Whatever you think think the opposite

“An interviewer with a wooden leg said to Frank Zappa, ‘with your long hair, from where I am sitting you could be a woman.’ Frank Zappa replied, ‘from where I’m sitting you could be a table’.â€?

Is it wrong to start a book review with a quote? I hope so. Because that’s the premise of the book from which that quote came. Whatever You Think Think The Opposite is the second title from Paul Arden, the “author of the world’s bestselling book”, It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be. Both books are of the same pocket-sized, quick-read nature and pack potent punches (PPP) for motivational boosts when needed.

Paul is a former executive creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi, and his advertising methodology is carried across throughout the book. That’s not a bad thing, as he’s able to instill his messages in his readers because of the salesman in his blood and him being a practitioner of delivering messages.

A few of the key messages emphasized throughout the book included:

“It’s better to regret what you have done than what you haven’t”

“Do it, then fix it as you go”

“Rock the boat”

Those are just three of the headlines that introduce virtually every other page’s insight. The book is 137 pages long, of which there are about 68 two page mini-chapters. While those quotes may seem like generalized statements, their complementary content and images put the pieces of those ideas together to create a remarkable big picture.

The quick-witted style of Paul’s writing makes his books a renewable resource in the sense that you don’t feel intimidated to have to re-read the entire book, albeit a short read, because you can absorb one of his teachings in a few minutes each day.

So what’s the big idea behind this book? Wrong is right. Doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing in business and life will lead you down the unbeaten path of success that the most successful people have taken. Can you get in trouble for taking that path? Hopefully. Because you’ll experience something that others never will and create opportunities that would never have presented themselves to you.

An example of this attitude and mentality is beautifully illustrated in one of his mini-chapters which I’ll quote in its entirety:

“When a client asked how much it would cost to get permission to photograph the Eiffel Tower for use in an advertisement, the bureaucrats representing the City of Paris said £10,000.

The client didn’t think that was such a good idea any more.

So they didn’t use it.

I wanted it for this book, but I don’t think £10,000 is such a good idea either.

So I didn’t ask.”

To the right of this copy sits the image you see above.

Whatever You Think Think The Opposite should receive permanent residence on every aspiring entrepreneur’s bookshelf, at least those who are willing to question the norm and fail a few times to succeed. There were a couple mixed reviews around the net that were hesitant about Paul’s position on somewhat rebelling against common working and educational scenarios, but obviously, some of Mr. Arden’s opinions will not apply to everyone’s situation.

All in all, Paul Arden is Tony Robbins with his shirt untucked. His attitude in his writing and its visual support make this book a must buy.

Here’s its Amazonian link.

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