Simpleology: The Simple Science of Getting What You Want [Kindle Edition]

I wrote about listening to the audio book back in June and have since checked out the web site. I feel I have better footing now to give an assessment. Unfortunately, I have to side with the naysayers. I am not sure whether or not I would use the term "scam" to describe the book, but I would certainly go with "Bait and switch". The book claims to teach you a system to get what you want in life. It then spends the first 80% or so of the book talking about how marketers think and how they manipulate. The part that is the reason most readers presumably bought the book is underdeveloped and tacked on at the end. It contains such advice as "don't be distracted from your goal". Well, I'd like not to be distracted, but I already knew that. How? It doesn't say. It does give an oversimplified example using a glass of water. But there is nothing in the book that translates the philosophy from glasses of water to real life.

To learn what you need, you have to sign up for the "free" web site. I put "free" in quotes because although you pay no money, it will cost you in time. Joyner is a marketer by trade and this site is pure marketing. You do get some material for free, and it may be helpful. I wasn't able to get much out of it, but that could be because I was not in a place to really embrace the system. Instead, I was overwhelmed by the barrage of emails with other products and services from Mark and people he trusts (his affiliates) that would "take me to the next level" or be "the next big thing" and were "limited time opportunities". I had to get in before he "opened it up to the rest of the world". In this respect, I found Simpleology amusingly like Penn and Teller. He told us exactly how the trick was done with all the chapters on marketing. Then he used those techniques on us to get us to give him more money.

Mark seems to have used the web site to create a pool of people who are mentally receptive to his sales pitches. I'm sure some of them have made lots of money as well. But this review is not about the efficacy of his methods, it is about whether his book delivers what it says it does.

The verdict is that it does not. Save the money. If you really want to, try the web site. That is where you will get the exercises that purport to help you cut through distractions and get reach your goals. Just be prepared to deal with a lot of suggestive selling to get through it. And be mindful of the fact that, although these techniques can probably be applied pretty broadly, the focus appears to be on making money by marketing to people on the internet. If that drives you, then you will probably find it rewarding. Otherwise, I'd even pass on the site.

I must admit I bought this book because I think Mark Joyner did a terrific job with his online Simpleology program. I signed up for that program and found it useful, informative and inspiring. Considering the title of Mark Joyners book I thought I would receive an in-depth elaboration about achieving what you want similar to his online program. This however was not the case. And I must admit thus a little disappointing.

Although the book didn't fulfill my expectation I found nevertheless easy to read and the subject it covered interesting enough to read the whole book.

Simpleology is a book that will alternatively have you scratching your head and thinking and then blowing your mind with some of the most insightful ideas on success you'll ever hear.

The author helps you draw a very clear path from where you are to what you want, not what you think you should want, but what you really want. He makes getting it simple, efficient and predictable.

The chapters on defective mental hardware are some of the most sound thinking and well described examples of how we defeat ourselves. Those are followed by the final chapters which give you the programming language you need to easily and completely create your future and have all the things that you really want.

At the end of the book you'll find yourself scratching your head again and wondering, how was I hoodwinked so easily for all those years.

But the book explains that too.

This is a must read if you are a seeker, entrepreneur, parent, thinker or skeptic.

I wasn't able to put it down and I don't think you will either.