People are Idiots and I can Prove it! by Larry Winget

People Are Idiots and I Can Prove It! 

The 10 Ways You Are Sabotaging Yourself and How You Can Overcome Them

Larry Winget

Chapter One: You Said You Could Prove It; Okay, Prove It!

How are people idiots?  Larry seperates people’s idiocy into a variety of different catagories, including “People who purchase crap from televison commercials”.  There are a few categories that become a recurring theme; Health, Parenting and Finances.  For each category listed, he lists off examples of how exactly people are idiots.  One of my favorites is his rant about savings:

“The average fifty-year-old in America has less than $2,500 saved.  Let’s say you go to work when you are twenty-five.  (Most people go to work much earlier than that, but I will keep the math easy for you.)  You went to work at twenty-five and you are now fifty years old.  In twenty-five years, you have been able to save only $2,500?  One hundred dollars a year is the best you could do?  $8.33 per month is all you could manage to put away?  You just couldn’t seem to do better than $2 per week?  Dear Mr. and Mrs. Average Fifty-Year-Old, you are an idiot.”

Chapter Two: Why People Are Idiots

In this chapter Larry lists the 10 ways that people are sabotaging their success and then goes on to analyze each one in depth.  There are also worksheets provided in this chapter to get you thinking about how you are being an idiot and what you can do to overcome them.  If a person takes the time to really consider the worksheets, this could become a very “hands on” chapter, and possibly a chance for people to really think about what they are doing in their lives.

Chapter Three: How Do I Stop Being an Idiot?

This chapter is boiled down into 3 steps: Recognition, Education and Application.  Larry points out that unless you realize that you have a problem then there is no chance of fixing it.  He goes on to talk about education, saying “People would do better if the simply knew better.”  My favorite part of this section is his discussion on receiving bad information.  He talks about how his mother would always tell him that if he didn’t wear his hat during the winter that he would catch a cold.  In fact, catching a cold has nothing to do with whether or not you wear a hat, but for his mother, because she had been taught that way, it was the truth and there was no convincing her otherwise.  The next step is Application.  Application is simply taking action.

Chapter Four: Take Action for Success

Here Larry presents a list of steps to take to change your life.  It is actually pretty obvious when you get right down to it, but sometimes that is what it takes to get someone to realize that they can do it.  The number on the list that seems most important is #8, Become Totally Committed.  I like that one because if you don’t become totally committed, then you are only doing something half-heartedly.  If you can’t dedicate yourself entirely to doing something then you are eventually going to fail anyways.  Be committed!

Chapter Five: Action Lists for Success

This is an incredibly long chapter of lists within lists and even more worksheets.  There are topics in this chapter from how to take responsibility to how to have less stress in your life.  With each section and the list within it Larry does provide some solid ideas for how to begin improving immediately.  If you want to be happy and enjoy life, Larry offers this advice: “Create your own set of circumstances.  If you don’t like the way things are going, change the direction things are going.  You are in control.  Refuse to accept your condition, and go to work to create a new condition.”  Sound advice, I agree.

Chapter Six: It’s Easy to Keep Being an Idiot!

I’d sum up this chapter with the quote that begins it, “What is easy to do is also easy not to do.” -Jim Rohn

Chapter Seven: What Do You Think?

Now that you’ve read the book, you are entitled to have an opinion.  Of course, Larry doesn’t give a damn what you think about his book, and he says so.  It’s nothing personal, it’s just his way.

What Did I think?

Honestly, I loved the book.  I’m the kind of person who likes things which are straight to the point and Larry’s style does exactly that.  It is a quick read and can be read within a couple of hours.  I would suggest spending more time with the worksheets and actually consider what he is writing about.  Once you get over his sarcastic approach, there is a lot of useful information.  Grab a highlighter and mark up what strikes you as good advice.  I would recommend it to anyone looking for some concrete ideas of how they can improve their lives who doesn’t mind the “kick in the pants” approach.  If you are a sensitive person who get their feelings hurt pretty easily, this book wouldn’t be for you.