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Thursday, April 26, 2012

Book Review - Of Pebbles & Grenades: 3 Keys To Self-Mastery: A Manual for Becoming a Secret Agent of Love & Transformation

About the Book
I am writing to those who wish to live life beyond the average standards presented by society—in any country and culture in which you find yourself. I’m reaching out to those who wish to bring greater meaning to their personal life, to be more productive, and to be more effective leaders in their relationships—at home, at work, and wherever they are. Leadership is about influencing others in some way. If you are alive, you are in a position of leadership. The question is: What kind of leader are you? Leadership presupposes a vision and a degree of self-mastery to pursue that vision with a determination that will not be denied. Do you have a desire to bring out the best in others? Is this you?

Ninety-eight percent of us act as if external events (pebbles thrown into our pond) determine our responses (ripples) believing the pebble causes the ripple. And so we live like victims rippling happily or unhappily at the mercy of chance or of some providential force we do not understand. We spend much of our time and energy furiously reacting to these external events. We live in a state of anxiety, hoping the world will be kind to us as it defines us through the things that befall us. We give lip service to individuality and freedom but succumb to the standards imposed on us from outside.

To live at the mercy of events we do not control is the universal condition of life everywhere on this planet. This is the existential core of our daily experience, whoever you are and wherever you are. As we wake up and as we fall asleep, we all share this experience of uncertainty and anxiety.

We live on this foundation of sand and we attempt to cope with it in our own way. We find more or less functional ways to bury this fear of being victimized by life as we face one event after another. We build stories about life ranging from the miraculous to the merciless. So, we are either blessed miraculously or battered mercilessly by forces outside of our control. This dilemma unites us all, for it is no respecter of gender, age, race, culture, or geography. How we face this dilemma differentiates us into victims or leaders in our dance with destiny.

Victims use passive or aggressive ways in a futile attempt to control others, hoping to find security or happiness by changing the outside world. That is the foundation of sand. Leaders are masters of themselves first, assuming responsibility for their actions. From that solid foundation, they attempt to influence others aiming to bring out their best.

This is a leadership manual that starts by laying out the building blocks of self-mastery. OF PEBBLES & GRENADES: Steps to Self-Mastery, is the personal development phase of our leadership program designed to assist you achieve a level of influence so you can make a difference wherever you are. If this is you, read on.

About the Author
Ramon G. Corrales, Ph.D. is a renowned author, self/leadership development expert, corporate consultant, and life/executive coach. He developed his own method for coaching and leadership team building. He engages leaders and their teams to draw the best work out of each member, as well as to improve their teamwork as a management group. Ramon has devoted his career to the pursuit of several main passions: self-mastery, leadership mastery, relationship mastery, and spiritual mastery.

My Take on the Book
This was a well written book that truly opens your mind to the possibilities around you. The book is a self-help book, but it is much more than that. As you read through this book you find yourself seeing that the author truly is offering you an opportunity to grown beyond yourself and to become more than you already are. He speaks to the strong emotions that can hold you back (emotional grenades) as well as provides you tools to be able to grow and learn and rise above the limits that you may have set for yourself without even knowing. The book was an easy read and is one that is highly engaging and will challenge you to start making changes from the beginning to the very end of the book! I highly recommend this to all!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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