Get Off Your "But" E-Book

Sean Stephenson

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

Seitenzahl: 274

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2009

Beschreibung

A hands-on guide for overcoming the forces of negativity and self-sabotage Written for the active, not passive participant, this book offers an inspiring program for overcoming big bumps in the road, eliminating excuses, ending insecurities, and standing up for happiness and success in life. Based on the author's personal story, clinical training and work as a therapist, and extensive experience speaking and teaching, Get Off Your "But" shows how to overcome excuses for emotional paralysis, build self-confidence at work and at home, and achieve a higher level of success in career and relationships.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Praise

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Foreword

BORN TO KICK BUT

Brittle Bones

My Parents Didn’t Sit on Their BUTS

Growing Up the Hard Way

My “Costumized” Wheelchair

Learning from Pain

Cause and Effect

Finding the Purpose of My Life

A Different Kind of Pain

“Sean’s Sister”

My Limiting Belief

The Promise of Good Things to Come

“My Buddy Bill”

Developing Skills

Never Count Yourself Out

Launching My Surprising Career

Back to School

My Work as a Therapist

My Love Life

Eliminating the BUT

How Some Folks Can Keep You on Your BUT

Why We Sit on Our BUTS

Get Off Your BUT Now!

LESSON 1 - Start Connecting

Why Should We Have to Connect?

How We Can Tell When We’re Connected

Connection Versus Communication

Emotional Energy Is the Fuel That Powers Connection

Ten Things I Learned About Connection from President Bill Clinton

What If You Feel Too Shy to Connect?

We’re All Connected

Why I Love Everyone

Connecting Is Great—Even When It Hurts!

Connecting with Some Really Tough Customers

Connecting Through Conversational Ping-Pong

There’s Always Time for Connection

HOW RENE GOT OFF HIS BUT

LESSON 2 - Watch What You Say to Yourself!

The Power of Words

Words Can Transform

Words Can Heal, and Words Can Kill

Parenting Our Inner Voice

Be Your Own Best Friend

How Words Impact Our Self-Confidence

The Hammer Versus the Doormat

The BUT Triple Threat

How Beliefs Work

LESSON 3 - Master Your Physical Confidence

Sean’s Childhood Wish Comes True

Gifts from Tony Robbins

The Mind-Body Connection

The Brain-Gut Axis

Physical Confidence Is Vital

Slowwwwww . . . Downnnnnn . . .

Sensory Acuity

Finding Romance Through Physical Confidence

Burst Through Any Challenge

HOW ANDRÉA GOT OFF HER BUT

LESSON 4 - Focus Your Focus

Happiness Is Right in Front of You

How Focus Works

The Egg-Timer Technique

Compare Leads to Despair

Be a Rain Runner

Laughing at Stress

How to Get Unstuck

Fairness Is an Illusion

LESSON 5 - Choose Your Friends Wisely

How We Become Our Friends

The Pit Crew Theory of Friendship

Choosing Your Pit Crew

Why We Keep Takers, Drainers, and Destroyers Around

The ABC’s of Friendship

You Do Not Have to Be Lonely

HOW PETER GOT OFF HIS BUT

LESSON 6 - Take Full Responsibility

Near Death

Inside the Theater of My Mind

I’m Back

Owning Your Life

The Freedom Formula

Taking Out the Trash

Self-Pity Is a Drug

The Power of Cause

The Wheel-Catching Moment

You Choose

One Last Thing . . .

RESOURCES

THE AUTHOR

“Sean has inspired me for years, so much so that I even wrote about him in my book. The reason why I love and respect my good buddy is he truly gets it—he lives in harmony! In this book he gives you timeless wisdom in a fun, loving, and modern-day voice that you’ll enjoy rereading for the rest of your life.”

—James Arthur Ray, author, Harmonic Wealth; coauthor, The Secret

“As a writer it takes a lot for a book to impress me—and a lot more for a book to impact me. Get Off Your “But” did both! Simply put, Sean silences the voice that tells us we’re not enough.”

—Steven Pressfield, author, The War of Art

“The reason why some people never win at the game of life is they’re too busy sitting on their BUTS on the sideline instead of standing on the field making history! Perseverance is the name of the game, whether you’re running a business, a family, or making the cut for the Notre Dame football team. Get Off Your “But” is the perfect book to strengthen your perseverance and lead you to the ultimate victories in life!”

—Rudy Ruettiger, inspiration for the movie “Rudy”; author, Rudy’s Insights for Winning in Life

“If you’ve ever been afraid of meeting someone, dating someone, or starting a conversation with someone you wanted to meet, and you’d like to destroy those fears, then read this book. I guarantee that the material inside will get you the results you want from life . . .”

—David DeAngelo, author, Double Your Dating

“No ifs, ands, or BUTS about it. Sean sets an awesome example of someone who could find every reason to give up. This book offers inspiration, humor, and insights on overcoming mental barriers that could rent space in your head!”

—Gary Coxe, author, Don’t Let Others Rent Space in Your Head

“Have you ever felt stuck in life? If so I’d recommend you read this book. Sean lays out in a very entertaining manner a set of tools for us to deal with challenging circumstances. While he might not be able to walk, he truly embodies the idea that anything is possible if you take it one step at a time.”

—Robert Maurer, Ph.D., author, One Small Step

“Sean is an inspiration showing like no one else what perseverance and the raw power of belief can accomplish. He has imbued this book with an extraordinary message he puts into action every day. Read it—you won’t be disappointed.”

—Ray Dodd, author, BeliefWorks and The Power of Belief

“Sean’s book is a touching, surefire approach to stop your excuses from controlling your life; and even more important, to stop putting off the life you dream of.”

—Rita Emmett, author, The Procrastinator’s Handbook and The Clutter-Busting Handbook

“Sean Stephenson is a human re-frame. The moment his story and passion connect with you, life looks different, and your excuses are out the window.”

—Steve Chandler, author, The Story of You

Copyright © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Stephenson, Sean.

Get off your “but”: how to end self-sabotage and stand up for yourself / by

Sean Stephenson.

p. cm.

eISBN : 978-0-470-44805-2

1. Success. 2. Self-defeating behavior. 3. Nurturing behavior. I. Title.

BF637.S8S69285 2009

650.1—dc22

2008041491

To fears, excuses, and insecurities.If it weren’t for you, I would be out of a job.Be forewarned though—I plan on eradicating you from this planet.Your days are numbered.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To Mom, Dad, and Heidi—thanks for all your love and support, and for asking a million times the most annoying question ever, “Is your book done yet?”

To my amazing pit crew—you know who you are. You’re the reason I’m in first place!

To my powerful mentors and “friendtors”—thanks for teaching me the things that I needed to learn, saying the things I may not have wanted to hear but needed to, and believing in me on the days I didn’t believe in myself.

To Bryn Freedman—thanks for seeing things in me other people couldn’t. I love ya, partner.

To Alice Martell—thanks for finding the perfect publisher and kindly answering all my extremely naive questions.

To Tony Robbins—thanks for carrying me across the coals in life.

To Dr. RobertYoung—thanks for making me unbreakable.

To Eben Pagan—thanks for proving to me that I am capable of creating attraction. And thanks for being one of the most giving mentors I have.

To President Clinton—thanks for teaching me the power of connection.

To William O. Lipinski—thanks for teaching me how to network.

To Alan Rinzler and Naomi Luchs Sigal—thanks for making me sound as though I know what I’m talking about here.

To Phi Kappa Theta, the American Legion, Lyons Township High School, DePaul University, Shriners and Chicago Children’s Hospitals, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation—your presence shaped the course of my destiny.

To the entire Stephenson and Clinch extended families—thanks for all the prayers; God heard you. Keep them coming.

FOREWORD

Anthony Robbins

I have dedicated my time here on earth to finding the tools that can help each of us experience an extraordinary quality of life. I do believe that such a life can only be found by living one’s true passion. Without passion, an individual gets caught in the trap of making a living instead of designing a life. When we fall into the trap of getting up each day to reenact an “ordinary” existence, we find ourselves at a level that is merely one of survival. Thus, I have spent more than a quarter of a century traveling the globe, learning from and teaching individuals the importance of living life at the level we’re made for! One of the blessings of teaching so many people is getting to meet some incredible human beings. In 1998, I made friends with one such person, Sean Stephenson—a little man with such a big spirit, it could move mountains. His smile and loving nature were truly infectious.

Sean came to me through the help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He wanted me to mentor him because, although his life was filled with accomplishments and joy, so too was it filled with frustration, pain, and a fight for survival. His face was covered in acne. Because of his genetic bone disorder, his back was riddled with pain, and his bones were so brittle that they were fracturing constantly. Doctors felt that Sean’s condition would most likely turn fatal—with a premature death. One could see that his entire body lacked the energy and vitality it deserved. I told Sean exactly whom to see and what to do. He took immediate and massive action by changing his entire diet and lifestyle. This action turned Sean’s physiology around 180 degrees. His acne, chronic back pain, and bone fractures disappeared completely, and they haven’t returned since. His prognosis is no longer premature death. Believe it or not, Sean now body-builds and has a six-pack set of abs that most fitness competitors dream of.

The way a person lives his life can either serve as a warning or as an example to us. Sean is the example! An example of how to get over your fears, insecurities, and excuses. Sean could have sentenced himself to a lifetime of misery, yet he consciously chose to pardon himself from the pity. Sean amazes me not because he overcame his struggles, but because he chose to dedicate his life to helping others do the same. He doesn’t just have a compelling story to tell in this book; he has a specific plan for you to follow. His plan is designed to help you and people you care about to get off what he calls your BUTS. Of course, in Sean’s own words, he’s referring to our

BUT fears (BUT what if I fail . . .)

BUT insecurities (BUT I’m not good enough . . .)

BUT excuses (BUT there’s no time . . .)

This book will show you how to move beyond your limitations and begin to experience and share your gifts at the highest level. Both Sean and I STAND for the possibility of you living at the level of the extraordinary. Read this book in its entirety, follow the lessons closely, and watch as your life transforms into a masterpiece filled with an abundance of bliss, passion, and gratitude.

Live with passion!

Anthony Robbins Author, Awaken the Giant Withinand Unlimited Power