No Opportunity Wasted: Creating a Life List [Paperback]

 

 

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I'm an Amazing Race fan and quite like the personable host, Phil Keoghan, which is why I picked up this book. I am also always on the lookout for books that inspire and will give me new insight into life and getting the most out of life. I like the premise of No Opportunity Wasted - to make your life exciting, meaningful, and rewarding by writing out an eight-part "List for Life". Through these eight useful categories - Face Your Fear, Get Lost, Test Your Limits, Take a Leap of Faith, Rediscover Your Childhood, Shed Your Inhibitions/Express Yourself, Break New Ground, and Aim for the Heart - Phil guides you along the path to creating the life you truly want for yourself.

I found this book to be fairly interesting and at times, entertaining, engaging and inspiring. It touches on a gamut of things for you to think about and do to get more out of your life. Much of the book is also dedicated to sharing Phil Keoghan's many personal adventures. I actually found that the book improved in its interest for me by the second half. In the first half or so, I found this book to be an ok read. It presented some good ideas for moving yourself out of your comfort zone and gaining new, exciting experiences, but it heavily emphasized adventure travel and activities. I do find an appeal to adventure experiences, but as an aspect of a full, well-rounded life. I understand that this is the author's perspective and interesting life experience that he wishes to share, and what people would expect from a book from him. I do see its value - as part of a larger whole. I was glad to see this trend didn't carry through the entire book. The book gradually branched out into many more thoughtful ideas and strategies to personalize your journey of creating a meaningful, full, and rewarding life, and gives tips to keep your efforts alive and moving forward.

There were a couple of things I disliked about No Opportunity Wasted. In the first half of the book it puts forth killing and eating other life forms as a way to be adventurous, exotic and cool - like it's some sort of exotic badge of honor. It's not. I think that personal growth, challenges, and new experiences can be had in a myriad of other ways, without doing harm to others. It is a much more enlightened and higher level of existence to just peacefully coexist with our non-human neighbors on this planet, learn about them, observe them, and/or be of service to them. In fact, the challenges involving animals are also something I dislike about the Amazing Race TV show and I hope they do away with that entirely. If human beings want to be entertained, challenged and create TV shows and tests for themselves, then great, do that, just leave the animals out of it. Live and let live and let's do unto others...

Another thing I didn't like about the book was its structure; story boxes that appear everywhere constantly interrupt the flow. The information in these story boxes is interesting and relevant, but it makes it rather annoying to read as you always have to flip forward and backward to keep the flow of the sections you're reading. I think it would have been better to just incorporate the information and stories at the end of, or as part of the related sections instead of breaking them up continuously.

Overall, I liked the message and spirit of this book; it has a positive message and intent and gives some useful insights and anecdotes to illustrate its point. It can help move you out of your complacency and push you along the path to realizing your dreams. There were a number of things I could relate to and take away. I think this book would give many people a good boost towards living a happy life and not having any regrets. I would give it 3.75 stars out of 5. I do commend Phil for his ideas, energy, enthusiasm and lust for life. His likeability and sense of humor comes through in this book. As the book suggests, I also believe it is important to take stock of things in one's life and adjust your own course heading as needed and desired. If you decide to read the book, then do fill out the contract at the end of the book to commit yourself to your own life vision and go onto their website, [...] to share it with others and read what other people have shared. No Opportunity Wasted is a light, fun read that does give you food for thought.

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands

This book is one of the most badly written books that I have ever read (and finished) however the message is still great. The "No Opportunity Wasted" mantra is a great message and is one that I really needed. Now when there is stuff that I am hesitant to try, from spinning an airplane to trying new foods, I just keep reminding myself "No Opportunity Wasted".

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