YOU GET WHAT YOU PITCH FOR

5 stars out of 5

Ho-hum. Well, I didn't actually yawn, but my first reaction when this book turned up available for request on my NetGalley list of possibilities wasn't exactly positive. That's for two reasons: One, I'm not even close to a fan of sales pitches (think: door-to-door hucksters and telemarketers). And second, back in my much younger days I had a side business conducting employee development/motivational seminars. What could I possibly learn?

Ah, but there's that magic word: Learn. I may be a slightly gray 76-year-old grandmother of four mostly grown-ups, but I plan on going strong as long as I can. One of the things that keeps me hopping is my firm belief that when you stop learning, you stop living. Well then, I said, bring it on!

And by golly, I learned a lot - starting with (surprise!) "Pitching is not about selling." Besides that, I now know that a) The author is someone with whom I'd enjoy the heck out of tipping a few beers in a local pub and b) He could pitch me under the table in a New York minute.

That he's the perfect pitchster, though, isn't so unexpected; after all, he's got experience out the wazoo. In all likelihood, you've seen him do his thing as the TV "face" of OxiClean. You also may be familiar with his long-time pitch partner and friend, Billy Mays, who died in 2009 - after which the author, informally known as "Sully," kept the pitch perking along (although he now spends more time producing other people's pitches than doing his own shtick). Point is, he's been there, done that - and now he's spreading the wealth of his experience with other folks, encouraging them to follow suit. Better yet, he's done it in a manner that's interesting, informative and easy to understand.

As mentioned earlier, it's not about having a product to sell - unless you count yourself as a product, which is, in fact, the point. The take-away for readers is learning to control any situation, create fierce agreement and get what you want in life (hey, that would be a great subtitle for this book - oh wait, it is)! Anyone who wants to put in the effort to learn how can accomplish all that, he maintains, offering a set of 10 "Pitch Powers" that he explains in  detail. The first of these "superpowers" is "Know Your Acceptable Outcomes." How, exactly, do you want the situation to end (or put another way, what's your goal)? That settled, the question becomes, what will it take to get you there?

He lays out the fundmentals and, using personal examples sprinkled with humor, tells how he puts them into practice and what it will take for readers to do the same. He's also honest; nothing is a sure thing - meaning no matter how you approach a person or a situation, slam-dunk success won't always happen. And if you're not willing to practice, practice and practice some more, you might as well fuhgettaboutit. By the end of the book, you'll have a doggone good grasp of the techniques he used - still does - to become successful. If you pay attention and follow through, they'll be of help no matter whether you want to become a Home Shopping Network sales guru, navigate the corporate ladder or win the hand of a fair maiden (well, at least get her to talk to you).

Throughout, more food for thought is added by way of catchy but meaningful  snippets, such as:

"Facts tell, stories sell."

"Your audience isn't going to decide based on anything you say or do, but on how you make them feel." 

"A lesson by example is always more effective than a lesson by lecture." 

"'No' is just 'yes' misspelled.'" Okay, okay, that one is gag-me-with-a-spoon hokey, but it's a point well taken nonetheless.

The bottom line is this: If you're looking to get in control of your professional and/or personal life, this book is a pitch perfect place to start. Many thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Well done!

You Get What You Pitch For by Anthony Sullivan and Tim Vandehey (Da Capo Lifelong Books, September 2017); 246 pp.

EYES WIDE OPEN

4.5 stars out of 5


First and foremost, I'll describe this book as a brief autobiography of a remarkably talented and successful individual. From the first page to the last, I was captivated and amazed at what the author has accomplished. Beyond that, I couldn't agree more with his premise that "Your life is not happening to you. You are creating it...tell yourself that others control your choices and you will choose not to choose."

He should know. He and his two sisters were born with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative disease of the retina, which was diagnosed when he was 13 years old. By age 25, his eyesight was totally gone. Instead of bemoaning what he no longer could see, though, he concentrated on controlling his own destiny. In this book, he describes how others can do the same.

Much of that process, he says, comes with the realization that we don't see with our eyes, but rather with our brains. "Living with your eyes open and living eyes wide open are very different," he posits - and outlines how readers can follow his example. The most meaningful take-away for me, I think, is that, "You will never control tomorrow, but you can always choose whether to act today, and how."

Each chapter has a different focus. Chapter 2, for instance, deals with tackling fear in the midst of crisis  (I can only imagine how terrified I'd be at the mere thought of losing my eyesight); Chapter 4 discusses the elusive line between "acceptance" and "surrender." Interspersed throughout are pearls of wisdom such as (one of my favorites), "When you assess your self-worth with reference to the judgments of others, you make a fundamental and costly mistake...you will never find self-esteem in others' eyes."

Everything is laid out in an orderly, easy-to understand fashion, although the explanations in a couple of spots were so complex that by the time I finished reading I'd forgotten what the point was (that said, keep in mind that at my grandmotherly age and keep-the-show-on-the-road Aries mentality, I tend to have the attention span of a flea). I'd also expect that outer-directed folks who believe the world is conspiring against them and there's nothing they can  do to change things won't get it at all.

As for me, I found the book uplifting, motivating and well crafted. I thank the author and publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read the book in exchange for an honest review. 

Eyes Wide Open: Overcoming Obstacles and Recognizing Opportunities in a World That Can't See Clearly by Isaac Lidsky (TarcherPerigee, March 2017); 315 pp.