Issue
26(2)
The
High Achiever's Guide to Happiness.
(2006). Vance Caesar and Carol Ann Caesar. Thousand Oaks , CA:
Corwin Press. 168 pp. $27.95 (paper) ISBN # 1-4129-1613-5.
Review by: Sybil
L. Holloway
Center
for Counseling and Human Development
Bloomsburg
University
Empowering
and practical, The High Achiever's Guide to Happiness
is for anyone who could benefit from a life coach. Here the authors
provide a framework for taking stock of life and realizing dreams.
They present a wealth of information and experience conveyed in
easy-to-understand terms. The target audience is ".high achievers
and those on the path to high achieving who are, or want to be,
leading themselves and others" (p. xiii).
Caesar
and Caesar aim to help individuals add happiness and fulfillment
to their lives. They note that "Our research and experience with
clients who are high achievers and leaders has brought to light
the significant numbers of Americans who are achieving and getting
the things they think will make them happy, only to realize that
these things all too often result in emptiness and disappointment.
We have discovered that only about 10 percent report some degree
of happiness" (p. xv).
The
Happy High Achievers' Life Model presented was developed by the
authors. Its components include (1) Discovering and articulating
your life Purpose ; (2) Possessing a Vision
to set your direction; (3) Attitudes and beliefs for
finding Meaningful Work ; (4) Developing Energizing
Relationships ; (5) Creating Peace
in your life; (6) Reviewing, Renewing, and Recommitting
to your purpose; and (7) Forming the habits of Discipline
(p. 22 and back cover). Each of these elements is explained
in detail in separate chapters.
Relevant
quotes, personal examples, and exercises for engaging the reader
are offered throughout the book. This guide is meant to be used
as a workbook so the authors have provided plenty of space for
answers, reflections, questions, and other planning notations.
The reader is invited to be an active participant in changing
his or her life. I found this approach to be both educational
and effective. Build Your Own Road (Wolfe-Morgan, 1990)
is a similar personal and professional growth book about goal
definition and attainment that also presents valuable information
in a reader-friendly fashion but without the workbook format.
While
The High Achiever's Guide to Happiness is not specific
to advisors a wide range of professionals - including advisors
- can benefit from its content. If advisors apply the information
in this book to their own lives then they can achieve greater
satisfaction and happiness in their work and serve as better role
models for their students. For this reason, I recommend this book
as a supplemental resource.
Reference
Wolfe-Morgan,
L. (1990). Build your own road: How to define your goals.and
design a path to
reach
them. New
York : Berkley
Books.
