
Title : The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness
Author : Stephen R. Covey
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : This book has changed my life!
This book has profoundly changed the way I perceive my work, family, and myself. In short, I now have a reverence for the greatness in each of us - and desire to treat others accordingly. As I remember and practice the principles taught so eloquently my Mr. Covey in this book, I find myself at peace with others and myself.
There is a spiritual dimension to our lives, relationships and potential that Mr. Covey taps into. Unfortunately, we have ignored these principles for too long in our families, organizations and society. And we have paid the price. Covey's book is a timely, refreshing and unique contribution that is a must read for everyone who wants to find their talent, passion, need and conscience - their voice!

Title : Unleash the Warrior Within: Develop the Focus, Discipline, Confidence and Courage You Need to Achieve Unlimited Goals
Author : Richard Machowicz
Rating : 4 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Some good ideas here, worth a read
It's not that easy to evaluate and review `self-help' books, as what I find useful is probably not at all useful to someone else. I guess it depends on what your perceived `problem' is, or more positively, what is `your area of desired improvement'.
I liked this book, I found it very helpful. This book deals with fears that are preventing you from becoming the person you wish or be or attaining a target that you are aiming for in your life.
The approach is very aggressive as you would expect from the title and front cover. Machowicz encourages you to `live life aggressively'. Machowicz draws on his experience as a Navy SEAL, and tells us about how he went through some very extreme situations that inevitably lead to fear and how he developed mechanisms to cope with and conquer that fear. It is a macho approach and in some places reads very much like the true to life novel by Andy McNab, `Bravo Two Zero'. However, I don't think that should put readers off, there is some very useful insights here. Take the CARVER matrix for example. This is a target evaluation method of military origin. Machowicz applies it to everyday life. If you enter `Waging Project Management Warfare' into a search engine you will find an article where an attendee of one of Machowicz classes applies the principle to software development!
There is definitely as much value in reading this as in relying solely on the works of desk bound psychologists.
I also liked the fact that it was written relatively recently, 2002. The context is relevant. I have read seminal works that were written nearer the turn of the last century, and although the content of these is beyond reproach they are very dated and increasingly hard to relate to the present and the type of problems encountered in today's world.
Some of the author's quotes come from such diverse works as Dune, by Frank Herbert. He refers to the training of Paul Atreides where he is taught that `fear is the mindkiller'. As a part-time Sci-Fi fan, I am encouraged to read a self-help book that values some of my favourite literature.
Throughout the book Machowicz refers to his self-defence style called Bukido. This comes across as a bit of a blatant sales pitch, but does nonetheless encourage the curious to enter `Bukido' into a search engine to see what it is all about. You might want to do that before you buy the book! Machowicz seems to be aggressively following his own advice, and is also now a TV star I believe hosting `Future Weapons' on the Discovery channel. Maybe that in itself should suggest that there is something of value in this book. However, reading the output of famous people telling us `how to become successful' does not always work. I'm thinking of the book by Noel Edmunds, `Positively Happy'. It is also very hard to determine if you should take the cynical, and possibly accurate viewpoint, that the author is more interested in selling his product, in this case his book and his training courses, than he is in the altruistic intent of making you a better person.
The author's intentions and motivations aside, I picked some ideas from this book that I liked and am actively making use of them. Although I have completed the book I still want to review some of the sections at a later date. So for me there was some useful ideas here and so I give it a four star rating.

Title : Zero Limits: The Secret Hawaiian System for Wealth, Health, Peace, and More
Author : Joe Vitale
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Highly Purifying Stuff in a Toxic World
I had first come across Dr. Hew Len's work in healing a ward full of criminally insane patients on the Disappearance of the Universe discussion group. The amazing thing about his healing technique was that he never actually met these people, he would instead look within himself to whatever it was that was causing this outward manifestation of illness and negativity, knowing that everyone and everything is ultimately One and connected (as any spiritual guru will tell you). He knew he was, at some level, ultimately responsible for the issue.
He used an ancient Hawaiin technique called Ho'oponopono to cleanse the negative feelings that came up in him as he thought about these people by using the same 4 phrases over and over ("I love you, I'm sorry, please forgive me, thank you"). As he did so, he was evoking his higher Self, or Divinity, to remove the negative feelings, and replace them with its Self (namely Pure Love). This had the effect of removing the negative programs that were running in these 'criminally insane' people so that gradually they were able to live normal lives again.
This book then is a great coverage of this remarkably simple technique, and the fact that all it boils down to in life is to cleanse, cleanse, cleanse our negative memories, feelings and data so that we can become one with the Divine and inspired by It/Him (as opposed to dictated by decisions formed by our fretful conscious minds). We are a sum total of our memories, and bound by interhuman programs handed down to us over millenia, so to clear and cleanse these means unbounded joy and freedom, and Oneness with the Divine, our ultimate goal in life!
This is a MUST READ by even the most hardened and skeptical of souls!!!! Do yourself a favour: go release yourself!!

Title : A Lifetime of Secrets: A Postsecret Book
Author : Frank Warren
Rating : 4 Stars out of 5.
Summary : A Lifetime of Secrets : A postsecret Book
This postsecret book is a must read for everyone is enthralled by the Postsecret website. It is jam packed full of never seen before secrets which have been mailed in to the Author, Frank Warren. Some are funny, some are thought provoking and some are sad. Either way, it cannot help but make you think carefully about your own life. The only downside if there was one with this book was that i read it in 15 minutes flat. I could have read it and more postcards a thousand times over. It definately left me wanting to see more secrets. Infact, i shall be buying the previous books shortly. A definate good buy.

Title : Self-esteem Affirmations: Motivational Affirmations for Building Confidence and Recognizing Self-worth
Author : Louise L. Hay
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Definately a gentle and powerful help
I have used this CD for about a month now and am so glad I bought it. I have suffered from low self esteem for years and I am so glad that I am getting more confident. My husband said there is a difference.
I feel stronger and sometimes used to back down in troubled situations but now I am more assertive and approach things with a much more positive attitude. If, In the beginning, you don't feel anything, don't despair or give up - keep going and really work at it,it will be well worth it and you can always use it again if you need it!

Title : S.U.M.O. (Shut Up, Move On): The Straight-Talking Guide to Creating and Enjoying a Brilliant Life
Author : Paul McGee
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : To end all self help books
I'll confess I read alot of self help books but most of the time I just read them and thats it over but this book is differnat. It actually made me sit and do the exercises he asks of us such as 'write a list of what you wnat to do in the next year' and delivers a series of insirational quotes. i WOULD ABSOLUTLY RECOMEND THIS BOOK TO ANY SELF HELP READER AND IT IS THE SELF HELP BOOK TO END THEM ALL.
Other Related Resources:
1: http://www.alertnet.org/db/an_art/47985/2008/02/6-175940-1.htm
2: http://www.certifiedmastertech.com/wordpress/2008/07/05/inside-water4gas-website/
3: http://www.perfectblogging.com/blogging-with-a-global-presence/
4: http://www.smallbusinessgrowthblog.com/book/talent-is-overrated-what-really-separates-world-class-performers-from-everybody-else-2/
5: http://www.thuk.co.uk/blog/2006/03/16/microsoft-motivates/