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The Bottom of the Pool: Thinking Beyond Your Boundaries to Achieve Extraordinary Results
This is how it’s done. This is why it’s done this way. This is the result you can expect if you do it. These three pieces of information inform a conclusion about every part of each of our lives. Yet it is these three pieces of information that most often set an insidious trap—a trap that has held the imaginations of generations captive to the belief that because they are doing the best they can do, they are accomplishing the best that can be done. And while each of these three statements are true, not one of them is the truth. Dive deeper with bestselling author Andy Andrews as he shares his unique philosophy regarding foundational thinking. Through his unique and captivating storytelling, Andy helps you search for the reality that lies beyond the boundaries established in the name of “best practices,” “industry standards,” or “the way things are done.” For it’s at the bottom of the pool that you discover a pathway to extraordinary results that most people in your position do not even know are possible. In the first year of our relationship with Andy Andrews, Fairway doubled its business volume - from $5.4 billion to $11.2 billion. The second year with Andy, we cracked $17 billion, and the third year we moved past $22 billion." - Steve Jacobson
192 pages, Hardcover
Published June 18, 2019
128 people are currently reading
459 people want to read
About the author
Andy Andrews
115 books1,077 followers~ Hailed by a New York Times writer as a "modern-day Will Rogers who has quietly become one of the most influential people in America."
~ Spoken at the request of four different U.S. Presidents
~ Every single minute a book by Andy Andrews is sold somewhere in the world!
~ New York Times Bestselling Author of The Noticer and The Traveler's Gift
Source:
http://www.andyandrews.com/
~ Spoken at the request of four different U.S. Presidents
~ Every single minute a book by Andy Andrews is sold somewhere in the world!
~ New York Times Bestselling Author of The Noticer and The Traveler's Gift
Source:
http://www.andyandrews.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
November 14, 2019
Sometimes these personal development/self help/business growth/philosophical concepts should be published as articles or TED talks or something, and don't actually need to be made into an entire book. Also, sometimes the title, first chapter and book description give so much info that the rest of the book is redundant and unnecessary. That's how I felt about this one. I really liked the concept regarding the bottom of the pool, the encouragement to think beyond the box and the discussion about true vs truth. All solid, thought-provoking, action-inducing principles. But the informal writing style wasn't my jam, and I felt like there was a lot of unnecessary filler and forced correlation to turn these three unique concepts into a book.
June 25, 2019
"How you think is massively influenced and largely determined by what you read, hear and watch." Not a truer, truthful statement ever written. So be careful what you read. 😊 I would recommend this book to anyone in a rut. I know I limit myself by thinking of the messages I heard growing up and/or by television and magazines as an adult. So I definitely enjoyed reading his words of encouragement. The last 40 pages I would give 5 Gold Stars. I don't know what plans God has for my last 30 years but my goal should be to make it the best I can and give it great thought how to achieve it with joy because that is my determining factor to success!
May 28, 2020
Really this one rates at a 3.5 from me. I didn't give it four stars because there is some repetition but I gained some new insights into my approach to life and to business so it was definitely worth the read. Here are some of the thoughts I want to remember:
"Here's an odd fact known by few: Walt Disney was eighteen years old when he was fired from his first job as a cartoonist for the Kansas City Star newspaper. The reason? According to his boss, Walt 'lacked imagination and had no good ideas'! Why? Because Walt didn't merely have a few percentage points more imagination than the ordinary guy. IF that had been the case - a little more, a little less - the boss would have identified it. Instead, Walt has so much more imagination than anyone the boss had ever encountered, Disney probably seemed to be from another planet!"
"The tomato plant is a member of the deadly nightshade family and was considered poisonous for more than two hundred years. And it was. Who could argue the fact? No one. For many people had seen dogs and cattle die after eating the tomato. That the tomato plant is toxic remains an undisputed fact to this day. It is absolutely true that the tomato plant is poisonous. True...but not THE TRUTH. That the tomato plant is poisonous is true. It's just not the truth."
"There is the Jordan effect, it is real, Michael Jordan often got the benefit of the doubt from referees. This is likely due to the fact that Michael Jordan knew every one of these men by name and also knew about their lives and families and kept track of them. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Alomar effect. After spitting in the face of an umpire who had just lost his 8 year old son to a terrible disease at the end of the 1996 baseball season, the strike zone on Alomar mysteriously widened to immense proportions in the 1997 season, costing him around 50% of his efficiency."
"We see God's greatest paradox revealed in our own lives. It goes like this: yes, your thinking determines your choices, but because you were created with the ability to make choices, you can choose how to think!"
"You see, an excellent book is like an excellent hammer. Books are tools. A book never changed anyone's life any more than a hammer ever built anyone's house. Of course, a person who never learned to use a hammer never built a house either. My point is that certain books provide an education or a measure of understanding that cannot be gained in anywhere else or in any other way. But changing everything in our life? That's going to be up to you. Up. To. You."
"Here's an odd fact known by few: Walt Disney was eighteen years old when he was fired from his first job as a cartoonist for the Kansas City Star newspaper. The reason? According to his boss, Walt 'lacked imagination and had no good ideas'! Why? Because Walt didn't merely have a few percentage points more imagination than the ordinary guy. IF that had been the case - a little more, a little less - the boss would have identified it. Instead, Walt has so much more imagination than anyone the boss had ever encountered, Disney probably seemed to be from another planet!"
"The tomato plant is a member of the deadly nightshade family and was considered poisonous for more than two hundred years. And it was. Who could argue the fact? No one. For many people had seen dogs and cattle die after eating the tomato. That the tomato plant is toxic remains an undisputed fact to this day. It is absolutely true that the tomato plant is poisonous. True...but not THE TRUTH. That the tomato plant is poisonous is true. It's just not the truth."
"There is the Jordan effect, it is real, Michael Jordan often got the benefit of the doubt from referees. This is likely due to the fact that Michael Jordan knew every one of these men by name and also knew about their lives and families and kept track of them. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Alomar effect. After spitting in the face of an umpire who had just lost his 8 year old son to a terrible disease at the end of the 1996 baseball season, the strike zone on Alomar mysteriously widened to immense proportions in the 1997 season, costing him around 50% of his efficiency."
"We see God's greatest paradox revealed in our own lives. It goes like this: yes, your thinking determines your choices, but because you were created with the ability to make choices, you can choose how to think!"
"You see, an excellent book is like an excellent hammer. Books are tools. A book never changed anyone's life any more than a hammer ever built anyone's house. Of course, a person who never learned to use a hammer never built a house either. My point is that certain books provide an education or a measure of understanding that cannot be gained in anywhere else or in any other way. But changing everything in our life? That's going to be up to you. Up. To. You."
November 3, 2019
Well, well, well...
If you are at the beginning of your professional career or self-awareness journey this is a great book to start with. However, I think that the whole idea of the bottom of the pool is a little bit exaggerated because the author gives examples of challenging situations but without practical usage for the basic reader (like me).
What made me very anxious was the informal writing. The whole book is written is an extremely informal way and when you are used to reading science-fiction or literature this can make you mad.
On the contrary, I think the book is good but not great.
If you are at the beginning of your professional career or self-awareness journey this is a great book to start with. However, I think that the whole idea of the bottom of the pool is a little bit exaggerated because the author gives examples of challenging situations but without practical usage for the basic reader (like me).
What made me very anxious was the informal writing. The whole book is written is an extremely informal way and when you are used to reading science-fiction or literature this can make you mad.
On the contrary, I think the book is good but not great.
January 19, 2023
I listened to the audiobook version of this book, which was read wonderfully. I did find it difficult to connect to the book, though. Maybe the subject matter was just not it for me.
I did enjoy the chapter called preface. 😉 I enjoyed some of the stories as well (i.e. the one about the kid taking out trash cans for people).
All in all, an okay read for me.
I did enjoy the chapter called preface. 😉 I enjoyed some of the stories as well (i.e. the one about the kid taking out trash cans for people).
All in all, an okay read for me.
June 18, 2019
Y'all know that I'm a big Andy Andrews fan, so I was very excited to read his latest, The Bottom of the Pool. The best way that I can describe this book is like sitting down with your friend and they remind you how it is. It's not like Andy is hawking some secret voodoo send me $5 and you'll get $5000 in the mail next week black magic. He's sharing the truth. And the truth is that if you're dealing with an obstacle in your life, there's a big possibility that you're thinking about it all wrong.
This relatively quick read is jam-packed full of good stuff. There are interesting stories about historical figures but the main story that runs throughout the book is one of a childhood friend. Andy's friend did something extraordinary one summer afternoon that illustrates how we can break out of cycles hold us back from achieving what we are created to do. Without telling you exactly what Andy has to share in this book, it might feel like it's some magical secret that will be difficult to obtain. But I would say that this book is really just a step by step walk through of his idea that confusion guards life's treasure. He shares how to be comfortable with confusion and to use it to leverage your best for your life.
The entire book is set up in a way to mimic the very idea that Andy is trying to get across. He shows with the way the book is written, the stories he shares, and the information exactly how the bottom of the pool concept works. It's so easy, you'll wonder why you didn't think of it before and then you'll start applying in all sorts of areas of your life. This book isn't just for business folks, it's for everybody from us stay at home moms to the top executives to entrepreneurs and everyone in between.
This is definitely one of those books that you should buy two hard copies of. One for you to write in and take notes about and revisit. And the other to lend out to friends because you're going to want folks to be reading this so that you can talk about it with them.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for the purpose of review. I'm never required to give a good review but always thankful when I can.
This relatively quick read is jam-packed full of good stuff. There are interesting stories about historical figures but the main story that runs throughout the book is one of a childhood friend. Andy's friend did something extraordinary one summer afternoon that illustrates how we can break out of cycles hold us back from achieving what we are created to do. Without telling you exactly what Andy has to share in this book, it might feel like it's some magical secret that will be difficult to obtain. But I would say that this book is really just a step by step walk through of his idea that confusion guards life's treasure. He shares how to be comfortable with confusion and to use it to leverage your best for your life.
The entire book is set up in a way to mimic the very idea that Andy is trying to get across. He shows with the way the book is written, the stories he shares, and the information exactly how the bottom of the pool concept works. It's so easy, you'll wonder why you didn't think of it before and then you'll start applying in all sorts of areas of your life. This book isn't just for business folks, it's for everybody from us stay at home moms to the top executives to entrepreneurs and everyone in between.
This is definitely one of those books that you should buy two hard copies of. One for you to write in and take notes about and revisit. And the other to lend out to friends because you're going to want folks to be reading this so that you can talk about it with them.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for the purpose of review. I'm never required to give a good review but always thankful when I can.
July 23, 2019
Andy always fascinates me, and this book is no exception. In his latest installment, he refines his wisdom gleaned, especially in recent years, into a new and simple approach. I said simple, but not easy; this book takes effort, but it’s worth it. Now get to the bottom of the pool and to the bottom of things so you can find out the truth for yourself.
November 19, 2020
Приятна и мотивираща книга. Този път не бях така обременен с очаквания както когато започвах "Проницателя" и не останах разочарован. Дори съм очарован и определено ще взема нещичко и от тази книга на Анди Андрюс.
April 19, 2024
I love listening to Andys books! He reminds us to have an imagination and do those things that bring you closer to the person you want to become. President Russell M Nelson said “God loves effort” and I believe that is not only true… but truth!
Thanks for another great read Andy!
Thanks for another great read Andy!
June 20, 2019
“Be careful about what you think you know. Because you can’t always believe everything you think.”
If you’ve read Andy Andrews before, you know that his gift is that his writing style is conversational and intimate. And if you’ve listened to him speak, you can hear his words with your eyes as you scan each page, as if he is there in the room with you, teaching you and serving as your humble and wise mentor. He respectfully approaches his readers with ideas intended to improve their quality of life, and in The Bottom of the Pool, Andy (I think he would want me to use his first name) uses a simple metaphor from an event that happened during his childhood to get at deeper concepts that can lead to sustained personal growth and success.
I’ve always enjoyed Andy’s passion for studying the biographies of people that may have been somewhat obscure or not as well-known as they perhaps should have been. He is very much like a miner, digging for truths that are timeless so that he can bring them back to the surface and share it with his readers, giving everyone the opportunity to apply the treasures in their respective journeys for personal growth. In The Bottom of the Pool, you’ll learn about an Olympic gold medalist that shattered a world record while applying the “bottom of the pool” concept that Andy teaches in this book. That gold medalist defeated two previous gold medalists and a third competitor who, at the time, held the current world record that was about to be broken. His accomplishment was so impressive, someone coined a new word in the dictionary to describe it (and you can look it up… literally).
But my favorite passage from the book begins with these words from Andy: “If it is true that your choices determine your destiny, and if the truth is that your thinking determines your choices, then it is, in fact, your thinking that determines your destiny.” He then goes on to teach the reader to avoid the misconception that a person cannot help what they think. His explanation makes perfect sense, and you’ll enjoy reading it within the pages of the book!
And as you finish the pages of the book, you’ll find that the “Professional Noticer” has delivered another thought-provoking, 5-star quality work that will challenge you to take an intentional look at what you believe about yourself and about what is true. His message is clear and his purpose is as well. As Andy says himself near the final pages, the book won’t change your life. However, he’s certainly handing you the roadmap to better opportunities. It’s up to you whether or not to take it, along with the first step on your journey.
If you’ve read Andy Andrews before, you know that his gift is that his writing style is conversational and intimate. And if you’ve listened to him speak, you can hear his words with your eyes as you scan each page, as if he is there in the room with you, teaching you and serving as your humble and wise mentor. He respectfully approaches his readers with ideas intended to improve their quality of life, and in The Bottom of the Pool, Andy (I think he would want me to use his first name) uses a simple metaphor from an event that happened during his childhood to get at deeper concepts that can lead to sustained personal growth and success.
I’ve always enjoyed Andy’s passion for studying the biographies of people that may have been somewhat obscure or not as well-known as they perhaps should have been. He is very much like a miner, digging for truths that are timeless so that he can bring them back to the surface and share it with his readers, giving everyone the opportunity to apply the treasures in their respective journeys for personal growth. In The Bottom of the Pool, you’ll learn about an Olympic gold medalist that shattered a world record while applying the “bottom of the pool” concept that Andy teaches in this book. That gold medalist defeated two previous gold medalists and a third competitor who, at the time, held the current world record that was about to be broken. His accomplishment was so impressive, someone coined a new word in the dictionary to describe it (and you can look it up… literally).
But my favorite passage from the book begins with these words from Andy: “If it is true that your choices determine your destiny, and if the truth is that your thinking determines your choices, then it is, in fact, your thinking that determines your destiny.” He then goes on to teach the reader to avoid the misconception that a person cannot help what they think. His explanation makes perfect sense, and you’ll enjoy reading it within the pages of the book!
And as you finish the pages of the book, you’ll find that the “Professional Noticer” has delivered another thought-provoking, 5-star quality work that will challenge you to take an intentional look at what you believe about yourself and about what is true. His message is clear and his purpose is as well. As Andy says himself near the final pages, the book won’t change your life. However, he’s certainly handing you the roadmap to better opportunities. It’s up to you whether or not to take it, along with the first step on your journey.
July 21, 2019
This is how it’s done. This is why it’s done this way. This is the result you can expect if you do it.
These three pieces of information inform a conclusion about every part of each of our lives. Yet it is these three pieces of information that most often set an insidious trap—a trap that has held the imaginations of generations captive to the belief that because they are doing the best they can do, they are accomplishing the best that can be done. And while each of these three statements are true, not one of them is the truth.
Andy Andrews is one of my favorite authors. I am drawn to his foundational principles regarding not only leadership and business but life. So when I heard he had a new book coming out in June I knew it would not be long before I picked it up. As normal, Andy did not disappoint with this book and left me writing new quotes on my white-board wall at work.
I chose to listen to the audiobook version which Andy reads himself. I was really pleased that I made this choice as Andy is a great speaker and the book feels more like him talking to you than reading a book. I was also pleasantly surprised that when I finished the audiobook there was a brief interview with Andy. This was such an enjoyable thing to listen to and garner from his wisdom.
With all of that said, this is the first Andy Andrews book that I have not given 5 stars. The main reason for that is I had a hard time for the first several chapters figuring out where he was going with the message. It just was not flowing for me in the narrative style that I am used to Andy using. That is not to say that it didn't come together, because it did in quite powerful ways. I just wanted the first 30 minutes or so to flow better than it did.
The ultimate message for me from this book is, "that might be true, but it is not the truth." There are so many applications for this statement and so many places in our lives that we need to dig deeper and find greater meaning. What a challenge this presents in all aspects of our lives.
November 22, 2019
Awesome!
Very very awesome read. Andy Andrews has a way of reeling you in and keeping you in suspense. This book is no different. Very powerful ending to this book.
Very very awesome read. Andy Andrews has a way of reeling you in and keeping you in suspense. This book is no different. Very powerful ending to this book.
July 13, 2019
Leave it to Andy Andrews to be able to take a made up childhood pool game and turn it into a way to success that has helped companies reach stellar heights, by doing what seems counterintuitive and yet ends up making so much sense. Sometimes the way up is down and the way to outpace your competition is to do what others aren't doing, competing at a level where no one else is playing. While this is largely a business book, in typical Andy Andrews style, there is a larger principle that works every time it's tried in every aspect of life. This guy is a walking wisdom generator, and I love all his stuff. Check this one out.
November 13, 2019
I chose this book because I thought it was a different author. BUT I am so glad that I read it because I discovered a new author who writes words that inspire and challenge. This book could categorized as a self-help/business/personal/go-to book. I want to read it again with my husband this winter because I think his concepts will help us to do a better job of running our small business. I look forward to reading many more books by this author in fact I already have another one of his titles waiting on my TBR pile. Thanks #netgalley for the opportunity to read this title. #thebottomofthepool
July 19, 2019
Great read from Andy Andrews. It's an inspirational/self-help/personal improvement book, so that's what you're getting.
The wisdom is practical and it's easy to read.
Grab a copy. It's worth thinking.
The wisdom is practical and it's easy to read.
Grab a copy. It's worth thinking.
October 13, 2019
Fantastic read! Quick but packs a punch; definitely one I'll revisit in future, as it'll take a few reads to both refresh my memory and keep moving to the deep end. Can't get everything in one read, lol.
July 17, 2019
Classic Andy Andrews...with a little more personal thought process than I liked (fluff). Not my favorite but in the audiobook, the interview at the end was priceless.
July 26, 2019
A must read if you want to know the difference between what is true and the truth.
August 5, 2019
Not his best, but a definite quick read to enjoy as life reminders.
August 6, 2019
While I prefer Andy's teachings in a parable style, The Bottom of the Pool still had great nuggets of learnings that I'm already thinking about in my daily life.
August 8, 2019
Wow this is a very interesting book. It prompts one to think beyond oneself to seek the truth. The author is a character and it comes out in this writing. This material is engaging.
September 30, 2019
Andy Andrews does it again and crafts a wonderful story full of history, intrigue, and inspiration!!
October 27, 2019
Good little book, short easy read. Cute story about being able to be creative in your efforts.
December 10, 2020
Using the metaphor of “going to the bottom of the pool” from a story about how his friend Kevin discovered a way to win their childhood made-up game “Dolphin” by changing his understanding and belief about what was possible, Andy Andrews aims to tell us how to achieve the very best results in life, far beyond those most people ever imagine. We are told that Kevin employed a strategy that had never been tried before, and the results he achieved not only proved his instincts correct, but they changed the game forever.
This book is filled with interesting stories about Walk Disney, Michael Jordan, Bob Beamon, etc., and contains Andrews witty and humorous writing, but I struggled to put it all together, not unlike how I felt after reading Malcolm Gladwell’s book Talking to Strangers. There is no doubt that Andrews was passionate in trying to communicate this information about our thinking, unfortunately, I found that I took few practical and helpful takeaways from the book.
The book addresses such items as:
• Competing on the surface rather than at the bottom of the pool
• Using our controlled imagination.
• Using our humor.
• Momentum.
• Using our “Location of Contemplation”, a place to do our deep thinking
• Doing the best we can do vs. the best that can be done.
• Stop thinking “outside of the box”, but instead go “beyond the box”.
• Striving for the best results, instead of great results.
• Something can be true yet still not be the truth.
• Obvious Greater Value (OGV).
Below are 15 of my favorite quotes from the book:
1. Great is the precise target for which the vast majority of us aim. But why settle for great when best is waiting for you in slightly deeper water?
2. When one has momentum, the results of any action are greater than reality says they should be. Conversely, when one lacks momentum, the results of any action are less than reality says they should be.
3. Most people never even bother to imagine what event or circumstance might need to occur in order to shift their life’s results from acceptable to incredible.
4. Because most people who are doing the best they can do (especially if they are among the best at what they do) are not often remotely aware that a significant amount of territory still exists beyond that which they have already achieved!
5. Is it possible to be satisfied you have done your best and never even come close to accomplishing THE BEST? Of course.
6. The degree to which you will ever be financially compensated is inexorably linked to the obvious greater value (OGV) that you create for someone else.
7. When any part of the leadership of an organization is satisfied to compete on the surface—no matter what they might otherwise proclaim publicly—I have never seen the organization achieve more than an average, industry-standard increase in results.
8. Left to our own devices, most of us choose the greater value only about 50 percent of the time. Why? For the simple reason that most of us never recognize the greater value. We don’t discern the difference. And that is why the greater value must be obvious.
9. If you want folks to choose you—each and every time—then the greater value you have created had better be obvious.
10. Know this: “Customer satisfaction” is the lowest bar you can possibly hit and still stay in business. Anything less and you are in trouble.
11. To have a shot at results that seem impossible to most, you must learn to compete in a way that your competitors do not even know there is a game going on.
12. The obvious greater value provided by you and those on your team become a distinct and unequaled brand when every part of your business is delivered in a package of genuine care, personal concern, and honest connection.
13. The quality of your answers will usually be determined by the quality of your questions.
14. Obviously there are results on the surface, but the greatest results to be gained are accomplished by thinking to the deepest level of an issue.
15. The most important leadership role you will ever undertake is the one of leading yourself. And as you lead yourself, do so with a controlled imagination.
This book is filled with interesting stories about Walk Disney, Michael Jordan, Bob Beamon, etc., and contains Andrews witty and humorous writing, but I struggled to put it all together, not unlike how I felt after reading Malcolm Gladwell’s book Talking to Strangers. There is no doubt that Andrews was passionate in trying to communicate this information about our thinking, unfortunately, I found that I took few practical and helpful takeaways from the book.
The book addresses such items as:
• Competing on the surface rather than at the bottom of the pool
• Using our controlled imagination.
• Using our humor.
• Momentum.
• Using our “Location of Contemplation”, a place to do our deep thinking
• Doing the best we can do vs. the best that can be done.
• Stop thinking “outside of the box”, but instead go “beyond the box”.
• Striving for the best results, instead of great results.
• Something can be true yet still not be the truth.
• Obvious Greater Value (OGV).
Below are 15 of my favorite quotes from the book:
1. Great is the precise target for which the vast majority of us aim. But why settle for great when best is waiting for you in slightly deeper water?
2. When one has momentum, the results of any action are greater than reality says they should be. Conversely, when one lacks momentum, the results of any action are less than reality says they should be.
3. Most people never even bother to imagine what event or circumstance might need to occur in order to shift their life’s results from acceptable to incredible.
4. Because most people who are doing the best they can do (especially if they are among the best at what they do) are not often remotely aware that a significant amount of territory still exists beyond that which they have already achieved!
5. Is it possible to be satisfied you have done your best and never even come close to accomplishing THE BEST? Of course.
6. The degree to which you will ever be financially compensated is inexorably linked to the obvious greater value (OGV) that you create for someone else.
7. When any part of the leadership of an organization is satisfied to compete on the surface—no matter what they might otherwise proclaim publicly—I have never seen the organization achieve more than an average, industry-standard increase in results.
8. Left to our own devices, most of us choose the greater value only about 50 percent of the time. Why? For the simple reason that most of us never recognize the greater value. We don’t discern the difference. And that is why the greater value must be obvious.
9. If you want folks to choose you—each and every time—then the greater value you have created had better be obvious.
10. Know this: “Customer satisfaction” is the lowest bar you can possibly hit and still stay in business. Anything less and you are in trouble.
11. To have a shot at results that seem impossible to most, you must learn to compete in a way that your competitors do not even know there is a game going on.
12. The obvious greater value provided by you and those on your team become a distinct and unequaled brand when every part of your business is delivered in a package of genuine care, personal concern, and honest connection.
13. The quality of your answers will usually be determined by the quality of your questions.
14. Obviously there are results on the surface, but the greatest results to be gained are accomplished by thinking to the deepest level of an issue.
15. The most important leadership role you will ever undertake is the one of leading yourself. And as you lead yourself, do so with a controlled imagination.
May 24, 2022
The bottom of the Pool, by: Andy Andrews.
Andrea Recinos
I can say I underestimated this book and am left with a totally new perspective on self-help books. Starting from the way it is written, this book was more than delightful to read, it felt as if the author was directly speaking to me, you could hear the tone and feel as if the author himself was having a conversation rather than explaining points. He even said that it was his intent to make it feel like a talk between him and the reader. To be honest sometimes it did feel like it took much extra talk rather than getting to some points but it still was very pleasant to keep reading.
I feel this book touches on a subject we all are aware of but overlook most of the times or simply underestimate but as Andy mentioned, it is the key if you want to be the best at what you are doing or will do.
The main idea and every point revolves around how when he was just a young boy, he played a game along with his friends about who could go higher being in the pool. It was fun yet an unbeatable activity as there was this boy who would always win and no matter how hard everyone tried, they weren’t able to break his record. Until one day came along another boy, one who many underestimated and instead of just jumping, he went deep down to the bottom and launched himself breaking the record distance not by centimeters but by feet. It was a memorable thing not only for the kids but it definitely left a mark on Andy because since that moment he realized how we tend to follow the standard, what everyone else is doing ust to be satisfied with being “great” but why be great when you can be the best at something. We are able to create our own path, our own methods, becoming the best at what we are doing whether it is school, work, projects, etc.
Again, this is something we are all aware of, something we live every day with yet we don’t realize and do anything about it. We get so comfortable with being good and great at things that we don’t want to give that extra step into being the best. I, myself, am a victim of these kinds of thoughts and beliefs but this was definitely an eye opener. I want to be wise, to truly understand the deep meaning of things… if we are able to truly understand this then we are able to create bigger and better things. The bottom of the pool serves as a metaphor to look for the answers at the base, to the roots, and understand the foundations of anything as you are looking at the deepest level of the issue or thing.
Instead of giving you my favorite quote, I will be giving you an insight into my favorite idea the author discusses in the book. “The most important leadership role we can take is leading ourselves” and “control imagination is the key when looking deep down' ' It's short yet quite complex but I see it as the way to success. When we are able to work controlling our imagination then we are able to find oy and hope whenever we are looking at taking the unknown road, looking where no one else is able to look without fear, connecting the dots of our life. Only ourselves can take us to where we want to be so I want to head into the direction known as “beyond”.
Definitely recommend it to anyone looking for that little push to get you to continue your journey into the best version you can be.
Andrea Recinos
I can say I underestimated this book and am left with a totally new perspective on self-help books. Starting from the way it is written, this book was more than delightful to read, it felt as if the author was directly speaking to me, you could hear the tone and feel as if the author himself was having a conversation rather than explaining points. He even said that it was his intent to make it feel like a talk between him and the reader. To be honest sometimes it did feel like it took much extra talk rather than getting to some points but it still was very pleasant to keep reading.
I feel this book touches on a subject we all are aware of but overlook most of the times or simply underestimate but as Andy mentioned, it is the key if you want to be the best at what you are doing or will do.
The main idea and every point revolves around how when he was just a young boy, he played a game along with his friends about who could go higher being in the pool. It was fun yet an unbeatable activity as there was this boy who would always win and no matter how hard everyone tried, they weren’t able to break his record. Until one day came along another boy, one who many underestimated and instead of just jumping, he went deep down to the bottom and launched himself breaking the record distance not by centimeters but by feet. It was a memorable thing not only for the kids but it definitely left a mark on Andy because since that moment he realized how we tend to follow the standard, what everyone else is doing ust to be satisfied with being “great” but why be great when you can be the best at something. We are able to create our own path, our own methods, becoming the best at what we are doing whether it is school, work, projects, etc.
Again, this is something we are all aware of, something we live every day with yet we don’t realize and do anything about it. We get so comfortable with being good and great at things that we don’t want to give that extra step into being the best. I, myself, am a victim of these kinds of thoughts and beliefs but this was definitely an eye opener. I want to be wise, to truly understand the deep meaning of things… if we are able to truly understand this then we are able to create bigger and better things. The bottom of the pool serves as a metaphor to look for the answers at the base, to the roots, and understand the foundations of anything as you are looking at the deepest level of the issue or thing.
Instead of giving you my favorite quote, I will be giving you an insight into my favorite idea the author discusses in the book. “The most important leadership role we can take is leading ourselves” and “control imagination is the key when looking deep down' ' It's short yet quite complex but I see it as the way to success. When we are able to work controlling our imagination then we are able to find oy and hope whenever we are looking at taking the unknown road, looking where no one else is able to look without fear, connecting the dots of our life. Only ourselves can take us to where we want to be so I want to head into the direction known as “beyond”.
Definitely recommend it to anyone looking for that little push to get you to continue your journey into the best version you can be.
August 15, 2021
📖The Bottom of the Pool🖋Andy Andrews
This is another book by Andy Andrews about the point of view of things - from near and far, from the heights and depths of human possibilities ...
The book has interesting stories about historical figures, how they differ from others and how they became successful ...
He explains with many examples the concept of how something said or proven is TRUE, but this is not the whole TRUTH...
The book challenges people to develop, to fight, not to give up, even if they have reached the bottom, but to find a new way to help themselves surface and jump over themselves...
.
.
🇧🇬Това е още една книга на Анди Андрюс за гледната точка на нещата - от близо и на далеч, отвисините и от дълбините на човешките възможности...
В книгата има интересни истории за исторически личности, по какво се различават от останалите и как са станали успешни...
Той разглежда с доста примери концепцията как нещо казано или доказано е наИСТИНА
ИСТИНА, но не е цялата ИСТИНА...
Книгата предизвиква хората да се развиват, да се борят, да не се отказват, дори и да са стигнали дъното, а да намерят нов начин, който да им помогне да изплуват на повърхността и да надскочат себе си...
This is another book by Andy Andrews about the point of view of things - from near and far, from the heights and depths of human possibilities ...
The book has interesting stories about historical figures, how they differ from others and how they became successful ...
He explains with many examples the concept of how something said or proven is TRUE, but this is not the whole TRUTH...
The book challenges people to develop, to fight, not to give up, even if they have reached the bottom, but to find a new way to help themselves surface and jump over themselves...
.
.
🇧🇬Това е още една книга на Анди Андрюс за гледната точка на нещата - от близо и на далеч, отвисините и от дълбините на човешките възможности...
В книгата има интересни истории за исторически личности, по какво се различават от останалите и как са станали успешни...
Той разглежда с доста примери концепцията как нещо казано или доказано е наИСТИНА
ИСТИНА, но не е цялата ИСТИНА...
Книгата предизвиква хората да се развиват, да се борят, да не се отказват, дори и да са стигнали дъното, а да намерят нов начин, който да им помогне да изплуват на повърхността и да надскочат себе си...
July 6, 2019
Quite shallow for what it promises
If you had never thought about yourself and your life or career deeply, then this book is a good start. I personally found it quite shallow for a book that promises to go deep. But I have to admit, it was a good reminder. The book is full of metaphors reflecting the author point of view. I was hoping for more tangible advice about how to think beyond our boundaries. I wish also he left God out of his conclusion.
I was not a big fun of patriarchal comments such as (I'm rephrasing) "I want my son to shake hands like a man", "no body is going to hire him because he knows how to high five". I am hoping by the time his son is old enough to get a job, we won't have anymore people hiring you because you know how to "shake hands like a man". Hopefully, you will get hired because you are competent not because you meet some outdated stereotypical measure of manhood.
If you had never thought about yourself and your life or career deeply, then this book is a good start. I personally found it quite shallow for a book that promises to go deep. But I have to admit, it was a good reminder. The book is full of metaphors reflecting the author point of view. I was hoping for more tangible advice about how to think beyond our boundaries. I wish also he left God out of his conclusion.
I was not a big fun of patriarchal comments such as (I'm rephrasing) "I want my son to shake hands like a man", "no body is going to hire him because he knows how to high five". I am hoping by the time his son is old enough to get a job, we won't have anymore people hiring you because you know how to "shake hands like a man". Hopefully, you will get hired because you are competent not because you meet some outdated stereotypical measure of manhood.
July 22, 2022
I can understand why this book has considerably lower ratings than most (if not all) of Andy Andrews’ other books. The book has the feel of something that was part stream of consciousness, part forced, part obligatory, yet also part genius.
The thing is, regardless of whatever forces were actually behind the creation of this book, Andy Andrews is such a prolific story-teller that if you’re able to look past the seemingly hyper-ADD infused prose, I believe there is some serious wisdom and gold waiting for you in this little book, especially in the final pages. In fact, the final chapters of this book brought it from a 3 to a 5 for me. (The insights were that good.)
So as with all things, “Eat the chicken and spit out the bones.” There may be more bones than usual from Andy Andrews in this particular book, but unsurprisingly there are some serious and potentially life/business altering meat in there as well.
The thing is, regardless of whatever forces were actually behind the creation of this book, Andy Andrews is such a prolific story-teller that if you’re able to look past the seemingly hyper-ADD infused prose, I believe there is some serious wisdom and gold waiting for you in this little book, especially in the final pages. In fact, the final chapters of this book brought it from a 3 to a 5 for me. (The insights were that good.)
So as with all things, “Eat the chicken and spit out the bones.” There may be more bones than usual from Andy Andrews in this particular book, but unsurprisingly there are some serious and potentially life/business altering meat in there as well.
October 13, 2020
Short inspiration book about.....not sure. The author throws a lot of inspirational platitudes in a haphazard manner and some of the ideas seem to resonate, others seem like fortune cookie promises. The author promises a rollercoaster of a journey (eg, preface is chapter 5) yet it seems instead disorganized and underdeveloped. He also seems too self-absorbed about his success as a consultant.
While the author stresses character and some references to God, why is this being sold at a Christian bookstore like Mardels? Why is Thomas Nelson publishing this fluff? Is it just to wrack up New York Times level sales like some of his other books? Avoid this book, unless you like shallow “clever” inspirational books you can finish on a short plane ride.
While the author stresses character and some references to God, why is this being sold at a Christian bookstore like Mardels? Why is Thomas Nelson publishing this fluff? Is it just to wrack up New York Times level sales like some of his other books? Avoid this book, unless you like shallow “clever” inspirational books you can finish on a short plane ride.
September 26, 2020
The Bottom of The Pool is a thought-provoking book. It is a book that although finished, you can always go back to it. Inside the book, it contains many valuable insights that you can use in your day to day life. Currently, I am still in the midst of trying out so I cannot really say much about the results it can produce however, after reading the book, I definitely felt different. This book raise questions for me to think and that is what I need at this point in life.
Overall, it was a helpful book and it is one that you can use it as your reference in life.
A summary of the key points of the book can be found in my website as it is too long to put in here.
Overall, it was a helpful book and it is one that you can use it as your reference in life.
A summary of the key points of the book can be found in my website as it is too long to put in here.
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