Click Here To Purchase Live Life Aggressively! What Self Help Gurus Should Be Telling You

Author: Mike Mahler

ISBN: 978-0-578-084756

Publisher: A Mahler Strength LLC Book

This is a direct quote from Mike Mahler's website but it is also repeated in his book and is clearly part of his company mission statement. This may be to some readers a strange way to start a review on a collection of articles with such a provocative title, however as a business consultant and mentor working with a variety of companies I recognize, bi-lines, mission/vision statements, and aims and objectives when I see them.

I have also become increasingly aware that companies in the Self-Help industry, of which I am an insignificant part, use books to promote their businesses as part of a strategy in self-marketing. Hence the high numbers of them which are self-published.

Whereas this does not distract from their quality it does indicate the desire to maintain overall control of the product whether it is within the content, the marketing and promotion and of course the profits. However what it gains in product control such books lose the benefit of external quality control. That being said “Live Life Aggressively” is a witty, informative and entertaining read.

Mahler is a physical trainer, a business man, an expert in health and fitness and a prolific writer. He is also a larger than life character both in appearance and personality with an obvious gift for straight talking which comes across in his writing.

I'll give you an example:

“The problem with always accommodating the needs of others is you stop taking risks, and begin your life like a spineless politician who has to take a poll with every decision.” p38 The Danger in Always Accommodating.

Another example demonstrates Mahler's approach to self-help which runs in contradiction to much of what he sees as the current approach to self-help and which is the target for many of his essays. He understands the necessity of struggle and discomfort to achieve goals and this stems from his many years of grueling exercise and training.

“Many people have the illusion that people who are passionate about their line of work are happy campers that have found Nirvana. They just look so happy when they are working and boy, it must be nice to be full of joy all day. They forget that one of the definitions of passion is to suffer for what they love. People that love what they do, do not settle for mediocrity or doing a pretty good job. People who love what they do want to be great at it and to be great at what love you have to suffer”. P77 Doing What You Love is Hard Work.

In many ways the objects of his ire are usually unquoted and unnamed and are easy targets, for example people who speak inanely of “positive thinking” without recognizing the need for effort are justified targets,but who are they?

It would be helpful to the reader if Mahler stated who his specific targets are. Who are the Gurus he is so disparaging of?

He does manage to do this on issues relating to hormone balance and the importance of diet and exercise. Here he writes with real authority and expertise and due to his “love” of the subject and the passion he feels for the issue makes an otherwise new and inaccessible area of knowledge for me, at least fresh and engaging to read.