Guru Ratings
Jim Rohn
Bad.
Remember my ratings criteria. I’m not judging these gurus on “global” or moral values, but very specific criteria. Many of my favorite books would be rated “bad” by my criteria for self-help (probably, because they are not self-help books). My ratings don’t reflect how well an author met his own goals, but how well they met my criteria for useful, accurate self-help.
Rohn went from rags to riches with charismatic direct sales. His motivational material helped launch the careers of Tony Robbins, Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield, and others.
Rohn says a lot of good things, but nothing new, and little of immediate practical value.
Many motivational speakers admonish qualities that oppose their own success. For example, Rohn asks us to tell the truth always—a quality not always condusive to direct sales.
Cultivating an Unshakeable Character (198?)
This talk gives Rohn’s 12 pillars of success:
- Courage.
- Integrity.
- Honesty.
- Perseverence.
- Wisdom.
- Personal responsibility.
- Humor.
- Flexibility.
- Patience.
- Confidence.
- Good health.
- Achievement.
You know. It’s motivational material. It might get you pscyhed up but won’t help you do what you need to do. It probably has the same effect as caffeine: it gives you more energy to do whatever you do. But if you’re doing the wrong things, that only makes things worse.
His other recordings are similar.
The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle (2000)
Kudos to Rohn for admitting some important things up front:
- The book is written to inspire, not inform.
- Rohn doesn’t know “the secrets” to “the good life.”
- Rohn’s five principles aren't the only keys to success.
- “To have more, one must first become more.”
On those things we can agree. Which means we can also agree that the book fails my criteria for useful self-help.