BOOK REVIEW – Imagine That! Shows How to Ignite Your Brain for Peak Performance

A CAREER DEVOTED TO HELPING PEOPLE ACHIEVE PEAK PERFORMANCE

Full disclosure: I have known James Mapes for many years.  I was his booking agent and we worked together for seven years as he barnstormed colleges and universities all over America, doing a stage hypnosis act that audiences found not only entertaining but also hysterically funny.  But the show was more than that because James was on a mission - even then.  Based on a number of personal and life-changing experiences he had, James knew one thing for certain - most human beings sold themselves short; they never reached anything close to peak performance because they just didn't understand the magic and power of their own brains.

Through his hypnosis show, James entertained - but he also got people to absorb some powerful lessons.  For instance, at one point in the show he’d hypnotize a member of the audience on stage and tell them that they were stuck in a box and were unable to get out – no matter how hard they tried.  His audience was stunned by what they saw and the lesson was pretty clear: if someone could be trapped on stage in an imaginary box – when everyone could well see that there was nothing holding that person from moving freely – what did it mean to their own lives?  How was what they believed holding them back, too?  How could they use what they just saw to achieve peak performance in their own lives?

BRINGING THE MESSAGE TO CORPORATE AUDIENCES

James evolved to take his message to corporate world next – without the hypnosis though; the idea of that would have been too scary for the corporate world.  But he provided powerful lessons about the mind-success connection and showed audiences how to unleash their potential and reach their professional & personal goals by looking closely at their beliefs. His message resonated individually and for the organization as a whole.  James was, and still is, a very valuable messenger at those meetings.

In both these areas the one common factor is James' presence.  On stage James is about the most charismatic and inspiring figure you can imagine. From the moment the audience sets eyes on him, they know they are in for something special.  They are intrigued.  They don't just pay attention - they are compelled to pay attention because on stage James is truly mesmerizing.  He connects with people in a way that literally changes lives - and more than anything, that's what matters to James.

IMAGINE THAT! - THE NEXT CHAPTER

And so the book – Imagine That!  It's a brilliant follow-up to his first effort, Quantum Leap Thinking.  I've been after James to complete this book for some time.  But like most projects of this magnitude, they are organic and come at their own pace.  In James' case, a few life experiences along the way shaped and then reshaped this book.  He wanted to bring what he knows best - the incredible power of the human mind as a gateway to peak performance - and reveal proven ways people can harness it to succeed in these uncomfortable, disruptive and uncertain times.  He does so in this book in an entirely authentic manner - taking the reader on a journey that will have them highlighting, taking notes and dog-earring pages.

Yes, I'm a fan of James' work - and know his commitment to making a difference.  We don’t work together professionally any longer but we remain lifelong best friends.  Imagine That! is the culmination of his life's work so far - an inspiring road map that will help readers unlock the door to their dreams.  Really!  This is a book you will buy and share and track about with your friends.  Imagine that!