Review: The Man Who Risked It All

Laurent Gounelle, personal development specialist and leader of international seminars, wrote his fourth book to assist us in understanding the principles of Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP), by initially portraying himself as a lowly employee, lacking in self-confidence, The Man Who Risked It All, and ultimately finding a level of confidence in himself, unforeseen in the opening chapters.

By the final chapter our narrator has become self-confident enough to pull off a solo sting operation at the firm which would have been his former employer if his plan had not worked. We watch the hero’s journey unfold as he initially finds himself on a window ledge, determined to end the pain and suffering of the life he feels destined to be his. Only by the presence of the stranger appearing at his side, does he become obliged to give life another try. Our author finds he is unable to break a promise he has made to the stranger. Fear controls his life and he feels assured if he runs, the threatened consequences will be delivered.

While reading the story, I pondered whether the stranger was to be revealed as an earthly version of Satan? However, by giving our leading man assignments that will open the door to his knowledge of how he has truly been limited by his own lacking self-confidence in his skills and abilities, we will ponder at the puzzle of his rude and painful treatment of our man in juxtaposition with the overall improvement of confidence in himself.

Accounting is his career and he has no qualms regarding his mathematical abilities as shown through his ability to perform mental math while being accosted from every side with negative comments, under the rueful eye of his employer. However, his self-confidence, as we might understand, eventually falters under the artful besiege of insults. The surprise ending reveals the stranger’s identity and his manipulations made behind the scenes.

The book held me spellbound as I drove to find out the stranger’s identity, the reason for his interest and our protagonist’s eventual success or failure. A very favorable review is in order. I plan to share this book with several friends, I highly recommend it.

I did receive a free copy of this book from Hay House Publishing in order to write this review. I received no monetary compensation and was not obligated to make it a positive review. I was simply asked to give my honest opinion and this is it.