How to Be a Complete & Utter Failure in Life, Work and Everything: 44 1/2 Steps to Lasting Underachievement

by Steve McDermott

Really want to know how to fail? Consistently? Massively? Irrevocably? Steve McDermott's your man. For years, he's been studying failure in action: those extraordinary individuals who've massively, spectacularly underachieved in every walk of life. Guess what: they all share the exact same strategies for failure: strategies they use each and every day to become total washouts. Now, McDermott's brought all those skills together in the quickest, most concise, most complete guide to failure ever written. You name it, this book will help you flop at it: leadership, communication, teamwork, customer service, and a whole lot more. You'll even learn how to make an absolutely horrid first impression. This book was an international bestseller (so that's why there's so much failure and incompetence everywhere you look!) Now, in this version updated for US audiences, McDermott's back with even more techniques, new stories, actions not to take, and exercises not to try. You'll find dozens of classic techniques guaranteed to help you fail, plus five brand new ways to crash, burn, and disappoint everyone in your life. (Hey! It just occurred to us... you could read this book and do the exact opposite of everything Steve McDermott tells you to do. If you did that, you'd be a complete and utter success, wouldn't you? Umm... nahhh, just a thought... better forget we mentioned it.)

Genres: Personal Development, Self Help, Psychology, Humor, Business

Paperback

First published June 14, 2007

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was an absolute failure. I chose to preview this from Amazon Vine because I had the idea that it was going to be a book of funny anecdotes of various people who had failed. I thought that I could look at their failure and perhaps learn from their example. Sadly, this is just another self-help book with lots of cliches about things like goals, your life purpose, etc. I think the author completely lost me when he suggested that I'd not succeed in life unless I completely loathed going to work every morning. I'm sorry, but I'd rather enjoy my life than have all the money in the world. Other than that, it's my opinion that a self-help book can only help someone that needs help just like a doctor can only cure someone that's sick. I don't see the tenants of success in this book as being things that are broken in my life, so perhaps I'm not the best judge for how great this book is. For example, I have no problem changing my beliefs, I don't fear failure, I take responsibility for my actions, I can control my moods, I'm innovative. These tips for success just sound like basic life skills for the normal, healthy balanced adult. If you're not a normal, healthy balanced adult, buy this book by all means. Otherwise, I think you can skip it because you're probably already doing what he suggests.

Note: While I critique both purchased and free books in the same way, I'm legally obligated to tell you I received this book free through the Amazon Vine program in return for my review. Blah blah blah.

[Lianne Hare · Rating 1 out of 5]

If there was an option to give this negative stars this potentially would have been the first time I felt obliged to do so.

We read this for our corporate book club at work, and not only did the humour not land well at all the whole book felt like a random collection of other people’s ideas from leadership books badged up and dressed to fit this book. It’s almost as though the author knew the book needed an edge to get around the fact it’s a lot of other ideas dressed in dreadful humour with so many quotes that say a lot, whilst also saying nothing at all.

I feel like my career regressed by reading this book.

[J.S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

My teenage son practically begged me to order this book, even though I didn't think I needed advice on being an underachiever. While I wouldn't consider myself a "complete and utter failure" in everything, it can't hurt to TRY to be a bigger failure - as long as it isn't too much effort, of course. My son, however, has the crazy idea of using the principles in reverse. No, he's not thinking of starting with the last step and working forward - he's thinking of doing the *opposite* of each recommended step in the hopes that it'll help him become successful! Kids these days!! I don't know what's to become of this younger generation.

Seriously, though, this is an easy to read and entertaining self-help/motivational book. I don't know that the principles are any different from the thousands of others in print, and you'll still have to motivate yourself to actually do what it takes, but this one is certainly more entertaining that most of them. Filled with motivational "quotes to avoid" and inspirational stories that he recommends you try not to emulate, this little book provides some good advice on how to become successful... or not. The double-speak on everything is a bit confusing (all the "don't do's"), but the real message still bleeds through.

[Thebookwookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a enjoyable short read... actually seemed to aid me during an artistic block...although I also lacked internet that week so perhaps that also helped me do something with myself and the book is taking more credit than it's worth.
Steves job is motivation, so most of anything he says is going to sound upbeat, since that's what he sells. But I have been a pessimist quite often and will happily buy into it.
So I will commend the Yorkshireman, since he managed to inspire someone on the other side of the border, ee bahhh gum, ecky thump.

[Chhorida Ean]

Funny but full of ideas !