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Book Review: The Plateau Effect: Getting From Stuck To Success
benrothke writes "One of the challenges in reading The Plateau Effect: Getting from Stuck to Success is figuring how to classify it. Amazon has it ranked mainly in applied psychology, but also time management and inexplicable personal finance. In some ways it is all of the above and more. In fewer than 300 pages, the authors reference myriad different areas of science, mathematics, psychology and more; in the effort to show the reader how they can elevate themselves from the stuff in life that glues them to the status quo." Read below for the rest of Ben's review.
The Plateau Effect: Getting from Stuck to Success
author
Bob Sullivan and Hugh Thompson
pages
320
publisher
Dutton
rating
8/10
reviewer
Ben Rothke
ISBN
978-0525952800
summary
Book shows how to learn to identify plateaus and break through any stagnancy in your life.
Full disclosure: I am friends with Hugh Thompson, one of the authors of this book.
With that, the premise of the book is that the plateau effect is something that affects everyone. We all have our ups and down in life, relationships, work and more. The book attempts to help the reader identify plateaus in their life, in order to break through them.
While a plateau is often simply flat terrain, the authors are all over the terrain in the book. They quote and reference liberally from science, statistics, life sciences, psychology, ethics, information technology and much more. From that end, the book is a fascinating and insightful read.
At the start of the book, the authors use the term acclimation to refer to the plateaus that many of us reach. This is the inability to notice changes in the environment around us. To a degree, acclimation is a critical element of our lives. If everything was brand new, life would be overwhelming; both to our senses and psyche. The downside is that this acclimation often leads us to accepting things the way they are, staying at the plateau, getting stuck and the inability to move forward.
The authors note that a real plateau means that you have stopped growing and that your mind and senses are being dulled by sameness; by a routine that sucks the life and soul out of you. Plateaus force you to make bad decisions and feel desperate. By understanding the force and tapping into it, you can get more out of life with less effort, and feel more in tune to your existence. If this scares you that the book sounds like a new-age title, relax, it is far from it, thankfully.
Chapter 3 is one of the many fascinating sections in the book where the authors detail the greedy algorithm, where the locally optimal choice is what is generally preferred. They tie this into the Gekko mantra of greed being good. But note that research has shown that long-term greed is good, but short-term greed, the type that maximizes the here and now seems to work for a while but almost always leads to a plateau. And as you realize, plateaus are bad.
Chapter 5 details flow mechanisms, step functions and choke points. Author Hugh Thompson is a mathematician and it's obvious this chapter is his baby. A choke point is a part of a system that breaks first and slows everything else down. The book notes that a common cause of plateaus is not recognizing when and where choke points will occur.
Chapter 6 is another fascinating chapter that details people's inability to effectively deal with risk. The example given is around shark attacks. While the risk of shark attack is extraordinarily low, the media often makes it seem like an epidemic, and the gullible populace overreacts. The authors give many examples of where people don't comprehend risk and statistics. The authors note that people buy lottery tickets, often described as a tax on the mathematically disinclined, despite knowing the odds. They also write that due to various factors, people and society have become overly risk-averse, not realizing how risky that is.
While not new, chapter 7 details the problems with multitasking and its illusions of productivity. The authors quote Jordon Grafman, chief of the cognitive neuroscience section of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke who states that multitasking is actually a misnomer. He terms it rapid toggling between tasks. The downside to this rapid toggling is that people become less effective and productive. The reality they show is that people can't multitask.
While the book is indeed a fascinating and valuable read, some readers may find it somewhat frustrating that the authors at times can seem like they are all over the place, quoting and integrating different facets of science and psychology. While the theme of the book is plateaus, there is not always a discernible sense of unity between all of the examples.
Another lacking is the shortage of prescriptive actions the reader can take. For the reader who may be indifferent to their need for change, the book may not be of full value to then. It would have been appreciated if the authors could have created action items and exercises for each chapter.
But perhaps the best advice is on the 3rd to the last page of the book. The authors note that if your company is stuck and has plateaued, and unable to get past some vexing problems. What should you do? Tell the type A's in the room to be quiet for a while and set out some frontline introvert an ask for their advice. Giving voice to the quietest person in the room might be the most unique exercise a firm undertakes.
With that, The Plateau Effect: Getting from Stuck to Success is an extremely stimulating read. For the reader who wants to grow and move off their plateau, this will certainly help them. The book promises to help the reader unstick themselves from the things in life that weigh them down. It certainly lives up to its promise and makes for a fascinating read.
About the reviewer: Ben Rothke.
You can purchase The Plateau Effect: Getting from Stuck to Success from amazon.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
With that, the premise of the book is that the plateau effect is something that affects everyone. We all have our ups and down in life, relationships, work and more. The book attempts to help the reader identify plateaus in their life, in order to break through them.
While a plateau is often simply flat terrain, the authors are all over the terrain in the book. They quote and reference liberally from science, statistics, life sciences, psychology, ethics, information technology and much more. From that end, the book is a fascinating and insightful read.
At the start of the book, the authors use the term acclimation to refer to the plateaus that many of us reach. This is the inability to notice changes in the environment around us. To a degree, acclimation is a critical element of our lives. If everything was brand new, life would be overwhelming; both to our senses and psyche. The downside is that this acclimation often leads us to accepting things the way they are, staying at the plateau, getting stuck and the inability to move forward.
The authors note that a real plateau means that you have stopped growing and that your mind and senses are being dulled by sameness; by a routine that sucks the life and soul out of you. Plateaus force you to make bad decisions and feel desperate. By understanding the force and tapping into it, you can get more out of life with less effort, and feel more in tune to your existence. If this scares you that the book sounds like a new-age title, relax, it is far from it, thankfully.
Chapter 3 is one of the many fascinating sections in the book where the authors detail the greedy algorithm, where the locally optimal choice is what is generally preferred. They tie this into the Gekko mantra of greed being good. But note that research has shown that long-term greed is good, but short-term greed, the type that maximizes the here and now seems to work for a while but almost always leads to a plateau. And as you realize, plateaus are bad.
Chapter 5 details flow mechanisms, step functions and choke points. Author Hugh Thompson is a mathematician and it's obvious this chapter is his baby. A choke point is a part of a system that breaks first and slows everything else down. The book notes that a common cause of plateaus is not recognizing when and where choke points will occur.
Chapter 6 is another fascinating chapter that details people's inability to effectively deal with risk. The example given is around shark attacks. While the risk of shark attack is extraordinarily low, the media often makes it seem like an epidemic, and the gullible populace overreacts. The authors give many examples of where people don't comprehend risk and statistics. The authors note that people buy lottery tickets, often described as a tax on the mathematically disinclined, despite knowing the odds. They also write that due to various factors, people and society have become overly risk-averse, not realizing how risky that is.
While not new, chapter 7 details the problems with multitasking and its illusions of productivity. The authors quote Jordon Grafman, chief of the cognitive neuroscience section of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke who states that multitasking is actually a misnomer. He terms it rapid toggling between tasks. The downside to this rapid toggling is that people become less effective and productive. The reality they show is that people can't multitask.
While the book is indeed a fascinating and valuable read, some readers may find it somewhat frustrating that the authors at times can seem like they are all over the place, quoting and integrating different facets of science and psychology. While the theme of the book is plateaus, there is not always a discernible sense of unity between all of the examples.
Another lacking is the shortage of prescriptive actions the reader can take. For the reader who may be indifferent to their need for change, the book may not be of full value to then. It would have been appreciated if the authors could have created action items and exercises for each chapter.
But perhaps the best advice is on the 3rd to the last page of the book. The authors note that if your company is stuck and has plateaued, and unable to get past some vexing problems. What should you do? Tell the type A's in the room to be quiet for a while and set out some frontline introvert an ask for their advice. Giving voice to the quietest person in the room might be the most unique exercise a firm undertakes.
With that, The Plateau Effect: Getting from Stuck to Success is an extremely stimulating read. For the reader who wants to grow and move off their plateau, this will certainly help them. The book promises to help the reader unstick themselves from the things in life that weigh them down. It certainly lives up to its promise and makes for a fascinating read.
About the reviewer: Ben Rothke.
You can purchase The Plateau Effect: Getting from Stuck to Success from amazon.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
This reads just like the blog post you wrote about this book.
Steps to success
Step 1: Hit plateau
Step 2: Spend time on Slashdot.
Step 3: Regress
(damn, I was so close)
-- MyLongNickName
Stephen Colbert is the only psychologist I need to tell me that I can get off my lazy ass and achieve greatness!
The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
"...in the effort to show the reader how they can elevate themselves from the stuff in life that glues them to the status quo."
I can do this in a lot fewer words than a book: If you live in the United States and aren't already rich -- Move. That's it. One word. Move.
Everyone will tell you success isn't a guarantee. But you can put yourself in a better position to take advantage of any opportunities that do come along -- thus improving your chances. Right now, there are no opportunities in our country. College is too expensive, the job market is shit, the wealth gap is growing by leaps and bounds, our government turns a blind eye to major cities getting eaten by mother nature -- Detroit, New Orleans... every year there's a major natural disaster. And every year we get to read about our total abject failure in dealing with it. Our bridges are structurally deficient, our health care is shit.
Guys; The writing is on the wall... run. Move. Leave. Don't keep inhaling self-help books that ration out hope. If you want to be successful in life... get out now. Because otherwise, your life is going to be thrown away supporting the previous generation's bad choices.
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
thanks...for nothing!
I can do this in a lot fewer words than a book: If you live in the United States and aren't already rich -- Move. That's it. One word. Move.
Bought my ticket to Somalia today! Success and wealth, here I come!!
I bet some folks in Tibet would question the premise that plateaus are essentially bad, that they result in the inability to move forward or grow, that the final inevitable result is that your mind and senses are dulled by sameness and that life and soul are sucked out of you. The book's value could end up not be in theories of up or down but in that it helps you become more mindful of what's already going on around you.
Has anybody ever actually read one of these and noticed a difference?
I'm a self-motivator so I can't speak either way, but just curious as a discussion topic.
The category you are searching for is "Self Help". Just because it involves computers, it doesn't make it something new and different (just like patents).
I'm out of my mind right now, but feel free to leave a message.....
You run an ex-pat travel agency, right?
Is there another section for explicable personal finance?
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
I haven't read this book, but for having read a couple of "motivation" books. And the issue with those books, and with all the self-help stuff is that it's making you more insecure than you were before. Of course you can always achieve higher goals, and I'm sure that there's plenty of advices in those books. But the trick is that you'll ever want more. Instead of appreciating what you currently have, those kind of book will nourish you in the idea that you deserve better, hence it will keep you from enjoying what you have !
The right way to live is to acknowledge your limits, relax, stop seeking for higher goals and enjoy what you have. :)
Anyway you'll be dead soon, so stop worring, nothing doesn't really matters
No, it's just a way for the unmotivated to kill a few hours until the next "motivational" book comes along for them to kill another few hours. "Reading motivational books" is the hobby of some people who will, more than likely, never accomplish anything. That's just the way it is.
by Ben Rothke (author of a ripoff $6 "book" on security that he peddled here).
There, I said it.
Religous speak to God. Insane are spoken to by God. When all shut up, one can finally hear Shostakovich in peace
You whiners think you are entitled to equality. You ARE, but it's "equality of opportunity", not "equality of privilege without working for it".
exactly.
I'm upset that I'm in my 40's and can't have what my parents had - (including a secure retirement) - despite their lack of college education
Sorry, but finishing a High School Diploma in 1950 is more or less the equivalent of a 4 year college degree in General Studies as of about 1990. Unless you have a passel of AP classes, your HS diploma is like getting a Jr. High/Middle School diploma: it's great, but you still haven't learned what you would have learned at the completion of HS in 1950. Take five APs in chemistry, biology, english, math and history, and pass the tests with a 3 or higher, and you might have the equivalent of a 1950 HS diploma.
Schools are no longer equipped as anything but babysitters, and they are about as effective as an English Bobby yelling "Stop! Or I shall yell 'Stop!' again!", and that's been true ever since the school Principal and Vice Principal have been prohibited from act In Loco Parentis because they might hurt Little Johnny's self image if they gave him a "The Breakfast Club" like detention. It's apparently more important for a dumb-ass Little Johnny to feel good about himself than it is for Little Johnny to freaking LEARN SOMETHING.
Yes, this IS a fucking depression, and despite a localized, brief illusion of recovery, things are, long-term, on the down trend.
Score 2100 on your SATs, which is not that damn hard if you are willing to study since the tests have been dumbed down so non-studying morons can pass with a 1500, and you can have a full ride scholarship at nearly ANY college or university in the US. That's how I went through college; my Pell grants (now called BEOGs) all went back home to help my divorced mom support my three younger sisters.
When I was home, we had Top Ramen or Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and on Fridays we got a pound of hamburger added to the Macaroni and Cheese. When it wasn't that, it was Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup gravy over toast, which we bought from the Hostess discount bakery, which consisted of the bread they took back from the supermarkets because it was past the expiration date. Sometimes we had other canned food, but it typically came from the freight damaged good store, like our clothes, because that's all we could afford.
The PROBLEM is that everyone wants to be handed everything, including a high paying job, just because they've done the minimal work to get their union card (degree) for a 2 or 4 year program. Congrats dummy, you now have a HS education from yesteryear. Yeah, some people are "at the top" milking the system for money, and if you are not a scion of someone already on the top, you are not going to be handed anything like those scions are. Boo Freaking Who, guess you will have to work for it like the scions daddy or granddaddy did, and don't get to have the car on the 16th birthday like the kids of the rich folks.
PS: Most of the people I see bitching here are not even qualified for a menial office job (entry level, such as the mail room), as they have acquired neither spelling proficiency nor correct grammar. To those people, I suggest you get a job as a lineman for your local electrical utility; at the top end, working in the power stations themselves, that blue collar job pays $80K a year.