The Quest for Authentic Power: Getting Past Manipulation, Control, and Self Limiting Beliefs

by G. Ross Lawford

Authentic power-the power to consistently obtain what we truly desire-comes from within. Such power, the power to determine your own destiny, isn't achieved by imposing your will on others. In fact, Ross Lawford explains, power based on authority, control, strength, and status is not only ineffective, it is usually short-lived or more illusion than reality.
Drawing on psychology, theology, and business, Lawford outlines a new view of power based on authenticity and provides practical pointers for achieving your deepest desires without manipulation, coercion, or intimidation. He provides strategies for applying this new view of power in every aspect of your life-including your work, your family, and personal relationships.

168 pages, Paperback

First published May 10, 2002

Reviews

[Douglas Lord · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a biochemist (Univ. of Toronto), Lawford makes a strange proponent for mysticism, yet here he claims that we seek what he calls "authentic" power, a state in which each person is "in harmony with the deepest values of his or her soul." This libe rates us from the conventional power of others. Despite Lawford's very personal, workmanlike approach, it feels as if he were rehashing how to redefine one's environment. Lawford's book lacks broad appeal, and only those very interested in self-help should consider. Instead, try Pema Chodron's When Things Fall Apart, which advocates inner peace via meditation, or Douglas Bloch's helpful and more mainstream Listening to Your Inner Voice, which combine s meditation and exercise.
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