Official Review: The Drive To Aim High: Seven Powerful Mi...

Cecilia_L · Post by **Cecilia_L** » 06 May 2019, 16:00

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Drive To Aim High: Seven Powerful Mindsets Proven to Guarantee Your Success" by Al Kamara.]

4 out of 4 stars

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"When you focus on what you do want to achieve rather than entertaining any negative aspects of what you do not want, then you stay truer to your own decisions and goals."

Despite being born in a poor African village and not learning to read and write until the age of fifteen, Al Kamara is now a college graduate, successful entrepreneur, and professional speaker. In The Drive to Aim High: Seven Powerful Mindsets Proven to Guarantee Your Success, Kamara shares his journey and explains the significance of mindset. He addresses the mindsets of observation, possibility, resilience, passion, courage, persistence, and legacy, which can be applied to both lifestyle and business. Each chapter covers a different mindset; Kamara discusses how to apply it, provides examples from his experiences, and concludes with steps for integrating it on a daily basis.

What sets this book apart from many self-help books is Kamara's focused writing style paired with his presentation of practical mindsets applicable to most any reader. Kamara's ideas are not mystical or pie-in-the-sky thinking; in fact, readers will find his engaging story as thought-provoking as the specific mindsets. I particularly like that he isn't merely promoting positive thinking. "Success, without the hard work, isn't going to come simply by believing." In the fourth chapter, "The Passion Mindset," Kamara discusses his first job as an editor at an English newspaper in Romania. He remembers feeling slightly underqualified and expounds on the fact that his passion drove him to work harder to fulfill the job requirements. In a subsequent job description, Kamara draws from a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. and states, "Sweeping the hallways of heaven was what my love and passion for a sales job felt like to me." In the same chapter, he mentions that Walt Disney was once fired from a newspaper job due to a "lack of imagination." These are just a few examples of famous people in history Kamara references to illustrate the different mindsets.

The only thing I dislike about the book is the last several words of the subtitle, "... Proven to Guarantee Your Success." I realize this type of promise sells books, but it sounds gimmicky to me and doesn't accurately reflect the overall tone of the book. To clarify, I don't feel Kamara is making a false promise; it's evident that applying these mindsets has brought him from very humble beginnings to the successful life he now enjoys. However, I wonder if the sensationalized wording may turn some readers away.

Overall, I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. The editing, cover art, and formatting are professionally presented, and despite my concern regarding the subtitle, it didn't detract from my reading enjoyment. Kamara's engaging writing style and easy-to-integrate mindsets may appeal to a wider audience than most self-help books. I recommend it to entrepreneurs, mentors, and fans of self-help; it may also appeal to readers who usually avoid the genre.

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The Drive To Aim High: Seven Powerful Mindsets Proven to Guarantee Your Success
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Bianka Walter · Post by **Bianka Walter** » 09 May 2019, 02:52

I totally agree with the gimmicky 'slogan'. And from your review, it seems that this one should stand separate from the rest.
Great review, Cecilia

Brendan Donaghy · Post by **Brendan Donaghy** » 09 May 2019, 05:11

I fall into the final category of people you mention, the ones who usually avoid the self-help genre. This one, though, sounds like it might be a cut above the rest, so I might be tempted. I loved the reference to the fact that Walt Disney was fired from a job due to 'a lack of imagination' - there's hope for us all yet! Many thanks for another great review!

Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 09 May 2019, 05:23

This sounds like a useful self-help book. I like how the author addresses hard work being so important. Recently, there has been a vast amount of authors writing about positive thinking and replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, but none of that will get you anywhere without hard work!
Wonderful review!

Cecilia_L · Post by **Cecilia_L** » 09 May 2019, 07:12

Bianka Walter wrote: ↑09 May 2019, 02:52 I totally agree with the gimmicky 'slogan'. And from your review, it seems that this one should stand separate from the rest.
Great review, Cecilia

Thank you, Bianka.

Cecilia_L · Post by **Cecilia_L** » 09 May 2019, 07:14

Brendan Donaghy wrote: ↑09 May 2019, 05:11 I fall into the final category of people you mention, the ones who usually avoid the self-help genre. This one, though, sounds like it might be a cut above the rest, so I might be tempted. I loved the reference to the fact that Walt Disney was fired from a job due to 'a lack of imagination' - there's hope for us all yet! Many thanks for another great review!

I agree about Walt Disney, and the author does a great job of featuring similar examples. Thank you. I appreciate your comment.

Cecilia_L · Post by **Cecilia_L** » 09 May 2019, 07:15

Stephanie Elizabeth wrote: ↑09 May 2019, 05:23 This sounds like a useful self-help book. I like how the author addresses hard work being so important. Recently, there has been a vast amount of authors writing about positive thinking and replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, but none of that will get you anywhere without hard work!
Wonderful review!

True! Thank you.

Rachel Lea · Post by **Rachel Lea** » 09 May 2019, 07:40

As someone who is interested in self-improvement and has consumed various materials on the subject over the years, it's hard for me to be really impressed by a new, guaranteed-to-help formula unless I truly see that it is grounded in reality and likely to work. Kamara's ideas sound intelligent and solid, though, like you, I think the "proven to guarantee your success" tagline is a little gimmicky. Thank you for your review!

Post by **kandscreeley** » 09 May 2019, 09:04

I understand what you are saying about the subtitle, but how many of us actually pick up a self-help book believing in any type of guarantee? Well, it's not me; I can tell you that much. It sounds intriguing, but I'm not in the mood to read this at the moment. Thanks for the information; I'm glad you got something out of it.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 09 May 2019, 09:22

Even if we don't totally believe the guarantee, we can still hope! The mindset he promotes seems to encourage this positive attitude. The author has an amazing story to support his claims. This looks intriguing. Thanks for the detailed review.

Agnes Masobeng · Post by **Agnes Masobeng** » 09 May 2019, 10:56

Self help books are coming in handy this days. Now what will matter is which one will stand out. From your review, it seems like this book is one of them. Great review.

EvaDar · Post by **EvaDar** » 09 May 2019, 12:13

This self-help book sounds practical and accessible to everyone. And the author is a good writer, on top of the great content. Sometimes nonfiction writers have great ideas but aren't great writers. The title is indeed a little misleading, it sounds. That is good feedback for the author. Loved your review.

Quickstudy · Post by **Quickstudy** » 12 May 2019, 19:45

This book digs into our flawed thoughts. I must admit I do not think about what I am thinking about. I believe that this book could change anyone thoughts and help them be successful if your willing to work.

Great review.