Goals ! Paperback – January 1, 2012

Brian Tracy is a legend in the personal success, business development and motivational speaking industries. He is also one of the last living GOATS in the field and one of the most prolific people in the success and motivation industry of all time.His book, GOALS is one of his best and most popular titles out of the 70+ books he has written. Maybe his only best seller that’s more popular is Eat That Frog, a fantastic short book about prioritization, productivity and time management.I chose to review and recommend GOALS because I believe that something Brian said is true: “Success is goals, and all else is commentary.”He added: “After giving countless talks on various themes, if I was given only five minutes to speak to you and I could convey only one thought that would help you to be more successful, I would tell you, ‘Write down your goals, make plans to achieve them, and work on your plans every single day.’”Goals are that important. There is no achievement without goals.The book teaches 21 principles, with a chapter devoted to each one. They include topics such as values clarification, the importance of belief, the power of purpose, the magic of visualization, associating with the right people, strategic planning, taking action, being flexible, overcoming obstacles, tapping into your subconscious mind, persisting until you succeed, and much more.Brian’s tone is conversational and easy to read. His writing is energizing and inspirational. While he occasional quotes studies, his book does not read like a PhD psychologist’s book. It is not academic or theoretical. It is motivational and practical.The only thing that really matters, says Brian, is whether an idea or strategy works in the real world. Having shared his ideas with over 1000 corporations and millions of people over forty years, there’s no doubt that the ideas he teaches work. They did for me.I started following Brian in the early 1990s and his teachings have changed my personal and business life. When I became an entrepreneur, I learned how from Brian. When I got into sales (health club memberships), I learned how to do it from Brian. When I got into health club management, I learned how to do it from Brian. When I wanted to write my first book, I learned how to do it from Brian. When I wanted to become financially independent, I learned how to do it from Brian. When I wanted to learn the mental side of peak fitness I learned a lot of it from Brian. When I wanted to be successful in every area of my life, I learned how to do it from Brian, along with a few of his contemporaries like Earl Nightingale and Jim Rohn.I've read about two dozen of Brian’s books and I’m certain I’ve listened to over 1000 hours of his material. (I used to commute 30 min each way to work for years and listened to him on cassette tape and then later CDs in my car).Success in any area of life takes hard work and time. Brian says you won’t hear the word “easy” when you read his stuff. However, he does teach you how to avoid common pitfalls and mistakes so you can achieve your goals in the shortest time possible. In that sense, reading Brian Tracy’s material is like taking a legitimate shortcut.As he says in the opening pages of GOALS, “Your time and your life are precious. The biggest waste of time and life is for you to spend years accomplishing something that you could have achieved in only a few months.”If you want to get on the fast track to achieving your goals, then I highly recommended you read this book.

An excellent, perspicacious, and thoughtful book on why a goal without a plan is nothing more than a wish.Mr. Tracy starts off talking about why goals are important, and how people with written goals are significantly better off than even people with goals, but which are unwritten.And, as Mr. Tracy says, if writing your goals down once a year is good, writing them down more often -- even daily -- is even better.Unlike his "Success" lecture recordings this book actually contains useful, actionable information, without the unnecessary partisan political claptrap that really has nothing to do with success, or goal-setting.The book is geared more towards people with sales careers. There is plenty in the book that is adaptable to the lives of non-sales people. (Also, as Mr. Tracy sometimes points out, to a certain extent, we're all in sales: the "business" of selling ourselves.)Mr. Tracy is not afraid to share how he came to understand the importance of goals in his own life. As a criminal defense attorney, I frequently purchase this book for some of my clients -- particularly juveniles. (Oh how I wish there were a Brian Tracy book for delinquent teenagers!) Chapter Two, where Mr. Tracy talks about his epiphany, is something that always catches the attention of my juvenile clients.From there, I point out that the book covers, in detail, not just WHY written goals are important, but what they've done for Mr. Tracy. After we look at Chapter Two, I emphasize for them that "he's come a long way, baby, to get where he's got to today." And I point out that, as he says, he got there by following the principles outlined in the book.Tracy walks you through clarifying your values, an analyzing your beliefs, to help you see how you are responsible for what happens to you, enabling you to create your own future. Many people have self-limiting beliefs, and Tracy talks about how that will hold you back, and encourages you in overcoming them, but also how to use your own weaknesses to help you grow -- as when he talks about making something out of your fears.Tracy talks about financial goals (there's quite a bit on this, as perhaps befits someone whose major "fear" was of being poor), family goals (you don't spend more intimate time with others, do you?), health goals (I've met him; one of my goals is to be as fit as he is), and finding your "major definite purpose" in life (you can only have one!).At times, the book gets a little bogged down in clichés. On the other hand, there's no denying that if you actually live them, those clichés can help. I also have the audio version of this book, which I've probably listened to at least two dozen times: I always get hung up on the sentence "For example, if your value is that this is a good world to live in and your belief is that you are going to be very successful in life, you will expect that everything that happens to you is helping you in some way." (Kindle Locations 429-430.) I mean, for goodness sake, isn't "this is a good world to live in," actually a BELIEF? Still, the point that your limiting beliefs are the major obstacle to success and happiness in life is pretty much undeniable.All-in-all, to borrow a term from all the cooking shows I like watching, Mr. Tracy's book constitutes a kind of "reduction" of all the best self-help books I've ever read, and I've read a lot.If, after reading Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want -- Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible, you find yourself unable to reach your goals, that can only mean one thing.You read, but did not understand, Mr. Tracy's book.

What can I say, Brian Tracy knows his stuff and explains everything in simple and easy to relate to terms. So far, the best book on the subject I have found.

This book is a great for young minds! (and not too young too) The language is super easy to grasp. Not only did it open my eyes to new perspectives, but it also provided practical insights I never knew before. The strategies outlined are simple yet effective, and they helped me see how to turn dreams into reality. Brian Tracy's storytelling makes the journey entertaining, and I'm excited to apply these lessons in my life. Trust me, this book is really for anyone seeking personal growth, it's worth the money!

I’m excited to put into practice the ideas and principles outlined in this book. It is a great read. I would recommend it to anyone looking for any type of positive change in their life.

Great roadmap to creating the life you desire to achieve. The read seems to spark subjects that you already knew or heard about but have forgotten over time. It’s time to take charge and persist until you achieve all you can imagine. It’s up to you. Highly recommended.

Siempre buenos consejos.

This was a recommended book. Looking forward to reading it. Amazon said only 3 left several days behind I ordered. Maybe they hit more in. Received on the day guaranteed.

After I started applying the principles in this book my life started to change for good drastically! Brian Tracy highlights the need to ask yourself some tough questions. If you sit with your thoughts, ask yourself tough questions and honestly pen down the answers you get from within then you're already halfway past your problems! You don't need any other book to bring a greater clarity about what you want in life if you follow what Brian Tracy says in this book religiously.Forever grateful to Brian Tracy for helping me bring a change in my Life. I consider him as one of my Gurus after reading and following this book! Thank you ❤️

Great book with some insightful strategies. Would recommend anyone who wants to start setting their goals and get some motivation.

The single best book on goals imo! Very concise and well written. Brian truly knows what he is talking about.