Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite

I have given this book to so many people that I know who our artists and creative thinkers, and even some business people who could use a little jumpstart to get them “out of the box” so to speak.This is a great little reference book to keep by your bedside or somewhere you might pick up and just read a page at a time on any given day. It is full of useful and often hilarious anecdotes which will help you see things from different perspectives and build confidence in your own creativity, business acumen, and even your social skills.I also recommend that you purchased Paul Arden’s other book—“It’s not how good you are, it’s how good you want to be”. I consider that book to be the sibling of this one and having both of them will just double your happiness!

Pushing sixty and laid off from my last job of a decade made me put things into perspective. I started out at my last company (over a decade ago) able to be creative and resolve tense situations and technical snafus with total carte blanche. But due to several company merges, the last five years found my creativity shut down in lieu of taking direction (with no input allowed) for day to day operations. I turned my brain off and just waited as the layoffs got closer and closer to me. Now that I am free again, I found this book a great help in kick starting my brain. After reading it I decided I would take a "Roman Holiday" - just spend the summer doing what I want to do before I choose a "job" or "career" to go back to.I am taking all sorts of classes - music, writing, painting, investing (so I do not waste any money and do not stress out about having the summer off), meditation, tai chi.I read through this book once. Now I am taking a page a day, and journaling my own thoughts to what I have read. What I am finding out is that I am birthing a different person from a month ago, a year ago, a decade ago. And that new person will have something fun and wonderful to offer in the new work I choose that brings me joy.I highly recommend this book if you feel your creativity has abandoned you. Your mojo has not left you - it is just waiting for you to awaken it from a long nap and for you to start playing together again.

Arden's second book, like his first, is a zen take on your life in business. He does not tell you what to think as much as he tells you want he thinks and then challenges you to react, to think, to imagine. Great story on steady eddie v. reckless erica and how playing it safe is the least safe thing to do. Forces you to wonder which you are. His advice is anything but typical. To creative types he says don't worry about the medium you want , focus on the money you'll make---"it's honest." The juxtaposing of ideas with art and photos is well done---I liked the ask for a slap in the face advice(ask others to tell you what you did wrong, not what you did right) with the photo of a woman wincing at the slap to come. Why not 5 stars? If I read him right, it'd be an insult.

This was a great book written by a creative industry veteran. The words are though provoking and fun to look at (if that's even possible for a book). Loved the contents, not only what it said, but how it was laid out. If you're in creative in any way I recommend this book. If you're not in creative, buy it anyway... makes a great bathroom reader or book for your office desk. Enjoy!

I love Paul Arden and this book was my first "Arden experience". Witty, full of good humor and some serious "food for thought". It doesn't matter what your position in life or what your goals are, this book will help you look at things from different angles, and challenge your own ideas about the way it is. A fun and short, casual read good for a quick travel or time-killer.

You really can't go wrong with this book. It's one of those books that you pick it up, read it, and you are done. but not just done, but inspired. It's a nice way of looking at something in a new point of view. I'm sure there is something to be learned from this book. It's a quick read. and it's just plain good.

I bought this because it was recommended in a software development blog post.I may have rated the book a little higher if I wasn't a voracious reader and have read similar books already. I think this book is good and inspirational for people just beginning to read "how to think/learn faster" style books.If you want more depth and have time to invest in a longer book, I recommend something like "5 Elements of Effective Thinking" where it covers a lot of the same topics talked about in this book but in more detail.

Great, fun little book that will challenge your thinking. Best read on the toilet.

otimo produto

...ma quanto al contenuto mi aspettavo di più! il libro si riassume in quattro parole "pensa fuori dagli schemi", concetto che viene ripetuto per tutto il libro, a volte con esempi per me non condivisibili...

Had misplaced the one i had for a long time, so purchased another one. Wont regret buying at all

arrived late but good quality product

Compré este libro por recomendación de una persona que admiro. Es un libro ilustrativo y fácil de leer, en dos horas lo terminé y hasta hice un resumen del mismo. Es muy económico, vale totalmente la pena tenerlo en tu colección.