FWIW, I found Carnegie's classically derided book (probably with very little relevance to the course) "How to win friends and influence people" to be one of the best motivational books I've seen. veryone derides it but few seem to have read it. I try to avoid most of these and over the years have managed to succeed. But this book, which is arguably the mother of the motivational literature industry, is actually IMO very good. It says many things but to me had one overwhelming core lesson: Q: HTWFAIP? - "Be genuinely interested in people". Not so easy. Another book which I found to be excellent (and the only motivational industry book I have ever bought (and I bought a second for a friend)) was Covey's original "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People". What makes this book great is that it is quite unlike the Flash-Harry, slick answer, special handshakes, dress this way, walk/talk/think this way rubbish that has been trotted out by so many for so long. Instead it prescribes an utterly foundational look at how life works, how we get things done, what is important to us and why. To succeed at what it offers is to transform your life or to be doing the right thing already. Needless to say, we mere mortals must walk softly away from such with our hands in view - but it offers enough to help change happen. While I'm on a roll (or a hiding to nothing), Maxwell Maltz's 1960 book "Pschocybernetics" (do not be scared by the title) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho-Cybernetics is remarkably good. Allegedly it is the foundation of the methods of some of the more worthwhile motivational gurus. Another "method" that I honour as much in the breach as the observance (or more) but worthwhile. Mention in passing: I long ago got to skim a book which I was sure I would deride - Jose Silva's "The Silva Mind control Method". A quick skim revealed much good stuff and a perspective quite different to what I'd expected. Russell On 5 August 2011 05:13, Chris Loper wrote: > > I was required to take the course at my previous job (all with my job > description were so required). > > Cost was $0 to me, but not nearly worth that. > > If you are the type that will benefit from 'the power of positive thinkin= g' > as opposed to the power of reasoning then go for it. > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .