If I'd Known Then What I Know Now: Why Not Learn from the Mistakes of Others? You Can't Afford to Make Them All Yourself!

by J.R. Parrish, Robert E. Babcock (Foreword by)

If I'd Known Then What I Know Now is an inspiring, Pay It Forward-type manifesto for achieving success and happiness from childhood to retirement. Equally suitable for anyone from eight to eighty, it is actually a life guide or map that will help the reader traverse the roads of life, showing how to avoid the mindfields and grab the gold ring by making the best choices when facing life's most important decisions. The great value for readers is that they get the answers on what to do before they need to make the decision. So, the thirteen-year-old gets to learn the do's and don'ts of successful dating before ever going out on that first date. The newlywed learns about parenting before actually becoming one. This handbook for life will remain with readers year after year, helping them with life's most important decisions at just the time when they need the information. iParenting Award winner.

136 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2003

About the author

J.R. Parrish went from being a milkman to a multimillionaire. In 1974, he founded J. R. Parrish Inc., a commercial real estate company in Silicon Valley. He ran the company based on the premise that to succeed in life, you must treat people with fairness and respect, a premise that not only won him friends, but made him a fortune. J.R. spent the next 25 years studying and teaching his employees and brokers about human relations. The company grew to be a huge success and one of the premier real estate brokerage firms in Silicon Valley. J.R. retired in 1999. Today, he and his wife Lisa live in one of the most idyllic spots in the Hawaiian Islands, on their own coffee plantation. He continues to support the ideals he believes in through his foundation.

Reviews

[Karah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some lessons, particularly the financial ones, weren't elaborated during my upbringing. The only advice I ever got towards investing: "don't invest more than you can lose". It's useful but it would have been magnificent to learn the specifics of money management. If I can influence someone's life, I would teach what had benefitted me. So far, I am a book lover and I have planted those seeds in two of my younger relatives. Maybe later they'll appreciate the written word but as yet, they seem to have other diversions.

I think success has to become visible before advice can be readily heeded. I've gained that observation from my life and the lives of others.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have to say- I picked up this book from the library thinking it would be worth my time to read, and so far, I think I would have rather had a bikini wax. At least the waxing would be less painful...

This book is definitely targeted towards men. I find that the advice is very one sided- in one part of the book, the author is giving advice on how men and women should behave in a relationship. The advice for the man- treat her specially, avoid foul language or crude remarks, don't push her to do anything she doesn't want to do, don't think of her as an object, don't be rough or aggressive, don't smoke (doesn't this go for both?), and don't focus on yourself. The advice for the woman- don't talk too much, don't gossip, don't nag, don't pout or complain, don't blame him for whats wrong, and don't make him wait. Ummm, yeah. I think that I would be really upset if I was this guys wife. He must have a big problem with women talking, nagging, gossiping, pouting, complaining, blaming, and taking too long to get ready.

I am not sure I can even finish this book...

[Hoàng Cường · Rating 5 out of 5]

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