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Title: Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk
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Manufacturer: Zondervan
List Price: $19.99
Our Price: $11.95
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| Customer Reviews: |
| Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk by Zondervan Inspirational and Easy to Read but Not all it Seems to be | Dr. Carson is surely an inspirational person, having overcome his disadvantaged background to become an eminent neurosurgeon. Reading about his medical cases is a blast, especially the inside view of what happened to Laleh and Ladan Bijani, the conjoined twins joined by the head who made a lot of news some years back.
Even though I enjoyed reading about his background, his medical adventures and his Christianity, I found myself asking "where's the beef?" The entire book boils down to a simple formula that I'm sure was not invented by him. Ask yourself 4 questions:
- what is the best thing that can happen if I do this?
- what is the worst thing that can happen if I do this?
- what is the best thing that can happen if I don't do this?
- what is the worst thing that can happen if I don't do this?
Take a couple of perspectives, such as best/worse for me, best/worse for the patients, parents, or other interested parties and then take the risk.
The first half of the book is pretty exciting, but after about 10 iterations of B/WA, it started to get repetitive. I especially dislike the last few chapters as he gets on his bully pulpit and starts applying his simple formula to all sorts of social and political issues, such as universal health care, education competitiveness, gambling, biometric tracking, cashless society, tax reform, global nuclear proliferation. While he has some interesting ideas, I just don't think all of these problems are as easily solved. This book is not totally what it seems, luring the reader with self-help and inspirational stories, into agreeing with his political and somewhat left-wing social policies, where big government, controls, tracking of individuals will take care of all societal ills, trading away our basic freedoms for a biometric mark that tracks us wherever we go (page 221). | | Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk by Zondervan Take the Risk | | I am intrigued by Ben Carson's amazing story. I enjoyed reading this book about taking risks in life. | | Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk by Zondervan MUST read! | | This is a man of GOD. I have read all his books, but this is my favorite by far. Success is attainable it just depends on oneself. A very successful, wise and humble man giving his advice, take it or leave it but keep your eyes and faith in the LORD. | | Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk by Zondervan Practical and inspiring advice | This is a very good book on how to approach the decision making process in our personal and professional lives with greater awareness, clarity and wisdom. Ben Carson is truly an inspirational figure who knows something about risk. As a world-renowned neurosurgeon, he routinely faces risky life threatening decisions. Growing up in the tenements of Boston and Detroit he achieved success through faith, and hard work that leveraged considerable gifts, but also through a willingness to take on risks in his personal and professional life.
In this book he offers some lessons about how to perceive risk and eliminate distorted thinking that can cloud the process. He takes the reader through a simple framework that is powerful because of its simplicity. He also provides numerous examples of how he used this framework to deal with tough issues he has faced as a doctor, a parent and a concerned citizen. Some key points:
· Everything has risk including getting up in the morning and going to work.
· People develop distorted perceptions of risk that vary widely from actual probabilities.
· These distorted perceptions inhibit people from taking acceptable risks that can greatly enhance their life.
· Distorted perceptions can also lead to foolish decisions that can cause catastrophic results.
· A simple framework that explores the best and worst potential outcomes of any decision can be a powerful aid in minimizing biased and distorted thinking and provide greater clarity in decisions.
· The framework should be based on a strong value system that is centered on others rather than self.
Tightly bound to his framework is his powerful Christian faith, which he believes reinforces his simple framework by weighing outcomes on the basis of key Christian values. Even though the book has many references to the bible it does not have a preachy proselytizing tone. Quite the contrary, Dr. Carson's attitudes communicate tolerance and acceptance. There are plenty of books that provide more detail and rigor on risk and decision making along with prescriptions on how to improve the process--"Decision Traps" is one of my favorites. If you are looking for rigor and detail, this book will leave you wanting, however I found Dr. Carson's book a pragmatic guide that also provides a great deal of inspiration.
| | Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk by Zondervan Great Book -- Highly Recommended | | Ben Carson's life is such an inspiration. This book lets us in on some of the reasons for his professional and personal success. We all have to take risks and Dr. Carson takes plenty of them in his career as well as living as black man in a culture and in an area where it can't be easy! I found this book to be very challenging and inspirational. I also found it to be very informative -- like sitting at a kitchen table and learning from the master. Carson and Lewis' books are always entralling -- I can't put them down. I read them straight through at one sitting. I find the stories absolutely captivating and Carson's character comes through in such an authentic way -- no preaching and no patronizing, just a clear view of the man behind the incredible career and fascinating life. I recommend the book without hesitation. It is the kind of book people ought to buy for their kids -- to show the vast possibilities for meaningful personal and professional accomplishment when you apply yourself and trust God to lead and direct your life. | | Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk by Zondervan Product Description | | You can find our culture’s obsession with avoiding risk everywhere, from multiple insurance policies to crash-tested vehicles. But is ducking risk the most productive way for us to live? Surgeon and author Dr. Ben Carson, who faces risk on a daily basis, offers an inspiring message on how accepting risk can lead us to a higher purpose. |
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