Focus on the Good Stuff E-Book

Mike Robbins

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 255

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2010

Beschreibung

Written by a former professional baseball player whose career was ended with an injury to his pitching arm in the middle of his third season, Focus on the Good Stuff is filled with passion, authenticity, and humor. Author Mike Robbins offers a step-by-step program with exercises for overcoming negative influence and obstacles, creating a truly grateful approach to life, and establishing an environment that can support success and peace of mind.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Praise

Title Page

Copyright Page

Foreword

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Don’t Put Off Being Happy

My Story

How to Use This Book

part one - our obsession with bad stuff

Chapter 1 - what’s wrong out there?

Our Obsession with Our Problems

Negativity Toward Others

The Impact of Our Negativity

Questions to Ponder About Your Negativity

The Culture of Negativity

The Impact of Cultural Negativity

Questions to Ponder About Cultural Negativity

Chapter 2 - what’s wrong with me?

Negativity Toward Ourselves

The Impact of Self-Criticism

Questions to Ponder About Self-Criticism

A Technique to Transform Your Negativity

part two - the five principles of appreciation

Chapter 3 - PRINCIPLE 1

What Is Gratitude?

Why Gratitude Is Important

How Gratitude Shapes Our Attitude and Perspective

Creating More Gratitude in Your Life

POSITIVE PRACTICES

Chapter 4 - PRINCIPLE 2

The Power of Our Thoughts

The Power of Our Feelings

The Law of Attraction

POSITIVE PRACTICES

Chapter 5 - PRINCIPLE 3

The Power of Words

Positive Communication

POSITIVE PRACTICES

Chapter 6 - PRINCIPLE 4

Why Acknowledging Others Can Be Difficult

What Acknowledgment Is Not

What Acknowledgment Is

How to Acknowledge People

The Positive Impact of Acknowledgment

POSITIVE PRACTICES

Chapter 7 - PRINCIPLE 5

Why Self-Appreciation Can Be Difficult

What Self-Appreciation Is Not

What Self-Appreciation Is

How to Appreciate Yourself

The Positive Impact of Self-Appreciation

POSITIVE PRACTICES

part three - appreciation in action

Chapter 8 - it’s not what we know, but what we do that matters

What Was This Book About, Anyway?

Appreciation in Action

A Final Word of Acknowledgment for You

resources

about the author

MORE PRAISE FOR

Focus on the Good Stuff

“Mike Robbins brilliantly teaches us how to bring more appreciation and gratitude into our lives, our relationships, and our world. His new voice and fresh perspective are powerful. I highly recommend this book.”

Marianne Williamson, author,A Return to Love

“Mike Robbins’ work calls forth the angels of our better nature. I have worked with many in the last year of their life, and it is precisely these remarkable qualities of appreciation and gratitude that leave people and their loved ones with a sense of kindness and clarity of heart. Mike has offered us a great gift.”

Stephen Levine, author,A Year to Live: How to Live This Year as If It Were Your Last

“Mike Robbins understands how the universe truly works. Focus on the Good Stuff is a brilliant book that will inspire and uplift you. You will discover how to bring more gratitude into your life with ease and grace.”

Lynne Twist, author,The Soul of Moneyand cofounder of the Pachamama Alliance

“Mike Robbins has an amazing ability to inspire people through his passionate, authentic, and open-hearted approach to appreciation. This book will have a positive impact on your life.”

Rich Fettke, author,Extreme Success

“Mike Robbins reminds us to focus on the very best aspects of ourselves and those around us. Written in his compelling and compassionate voice, this book is much-needed consciousness raising for people who want successful relationships and fulfilling lives.”

Susan Page, author,Why Talking Is Not Enough

“Mike Robbins is a role model of love and gratitude. His message of appreciation comes from his heart, and there is no one better to teach these important lessons!”

Rich Dutra-St. John, cofounder of Challenge Day and coauthor,Be the Hero You’ve Been Waiting For

“Focus on the Good Stuff is a remarkable book. Appreciation, as Mike Robbins teaches, can transform your life and help you attract what you truly want.”

Christopher Andersonn, author,Will You Still Love Me If I Don’t Win?

“Mike Robbins’ message of appreciation is powerful. He writes and speaks directly from his heart in a way that makes a real difference. This is a truly transformational book that will change lives.”

Lee Glickstein, author,Be Heard Now!and founder of Speaking Circles International

“Focus on the Good Stuff reveals the secret of bringing more gratitude into your life without resorting to simpering sentiment, sappy prose, or dithering diatribe. Mike Robbins brings a fresh and uplifting approach to the age-old task of learning to love life.”

Lisa Earle McLeod, syndicated columnist and coauthor,Forget Perfect

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Quote in Chapter Seven from A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson. Copyright © 1992 by Marianne Williamson. Portions reprinted from A Course in Miracles. Copyright © 1975 by Foundation for Inner Peace, Inc. All chapter openings are from A Course in Miracles.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Robbins, Mike, date.

Focus on the good stuff: the power of appreciation / Mike Robbins ; foreword by Richard Carlson.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-7879-8879-1 (cloth)

1. Gratitude I. Title.

BF575.G68R63 2007

158—dc22

2007007874

foreword

Appreciation is one of the most important keys to a happy and successful life. And for me, the most important ingredient in writing a book on appreciation is very simple: Does the author walk the talk?

I have had the pleasure of knowing Mike Robbins for a number of years, and I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that Mike passes the test. He is one of the most genuinely appreciative people I’ve ever known. He seems to appreciate everyone, everything, and even the gift of life itself—it’s almost as though he is on the lookout for something to appreciate. On top of all that, Mike is the most skilled person I’ve ever known at sharing his appreciation with others in a way that is both authentic and inspiring. It’s actually quite amazing to spend some time with him. The most interesting part of Mike’s appreciation toward other people as well as life itself is that it’s so genuine, and it always comes from his heart. It’s never canned or rehearsed, and it’s always expressed with sincerity.

Mike Robbins has been teaching the power of appreciation for a number of years to enthusiastic audiences from all walks of life. Companies have him speak to them again and again—almost as though they cannot get enough of such wisdom and common sense.

Being appreciative, expressing appreciation, and receiving appreciation have got to be among the most obvious skills one would seek to learn. Why? Because everyone loves to feel appreciated—it brings out the best in people and makes them act nicer, perform better, and feel better about themselves. When people feel appreciated, they are on top of their game; they are creative, resilient, loyal, and generally fun to be around. In my forty-five years of living, I’ve yet to hear a single person say to me, “I feel too appreciated.” In contrast, I’ve heard “I don’t feel appreciated” thousands of times. So although the value of appreciation seems obvious, it’s somewhat rare that someone is well versed in the special and important dynamics of appreciation.

That’s why Mike’s book is so incredible. He presents here three powerful lessons that you’ll be able to put into practice immediately.

1. First, you’ll learn about our obsession with “what’s wrong” and how that plays out in many of our lives.

2. Next, you’ll learn what Mike calls the five principles of appreciation. I read each of them three times before writing this Foreword, and I felt far more equipped to be appreciative than at any other time in my life. In a word, I was stunned at the depth of the material and its immediate impact on my life—and on the lives around me. I found that as I practiced, my two teenagers “magically” were more interested in me again. Was it magic? Or was it that they felt more appreciated? I think you know the answer to that question.

3. Finally, you’ll learn how to put appreciation into action. When I am appreciative of the people with whom I work, I experience happy people who love to be loyal, ethical, and friendly.

There are forces in our world that encourage us to be on guard and negative and that fill our minds with self-doubt. There are millions of people who reinforce this way of looking at and relating to the world. This book is an antidote to those pressures. Almost immediately upon reading it, you’ll feel a spark in your spirit, a nourishing of your soul. You’ll find yourself saying, “Yes, that’s the way I want to live my life.”

Mike Robbins deserves a big congratulations on a job well done. With so much cynicism and negativity in our world, it’s refreshing when someone like Mike comes along and reminds us of what’s truly important and shows us in simple language how to use to our advantage one of the most important ingredients in all of life. Once we learn what Mike has to teach, we will have the capacity to touch, in a very positive way, the lives of virtually everyone with whom we come in contact. Sometimes it will be subtle and other times it will be dramatic, but genuine appreciation is a powerful force, one that is also extremely contagious. When you become a more appreciative person and can also accept appreciation gracefully when it comes your way, others around you—your coworkers, spouse, lover, children, parents, friends, even strangers—won’t be able to help themselves, as they too will become more appreciative.

It is my great honor to recommend this book with heartfelt enthusiasm. To me, it should be required reading for everyone. After all, whom do you know among us who is too appreciative? Not many, to be sure.

You have taken the first step in becoming a more appreciative and thus happier and more content person. Now read on and find out exactly how it works. Your life will transform before your eyes!

November 2006

Richard Carlson Walnut Creek, California

Note: Richard Carlson wrote this Foreword three weeks before he suddenly and unexpectedly passed away on December 13, 2006. With his death, the world lost a great author, teacher, and man. I lost a dear friend and a wonderful mentor. I’m grateful for Richard’s friendship, support, and belief in me and my work.—Mike Robbins

For my beautiful and brilliant wife, Michelle, who gives me so much to be grateful for. Thank you for bringing such love and appreciation into my life and into our home.

acknowledgments

I’m filled with gratitude, love, and appreciation as I think of the many people who’ve contributed not only to the creation of this book but also to my personal growth and development.