Author(s): Mike McKinney

Personal Development

In this fascinating and empowering book, the author (a clinical psychologist) looks at the often talked about but little understood phenomenon of the 'all or nothing' personality: a personality type that is driven to focus on a task or area of their life to the exclusion of all else. While often bringing great rewards in terms of career achievement, this approach can commonly lead to other areas of life being adversely affected (difficulty maintaining relationships, not having a life outside work, etc). It's also one of the main causes of burnout. The author looks at how this personality type can develop (for example, a deep fear of failure, a desire to please others, childhood expectations that you 'always do your best') and, more importantly, how balance can be brought to the all or nothing personality so that the best aspects of it can be retained while the potential negatives are mitigated, resulting in a more meaningful and rewarding life.