Title: The System Is Unforgiving: Play by the Rules and Win
Author: Allen F. Maxwell
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
ISBN: 978-1631955884
Pages: 278
Genre: Business Mentoring & Coaching
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
One of the pillars by which a person can define their life is how they faced adversity and used it to fuel their drive in life. The moments which are happy, blissful, and peaceful are beautiful to have in the memories that define a person’s story, but having obstacles, difficult people, or disorder as a whole blocking our personal or professional lives is a stepping stone for greater success in the future.
In author Allen F. Maxwell’s The System Is Unforgiving: Play by the Rules and Win, the author shares a lifetime of experience to showcase the system by which people live and are governed, and how to use that to survive hardships and to grow and thrive in the world. Through a lengthy career in the Navy, college, and finally the private sector as a defense contractor, the author shares a plethora of information which will help people grow both in their personal and professional lives, blending a mixture of personal storytelling and guided discussion on both the people and events which inspired him and the ones that caused him trouble; both of which helped him to grow as a person.
The author does such a wonderful job in this book of crafting a narrative which reveals both honesty and depth through his writing. One of the things which immediately stood out to me was the way in which the author highlighted the need to have each and every person evaluate the system for themselves. Far too often, people rely on others for not just guidance, but the means to accomplish their lifelong goals – step by step. Yet this isn’t a cut and dry, calculated thing that can be taught from an early age. Even our parents are fallible, as the experiences they have and the world they grew up in will ultimately always be far more different than the one in which the next generation will grow up in, and life will have far different expectations than it did for previous generations. The way the author helps readers through a means of personal development rather than step by step guide was inspiring to read.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy non-fiction books, in particular those that enjoy memoirs, business-related books, and both personal and business-related decision-making and mentoring. While business takes a priority in the author’s writing, the way the author is able to relay information through his own personal life and how applicable this process can be to everything from relationships to parenting and more made this a book that can impact a far greater reach than just the business community. Yet the business side of the book is filled with irreplaceable knowledge, and gives the reader a clearer sense of how to define the rules by which to make their mark in the world and take more control over their lives without falling in the face of the world’s challenges which will inevitably fall in our path.
Thoughtful, engaging, and hopeful in tone and yet grounded all at the same time, author Allen F. Maxwell’s The System is Unforgiving: Play by the Rules and Win is a must-read non-fiction business and mentoring book which will give readers an edge in life and yet feel personal and relatable at the same time. The honest and detailed approach the author took to both his personal rules of the system and the writing of this book as a whole will stay with readers far after they finish reading it, and the enlightening way the author’s information strikes a chord for all walks of life will leave a lasting impression.