Jump Start Your Brain

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Summary: How to think outside the box in which the inner box resides
Review: After receiving this hot-off-the-press book as a gift in early 1995, I read it immediately. Not that I was expecting to do so, since I had already considered myself a creative individual, but after reading how Doug Hall's background was similar to mine, in that my background also included Chemical Engineering, Marketing, and Procter & Gamble, I gave this book a chance and did not regret it - to the point that I have referred to it a number of times over the years. Although some of the reviewers here are right to suggest that Hall does his share of self-promotion in the book, many of us would probably do the same thing, and although Hall has some fluff in the book, it does not amount to a Stephen King novel-amount of fluff. Quite simply, although many of us feel that we can think outside of the box, I think that, to some degree, Hall demonstrates that we need to think outside the box in which the inner box resides. For example, of the dozens of exercises in the book, one of the simplest, Brain Program #12, is one of my favorites. Essentially, using some dice, the objective of the exercise is to force-associate related elements of a problem in random sequence, increasing the number of connections that would not have been forged otherwise. In addition to the creativity exercises, this book has quite a few quotes related to creativity and persistence. One of my favorites is from Benjamin Franklin: "Up sluggard, and waste not life; in the grave will be sleeping enough".

Rating:
Summary: disjointed book
Review: Disjointed book - incomplete sentences; too much talk about self; jumps all over the place; much of it is poorly written; very difficult to follow because he doesn't write in complete sentences; his goal seemed to be how many words he could use so that the book will be "big or long."

I tried to follow his line of reasoning or rationale but he lost me after page 262.

If you want the book you (or anyone else) can have the book for free if you'll pay the shipping cost.

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Summary: FREE PREVIEW of NEW BOOK
Review: I have a new book coming out in September called Jump Start Your Business Brain. It details 6 scientific laws for helping you win more, lose less and make more money with new products, services, sales and advertising efforts.

If you'd like a FREE preview e-mail [e-mail]

Thanks for your support

Doug

Rating:
Summary: Jump start Doug's ego...buy this book.
Review: It seems to me that this book could have had a lot more impact and would have proven much more credible if the author had spent more time on the real subject and less time on the subject of himself. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good ideas in here. The message gets really bogged down though, with all this talk of "I did this...I did that....I'm Ben Franklin reincarnated...yadda yadda yadda". Hall ends up spending so much time off of the subject that it's easy to get lost and discouraged with reading this book. I'm glad if anyone finds something great in here, but I would have been happier with a shorter, leaner, and therefore, more effective version. If I were to write a book and get as far off of my subject as Hall has with this one, I would hope my editor would have the sense to hit me in the face with a humble pie.....oooh, now wouldn't that be creative!

Rating:
Summary: A great way to get you thinking outside the box
Review: Jump Start Your Brain teaches us how to maximize our brainpower and apply creativity to invent ideas that lead to results while having fun. The author has built a successful business called Richard Saunders International that applies this technique, which he calls Eureka! Stimulus Response. He had used this technique to create new products for companies such as Pepsi-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Nike, AT&T and Walt Disney Consumer Products. As you'll read--they worked!

The author indicates that his Eureka Stimulus Response system is the best way to hold creativity sessions where high-energy brainstorm techniques allow us to think more effectively in less time. Throughout the book, he recommends techniques that will help you accomplish this.

The Cramer-Krasselt book club took the author's advise to heart. We rented a bowling alley/bar and decorated the room with mounds of candy and toys. Our task was to first think of what type of businesses were missing from the building in which we are located. Then we had to identify the type of services it/they would provide, name it and then promote it.

Our creativity session was a huge success! In only 1-1/2 hours we managed to identify four types of businesses that were missing in our building, named them, determined services they would provide and developed a publicity campaign to promote them. And most importantly, we learned that using the author's brainstorm techniques allowed us to obtain the results we wanted in half the time it would take in a "normal" brainstorm while still having fun.

The author indicates that his Eureka Stimulus Response system is the best way to hold creativity sessions where high-energy brainstorm techniques allow us to think more effectively in less time.

Although the author uses about half of the book to boast his claim to fame, the other half provides noteworthy tips and techniques that can be used in almost any brainstorm. The techniques are not limited to any particular profession. Thus, the book is highly recommended for anyone in any profession.

Rating:
Summary: I wonder
Review: One has to wonder what kind of quality control publishers have these days when you buy a book like this sophomoric thing. Does anything goes as far as publishing is concerned these days??

Rating:
Summary: 400 pages of gas
Review: This book is FANTASTIC!!! I can't say enough about how motivating, fun, eye opening, etc. it is. It's just wonderful. Do not believe anyone who reviews this book poorly. This book WOKE ME UP! I find myself full of ideas, more productive and most important - in a much better mood! If I could meet Doug I would thank him a million times. I really think everyone who is employed needs to read this book.

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Summary: Train to be ultra-creative in business, for fun and profit.
Review: This book shows you how create products and services -- businesses and strategies -- and other non-business great ideas -- and all with the skill of a master inventor and the sparks and joy of a child-like genius. Doug Hall, a proud and very successful former Proctor and Gamble Brand Manager, shows you how to "Train Your Brain" and unlock you creative ability. You can do this as an individual, or unleash the creativity and multiple-power-minds of a team. With fun and skill, Hall shows the advantages and uses of creativity and then gets down to the nuts and bolts of how even the most linear, digit-head (like me) can unlock the creative genius within. And the results are more fun than the first day of summer when you were a kid and more profitable than you could guess because it turns out...you can become the person who comes up with the GREAT IDEAS for work and fun and vacations and family and....everything. The results can be literally boundless. This is a 10+

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best
Review: This is one of my favorite creativity books. I like it because it is very practical and is actually based on some science. Doug really know what he is talking about.

Rating:
Summary: Super KOOL!!!!!!!!!
Review: This was a life changing book for me about innovation and creativity. Not a day goes by where I don't apply something I learned from Doug Hall. - DaveDavidson.com