contradictions

Writer hammers Tony Robbins and later contradicts himself saying he loves Tony. He never bothers to tell the reader about the mountain of data showing how Robbins and other mindset experts tell people how to do the very things this book proposes.

Second, he hates SMART goals for a chapter. Then, IN THE VERY NEXT CHAPTER, tells us how to form a proper goal by using the exact same techniques that SMART goals employ.

Finally, our resident motivator tells us we don’t need a coach, we need an expert. A coach is an expert. If an NFL player wants more strengths, better nutrition, or to run the right play, he listens to a...coach. If, by coach someone means a touchy-feely, cheerleader, then I agree—you don’t need that. But that’s a cheerleader not a coach.

The nuggets of goodness in this book, and there are many, are sadly overshadowed by the contradictions. Perhaps another proofreading next time?

9 sur 11 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

I know how to get motivated now!

Very compelling approach to motivation. Motivation is not an input. Get to work and the motivation will follow!
The reader is articulate and engaging too.

2 sur 2 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Superficial Content

The first 1/3 of the book is interesting but the back half of the book is trite and formulaic. You can actually tell that the author seemed to have a good idea for a book and then when he expressed the idea, padded it out with fluff. He’s a prolific and professional writer, which is a double edged sword because in situations like this - the back 2/3 feels like something you’d find on Inc, BI or one of those listicle sites that are churned out by professional and prolific writers.

I hated the narration. Absolutely could not stand it. I have never given a poor rating to a narrator before but this just sounds like someone reading to play school children with lots of false emotion and over the top expressiveness. It actually detracts from the content.

I hate leaving negative reviews but this one had to be done. It’s an average book with narration that is so saccharine it comes off as amateurish.

7 sur 9 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Very little substance or research

He knocks other self help gurus yet offers a fraction of the substance. ... basically all based on one theme, get started, take action and build on the momentum... No kidding ... no other real insights and flies in the face of Adam Grant’s Originals .... Tries to be irreverent but ironically hasn’t really done his research or ground work.

14 sur 19 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.