Amazing Things Will Happen: A Real-World Guide on Achieving Success and Happiness

Dear Prospective Amazon Book Buyer, One day, I called C.C. Chapman and asked him to co-author a book on content marketing with me. He didn't say yes immediately because (I found out later), he had another book in him that he wanted to write. He took a weekend to think it over - a long, anxious weekend for me, by the way - before he called me back and gave me his answer. "Yes!" he said. Our collaboration was a happy and successful one -- "Content Rules" became the best-selling book on content marketing. Meanwhile, C.C. postponed but didn't completely abandon that other book idea. That second book - which was really his first book, if you are following -- is this one you are now considering, "Amazing Things Will Happen." So you've already figured out that C.C. Chapman is a friend and colleague and someone I treasure in my life. And in the spirit of full disclosure, I should also mention that I'm not much of a fan of self-help books, either. I find them cloying or annoyingly prescriptive -- or frequently, both. You might think that both of these things are reasons to distrust what I have to say here. But actually, I think both allow me to speak with greater authority. Here's the thing: C.C.'s second book (or first, depending on how you look at it), isn't really self-help. C.C. doesn't tell you what to do, or where to live, or who to marry, or what vegetables to eat, or how to think, or which candidate to vote for, or what to order, or whether to use paper or plastic, or follow Paleo vs. South Beach, or any of that. In other words, C.C. doesn't tell you how to live your life - instead, he reminds you simply *to* live your life. He does so relaying unfussy stories of what has worked for him. Taken as a group, the short chapters and straightforward anecdotes function as a subtle reminder to not squander your time on this planet, to follow your own heart, and treasure people who deserve to be treasured, and to pay attention to what's true and essential, and to slough off that which is not. Only when C.C. says it, you absorb it more -- because his stories are both personal and universal. In my case, for example, C.C.'s book was a good reminder not to over-think every single little detail of any given situation to the point where the minutia of it all overwhelms, and I'm completely paralyzed. After I'd finished this book and walked away, that's one thing that stayed with me - to lighten up, loosen up, give it a go, even if everything isn't perfect... perhaps because that's a message I needed to hear. (And C.C., if he's reading this, is probably nodding and laughing to himself at this very moment, because he knows it's true!) But if you choose to buy his book, you'll probably take away something completely different, because you and I are different people. Which leads me to my last point: People who know C.C. and read this book recognize his voice immediately. There isn't a single thing that's false or phony about his writing - what you get here is real and true. (Even the phrasing, by the way, which I honestly found awkward at times - it's nonetheless quintessentially C.C. And he knows I say this with utmost affection.) Which is why I feel I have the necessary authority to assure you of this: There isn't a speck of artifice about this book. Instead, the work you are considering is authentic - which is rarer than it should be in books, and perhaps in life. Reading this book might not transform your life, but it'll grip you by the shoulders and shake you so you won't squander it, either. Because C.C. - and his words - won't let you. I hope you enjoy.

Having known CC for a long time. I smiled throughout the first chapter as I read his narrative on his early entrance into podcasting, and his excitement as he entered each new phase of his career. I was lucky enough to meet him and several of the people quoted in the book at PodCamp Boston 2 - my first "real" conference/un-conference. Since then he always returns a hug and a smile every time we meet. CC has been a big source of inspiration for me of the years as I still look for my Passion Hit. If you are looking for advice on how to earn "massive passive income", this is not the book for you. What CC offers is so much more. Simple things such as always carry a notebook, even if you have a tablet or cell phone handy, are simple but very valuable. The exercises he puts forth are indeed things that will make you think hard about your goals, your obstacles, and how to take that next step in marking them as complete so you can focus on new ones. I have spent a lot of time over the past few years trying to decide "what niche to build a google adsense site for" and CC's point-blank advice made me realize how wasted an effort that was. Instead, immediately after finishing the book, I set about writing down my goals for 2013, and found my "3 Words" that will become my mantra for the next year. If you have listened to Accident Hash or Managing the Gray, or heard the audio version of Content Rules, you will no doubt here CC's voice as you read the words in the book. These aren't overly edited and dry sentences rewritten by a publisher. These are CC's own words in his style, and are just like having him sit beside you chatting while on a train from Boston to New York. My personal favorite piece of advice: "Hell yeah or No" when deciding whether to take on a project. So true, and something I'll definitely take to heart. I highly recommend CC's book to anybody needing that extra motivation to accomplish their personal and business goals.

Lucky me, I know CC Chapman in person, and have for many years. Despite this, I'm going to try and review the book in as objective a manner as I can. Hope that's ok. As more and more books have come out from online publishers of all sorts-- Youtube stars, big bloggers, etc.-- you may start to notice a lot of these books being released. They are profoundly personal, they are sort of motivational also, plus they have a kind of biographical angle about them. Amazing Things Will Happen is a lot like that. It's kind of like reading the auto-biography of, say, Richard Branson, as he gives you a bunch of advice about how to live your life, based on his experience. The way I always view them is that I want to obtain some unique piece of knowledge, some little thing that will help me out in my life, from the book. Amazing Things Will Happen fits that bill. It gives you lots of good advice, and it does so quickly. I should mention that I don't usually read books like these-- in fact I'm mid-way through an epic 900-page biography of John D. Rockefeller Sr called Titan Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. , a biography of a totally different kind-- and in a sense, these two books are similar. They are both going through a person's life, and the reader is attempting to discover pieces of wisdom, a kind of direct transmission process. Lucky for you, CC's book is not 900 pages. A lot of this stuff is distilled and short, which is great because you can read it on a plane and you'll learn a few things. But in a sense it's almost TOO short, which is my reason for giving it 4-stars. Some of the stuff you read in this book makes you want to actually be in front of CC and ask him "but wait, give me more detail here..." This is probably the only way in which reading this book falls short of being in front of CC Chapman, asking him questions. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realize that, when you're actually in front of people, you never ask them the questions that matter. So maybe this book is better than mentorship, who knows. Some other favourite parts of this book are the exercises. I'm a big fan of getting homework from books, and some of these made me stop and think in ways I had not done before. When he asks you to make lists of things, do so, because you'll notice that ideas emerge as it happens. So buying this book is a no-brainer. It's ten dollars, which is about how much I spent on my latte + blueberry cake thing I just got at Starbucks as I read it. When I think about all the stuff I could spend $10 on, this book is at the top of the list.

I've been following CC's work for a little while now, so I was pretty excited to get a notification on my kindle that this book was ready to read. So I read it right away! One of the things I really enjoyed with this book was CC's emphasis on hard work. All of the things that are talked about in this book mean nothing if you are not willing to put in the time and effort to make it work. CC gives you a number of things to think about in this book and allows you the space in order to think things through. One of the pros and cons of this book is its length. It's short, which means it's a quick read, and in my opinion, it's not a book just to be read once. I see this as a book to continually go back to and reflect on when it comes time for changes and self-reflection in your life. With that being said, it's also a con as there are a few times throughout the book where you hope that CC will dig into the topic a little deeper and explore how he handled those situations, or what he did to get him through some of those 'sticky' points. This book will serve as a guide for you both in your personal and professional life. Something to work through, reflect on and struggle with. There are no clear answers that anyone can give us, and CC outlines nicely how he has searched for those answers. Life's to short to do stuff we don't find enjoyment in and this book will give you some guidance on how to handle that.

I enjoy CC Chapman's writing style. He definitely has a distinctive voice and style. However, this book left me a bit "meh". There really was not anything that I have heard before from other sources. Ideas like: Use people names Don't be afraid to say no Chris Brogan's 3 words Make time to make your goals come true There were good reminders, but if you like motivational books - you most likely have all of that advice that CC gives already on the shelf. This book is definitely not a must own.

Disruptive ideas don't always have to be fancy inventions or monumental scientific discoveries. Sometimes, it's just some healthy common sense provided in a compelling fashion. Delivered to the right person at the right time, it can have a truly disruptive impact. That's how I see CC Chapman's latest book, Amazing Things Will Happen. It's got a nice combination of CC's personal history, motivational stories, cautionary tales, and business insight. It's not a business book or a self-help book, but it can fill some of those needs for folks who like such things. It's not an autobiography, but I learned things about CC that I didn't know after being his friend for a number of years now. I guess that means that Amazing Things is everything that it is not. And that's a good thing. It's not trying too hard to be a "typical" book. Like CC, it blazes its own path. It's easy, enjoyable reading that can't help but inspire you to reexamine what you're doing and how you're doing it. It contains practical pointers for maximizing your time and achieving work-life balance. CC really believes in finding ways to be happy, not just successful. Whether you're an entrepreneur or a worker bee, there's something for you in CC Chapman's Amazing Things Will Happen.

Ever since C.C. Chapman appeared on an episode of Riffing on Writing earlier this year, I've been eagerly awaiting the release of his new book, Amazing Things Will Happen. I don't know when we first were connected personally, though we share quite a few mutual friends and acquaintances. Let's get one thing out of the way immediately: if you're looking for a business book focused on content marketing or brand journalism, this isn't the book for you. That book has already been written by C.C. and Ann Handley (another Riffing on Writing alum) and I urge you to buy it if you're tasked with creating content for clients or your own business. At its heart, Amazing Things Will Happen is a self-help book, but cast away all the negative connotations you might about that genre of non-fiction. In fact, it's not my usual fare - at all. I read an awful lot of books, but there's something about self-help titles that just felt, well, icky. I'll admit that C.C. and I don't know each other particularly well, and we've only shared the same physical space once (at BlogWorld NYC this past June), but I hear so much of him in every chapter and every line of this book. His passion and enthusiasm for his work, his dedication to doing creative work, and living a happy life comes through in a big way - and that's awesome. The simple, direct prose is a good reminder that clarity trumps creativity every single time. It's about focusing on the things that will get you where you want to go, taking those damn scary first steps, and knowing that's sometimes it's ok to let something go. I've been there - and I suspect that we all have. And? We're at the center of our own successes and our own failures. Owning that portion of ourselves is a central theme to C.C.'s philosophy on living a happier, more successful life. Certainly we've all been a place where we feel adrift or stuck. Maybe it's the idea that keeps gnawing at you, but you're not sure what it is. If you've been chewing on getting something started or hemming and hawing about making a change in how you do things or where you're headed on this chunk of rock hurtling through space, plunk down a tenner and pick up a copy. Who knows, maybe some amazing things are waiting just around the bend.

Good simple advice for leading and being successful in life. CC writes like he speaks - casual, funny, and engaging. If you know him or have seen/heard him - you'll get it instantly. If not - find his audio or video online, watch a little or listen - and then come back and read the book with his voice in your head. It will make perfect sense. The advice here is not rocket science - it's common sense, but it's things we forget in the day to day hustle. I expect to refer back to this book often.