Get Out of Your Own Way

by Tom Rusk

Escape from Mind Traps. The bestselling author of I Want to Change But I Don't Know How and Instead of Therapy offers a step-by-step approach to self-initiated, self-directed personal change. This... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1561702765
• ISBN13: 9781561702763
• Release Date: February 1996
• Publisher: Hay House
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

"We have met the enemy... and he is us" (Pogo).

"We have met the enemy... and he is us" (Pogo). I am finding that this book "Get Out Of Your Own Way" by Tom Rusk is good place to begin to understand that enemy within. When I first pick up a book, I often look at the copyright date. This book, "Get Out Of Your Own Way" by Tom Rusk was first published in 1996, and now in 2007, it is in its eight printing. "This book must never go out of print." In the last few weeks, certain events and memories caused my eyes to open to certain realities. In fact, during this time, I confronted one of those people who I felt took advantage of me leaving me emotionally wounded. However, this confrontational approach that I took left me feeling like hell. In order to lessen my pain, I will also need to discontinue communications with my parents, siblings, certain friends and some neighbors. I will also need to learn to ignore some of the actions and words of strangers as well. In addition to discontinuing certain relationships, I will make attempts to write about my experiences, as Tom Rusk suggests. I found that attempts at getting even could be dangerous to the other person and to my own health. Letting my emotions rule and letting them loose on society and friends is often not a good idea. I am glad that I did not go to jail to find out these lessons as so many men and women have done. I do not believe that I am totally to blame. Our society has done a poor job at teaching us how to deal with conflict and losses: not the schools, churches and not even government. It is a shame we have to learn so many lessons on our own, which is often lengthy, painful and far too often harmful to ourselves and sometimes to others. I have been in and out of counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists offices since November 1991. I also went to churches and numerous "meetings" and found little instructions to handle my emotions, although I did find others on the same journey. No one sat me down and told me how to deal with my feelings. They often listened and told me, let your feelings be your guide or follow your gut or the generic, "Let Go and Let God." Few have explained to me what to do with my feelings. In the eighth edition of this book, "Get Out Of Your Own Way" by Tom Rusk, in chapter eight on page 83, Tom Rusk wrote that "Feelings are irrational, amorphous, and confusing." Irrational means without reason or judgment. Amorphous means formless, without physical content and confusing means disorderly and chaotic. Tom Rusk also wrote that our "feelings can affect how you act even when you aren't aware of them." The one thing that he wrote that has motivated me to stick with this book is "how you handle your feelings largely determines the quality of your life." He adds that we handle our feelings in three major ways. 1) You can deny, ignore and suppress them. 2) You can react unthinkingly to feelings -- for example, by withdrawing when hurt (flight) or attacking when angry (fight).

You can change your life with this book- I did

This isn't a joke, it is true. This book changed my life. I was an insecure, confused, lonely individual who never felt sustained happiness and worked in a job that wasn't where I wanted to be. Now I feel good about living, my future, everything, going full throttle in the pursuit of my dreams. The secret to how you feel about yourself is locked away in your childhood. If you really want to change your life, you have to have the courage to face the pain and confusion you endured as a child. If you are willing to re-live that, you've opened the door. The next step is to change the familiar negative behavior and atitudes you've kept in your life as defense mechanisms. You will struggle for a while to change, but if you want it bad enough you will succeed. Hey if I can do it, so can you. It has been 2 years since I read this book, and I can't even believe I was the same person as I was before I read it. As a side benefit, you will be able to see right through the people in your life, and even the people you've just met. If you are a single person like myself, you will never waste your time dating losers ever again unless you want to. So if you are unhappy with any aspect of your life, have the courage to change it. Buy this book. Whatever they are charging for this book, it is worth 10 times that at least.

Truths on every page

I found this book in a remainder bin in Adelaide, Australia, and picked it up on a whim. Suffice to say it was well worth it. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that virtually every page reverberated with me. I can't guarantee it will change my life (yet) but at least if I fail I'll have no excuses, I'll know precisely why.

EXCELLENT-----excruciatingly painful emotional enlightenment

This book explains why we do what we do...why we react the way we do. EVERYTHING we experience today can be explained by our upbringing as children! The chapter on childhood is by far THE most gut-wrenching, yet enlightening. You gain valuable insight towards parents & siblings! This book helps you find inner peace!