Don't Waste Your Talent: The 8 Critical Steps to Discovering What You Do Best

These guys have really nailed the subject of life and career planning. I'd found the category to be so "fragmented" until I ran across this book. It's so practical and so much fun. I took the ability battery and learned why I'd been frustrated with various roles I'd thought I was interested in. I was NOT hardwired to do those things. The good news: I AM hardwired to do things I'd only dreamed of doing. The exercises in the book then guided me through ways to look more honestly and deeply into the other dimensions of myself such as interests, values, personal style, goals, skills and family of origin influences. By the time I'd gone through the process, I had several career options that match the REAL me for a change. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone from 18 to 80.

Genre: Self Help/business Title: Don't Waste your Talent - The 8 Critical Steps to Discovering What You Do Best AUTHOR: Bob McDonald, PH.D. and Don E. Hutcheson This book is about identifying and using your talents. It is about The Highlands Program and The Highlands Personal Vision Factors-the structure and process we developed because we believe that people deserve to be on higher ground in their lives and careers. From Introduction. Do you want to use all of your potential in your career and your life? Do you feel that you are in a dead end job with nowhere to go? Does your work make you happy or unfulfilled? If you have asked yourself any of these questions, this is the book for you. The first three chapters deal with The Lemming Conspiracy, the Stress Cycle/Balance Cycle and career/life expanding development over your entire lifespan from age 17-85+. The book discusses natural "Turning Points" that all of us experience. It teaches that with the use of the Personal Vision Factors to compose and begin your own Personal Vision or holistic map, you too can live life to the fullest. Filled with actual true-life examples, readers move from chapter to chapter in a concise and methodical way, which enriches the experience. Turning points are discussed in depth, next we learn to identify our "hard wired" talents and assets, chapter 5 brings skills, personality and interests into the equation and finally values and goals. From here we learn about systems that have affected our lives such as the "Family of Origin" system, and the "Office System", etc and then how to create personal boundaries. After each chapter there is a Thought Experiment, which helps the reader move through the various stages. All that is required is a 50- page notebook and a lot of honesty and soul searching. Well presented, easy to follow and comprehensive this reviewer was fascinated with the entire process of preparing the Personal Vision. An excellent tool for employees, corporations, students and even retirees, this book offers us a chance to change our world and how we live our lives for the better. Parents would be advised to give a copy to their children in order to help them make future choices. Readers can order the Highlands Ability Battery from the author's website which works hand in hand with the book. Authors Bob McDonald, Don Hutcheson and second edition contributions by Lazar Emanuel and Thomas Tavantzis have produced an insightful and valuable tool for everyone regardless of age or career status. Highly Recommended by Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews.

This book is for people serious about gaining more self-awareness of their own abilities. I say that because there are lots of principles and ideas shared in this book, but one of the most valuable parts of it are the thought experiments in every chapter which guide you toward personal application of the principles. When you buy this book, get a notebook or journal to go along with it. That will greatly increase the value of the concepts.The authors have crafted what they call the Personal Vision Process, made up of eight components: your natural talents and abilities, skills and life experience, interests, personality, values, goals, family history, and your stage of life development. It is a very comprehensive model and draws on solid work in developmental psychology.I think the previous review was off-base that called into question the authors' work. It's clear they have done their homework, and if you're looking for career direction, don't you want a guide that is fairly optimistic and supportive?The authors have developed a CD called the Highlands Ability Battery that profiles your own ability pattern. I purchased this separately and completed the process. It was very helpful to do this with a trained consultant. The book has a self-assessment in it that you can complete, but I found the personal feedback from the consultant much more nuanced and customized to me. Back to my first statement: this book is for those serious about gaining self-awareness of their abilities and setting their life/career direction. Except for the few rugged individualists, you will benefit most from working through the book with a friend, career counselor, coach, or a group that is providing support. For those seeking life direction, this is one of the best processes I've seen.

Great book. Didnt want to put it down!! These two quys figured my out, read me like a book! Im ready for success

I enjoyed this book enough to read it several times and to give it to several friends. The authors weave years of experience and research findings into a plan book for discovering who we are and where we fit best. In doing so the book tackles head on the questions that so many of us have about fitting within the systems that surround us.While most people would like to have life on their own terms, most are unclear on what those terms are. This book helps us uncover those terms through explanations, true stories and thought experiments that lead the reader through the interplay of one's core abilities, skills, interests, style, family background, values, goals and career development cycle.This is a hands-on book-one that encourages active participation as well as simple understanding. It is inspirational without being glib; radical without sacrificing practicality. I recommend it to anyone who feels he or she is at a turning point.