The Power of Full Engagement

Publisher's Summary

We live in digital time. Our pace is rushed, rapid-fire, and relentless. Facing crushing workloads, we try to cram as much as possible into every day. We're wired up, but we're melting down. Time management is no longer a viable solution. Managing energy, not time, is the key to enduring high performance as well as to health, happiness, and life balance.

The number of hours in a day is fixed, but the quantity and quality of energy available to us is not. This fundamental insight has the power to revolutionize the way you live your life. The Power of Full Engagement is a highly practical, scientifically based approach to managing your energy more skillfully both on and off the job.

At the heart of the program is the Corporate Athlete training system. During the past decade, dozens of Fortune 500 companies have paid thousands of dollars to learn the Corporate Athlete training system. So have FBI swat teams, critical care physicians and nurses, salesmen, and stay-at-home moms. The Power of Full Engagement lays out the key training principles and provides a powerful, step-by-step program that will help you to:

Mobilize four key sources of energy

Balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal

Expand capacity in the same systematic way that elite athletes do

Create highly specific, positive energy management rituals

The Power of Full Engagement provides a life-changing roadmap to becoming more fully engaged on and off the job.

©2003 Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz (P)2003 Simon and Schuster, Inc.

It works if you try it.

I listened to this book, and more importantly, I tried implementing the principles taught. After only a week I find that I have much more energy, especially when I get home. This has directly affected my attitudes and relationships for the better. I'm listening to it for the fourth time now. But remember this is one of those annoying books where you actually have to take action after you've read it, or it won't do you any good :>)

26 of 26 people found this review helpful

Buzzword Soup

I bought this title because it was on the bestseller list and sounded like a good buy. However, after struggling through it I have to say it's poor at best. The book is sold on the strength of the authors' reputation as developers of the "corporate athlete" program. Unfortunately the narration comes across as trite, and self-promotional.

To me, the book seems to lack real depth of insight or compassion into the real issues facing readers in crisis -- except to see them as sell-through opportunities for other programs and products.

As an alternative to The Power of Full Engagement I would highly recommend The Breakout Principle and The Power of Now, two less commercial and more authentic works.

180 of 190 people found this review helpful

Excellent and practical advice

Very practical advice! Helps put in practice all the things that we would like to do. Books from Covey, etc. tell you what to do. This book tells you how to do it. That's the beauty of this book compared to the rest.

22 of 23 people found this review helpful

Good addition to any library

Some truth in all of the other reviews. All books on productivity share some ideas, theories and principles. The Power of Full Engagement offers a different perspective on some of those ideas.... If you've been exposed to the principles that enhance physical fitness, specifically, repeated stress followed by time for recovery, this title will make sense! The authors introduce how this same principle could/should be applied to other aspects of our lives.

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Workaholics Beware!

The power of Full engagement is for you. It really helps to recognize the value of replenishing our souls and ourselves in order to bring out our best. We tend to overlook the role that this plays. Loehr/Schwartz not only emphasizes this, but really gives pointers on how to manage your life so that you can optimize your energies, producing even better results than you would see from just working harder. I had heard about this book for a few years before I actually read it. I am sorry that it took me so long to getting around to reading it. It was a powerful book, and will continue to be in my re-read list in the future.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

The Power of Full Engagement

This was a terrific book. Initially, I thought it would be another business, time-management, how-to bore, but far from it. The authors' provide a full-spectrum guide on how to maximize physical, mental and spiritual energy--rather than just squeezing out more minutes in the day. The case studies were varied and allowed listeners to see their issues manifested to one degree or another. I was also impressed with the authors' sense of empathy for the sorry state of our unfulfilled lives. Rather than just professional self-development, this should be taught in public schools to help create better citizens.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Read the Title - skip the book

This book is based on the important truth that energy management is much less important than time management. However, it tries to cover so many areas that it fails to deliver on any of them.

The language of this book has been completely infiltrated with corporate buzzwords that many potentially profound thoughts are clouded. Words like "Personal Inventory," "Spiritual Alignment," "Value Statement" remind me of much of the meaningless double-speak found in the corporate world today.


If you're interested in managing your physical energy, read "Body for Life." If you're interesed in improving you're emotional energy read any of Tony Robbins books. If you're interested in renewing yourself spiritually, comb the great leaders of your tradition. On the other hand, if you truly value your time, skip this book.

31 of 39 people found this review helpful

Great book

Great book giving a clear vision on self development. This and mastery have been most helpful of the development books

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Simply one of the best self-help books I've read

Gave me very real, helpful ways I can increase energy and help improve how I think and act. Provided me with habits that have changed my life.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

Don't Bother- If you are looking for solutions

Would you try another book from Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz and/or Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz ?

No.

What was most disappointing about Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz ’s story?

There are few tools that the author provides to manage one's energy other than sleep, exercise and take breaks. Most of the stories are about why managing energy is important. I got this book to get solutions but found none.

Would you be willing to try another one of Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz ’s performances?

NO

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Power of Full Engagement?

I would change the title of the book to "Chicken Soup for Full Engagement" because it is full of stories but no solutions.

Any additional comments?

Tony Robbins is so much better in providing comprehensive solutions. I wish I never got this audible.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful