Elevate: An Essential Guide to Life

I have been a consumer of self help books and audio for a long time. Starting when my step father gave me tapes of Earl Nightingale’s “ lead the field” - then on to Brian Tracey, Tony Robbins and all the rest. Perhaps it’s a case of the teacher coming when the student is ready, but Elevate by Joseph Deitch is the best book I have ever read of this type. Mr Deitch is the Chairman of Commonwealth Financial Netwrok and is also involved in other businesses and endeaveors. The book is structured in 2 parts - Part 1) Awareness s and Part 2) Action. In part 1) He sets the tone with his definition of the word AWARENESS “ The ability to perceive what is going on - or not going on - in the world around us” . This concept of heightened awareness is the foundation for the rest of the book. He encourages us to become more aware, with breathing techniques, mindfulness training and more. The author stresses the importance of “ paying attention to how we react to various stimuli we encounter” especially strong reactions - as a path towards increased awareness. What makes it such a great book, in my opinion, is that he writes like he is speaking to you at a bar over a beer, sharing many first hand experiences. For example, in chapter 2, when he is telling us the story of him sitting with a small group listening to a “ spiritual teacher” who tells the group that “ its never too late to have a happy childhood” ( You will need to read the chapter for more on that one!) Throughout Part one, Joe reminds us - in diffrent ways - that the most fundamental and effective way to change our lives for the better is to focus what he calls “internal upgrades”. He also likes to use technology analogies, comparing our brains, minds and bodies to a “ super computer” that is programmable and re- programmable”. We CAN modify our software and transform our hardware, the authore reminds us. He elaborates on this mind bending concept in Part 2 within the power of programming and visualization. Other ideas in Part 1 include ideas about “ discerning, amassing and managing energy” and he effectively makes comparisons across various disciplines - business, sports, golf, tennis, windsurfing, Tai Chi and more, inspiring us to improve in ALL areas of our lives including personal relationships. In fact, I used teqniues that I learned form this book on the golf course recently and noticed immediate results. He opens part 2) with 3 killer Actions: Ask, Listen, Program. He opens the listen chapter, in classic form, again drawing on a real life experience, when he tells us that what he learned at a 3 year course in Harvard with brilliant minds can be summarized in one word: LISTEN. What he calls the “ Multi - leveled, multi faceted art of listening”. The balance of part 2 covers practical tips to improve your efficiency, time magament, health and energy. I believe this is the first book Joseph wrote, in which case kudos for what I found to be a brilliant read .I can’t know if this book would have had the same impact on me 5 years ago or 5 years from now, but at this time, I found it extremely informative and inspiring and frankly didn’t want the boook to end. I strongly recommend Elevate by Joseph Deitch

In his book Elevate, Joe Deitch makes connections between psychology, spirituality, family, community, and success in business. The world would be a far better place if the lessons in this book were part of a required course in MBA programs. Deitch distills the essence of history’s greatest thinkers and decades of personal and business growth into a practical application for elevating all aspects of our lives with a positive mindset. The book ranges from business insights to vulnerable anecdotes. Joe illustrates ways to take ownership of our thoughts and rewire our neural programming. This inspires readers to lead lives that benefit the greater collective whole. This is my first time reading a book by a successful businessperson that incorporates spirituality, love, and gratitude. Deitch’s holistic worldview makes me feel encouraged. I truly believe the author’s approach to creating an ideal corporate environment and to life in general will create a more joyful world. Summary: The book Elevate is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Corporate America. Which is in desperate need of a transformation. Suggestion: There is a plethora of lessons in this book. Take it a few pages at a time. Let the lessons absorb. Experiment with the insights. The joy you will feel by rewiring your mind with this book is far more valuable than the instant gratification of simply finishing a book.

Joseph Deitch is a very successful entrepreneur; at least three times over if an Internet search is even close to accurate. In other words, he builds organizations that others value. Often, that doesn't translate into being able to write a decent book. In this case, however, it was almost like a guru constructed a library of the best self-help literature and distilled it into a single, very readable 300 pages. Again and again, I found myself glancing at my own bookshelf as he would quote and summarize key points from other sages (roughly 180 of 'em, if I counted correctly). Further, just as you would find in top-tier journal articles, the quality of those you cite is at least as important as the quantity of those cited. That is certainly the case here. Does that mean the book is an easy page-turner that you'll get through in one sitting as you glance through tons of quotes? Nope. Similar to sacred canon, it takes a bit of time to digest. At least for me, I found greater value reading just a few pages at a time. This allowed time for reflection and deeper understanding and connection to the present. Finally, if this were only a regurgitation of old work, I would have given it a lower rating. Instead, it is very contemporary in its examples and filled with useful practices that one can immediately incorporate. If you are truly ready to raise, lift, and upgrade your life and the lives of others, buy the book and put the wisdom to work.

Elevate is a fun book. It's different from many self-help books in that the author is a successful entrepreneur, and so has the lense of a practical and driven hustler, who thinks deeply and insightfully about the psyche (probably because his wife was a psychiatrist!). Witty, wise and insightful, I found the author's exuberance and generosity in sharing his life's ups and downs inspiring. As Deitch notes, I feel wiser and more self-aware after reading it at the ripe age of 48 but expect I'll be wiser and more self-aware still when I re-read it in a few years.

Elevate is an intelligent, well-reasoned, and inspirational collection of ideas. Joseph Deitch shares attitude reassessments and appoaches that can truly enrich our lives. The first time I read the book, I read a chapter every evening. As I re-read these chapters, I do so in the mornings. It's an ecouraging way to start the day.