Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success CD: Discovering Your Gift and the Way to Life's Riches

Rate this book
When Steve Harvey was thirtysomething, he was living in his car. It was a sacrifice he was willing to make to give it his best shot at becoming a comedian. After several months of this lifestyle-washing in public bathrooms, eating fast food-he had considered giving up. Before calling his mother to ask if he could stay with her, he checked his voicemail. The Apollo Theatre wanted him to perform! Great opportunity, but Steve did not have enough money for gas to get from Tennessee to New York. He prayed about it, as he was too proud to ask for money. The following day he had a message from a club in Florida. The audience loved him so much they asked Steve back for a second night. The gig provided him enough money to fly to New York. Although he had no place to stay, walking around all night with a bag that held everything that he owned, it did not get him down.

In his new book, Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success, Steve explains this as a “Pushback, Pushforward” moment. He believes we all have these kinds of situations in life when we have to make a conscious decision to move forward with our dream or walk away. He also believes that anyone aspiring for a better life should be prepared for accidents. This means that one should constantly work on developing their gift, the gift that God has given each of us, so that when opportunities arise we will be ready. Steve addresses discipline-sleeping a maximum of five hours a night. Anyone who sleeps more is not serious about getting the rewards life has to offer. He also discusses concepts of work versus effort and rich versus success. He focuses on taking the lid off the jar. In other words, remove messages from yourself and others that will limit dreams.

Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success is a book about success that is rich with anecdotes from Steve’s life—from sleeping in his car to becoming the $40 million dollar man! This invaluable guide is written for everyone, whether you are just beginning your career or are well situated in the c-suite.

4 pages, Audio CD

First published September 1, 2014

Loading interface...
Loading interface...

About the author

Steve Harvey

19 books1,110 followers
Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.


Broderick Steven "Steve" Harvey is an American comedian, actor, entertainer, and radio personality.

He is probably best known as the star of the WB sitcom The Steve Harvey Show, and as one of the four comedians featured in the Spike Lee film The Original Kings of Comedy.

Currently, he is the host of The Steve Harvey Morning Show, a nationally syndicated radio program.

He is also the author of Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment which was released in March, 2009.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,673 (43%)
4 stars
1,252 (32%)
3 stars
695 (17%)
2 stars
187 (4%)
1 star
69 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 428 reviews
Profile Image for B..
70 reviews15 followers
October 13, 2014
A book written for the "common man". While don't agree with him writing relationship books, I have no issues with him writing a book on success due to the fact that he is......successful. I pretty much knew everything he discussed, but it doesn't hurt to get a reminder on some things. It is an excellent book for his "audience" written in a language that everyone can understand, and like Mr. Harvey stated in his lifeclass with Oprah "You will not need a thesaurus to read my book." LOL.....
Profile Image for AJ.
6 reviews1 follower
September 19, 2014
Great read. Offers a bit more detailed insight on his journey to success that you can use in your journey. Thought-provoking, straight to the point, easy to understand.
Profile Image for Suzette Hinton.
Author 3 books16 followers
Read
September 30, 2014
I loved the first few chapters because Steve was bringing a fresh perspective. Then there were a couple of chapters that seemed like he was regurgitating something he read, but it picked back up when he started talking about your gift. Those chapters where he differentiates passion, gift, vehicle are brilliant. I had never heard it quite like that before and was able to identify what my gift truly is.
Profile Image for Leenda dela Luna.
98 reviews5 followers
September 20, 2014
I liked it. Not great. Not really the info I need… more of an affirmation of what I already believe.

Not too many references to gawd, and they were easy to put up with.

Only negative I see is that if you need the book, you’re probably not in the mindset to believe it what it has to say. If you believe in it, you probably don’t need it.
Profile Image for Ann Omasta.
Author 137 books1,098 followers
November 8, 2014
This book is full of sound advice and great reminders. It is not brand new info, but it has numerous clearly articulated pearls of wisdom about living one's best life. This is interspersed with anecdotes from Steve Harvey's own life. My favorite suggestion was to add a picture of my vision board as my cell phone wallpaper, so I see it every time I look at my phone. That was an excellent idea that I immediately implemented. Thumb's up!
Profile Image for Nathan.
10 reviews1 follower
October 7, 2014
Very deep book which I will read again, there are even exercises to do to get you to think about your situation differently. I may not be a fan of his Act like a lady, think like a man book. He is a very successful person and it was very interesting to see what he believes made him a success and how he is reaching out to help others become successful.
Profile Image for Mojtaba.
95 reviews20 followers
July 2, 2019
در مورد مطالب کتاب، اگر فقط تیتر فصلها رو بخونید چیز زیادی از دست ندادید.
عنوان فارسی کتاب در فیدیبو هست: مثل یک موفق رفتار کن، مثل یک موفق فکر کن.
به نظرم کتاب نکته خاص و بدردبخوری خارج از کلیشه های کتاب موفقیت نداره ولی یک نکته ای رو یاد آوری کرده بود که برای من مثل تلنگری شد تا مجددا شروع به مطالعه جدی فلسفه رو بیارم. اونم اینه که به کاری که بهش علاقه داری بپردازی، موفق میشی که البته اوضح واضحاته، ولی اکثرا در تشخیصش به مشکل می خورند. غالبا، ما به دلیل نیاز مالی، به اشتباه احساس می کنیم که به مسائل مالی علاقمندیم و استعدادش رو داریم. طبیعتا اگر انسان با خودش صادق باشه می تونه فیلد خاصی که توی اون رشته استعداد و علاقه داره رو پیدا کنه. برای شخص خودم فارغ از اینکه فلسفه رو درست بفهمم یا نه، وقتی درگیرش هستم اوقات خوشتر و ارامش بیشتری دارم.
Profile Image for Allison.
10 reviews
December 10, 2014
I found this book to be very good! I'm usually the uber self help reader so I didn't expect much but I was pleasantly surprised. Steve Harvey makes clear distinctions between your gift and your vocation and provides very practical steps to help reach your goals. Highly recommend it!
Profile Image for Samantha.
14 reviews1 follower
October 5, 2014
It's an okay book. There really isn't any difference between his book and any other Self Help book out there, but like most books of this genre, it's the personal stories that make it worth reading. So far I like what he says about using different vehicles to get to your version of success, it's similar to that whole idea of not getting too comfortable and also scheduling your goals and hours in the day towards the end. Other than that, I would only suggest getting this book if you're really into what Steve Harvey says all of the time. It's a really short book for it to be $26, so if you can check it out from the library, like I did.

UPDATE: I think Chapter 11 is a must read.
Profile Image for Raegan .
603 reviews27 followers
April 3, 2017
-Disclaimer: I won this book for free through goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.-

I have to admit,when I picked up this book I was not expecting what I got from reading it.
There are some books out there that just simply change your life. For me this was one of them.
Have you ever felt you don't know who you are meant to be or your purpose on this Earth? Well I have. And now I know. I probably would have never of picked up this book if I hadn't of won it through GoodReads but I did. My life is forever changed.This book covers everything there is to know on how to be a success, not only in business matters, but in life. It is very inspiring and well said. I can't imagine my life without having read this book.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
92 reviews
November 26, 2019
I recently watched a clip where Kevin Hart spoke about how Steve Harvey was the person who kept him on his path to success (as a father, actor, comedian, etc.). I thought that was interesting because I really didn't know anything about Steve -- beyond the segments I've seen on The Tonight Show when he visits with Jimmy Fallon. I researched Steve's background and decided I would start 2015 by reading this book. Practical advice, inspirational examples, and real talk. I took two pages of notes. A quick read for anyone interested in making plans for their future.
Profile Image for Romney D.
1 review2 followers
October 6, 2014
This book exceeded my expectations. It provides amazing advice for goal setting and maximizing the most from your life.
Profile Image for Tina.
83 reviews7 followers
August 24, 2019
Mislim da još uvek ne mogu da opišem koliko me je ova knjiga prosvetlila i pomogla mi da shvatim koji je moj dar. Mogla sam da je pročitam u jednom dahu, ali namerno sam je polako čitala zato što me je smirivala i činila srećnom. Pogotovo mi se dopalo što Stiv ni u jedno trenutku ne pokazuje ko je bio ranije. Zato mi se i dopalo. Saveti kao saveti su sasvim u redu i primenljivi.
Profile Image for Alain Burrese.
Author 18 books45 followers
January 26, 2015
I saw this book on the “New” shelf of the library and thought I'd check it out for a quick read. Steve Harvey is likable, and I also liked “Act Like a Success Think Like a Success: Discovering Your Gift And The Way To Life's Riches.” It's a very positive book with a strong message that you can do what you desire if you work hard enough at it.

While he uses his life for the main examples, he does draw on others as well, all to motivate the reader into finding their own personal gift and then to maximize it. Harvey is a Christian, and his faith influences his life and is mentioned often in the book. Readers who might have a problem with this should maybe read something else. I mention this because some people get lost in religious believes to the point they miss everything else. And that would be shame, because there really are some excellent pearls of wisdom in this book. Pure gems can describe some of the advice.

The book is also written with many segments for you to stop and ask yourself questions to discover your gift and what to do with it. Doing these exercises really does help clarify things. And I really liked the concept of Dash Deposits and the advice near the end on haters.

Much of the strategies in this book have been told in different ways before, but Harvey's way is fresh and friendly. It's a quick read, and a motivational one. Recommended for anyone searching for more in their life and wanting a boost of motivating advice toward success.
Profile Image for Dave B..
432 reviews18 followers
January 7, 2015
Steve Harvey has a talent for conveying wisdom and practical life applications in an everyday ‘common sense’ conversation. He is able to share ideas and concepts about success that were talked about since Andrew Carnegie’s classic self-help book in a fresh way that gives me insights for my own life I never had before. Here is a quick summery of his points:
• Stop making excuses
• Don’t be afraid to fail
• Stop limiting yourself
• Have a dream/vision
• Your job does not define you as a success, it is your purpose in life that matters
• Find your gift (natural talent)
• Nurture and support your gift
• Create a vision chart
• You can’t do it alone but you have to be care who you allow into your inner circle (choose friends wisely)
• Assess yourself; determine your strength and weaknesses
• Avoid the’ haters’
• Seek balance in life: work, health, finances
• Seek God in your life
I highly recommend this book for anyone that wants motivation for life success but may be a little tired of the standard commercial self-help book. This book is a short read with less than 300 pages and I was pleased to find that this book was not full of life stories or dated anecdotes. Rather, it was distilled down to the wise nuggets that remind the reader of what is important in life.
Profile Image for Abdullah Bustami.
37 reviews12 followers
September 22, 2018
Again, I would give a book a 5-stars rating only and only if I managed to come out with few benefits.
To me, this book is a 5-stars! I learned very helpful financial tips and financial planning techniques, I learned how to organize my goals, sort my dreams, and have my achievements back on road.

I had the honor to read about the life of a conservative gentleman who have solid principles. A humble man, a man who thinks it's his duty to teach and educate others who have missed out their chances of becoming successful.

You need to put this book on your lists, it will do you a lot, it will teach you a lot, it will be of great benefit.
Profile Image for Alexandra Osterhoudt.
93 reviews1 follower
October 5, 2014
This is a concise, essay to read book on moving forward and not getting stuck in the present. I enjoy watching Steve Harvey to begin with so naturally I enjoyed his book. Like every success story, Steve encountered adversity throughout his life. Knowing how to pick up & push forward is key & surrounding yourself with like minded people will only propel you into a positive experience for the future. An enjoyable read!
Profile Image for Dee.
25 reviews
October 21, 2014
This was a very inspiring book. Much of the information, I already knew but helps to be reminded every now and then that you are in control of your on destiny. Steve references his spiritual upbringing and the importance of putting God first in your life, which I love. The book is a very easy read, would definitely recommend it.
207 reviews2 followers
December 7, 2014
I am a big fan of Steve Harvey. I am very impressed by his book, "Act Like a Success Think Like a Success". I recommend it for everyone. It has inspired me to find fulfillment in my volunteer jobs. It has helped my self-esteem because I was feeling bad that I can't seem to find a part-time job working in an office. Steve Harvey by writing this book has shown me how to think like a success.
Profile Image for Shante.
3 reviews
September 10, 2014
I will get the new book and will read it and love it the 2 book I'm still read it But I'm still loving your 2 book
September 26, 2014
I think this is a book I would want to write. It's a no nonsense straight forward starting point for the average joe.
17 reviews
December 30, 2014
It's a great book. I loved Steve Harvey's no nonsense about reaching your goals.
Profile Image for Jason.
86 reviews9 followers
November 24, 2015
I don't know what my gift is so this book became irrelevant for me pretty quickly. There was some value in what I read, but overall nothing especially lifechanging.
Profile Image for Cinthya Sava.
115 reviews10 followers
March 21, 2022
4.5 ⭐️ Me encanto! Súper digerible, fácil y conciso. Sin paja y lleno de motivaciones.
Profile Image for Ms Bridget.
548 reviews28 followers
May 31, 2022
EDIT: 5/30/22- 4.5/5 Glad I was able to reread, underline & tab this book. It will probably be something I come back to more than once & hope my sons pick up one day. If I can leave anything else to my sons when I'm gone, wisdom from what I've learned & wisdom from others is something I'd hope to leave. And hopefully, one day, a love for & relationship with God.

3.5/5 Stars

It took me a little while to read it because I kept having to stop...I would lose focus on just listening to the audio, so I had to pick up the physical book & follow along to help me focus

The book was good, and worth reading, especially for those that may be trying to push forward in their lives. For many, this book may be common sense and they've already been told all of this, but sometimes, a refresher is a great thing...For others, all of this may not be so common sense for this because they may not have had that mentor(s) in their life to teach them the things they needed to know in the areas he is speaking of in this book.

Just like his previous two books on relationships...For many, it was common sense and many already knew, mostly because they figured it out over time, had help from males in their lives (fathers, uncles, brothers, friends, etc) and/or it may not have fit their lives because the type of men he talked about, weren't the ones some were dealing with. Well, this book is the same way. Go into it expecting to at minimum, get some refreshers...and if you get more out of it great...if not, then, well, I don't know what to tell you! lol...

For me personally, I got a little out of each chapter...some things I already knew, but need to buckle down and apply to my life, so it was more of a motivation and a kick in the pants to get it together! The thing I loved the most, was chapter 15 when he talked about the different types of haters...That right there was worth buying the book alone! And at the end of some of the chapters, there is space to answer questions/statements about what you need/want to do in that particular area in your life in order to move forward...That's another reason to buy the book (for me). I'm one that can pretty much take this book for what it is in my life...I refresher that is kicking me in my pants...I wont let my pride get in the way and think: Oh, I know all of this already...he isnt saying anything new for me...well, maybe not...but that doesn't mean I can't take out of it what I need to take out of it and hold on to it and use it...Overall, the book was worth reading... :-)
Profile Image for Dana.
Author 6 books20 followers
January 13, 2015
It is, as many of the reviewers pointed out, a regurgitation of all the self-help stuff I've read to this point. I'm stuck after reading it wondering a few things:
1. What is my GIFT? I know what I think I'm good at, but he describes that as talent, leaving the idea of the GIFT as something different.
2. Where are my like-minded people? One of the reasons I'm where I am in terms of goals, dreams, etc. is that I haven't found anyone who thinks enough like I do about my dreams and goals who can then become part of my team. There's also a reluctance to be in a position where my success depends on another's contribution. I learned the hard way how teamwork can leave me hanging in the breeze because I had a stronger drive or vision (and vice versa) than the others.
3. How do I get into the circles where those that I would like to emulate spend their time? Oprah, Zane, Ilyana, etc. aren't sitting around waiting for me to call them up and invite them to lunch.

All in all, thank you Mr. Harvey for sharing your insight. If nothing else, it was a timely reminder of how this goal setting / success achieving gets done.
Profile Image for AZ ZA.
147 reviews139 followers
May 29, 2015
WHAT KIND OF MAKEUP DO YOU NEED?

1.To be the kind of person who attracts rather than repels others. There are no self-made men; therefore, you have to learn the laws of attraction to draw the right people to you. You have to be easy to work with, or at least be willing to create the atmosphere that makes it easy to work with you.

2.you have to aspire to be a visionary person with a positive outlook. Those who allow other people to expand, develop, and explore are the kinds of people you want to have around you. When you are with the right people, there are ripe opportunities for you to gain from their experiences and knowledge.

3.You also must recognize your shortcomings and be willing to improve on them. In recognizing your shortcomings, you may want to consider them when hiring others to be a part of your team.

4.you have to respect time—yours and others’—by being punctual. You have to be a person of integrity. You have to be honorable and reliable by doing what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 428 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.