Life Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters
by Phillip C. McGraw Ph. D.

"Dr. Phil" became famous on Oprah Winfrey's daily talk show after helping her deal with and win a lawsuit by Texas cattlemen about a comment on her show. He is now a regular guest on Oprah's show and just completed a serial segment named "Get Real Challenge." Dr. Phil is known for being very direct and rather than focus on causes of past experiences or problems, he focuses on real solutions. This book is a must for anyone who wants to "take charge" of their life.

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Following Through: a Revolutionary New Model For Finishing Whatever You Start
by Steve Levinson, Pete C. Greider

This book is amazing! I read it from cover to cover over the holidays and will be using it daily to help me combat a problem I've had since childhood - finishing whatever I start! Levinson and Greider begin the book by explaining why good intentions simply don't work. In reality, they explain, "we fail to follow through...not because we as individuals lack willower, self-discipline, or chacter. It's because we as a species have a design flaw that prevents our good intentions - despite their obvious qualifications - from having enough influence to consistently get the job done."

The go on to develop a model to overcome our design flaws and tackle some big problems, such as losing weight, quitting smoking, eating healthy, etc. If follow through has ever been an issue for you (think New Years Resolutions!), then you need to read this book!

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Take Time for Your Life : A Personal Coach's Seven-Step Program for Creating the Life You Want
by Cheryl Richardson

Cheryl Richardson is one of the best known personal coaches around. This book is a condensation of some of the areas coaches focus on with clients to create balance, eliminate tolerations or blocks and get clear about the life you want to design. This book was one of my inspirations for starting BetterMe.

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Life Makeovers
by Cheryl Richardson

Life Makeovers is a new format for "Take Time for Your Life" above, but it's constructed to work on one section or area weekly for every week during the year. I have started a Life Makeover group that meets weekly to help facilitate progress. I highly recommend working with a partner or group with this book.

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Work Less, Make More : Stop Working So Hard and Create the Life You Really Want!
by Jennifer White

I love the title of this book. And it really resonates with what I do as a coach. Nearly everyone is overworked, overstimulated and overstressed in today's world. This book provides some simple advice and tools to help simplify your life.

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Mastery : The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fullfillment
by George Leonard

I read this book to help me overcome my aversion to the gym. I admit it - I didn't like working out very much. I, like so many others, wanted to see results more quickly than is possible, and I could find a myriad of excuses for not working out. Mastery helped change my ways, by learning to enjoy the process and journey to mastery.

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