THE THEORY OF 21: Finding the Power to Succeed

by Chuck Reaves ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 19, 1983

Sheer guff--but brazen enough, even as motivational books go, to maybe get a response. At least from salespeople, to whom Reaves' pitch is really directed. The Theory of 21, a confabulation that Reaves likens to the law of gravity, goes like this: ""For every undertaking there will be twenty people who will find some reason why it cannot be done."" These are the Twenties. The idea, of course, is to ""become a 21 and YOU WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE."" As Reaves eventually acknowledges, ""none of this is new to. . . students of positive thinking."" But you also have to act: ""Positive Thinking + Positive Action = Positive Results."" So (with an old-fashioned line-cut of a staircase), there are steps: 1) Have a goal; 2) Have a plan, etc. Also, now and again, there are semi-concrete suggestions--chiefly for getting around Negative Twenties (who oppose your idea ""out of ignorance, fear, laziness, or a combination of all three"") and Positive Twenties (who offer support but choose inaction because they ""fear failure more than they desire success""). One broader directive: Don't break the rules, make yourself an exception. How? ""You must appear to be worthy of the exception. There must be something in it for the person responsible for enforcing the rule."" (So when Reaves goes into a place that says No Personal Checks, he writes a check and, he says, the proprietor takes it. ""Why? Because he thinks my check is good and because he wants the business."") Mainly reinforcement, still, for the Norman Vincent Peale following.

Pub Date: Oct. 19, 1983

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Evans

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1983

Categories: NONFICTION