cover image BEATING THE SUCCESS TRAP: Trading in the Rat Race for the Life You've Always Wanted

BEATING THE SUCCESS TRAP: Trading in the Rat Race for the Life You've Always Wanted

Ed Brodow, . . Harper Resource, $24.95 (288pp) ISBN 978-0-06-000882-6

Using all the staples of the self-help genre, Brodow (Negotiate with Confidence) turns out a guide to rethinking the meaning of "success" that may well resonate in these financially difficult times. The business consultant and motivational speaker is convinced that a significant and growing portion of the population is working in pursuit of material gain, although their hearts' true desires lie elsewhere. In 13 chapters, he aims to teach the reader how to "follow your bliss" rather than chase fame and fortune. These chapters are filled with tried and true advice: get to know yourself and your desires, be assertive and confident, don't let others control your choices, don't think like a victim. All these points are illustrated with apt anecdotes, and they are all summarized in countless numbered lists, from the five positions on the "success totem pole" to the "four steps to personal fulfillment." Indeed, those with a short attention span will appreciate that the prose seldom flows for more than three paragraphs before a headline denotes a new subtopic. While not exactly revolutionary, Brodow's diagnosis of an all-too-common personal dissatisfaction is convincing, and his prescriptions are well grounded in both basic psychology and common sense. (June)