Mastering You from the Inside Out

This book is great. While it is technically an inspirational book, Mastering You From The Inside Out is unique because of it's writing style. The author, Skip Cummins, tells the reader about embarrassing moments in his life in order to get them to better understand certain situations so that they can accomplish their personal or professional goals. This style makes reading the book more comfortable and relatable since as the readers we know that the author has experienced some of the same things that we might be going through. And the element that makes this book great more than anything is the comedy. Most inspirational books are boring and cringey, and therefore leave a bad taste in the mouth, but not this one. The jokes and comedic nature of it are a good relief from and addition to the central message. All in all, as I've said before, this is a great book not only because of it's inspirational messages, but also because of it's comedic delivery.

Wow. Certainly didn’t anticipate how the origin programming affected so much of my adult life and reactions in personal and professional relationships. The insights that this course contains as well as the worksheets to identify specific traits are great. Really makes you think. I highly recommend the course. The teacher is also articulate and very engaging.

I'm always a bit skeptical of self-help books, it always seems that the advice given is more general and less specific to the situations happening in our lives. However, Skip Cummins takes a new approach to this genre. He's blunt about how exactly we need to fix our lives, our mental health, and physical health. He tells us that we're our own obstacle in life stopping us from achieveing the things we want. He's absolutely right. The past few weeks I've done nothing but lull around. I don't believe that I always have to be productive but I do believe I need to stop this cycle. Life shouldn't be compeltely unbearable all the time especially because I'm the one who hurts myself the most, unintentionally of course. Nevertheless, reading this book I have learned how I self-sabtoage, identifying the issue is a way of making progress. Self-compassion is something we all need right now. I do recommend Mastering You From The Inside Out to anyone who wants to take steps in the right direction, start healing and be the best version of themselves.

Mastering You From The Inside Out by Skip Cummins is now one of my favorite self help books of all time. Normally I’m a little skeptical about self help books but I genuinely enjoyed this one. It’s written in an easy to understand way that gives you the motivation to want to use all the advice and methods presented.I really liked that the author not only presented his accomplishments but also his big mistakes and how he overcame them and how they helped him to grow. It gave the book a nice touch of honesty and a bit of hope.Right off the bat it starts out very emotionally charged about his own mothers suicide and battle with hopelessness. He also discusses his mother’s depression and addiction to phenobarbital. This book is honest and refreshing to say the least. The author doesn’t hide behind pleasantries or try to make anything look better than it is. He’s honest and raw and that is what makes this such a great book.What I really like about this book is that it emphasizes learning from the past and any past mistakes. It doesn’t try to sugarcoat them or make excuses. It says just to take them in stride and use them to grow and understand yourself both professionally and emotionally. It also provides concrete steps on how you can better yourself and quite frankly is really engaging. I definitely feel much more motivated and equipped on how to better myself. I highly recommend this to anyone going through a rough time or just looking to better themselves and their lives!

I found this book challenging and unique skip Cummins relates his failures and successes in life. In order to succeeded we need to understand where we come from and understand our goals and what we want in life. The reader is able to analyze the parts which they are interested to improve their lives through the life experiences of the author. Skip gives advice on how to motivate your children and those who depends on you. Through this book cummin makes it a guarantee to making yourself stronger and finding answers to all your questions.While reading I was inspired to become better. I learnt that overcoming challenges had to start with me. The author talks about integrity, picking ones battles and effective communication. I loved how he explained his points. The author lists that you have to plan your own life and live your plan. Self discovery and set goals in life. There is a connection and from the start and at the end of this book. The author understood where he came from and this motivated him to work hard to his success.The story is interesting. Many lessons are learnt through the success and loss of others. I personally have learnt a lot. Everything I have learnt is enough to give me a new beginning thanks to cummin's relatable personal stories.

I have been a teacher for almost two decades. I have always worked with grade school kids from kindergarten through fifth grade and I could almost always tell the type of parents kids have based on the way they act. So this class really made sense to me. This course gave me some great ideas on how to work with kids to best adjust their origin influences and work with parents to do the same.

“Mastering You From The Inside Out: Survive and Thrive Personally and Professionally” grabbed my attention immediately with it’s vivid opening scene that clearly communicated why Skip wrote this book.Soon after I found myself further engaged when I did the first exercise suggested. As I continued to read I took note of numerous quotes mentioned that resonate with me. One of many was “What gets thoroughly planned, frequently measured, frequently reported, and appropriately rewarded, gets done.”I loved that Skip clearly laid out his book’s objective from the start and stayed true to that purpose until the end. His writing style is unique and thought provoking. I felt as if I was talking with a good friend when I read his story and lessons learned. The vulnerability he displays in telling his experience truthfully endeared me to him. There were even parts of the book that touched me so deeply I cried.Skip touches on topics that pertain to all aspects of life which include financial success, codependency, happiness, boundaries, relationship with self and others, tantra, integrity, self care, and many more. Much of what I read I immediately decided to apply to my life. I also found answers to questions I’ve been asking myself within the pages of “Mastering Yourself From The Inside Out”, such as “Should I rent or buy my next home?”Although a variety of topics are covered in his book, Skip manages to weave them all together seamlessly with his story and the relevant wisdom he is sharing with the reader. Skip not only tells his story well but he gets you involved with questions and exercises to immediately begin the process of mastering yourself.This is running longer than I anticipated so I’ll end by saying I would highly recommend to anybody who is seeking to better themselves and their life. I loved this book from beginning to end.

All my life i have only had one dream which is to succeed in life, but it’s everyone's dream though. To own a beauty parlour would be my greatest achievement. In life, if you want to own anything you have to work extra hard to earn it. Once I read this book I felt relieved after what the author, Skip Cummin, went through and still made, made me realise that I was not far from my dream. Skip let's his readers into his life experiences, challenges, failures and successes. I felt that his main motive was for us to learn through his mistakes. I love the way he picks and explains his points. While growing up, Skip encountered a lot of challenges and one of the major challenges was when he lost his mother while he was struggling to build up his company. Losing a parent is one of the hardest things anyone can go through but all in all he made it. And through this, Skip explains that our life is defined how we live our younger lives.The book explains many areas of success like business and relationship. The author argues that it is important to know where you come from and then pick every piece and create a bright future for ourselves. Skip’s personal story is very inspiring.The book has great knowledge which can be useful to everyone. It’s a great read!

I have known Skip Cummins for almost 50 years. We were classmates and Teamates in College. Skip was an outstanding athlete and good guy. A high achiever in a place of high achievers. Skips business life story intertwined with a personal life that’s Movie caliber is a good read with interesting perspectives on familiar subjects. The wild life’s swings are rich in content and pure interest/fun. I’m getting him over to talk with my real estate Company in Paso Robles and my business associates and friends will be invited. Each chapter kind of stands alone. The guy was legit 50 years ago and he’s still legit. The journey is different. Peted

I highly recommend this book! Mastering You From the Inside Out is an incredible read! I value someone who can share their own story while allowing themselves to be vulnerable. I felt that Skip was very authentic and Skip gets right to the point. It’s an excellent way to create new goals and boundaries within your daily life while learning from someone else’s. Well done!

But this was one booked that I started to read, and I was hooked. Originally, I was going to read a few chapters a day, but I ended up finishing the whole book in one day. Not only did it provide great insight to life, but it also motivated me to become a better version of myself. It helped me to look at situations from all angles, and gave me a structure to best react to those situations.

All my life i have only had one dream which is to succeed in life, but it’s everyone's dream though. To own a beauty parlour would be my greatest achievement. In life, if you want to own anything you have to work extra hard to earn it. Once I read this book I felt relieved after what the author, Skip Cummin, went through and still made, made me realise that I was not far from my dream. Skip let's his readers into his life experiences, challenges, failures and successes. I felt that his main motive was for us to learn through his mistakes. I love the way he picks and explains his points. While growing up, Skip encountered a lot of challenges and one of the major challenges was when he lost his mother while he was struggling to build up his company. Losing a parent is one of the hardest things anyone can go through but all in all he made it. And through this, Skip explains that our life is defined how we live our younger lives.The book explains many areas of success like business and relationship. The author argues that it is important to know where you come from and then pick every piece and create a bright future for ourselves. Skip’s personal story is very inspiring.The book has great knowledge which can be useful to everyone. It’s a great read!

This class really made me think about the type of person I am and how I became who I am. It helped me answer a lot of questions about why I respond to things the way I do what I can do to change the things I don’t like in my behavior. It gave me great insight into who I want to be. It also reminded me that it’s never too late to start to improve and develop a healthier mindset.

I had never read a self-help book before. Skip Cummins' book, "Mastering You from the Inside Out", was given to me as a gift. I read it and was totally impressed. First, his range of personal and professional experiences is pretty much unique and unprecedented. Second, he seems to be totally honest. I cannot imagine having a source of experience and honesty that matches this book. I sent each of my two sons a copy, not because I think they need direction or motivation, but because they can learn about a breadth of profound experiences by reading this book that they would otherwise have to suffer through themselves to get. The author has maintained positivity and direction in the face of unspeakable loss and maltreatment. I think anyone would benefit by reading this book. It could really change a person's life if they took it to heart.

A real self-help book that focuses on the realities of success and failure by telling someone else's story and passing on the lessons learned. For anyone struggling with the current events, possibly a good read to get your gumption back. For anyone who has ever wished their future selves could write themselves a letter of guidance for the present moment, this book will be an inspiration to power through adversity and go-to guide for helping yourself. The tools provided both challenges and encouragement. Specifically, the Happiness questions really did challenge me as there is a lot of uncertainty for me around those answers and required some real thinking which no doubt is a productive exercise for me. The details about Southern California real estate hit close to home. The language is real and the occasional joke doesn't hurt with serious subject matters. The pace of the book is quick and the stories interesting. We can all learn from the success and loss of others, even if our journey is different.

With a title like this one, I was both hopeful and skeptical at the same time to find any piece of information that I may be able to use once I was done with it. The cool thing was that I found myself thinking introspectively and taking some nuggets of wisdom by the time I was halfway through the third chapter entitled “Your Happiness Formula.”As much as I love hearing sage advice on how we should all be better people, both personally and professionally, I usually find it difficult to assimilate the information due to some authors’ use of dry “instruction” rather than using questions and examples. This book was different in the way that the author cuts through the fluff with poignant personal questions to ponder followed by his real life examples of how he not only learned the lessons he talks about, but how he has reflected on his past “learning opportunities” (failures) to integrate the lessons into his own life.This book, for me, was one of those where I began reading a few chapters on different days and immediately thought, “this is exactly what I needed to read today."

Getting close to college graduation, I’m starting to realize that there are certain things that will make me more and less desirable to employers. I certainly know that there are some characteristics I have that aren’t necessarily the most marketable, but I never knew why. Sometimes I procrastinate and lack follow through. This course and instructor helped me recognize why I have some of the idiosyncrasies I do and how I can go about changing some of them.

I found this book challenging and unique skip Cummins relates his failures and successes in life. In order to succeeded we need to understand where we come from and understand our goals and what we want in life. The reader is able to analyze the parts which they are interested to improve their lives through the life experiences of the author. Skip gives advice on how to motivate your children and those who depends on you. Through this book cummin makes it a guarantee to making yourself stronger and finding answers to all your questions.While reading I was inspired to become better. I learnt that overcoming challenges had to start with me. The author talks about integrity, picking ones battles and effective communication. I loved how he explained his points. The author lists that you have to plan your own life and live your plan. Self discovery and set goals in life. There is a connection and from the start and at the end of this book. The author understood where he came from and this motivated him to work hard to his success.The story is interesting. Many lessons are learnt through the success and loss of others. I personally have learnt a lot. Everything I have learnt is enough to give me a new beginning thanks to cummin's relatable personal stories.

Every chapter of this book left me with excellently detailed perspectives for more pround and detailed concientiousness in my life. Its one of those reads that make you just a bit more aware, couteous and more connected.Very happy from this read, reccomended for anyone on that endless quest of self knowledge .

This course was excellent. Each section was short enough to hold my attention and packed

with useful information. You could tell the instructor really knows his stuff and has great energy and passion for what he is teaching. This is a great course for anyone who wants to know what is holding them back and why. It offers tons of practical advice for how to get out of your own way. I really enjoyed all of the resources and exercises that accompanied the lectures. They helped really personalize the entire thing.

I am a psychological professional. I am a coach. I have been to therapy for decades. The exercises in this book opened my eyes to some things in my behavior I just had never seen before. It was so impactful, I sat down with my wife and told her the things I learned about my programming and place of origin that explained so much of my behavior and habits, it literally freed me up to understand not only the whys, but embark on the journey to change. And that is what this book does. With the exercises in this book that Skip provides it is literally an invitation to change your life, your career, and how you do business. I loved this book! It is now a going to be a reference for my coaching clients.

I found this course interesting on a lot of levels. On a personal level, it certainly made me realize that I have developed certain habits based on the people that have been most influential in my life. But it also made me recognize the same thing in others. Especially those with whom I interact regularly such as my family, my friends, my loved ones, and even my coworkers. As a manager, if I can better understand the type of things that drive the people around me, I can be better and more effective in leading them. I definitely recommend this course for people in management and leadership roles. It will help you understand yourself and others better.

Lots of great material in this class. The free book chapter on the origin challenge was a great addition to the lectures and really helped put it all together. Starting with your origin to figure out who and what shaped you makes total sense when it comes to real personal development and growth.

Mastering You From the Inside Out is a fantastic self-help book by Skip Cummins. I've always viewed life as a pie, and there is a space and place for every aspect of your life. For example, you have your professional life and your personal life. Skip Cummins provides people with step-by-step instructions on how to improve any area of your life. Skip argues that the way we choose to live our adult life largely stems from the experiences we had prior to 18 years of age. In fact, the input from those closest to us, such as our parents, largely shapes our choices as an adult. Skip argues we need to understand where we came from, and use that knowledge to "create the best versions of ourselves and the brightest present and future possible." Skip's origin challenge exercise illustrates his point so I suggest all readers have a pen and paper handy!Throughout this book, the author asks thought-provoking questions and reveals details about his personal life in an effort to build a stronger connection with his readers. This makes him come across as authentic and trustworthy. Both are needed to truly embrace any self-help book. I highly recommended this book to all!

This is a fantastic course for those interested in making real and valuable changes to their personal and professional lives. It has a bunch of useful resources and is a quick watch. The exercises take more time to go through but are totally worth it.

The origin challenge was a great introduction to Skip Cummins and the Mastering You program. Learning about who and what we are based on our upbringing is quite illuminating. After reading the free chapter resource included in the course, I want to read the rest of his book.

After reading this book it really inspired me to be a better me. Overcoming challenges in life first starts with you. If you can get you out of the way you're on your way to a great life. Mastering life starts with the man in the mirror. This book gave me all the tools I need for a new beginning. Good reading!

"Mastering You From The Inside Out: Survive and Thrive, Personally and Professionally" by Skip Cummins is an excellent self help book. It is an educational easy read.Mr. Cummins explains why mastering one's self is the key to one's failures and to one's successes, and to achieve and to hold on to success in business and in life, it is critical that one learns to master one's self. He uses his own career and life story to explain why mastering one self is critical.Mr. Cummins' approach is that if a person wants to achieve success that person must understand who they are and why they are the way they are, and recognize the need to direct their behavior in a manner that will lead to their success, and come up with and put in place a plan to achieve their goals.

Very clear and concise with worksheets. It was an interesting process that I hadn’t even thought of. Thanks Skip!

Mastering you from the Inside Out bySkip CummingsThe book's intention is forthright bringing your inner thoughts and strengthening them to bring them to the everyday exterior of life. The author's loss of his mother was profound. The loss of his daughter and dedication made me tear up. I felt his sadness and gratitude.The shocking death of the author's mother at the . Suicide the most underreported cause of death in the United States. The author's mother struggled with depression and with the mix of drugs led to her death. His personal upbringing was not traditaionl which led to a strong self reliance and personal responsibility. Understanding where he came from allowed Mr. Skipp to move forward in life. The former CEO of Cyberonics INc a pharmaceutical company that developed medication to help ease and address elipisey and mild depression.The author has earned his Lifetime Achievement Award for National Epilepsy Foundation.The author graduated from Ivy League Dartmouth College and at a certain point rubbed elbows with the offices of CIA. Impressive resume, but the author's love and dedication for his family is felt throughout the book. “If only I knew what I know now’ in both business and personal relationships. The author highlights areas in business integrity, managing conflict, picking your battles and effective communication. “Plan your life and live your plan.” The author loves lists. List of self reflection to create a visual plan of goal setting, priorities and rewards. The author's books is a highlight of “...at Cyberonics” The author does a great job breaking down the different types of critics and identifying the basic principle of “picking your battles.” I appreciated the break down of the status quo and power. The power of effective communication. There is a connection from beginning to end. The book and its content its messages I learned new terms that provoked a new perspective; OPM (other peoples mistakes ) the analogy of self care (putting your mask on first) to understanding that co dependency even in a work setting needs boundaries to lastly learning about the “white flag’ the point of diminishing returns in life. The book is life learning.

The Author told a wonderful story about surviving through his ups and downs.I felt a personal connection to the Author because my father had suffered withsevere depression and mental illness.I understand the Author story from start to finish which helped me realize thattheir good people that still exist in the world. I felt sorry for his loss becauseI know how it is to lose a parent.Losing a parent is not easy and fighting to keep your company is even harder.The Author did a good job with his storytelling and dialogue throughout the book.The book gives every reader a glimpse on how to survive and thrive personally and professionally.I really enjoy reading the book because depression and epilepsy affects everyone in some type of way.I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand the meaning of surviving the upsand down in life.

Out of all the self-help books I’ve read, Mastering You From the Inside Out is the most straight forward guide I’ve ever come across. He tells you step by step how to deal with life obstacles, whether it’s with relationships or career mistakes. Cummins is a well experienced man and has been through a lot and overcome a lot. It’s a nice read to revisit whenever you’re dealing with your own issues. Even if you haven’t experienced some of the things he covers, you’ll be fully-equipped to tackle the situation when it does arise. I really appreciate Cummins raw and honest approach. He’s a “tell it like it is” type of guy, which is really helpful when you need an honest voice to get you through a situation. The book emphasizes learning from the past and applying it to your future in order to take the reins of your life. This would make a great gift for Father’s Day.

Mastering Your From the Inside Out gave me too many ah-hah moments to count. The twice-married, multi-millionaire CEO-turned trantra Yoga instructor, and survivor of unspeakable personal tragedy, has managed to draw a clear and beautiful path to the light at the end of the tunnel. It's one thing to tell people how to live their best life. It's another thing to really show you. Skip Cummins shows you by brazenly telling his story and sharing deeply unpacked lessons. In the process, you learn to redefine important elements of success such as integrity and communication so that you can adapt to the needs of your true self, the people you love, and the job at hand. At times, I felt my heart tear a bit for Skip. He has really been through one heck of a life. But I gained tremendous hope as he walked me through life-changing questions and reflective exercises. Ultimately, Cummins gets you to the point where you're no longer blaming your troubles on anybody. But rather, taking epic steps to self-empower, learn, grow and heal. What I loved the most about this book is how it empowers you both in life and in work. Cummin's life stories, humor, and serious transformation can and should really be applied to every aspect of your life!

You can judge Mastering You From The Inside Out by it’s cover...This book is just as insightful and powerful as the experience I had when I worked under Skip Cummins’ direction at Cyberonics (now LivaNova). We made it through two U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientific panel meetings and two pre-market approvals in the neuromodulation market--pure, raw passion in overdrive and against all odds when everyone said it couldn’t be done. I learned so much then and even understand more now that I have read Mastering You From The Inside Out-Survive and Thrive, Personally and Professionally.Mastering You From The Inside Out gave me the Skip Cummins’ back story--I came to better understand his leadership qualities and drive (as told through his personal life experiences). His book provided me with a better understanding of how we are hardwired as individuals and influenced by our families and external environment—we are shaped by these forces not only to accomplish great things but also to make what Skip calls "colossal mistakes" without even knowing it. Skip provides specific examples to show how external and powerful, status quo forces (that we have little to no control over—e.g., governmental agencies) factor into the “colossal mistakes” formula and can completely undermine any chance for our success and happiness.In Mastering You From The Inside Out, Skip explains that, without serious introspection and corrective measures, we have no hope of addressing “colossal mistakes” that can cripple our professional and personal lives. He provides specific steps to identify and prevent these mistakes and to harness the power within us—it’s never too late!You must read--Mastering You From The Inside Out---I promise you won’t regret it!

Written from a personal view with real life experiences as examples, Mastering You is a book that can guide anyone to make positive changes from within. Whether your goal is to improve in business, improve your personal life, understand how you react to challenges, or just better your happiness quotient, Skip Cummins has plotted a course that can take you to your own next best level. A must read for all.

For a non-businessman, I loved the insights into the "powers that be" and just the overall dynamics of the business world. Thought -provoking looks at personal relations, and, plenty of pathos.

Wow. This instructor has great energy. He is very direct and honest about his own challenges and how they shaped who he is and it really helped me better understand myself. One of the best things about this course is all of the downloadable resources. Not only does the instructor give you great ideas on how to understand your own origin challenges, but then he offers a bunch of downloadable exercise sheets to walk you through the process. He even includes his own completed sheets to give you an idea of what to do and what you want to accomplish. I highly recommend this course to anyone truly interested in effective personal and professional development.

Mastering You From The Inside Out: Survive and Thrive, Personally and Professionally, by Skip Cummins, is such an inspirational read. I typically don’t order books for growth or personal development/learning, but I’m so glad I purchased this. From start to finish, the author’s unique comedic writing style engages you and reels you deeper into the book. The author incorporates a lot of personal events and how he dealt with that trauma, enabling readers to connect with him on a deeper level and letting him guide us through how he stayed motivated and overcame what life threw at him. I recommend this book to anybody struggling or in need of motivation, hope, determination, etc. It’s not a slow and typical read like other self help books, it makes you want to sit down with a warm cup of tea or coffee in the morning and read for hours. Learning about Skip and the challenges he faced wasn’t a “feel sorry for me” type of work, rather, it was a “learn from what I have been through” which allows readers to sympathize and think that if someone else can go through life events much more drastic than I, then I can get through whatever comes my way

I have been yearning for a good self help book that empowers, uplifts and inspires me to dig deep within myself and pull out my why and my how. I have finally found it! Mr. Cummings has a wonderful way of doing all those things through his words and this book has given me the jolt and boost I need to go forward and be great. Thank you so much!

Great book!!!! Highly Recommend!!

As a parent, I never wanted to pass down some of the more negative things I experienced as a kid. It has always been a fear of mine. But I also didn’t necessarily recognize some of the things that stuck with me from my childhood and how they impact me as a parent. This course really opened my eyes to that and I feel like I’m going to be a better parent because of it. I think everyone could benefit from looking at the people and experiences that have influenced them since a young age.

I love the way the book is written. Skip’s combination of personal stories and professional stories is effective in getting his point across. He provides unique exercises in the book that are thought provoking. I started a Brene Brown book and got side tracked when I picked up this one!

I found this book rather unique in it's method. I feel it emcompasses more of the process of change. The author lists 16 different steps if you will to change. He starts with the origin of the process and continues well after the change stage. What I mean is what does a person do if the change even though positive goes awry. To me this is very interesting. Most self help books give you the tools needed to change. The ? Easy steps. They are easy if they work. But what if you run into a snag? Does it mean change is not possible? This was interesting. I have experienced this phenomenon. I feel he is very thorough in his process of self-help going the extra mile if you will. He draws extensively on his person experience. This suggests a knowledge of the process; something he himself has experienced. It's much easier to identify with someone who has already done the process; also it inspires more confidence in the process itself.

Mastering You from the Inside out is a highly readable, page-turner of a self-help book. I know, but aren't those usually boring? This one isn't.The reader is engaged by the author's personal story as he related some of the extremely difficult things he'd had to cope with and move past: his mother's suicide, his successful company's failure, and more. He writes very well and his story is one to which the reader can relate.Among the author's effective approaches to to becoming more centered, effective and successful: the Origin Challenge, in which we learn how to discover inner programming we've done as children which affect and sometimes hinder us today, and how to redo it. "Look where you're going, not where you've been" is a phrase I gleaned from the book which has been most helpful to me: it hits home.Other helpful strategies include the "finding your happiness formula:" discerning what makes you truly happy, and then creating a kind of system to apply it to maximize your "happiness opportunities." Also the author discusses integrity as a principle you yourself must apply, and the importance of having and living into a life plan, which applies to every aspect of your life: work, relationships, parenting, self-care, housing - you name it, it's all in this plan the author instructs you to create and use. The importance of boundaries in your life and how to understand them; understanding the importance of communication and that context and experience colors one's interpretation and effectiveness in communicating; picking your battles and more - this book is a valuable compendium of ways to succeed and live better. Self-care is not neglected, perhaps one of this book's most important chapters.I highly recommend this excellent and very readable book for those who seek self-improvement (and who among us doesn't?). It's an excellent compendium of really useful information: a great reference volume for the go-to bookshelf.

A lot of personal development products tell you to look within and analyze yourself. I’m not saying that is a bad thing, but it seems to only address part of the issue. Skip’s class addresses the other part--how we became who we are based on our origin. This class teaches you how to look at our parents and other major influencers and their characteristics and learn how they have had an impact on your personal development. There are great exercises to help get to the root of issues and practical

A must read for anyone who has asked the question, “what makes me happy?” This book is gritty, so strap on your seatbelt and enjoy the ride. Written from a first person perspective of someone who faces unimaginable challenges at a young age and goes on to tackle the highest level of the business world. Is it a happy ending story, yes and no because the author withholds nothing, and offers a searing truth of how to drill down to your family of origin issues in a way that helps you avoid unnecessary pain and suffering. This is also a story about the impacts of mental illness, how it shapes families and how much more needs to be done to address symptoms and treatments. Skip has bared his soul so others can know how to handle life challenges in a more predictable, practical and successful manner that can lessen unnecessary pain and suffering.

Beyond being a self-help book with many excellent pieces of real-world advice to absorb and apply, this book reads like an intriguing white collar crime thriller at certain parts! Now, that's an inventive way to pass along some wisdom! Through the stories of his two failed marriages and the meteoric rise and fall of his medical device company, (complete with government corruption, breakthrough therapies, boardroom backstabbing, etc.) Skip Cummins shares some very profound life lessons learned in some very hard ways. The advice seems sincere and well-structured in this book, and I believe that is because Skip is genuinely interested in saving you personal and financial heartache by sharing his tips for restructuring the ways you think about yourself and interact with both your spouse and professional contacts.I particularly enjoyed the section about living your life in a way that is planned, measured, monitored, and rewarded. This is a framework that is often used in the workplace, but Skip explains that it can easily be applied to the achievement of your personal goals. I also appreciate that Skip encourages his readers to abandon status quo notions about what you need to own or how to need to appear to others in order to find true happiness. Marriage, parenthood, fancy cars, home ownership, and succumbing to the powers that be are all commitments to an existing state of affairs that just may not suit you or be financially prudent. Thank goodness Skip prompts the reader to look inward, understand from whence they came and how this may be influencing their decisions, and then self-correct to maximize opportunities and one’s chance of success.I would recommend this book to anyone who has suffered a major setback, romantically or professionally. I think there is also great self-help questioning in this book for anyone who seems to take things too personally or has unresolved issues from their childhood that are still causing anger.

Yes, it is a good read, but it is so much more. The book presents a basic structure for an abundant life, well-planned and enjoyably lived. The chapters step the reader through an examination of self in a caring and helpful way. We are provided an opportunity to work on changing toward who we wish to be in a private setting. Skip shares painful life lessons as informative learning vignettes for the reader. He teaches us ways to direct and spend our life’s energy more productively to bring true happiness for us and those around us. The first seven chapters are suitable for self-development for high school age teens, preparing them to take responsibility for managing their lives after basic education. It is also a great resource for people in their 20’s through 40’s to redirect one’s life early, head-off classic mid-life crises, and help preserve wealth and marriages. The second half of the book provides ways to understand and function constructively in larger contexts of other people and systems, such as family and business. Great for gifts to adult children and struggling friends as well!

“Mastering You From The Inside Out: Survive and Thrive, Personally and Professionally” by Skip Cummins is a wonderful guide not only to success, but to knowing yourself. Skip shares many of the lessons he has learned through his epic successes and sometimes epic failures in order to help the reader learn how to realize their own potential in whatever area of life they are interested in improving. The book breaks down areas of success like business and personal relationships and then gives a detailed step by step process for anticipating the hiccups that inevitably pop up in life so that you are in the driver's seat of your own life. I was especially intrigued by some of the advice for preserving a marriage. I don’t want to give it all away, but let’s just say the definition of tantra is a lot more broad than I ever had imagined. Cummins also gives some solid advice on how to motivate your children as well as how to under promise and over deliver with your partner, children, and significant other so that you are always winning instead of disappointing those who depend on you. Cummins has an inspirational life story full of ups and downs that make him both relatable and aspirational. This is a good book to read now that many people have a little more free time on quarantine who want to take stock of their lives in order to move forward to be the best version of themselves possible.

Mastering Yourself teaches brilliantly by focusing on the present time of yourself to become a more balanced person with personal and professional experiences alike. This book is brutally honest as well as somewhat humorous in that we really need to stop focusing so much time on our past. Our past does not have to repeat in our future. In order to achieve this, we need to rewire our minds, bodies, and spirits or souls to focus on our present time.The Author Skip Cummins has learned through his own struggles and triumphs on what it means to learn from your past not repeat it. He shares his own personal and professional shortcomings which he has turned around for a better "living more in the present" life. We all have regrets but he explains what can we do to change ourselves to be more mindful of our present time. Ask ourselves the tough questions of why we do the things we do. Is it because of our childhood, social conditioning, personal assumptions, or something else? Once we realize that we are holding ourselves back from our future greatest achievements, then we will be more personally and professionally presently balanced in our lives.

This book is incredible. It’s packed with very powerful and motivational insights to understand why you do things based on your upbringing and changes you can make based on your needs and a well organized process of self reflection. I found myself laughing and nodding my head at times while I was reading, as I related some of Skip’s stories to my own experiences. It is filled with valuable life lessons and questions to understand what makes you happy and ultimately to create a plan for a more abundant life personally, professionally and financially. If you enjoy reading motivational books or educational books then I recommend this one. Unlike some self help authors I’ve read, Skip is “accessible,” doesn’t preach and he’s incredibly open when it comes to sharing the tragedies he’s faced and his mistakes and failures. Just like the title suggests he gives you all his hard earned life lessons and a formula, then leaves the mastering of you to you. Love it!Much needed read given what we’re all facing in today’s Covid 19 world.

The author humbly and effectively shares lessons learned through blood, sweat and tears. He is not preaching just with words but teaching with his life - a life that has survived the depths of despair and the heights of prosperity to triumph with a higher and more permanent peace.

The hard truths and designs of our identity are facets we may not entirely want to face or interact with. The understanding that our character and temperament is a causation of our upbringing isn't a new development, but Skip brings us to understand the theory more closely. We're also being asked to question and analyze the past we were apart of and how that past interacts with the individual we want to use and succeed with.Acting in an objective way, we need to let go of bitter viewpoints and angst episodes to then use that practical and needed knowledge to our advantage as we maneuver in this world. As a narrator, Skip also provides the reader with a step by step process they can utilize themselves and the strategies are excitedly passable to all. Skip's techniques are a great starting point one can manage and edit on their own in the future.This book beyond its easy content and accessible content really provides nurturing content that the reader can then utilize and take advantage of in their own lives, its neat and very valuable the work Skip is doing.

A perfect combination of tough love and guidance to help overcome ingrained issues that stem from childhood and adolescence.

This book is an informative and easy read that makes notice of self struggle and gives a solution for it. This genre of self help is often too preachy, unclear or entirely off the mark but Cummins creates a book where finding an answer is simple and making yourself stronger is a guarantee. Cummins heatley weaves in personal and a lot of the time tragic anecdotes to enphasizehis own personal obstacles and his discovery to mastering himself. Throughout the book we learn to understand yourself, find happiness communicate effectively and learn about the world around us. The book also does a good job of explaining abstract concepts in a simple wayor task, like, communicating effectively by making a comprehensive list of tasks. Finding strength and mastering your inner self has never felt so obtainable thanks to Cummins' conversational writing style and relatable personal stories. This is a great read and I highly recommend.

Great presenter. Well organized. Very practical and tactical. I breezed through the course and now need to take my time to complete the exercise. I would definitely get a nether course from Skip.

Well, I definitely didn’t expect the book to start off like it did. The narrative caught my attention right away and signaled to me that this self help book wasn’t like others I have read. The use of his own real life examples was nice to be able to compare and contrast my own experiences and made the book much more impactful than some sort of vague thought exercise. Additionally, I think reading about someone else’s failures makes it more comfortable to dig into your own. The chapter on what makes you happy hit close to home. I have been thinking about that a lot lately. Here again, the concrete life examples really help ̶ I actually right away identified that my happiness was driven by the opposite of some of Skip’s examples. I am not sure I would have quickly come to those conclusions about what makes me happy without being able to contrast my life against his own experiences. I also enjoyed the message that improving is a life process ̶ there is no deadline or “too late”. Overall, this is a helpful and easy to read book.

I run a small business with around 10 employees and I am constantly feeling like I am not getting the most out of myself or them. A lot of it has to do with the way I interact with my employees and never wanting to feel like they do not like me to the point where I don’t hold them to normal employee standards and let them get away with stuff that I know I should not. This is a similar problem I have in relationships. I never knew why until I took this class. I learned why I have a need to feel liked and accepted rather than respected. I know this revelation will make me a better partner and a better boss. I would recommend this class to anyone who has well-established issues and can’t quite figure out why and how to overcome them.

“Mastering You From The Inside Out: Survive and Thrive Personally and Professionally” grabbed my attention immediately with it’s vivid opening scene that clearly communicated why Skip wrote this book.Soon after I found myself further engaged when I did the first exercise suggested. As I continued to read I took note of numerous quotes mentioned that resonate with me. One of many was “What gets thoroughly planned, frequently measured, frequently reported, and appropriately rewarded, gets done.”I loved that Skip clearly laid out his book’s objective from the start and stayed true to that purpose until the end. His writing style is unique and thought provoking. I felt as if I was talking with a good friend when I read his story and lessons learned. The vulnerability he displays in telling his experience truthfully endeared me to him. There were even parts of the book that touched me so deeply I cried.Skip touches on topics that pertain to all aspects of life which include financial success, codependency, happiness, boundaries, relationship with self and others, tantra, integrity, self care, and many more. Much of what I read I immediately decided to apply to my life. I also found answers to questions I’ve been asking myself within the pages of “Mastering Yourself From The Inside Out”, such as “Should I rent or buy my next home?”Although a variety of topics are covered in his book, Skip manages to weave them all together seamlessly with his story and the relevant wisdom he is sharing with the reader. Skip not only tells his story well but he gets you involved with questions and exercises to immediately begin the process of mastering yourself.This is running longer than I anticipated so I’ll end by saying I would highly recommend to anybody who is seeking to better themselves and their life. I loved this book from beginning to end.

As I’ve had occasion to read more business-based self-help works—and this is such a book, to be sure—I’ve noticed more and more that they tend to take on a “here’s what happened to me, and this is how I handled it; it worked for me, clearly, so it will work for you, too.” There’s value in such things, of course; one person walking a path may make it easier for the next person to do so. Then again, it might not, and that’s not something I see acknowledged a lot in works in the genre. The present volume, however, makes much of its Cummins’s mistakes; there’s a lot of bitter “I did this, and it went wrong this way; I wish I’d known to do [X] instead” going on, which is surprisingly refreshing to read. (Interestingly, a lot of that X comes off as being investing in municipal bonds, which is something I’ll be looking into as I move forward.)As an aside, I note with some interest the frequency of reference to Shakespeare’s Hamlet and to Machiavelli’s The Prince. It does seem set to figure the book as more informed, more intellectually engaged, than many others in the genre; the repeated lists of questions and exhortation to write answers seem to do much the same. Having come from academe, I appreciate the gestures on a visceral level, even if I do have to wonder about them. After all, we do have the comment in Hamlet that “The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

This book is meant from those who are willing to delve deeply into their lives to seek and understand the truth – no matter what the truth reveals.In his book, Skip Cummins shares his personal journey of self-examination and enlightenment in all areas of his life. Never one to mince words or sugarcoat facts, he is brutally honest in his evaluation of his own actions and objectively critical of others who have influenced his life through their actions. He shares the details of his life to show how he has learned from his successes and mistakes. He applies a process-based approach to helping the reader understand how they can take control and master their own lives through self-examination and conscious setting of important goals and boundaries in their professional and personal lives.It is tough to look unflinchingly in the mirror, understand the truth and take the reins to control one’s life. Skip Cummins’ book is a good start down that path.