Like many people, I first learned about John Assaraf when I saw “The Secret.” I enjoyed what he said and his enthusiasm for life. So I decided to check out his book “Having It All: Achieving Your Life’s Goals and Dreams.” I’m glad I did, it’s a nice quick read with some very practical advice.
First, while it’s a quick read, if you do the exercises that Assaraf suggests you do, it will take longer. As with almost anything in life, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. Assaraf includes numerous worksheets for you to think about your life and design a more successful life for yourself. He makes you look at your achievements, strengths, weaknesses, etc. He also includes exercises to assess where you currently are with regards to health, spirituality, relationships, etc. Finally, he has worksheets that focus on designing your future, setting goals, etc. I like that you can go to the Assaraf website and download the 37 pages of worksheets in a PDF file instead of writing in the book or having to photocopy them.
I’ve done a lot of exercises like these and set goals for myself, so I didn’t stop and work through all these worksheets. However, the way Assaraf presented the information was a bit different from the way others present similar ideas and he gave me a few extra things to think about as I constantly work to improve myself and the life I create.
There are many others who teach some of the same things. Heck, I teach and write about some of these ideas myself, although I often do so from an Asian perspective that incorporates the wisdom of ancient warriors into my teachings. That doesn’t mean this book isn’t worth reading. In fact, even if you have read the works of others on these topics, I would put Assaraf’s book on your reading list. Reading their perspectives will reinforce ideas and help you stay on track. After all, it’s easy to get motivated and then lose your way in the frantic turmoil that many of us have to deal with every day with our lives. Reading positive books and articles and listening to positive shows help us stay on track and remember what’s important.
In a nutshell, this is a fun, quick read with great tips on how to have it all. If you have never done exercises like the ones Assaraf recommends and provide worksheets, I suggest you don’t read it too fast and really think about the life of him with Assaraf’s guidance. If you’ve done this kind of work in your life, use this book as a boost and do even more.
