Aspire: 3 Powerful Strategies for Creating More of What You Want, Now

Ole Carlson
Greenleaf Book Group Press (2009)
ISBN 9781929774715
Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (4/09)


Ole Carlson is among the many self-help gurus out there vying for our attention to help us improve our lives. The message in his new book “Aspire” is similar to the messages in many self-help books, but that does not in any way make it ineffective. In fact, I think this book would help many people. Even if you’ve read many self-help books as I have, Carlson has some useful strategies I have not seen presented elsewhere that can guide a person to self-fulfillment.

The book’s subtitle refers to “3 Powerful Strategies for Creating More of What You Want, Now.” The full description of these strategies is left until the final section about the “Manifestation Trilogy” but the book builds toward them. Along the way we get numerous quoted pearls of wisdom, a description of the ever more popular Law of Attraction, and Carlson’s personal story. I found myself writing down many of the quotes to remember. Among my favorites were George Bernard Shaw’s “Life isn’t about finding yourself. It’s about creating yourself,” and Merv Griffin’s “You have to be constantly turning the page, which prevents me [sic] from getting caught up in any negativity. I just keep moving and enjoying the ride.” I especially liked Griffin’s statement because I’m a fan of books—we must remember the hero always goes through trials before the happy ending approaches. Finally, I liked Carlson’s own response to Thoreau to “Refuse to choose a life of quiet desperation and irreversible regret.”

The Law of Attraction has been explained in many places, notably in “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne, as Carlson notes. What I appreciated about Carlson’s discussion, however, was mention of quantum physics and some more scientific discussion of the Law of Attraction, confirming its reality and viability. The rest of the book provides discussion of the Law of Attraction and how it can be used to manifest what you want out of life. Carlson also tells his own story of how adversity destroyed his parents but how he managed to avoid the same situation and persevere.

The Manifestation Trilogy presented is about saying (affirming), seeing (visualizing) and feeling (imagining until you can feel, taste touch etc.) what you want so your thoughts will lead you to achieving it. Carlson explains his own personal strategy of using note cards to create his goals and explain his intentions and provide affirmations for himself. Another technique I found useful was his suggestion not to anticipate an event and set yourself up for disappointment, but always to start with zero expectations so that as positive aspects appear, you feel yourself moving in a positive direction, rather than starting with high expectations only to move backward.

While the basis of Carlson’s material is not new, it is tried and tested, and he pays credit to those he borrows from. What matters is that through “Aspire” the reader experience the positive, affirmative message Carlson provides, aspire to positive change, and then use the methods here, or whatever methods work for that individual, to manifest his or her desires.

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