Getting Past Ok: A Straightforward Guide to Having a Fantastic Life

by Richard Brodie

Brodie dropped out of Harvard to become one of the primary authors of Microsoft Word. But after several intense, stressful years, he quit his job and embarked on a three-year search for a more meaningful life. In this book, he shares the results of his odyssey, and provides readers with a guide to discovering their individual formulas for long-term success and happiness.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction

Paperback

Published August 1, 1993

About the author

Richard Brodie is best known as the original author of Microsoft Word. His self-help book, Getting Past OK, is an international bestseller. His groundbreaking book on memes, Virus of the Mind, spent 52 weeks on the Amazon.com Hot 100 and is used as a text in many college courses. An accomplished speaker, Richard has appeared on dozens of television and radio shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show.Richard continues to pursue wide and varied interests, which he occasionally blogs about.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Olson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite some good advice and practical exercises, the too-chatty tone and inadequate editing make this in the end, a book about getting past OK, that is just...okay.

[Antonin Januska · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was very enlightening. I find it incredulous that a lot of self-help books today refuse to acknowledge that people are doing "OK". Just the title of this book is encouraging and so is the text. "You're doing okay, I get it. Now let's see how we can make this great!"

The author tackles a lot of interesting problems, simplifies them, and offers a solution. I often see the last part missing from books. He mentions the idea of "undones" and instead of constantly discussing the negatives and its energy, he offers a step-by-step useful solution and explains it. He relates the idea of procrastination and abandonment to relationships and commitment.

His insights are unique in that he is not solving problems like a religious (or philosophical) prophet, or as a self-help book writer, he solves them like an engineer. He presents you with the problem, explains it, and gives you the solution. Then he relates back to the solution in later chapters to show how it works. The cool thing is, you're not required to accept this solution. He just presents you one unique view, mostly based on the Author's experience and from his impressions of attending self-help seminars and reading self-help books like we all have.

Amazing book. I recommend it for anyone who is exhausted from other books, written by esoteric individuals or in terms of spirituality. He even addresses this at the beginning of the book and gives you a clear idea of what you're about to read.

I will admit, it took me a while to process this book because every few chapters, I'd stop and think about what's happening, apply to my life and come back to read more.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good and simple way of breaking through the barriers of contentment. Not a deep examination of what will make a person happy, just hints on how to realize it and obtain it.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone would benefit from reading this book! This book had a lot of great points that can get the ball rolling for self discovery and self growth. It is a very insightful book! I am glad I read it. It got me thinking about what I can do to improve my life. I love how he talks about it being your responsibility to get your core needs met and no one else’s. And that too many people put that on their partner instead of taking responsibility for their own life. I like how he says that you are responsible for your own feelings. It is you that makes you feel how you feel. No one else chooses your emotions for you. That being said it is very important that you set clear boundaries and limit your time with anyone who you don’t have positive feelings and experiences with. Pages 180-181 are must reads!! I love that he says to trust your own judgment. I love in chapter 22 how he talks about having a great life doesn’t keep anyone else from having one too and that in fact the more happy and fulfilled people are the easier it is for everyone to have a great life. He continues saying that fulfilled people naturally contribute to those around them. All of chapter 22 is a must read!! A great quote from this book: without consciously choosing your beliefs, you’ll end up with whatever your head happened to get filled up with as you grew up.

[Vaughn Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It provides very practical steps to claiming agency over one’s life. The author suggests thinking of moments of past fulfillment to reveal a personal purpose that can help guide decision-making about what to do with one’s life. One to revisit frequently to perform the suggested exercises.

[Simeon Tobby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard's writing is filled with humor. I enjoyed reading this book and I find his ideas useful.

[Stephanie R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was inspired to read this book after seeing it mentioned in Mystic Microsoft: A Journey of Transformation in the Halls of High Technology and I can definitely see why Brockschmidt liked it. The main idea of this book is that every person has core needs, such as privacy, beauty, receiving accolades, feeling special (whatever that means), or interactions with friends, just to name a few. These are different for everybody and kind of abstract which makes it hard to give examples. But everybody has core needs, and if your needs aren't being met, you will feel sad, directionless, or unsatisfied without really knowing why. Therefore, you must figure out what your needs are (which is surprisingly difficult) and then figure out ways to get more of them into your life. This varies for everybody and I wish he had more examples of what some needs are. There are some exercises for this at the end of the book which sort of help, but I was only able to come up with 2 or 3 needs that I have. Just knowing about those two is helping me be happier about some things, but it also brings up more questions and makes me feel more introspective than I'd like. (Sorry, but I'm not going to share what my core needs are. It would just be too personal, like giving away the key to my soul.) The ideas in this book probably aren't new, but they were new to me. Overall, an enjoyable read that requires active reader participation to get the most enjoyment.

[Kiri · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some good tips in here about moving past fears and other constraints to aim for self-actualization and satisfaction. The book is written in a very casual, conversational, and rather long-winded (sometimes repetitive) way, but it's worth skimming for some good nuggets. It culminates in the recommendation that you devise a "success checklist" of things and experiences you need/want to have to feel satisfaction and accomplishment. More insight into your own desires and goals is never bad, and this book prods you into articulating them -- thus, a higher chance of making them happen.

[Cinthia · Rating 1 out of 5]

This read like a "how-to", "follow this step-by-step formula" for life. The author is deriving the advise from personal experience, so the text lacks depth and it will not be relevant to most. Basically, it's a technical guide without technical content. There are much better reads out there.

(Brene Brown is my current favorite author, and she has the credentials to back it up!)Brené Brown

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very good book, a quick read. Understand how life and the world works, accept and trust yourself, and commit to honour what is most important to you to have a fantastic life. Seek feedback. Figure out your life's purpose. Create your Success Checklist: separate the core needs from the means and structures.

[Craig Davison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever ask yourself what you should be doing with your life? Richard provides great lessons and processes for figuring out how to define your core, essential needs from life, whether it be professional or personal. Then you can ensure everything you do maps towards those goals. Takes work to figure it all out and this book helps you do it.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the author's style of writing. I benefitted from doing the recommended brainstorming and exercises and will probably revisit this book again soon.

[Frank Deschain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book to set the mind on a positive track, written by a former Microsoft employee.