10 10 10 A Life Transforming Idea

10 10 10 A Life Transforming Idea

“This eloquent, witty, intelligent book is a triumph on several levels. Not only does it provide insightful and instructive lessons for making personal decisions but the intimate life stories illustrating Suzy Welch’s decision-making process are endlessly absorbing, captivating the reader’s interest from start to finish.”– Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of Team of Rivals

“Suzy Welch sparkles with brilliant ideas. In 10-10-10 she offers a profound, easy-to-apply tool for making tough decisions simple, finding clarity amid life’s confusions. If you’re wondering what to do, which path to follow at the fork, whether to stay or leave — no matter what it may be — 10-10-10 will help you find your way.”– Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars 10-10-10
I gave this book as a gift and the recipient said there is sage advice abound presented in this book.

4 Stars Think, then act
The basic idea behind 10-10-10 is to evaluate decisions based on the effects this decision will have in ten minutes, ten months and ten years. It sounds simple, and in many ways is simple but it is has the potential to be highly effective if practiced the way the author, Suzy Welch, has described. Welch breaks down the basic idea and gives the reader the techniques to facilitate what we all know we should be doing already – step back, take a breath, consider our options and the possible consequences of each option and then take action. By expressing this concept in the catchy 10-10-10 phrase Welch has offered the reader a shorthand way to sum up this process, one that can be quickly communicated to others or to zip through alone for those numerous little decisions that pop up daily.

Like many self-help books 10-10-10 takes a basic common sense idea, often one that can be expressed in one or two sentences, and transforms it into a book, a method or technique with accompanying lectures, talks, guest appearances, interviews etc. While the basic idea behind this book/technique can be reduced to magazine article length the various examples of the application of 10-10-10 are useful. Will all examples be relevant to all readers? No, absolutely not. Many will seem trivial, repetitive and just put there to pad the material out to book length. I disagree, while many of the examples were not particularly of interest to me but others spoke directly to me and past or present situations. I also think that many that spoke to me would not speak to others and that ones that applied to them did not apply to me.

Overall this is a very useful and potentially effective method of dealing with making decisions on both the large and small scales. Yes, it is primarily just restating what we for the most part know we should be doing anyway but face it, we often don’t. If having a catchy phrase to remind yourself to take the time to consider the problem and reflect on the consequences then getting this very readable book is worth the effort.

3 Stars A manual for uncertain decisions
I must confess that, when I started reading this book, I thought it was going to be one of those half baked manuals, like the “Who moved my Cheese?” that pretend to tell middle management that their employees will be just as happy at work without raises or bonuses, so long as they get a piece of chocolate, a company mug, and a pat in the back.

Half way through the book, I changed my mind and concluded that it is actually useful. Not life changing useful, but helpful.

Have you ever had an argument with your significant other about something that he or she said, or did, and you both remember something totally different? Did you at the time wish for a third party to cast the deciding vote?

Well, it is the same when you try to ponder a decision, you often balance the short and long term consequences of either action; and then get stuck, mostly when one balances the other.

Well the 10-10-10 approach brings in a tiebreaker: The mid term consequences. It doesn’t matter if you think 10 minutes, 10 months, 10 years, or five of each. It presents a useful tool to deal with conflict and to try to let reason help you work your way through many of life’s dilemmas.

Life changing it definitely is not, however it is worth reading, and may help keep you out of problems, in the distant, or middle future.

5 Stars Best Book for sorting out priorities!
If you are having difficulties setting priorities when making big and little decisions in your life … read this book! Sometimes in the moment we forget how little impact a decision can have later on …

3 Stars A Great Idea, with Stories
How much you like this book will depend entirely on how much you enjoy case studies. Suzy Welch presents a very useful idea, and then fills a book with stories illustrating it.

The idea is this: before you make a decision, consider how it will affect you in ten minutes, ten months, and ten years. Shortly after I read this book, I was driving home from teaching class, debating with myself whether I should rush home to get back to work, or stop by the gym as planned for a 30-minute workout.

Using Welch’s 10-10-10 idea, I realized that in ten minutes I might be feeling stressed about delaying work if I went to the gym. In ten months, though, I might see a difference in my health and energy level based on that decision — but I probably wouldn’t see a big difference in the success of my business if I went to the gym. In ten years? Regular exercise could make a huge difference in my health — and I wouldn’t want the level of intensity in my business that would have me unable to hit the gym regularly over the long term.

So I went to the gym.

Were you bored by that story? If so, then you’re not going to get all the way through this book. However, if you like the idea and enjoy stories, you’ll like it.

I love the idea.

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