The Right Questions: Ten Essential Questions to Guide You to an Extraordinary Life

Author: Debbie Ford
List Price: $21.95
Our Price: Click to see the latest and low price
ISBN: 0060086270
Publisher: Harper SanFrancisco (01 April, 2003)
Sales Rank: 11,365
Average Customer Rating: 4.7 out of 5

Customer Reviews

Rating: 5 out of 5
Wonder why you're not getting where you want to go in life?
Take three hours out of your too busy life and read this book.

I've been struggling for months now wondering why I can never seem to find the time for the things I claim are the most important to me. Debbie Ford let me in on a little secret: I have unconscious priorities that are sabotaging my conscious ones. These unconscious priorities are guiding the choices I make on a daily basis, keeping me stuck in a place I don't want to be (but can't seem to move out of.)

If you're tired of going around in circles and want the keys that will help you move past where you are to the place you really want to be in life, read this book. It can be a bit overwhelming to apply at first, but asking yourself The Right Questions before deciding whether to buy another pair of shoes, or eat a cheeseburger, or go to the gym will put you on the path toward your dreams.

You should also know that I read Debbie Ford's book "Dark Side of the Light Chasers" and thought "so what?" But the PW review for this book intrigued me enough to give her another chance (thank goodness.)


Rating: 5 out of 5
Instant Results!
I can't believe how much this book has changed my life in such a short time (and I've tried a lot of self help books). By asking myself these questions on a daily basis I have completely shifted how I look at myself, my choices, my responsibilities, and my options! I'm creating exactly what I want in my life, instead of having my "default map" lead me to the same dead ends over and over and not knowing why. People have noticed the change in me and I couldn't be more excited about my life. Believe me, buying this book will be the best investment you've ever made!


Rating: 4 out of 5
Simple but effective
Although this book (as other reviewers have pointed out) doesn't have anything radically new to say, I think it's very useful for two reasons. (1) The author's emphasis on the here-and-now is refreshing: there are whole shelves of self-help books that focus on goal-setting, which is essential too; but you actually achieve your goals (or not) through the small day-to-day choices you make, and few authors provide specific help with that part of the process. (2) If you set goals but consistently fail to get any closer to them, she advises you to examine your daily choices to determine the REAL goals they serve. This can be very enlightening (and sometimes disquieting), but until you've identified how you may be sabotaging yourself, you'll continue to be frustrated.

That said, I found some of the author's advice questionable. (1) She doesn't deal with situations where the "right" choices may conflict. (E.g., should I get up early to go to yoga class, or get a few more hours of sleep? If my goal is to be fitter, of course I should go to class; but if I'm not getting enough sleep, I'm not taking care of myself. The long-term question may be "Why am I overcommitted?", but the immediate problem is sleep deprivation, and doing the "right" thing may compound the problem and/or distract you from addressing the real question.) (2) This may be petty, but I find it annoying when someone who (from her photograph) appears thin, to the point of being almost anorexic, makes self-righteous pronouncements about sticking to diets! (3) The model of behavior she appears to be promoting is total control at all times: you shouldn't make ANY decision, no matter how small, without asking whether your choice serves some lofty purpose. While I agree that it's helpful to observe the patterns in the choices you make, and to change a pattern if it gets in the way of your life goals, some trivial decisions really ARE trivial (chocolate or vanilla?), and it's OK to lighten up every now and then!

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