Some readers' comments:

"The book was instrumental in helping me get clarity as to who I am and what my purpose is. After months/years of soul searching it really helped me to pinpoint what being authentic means for me. This has changed my life both in terms of my work and how I live and has inspired me to be bold in pursuit of what I really want"

"While many books ask the questions to help you relfect on your life this is the first that breaks it up into stages of where you might be at, and the best bits are recommendations of what can support you in each stage, whether it be a song, movie or book.  While just reading teaches and expands your mind, the experiencing it takes you even further."

"I just read your synopsis of Spiral Dynamics, which is excellent. Short enough to get to grips with the core of what each colour means so that I could clearly see how my own life has progressed through the different stages, as compared to the academic synopses - which are just that,
academic.

So that inspired me to dip into the rest of the book, which I hadn't done before as and I seem to have an aversion to anything that might be considered a self-help book. I read Stage 5 onwards and at the end I experienced such a sense of love and gratitude for the love and energy that you have put into it, that I wanted to thank you and share that feeling. You made my heart swell.

I'm particularly impressed that you have managed to map out a culturally relevant model and to articulate the key meaningful defining elements of each stage - you could have been writing about my life."

"It helped to confirm and remind and explore what I had learnt in your previous book 'Authentic Business', and I realised my life was out of balance, I couldn't be myself where I was living, and didn't have much room in my relationship for authenticity either - so I changed countries, ended the relationship and was/ am back on the right track.  Not sure if I am all there yet, but at least a lot further and being truer to myself and friends than I was."

"The best bits for me have been the simplicity of first reading through and finding which stage I personally feel I am at. I am now able to work on that stage but I can just keep reading through it and affirming, without having to go through all the stages again."
 
" I have stacks of self help books, which are all good, but I am now at a stage where all I need to is the simplicity of Seven Stages, I know now I am nearer to becoming the whole real me."
 
"The format of the book gives a systematic approach to Authenticity, it is very practical, spiritual and inspiring. Also the associated examples of movies, music and books connect with everyday examples. Because the book is in stages I find myself coming back to it again and again and checking what stage I feel I have reached. The description of the different stages is very accurate from my own practical experience of moving towards my own authenticity."

"I think it is a very useful book, written from a practical point of view. It gives a framework around which I have been able to continue my own pursuit of authenticity.
It is a practical book where as a number of other books are conceptual but difficult to stay in touch with."
 
"The book doesn't treat authenticity as something which is "alternative" it treats it as something which is our natural way of being."

"A framework and way to break down our journey into stages / steps, and across different parts of our lives. There is much written about the journey, but I have not seen anything that gives a visual picture, or tangible steps in such an analytical and clear way.. for me this meets those who need a structure and those in the business world who search for quantification / certainty, as well as those who want their intuition confirmed."

"For me it was a confirmation and recognition of the journey I've been on and continue on, and see many of my clients on, and an understanding of what happens when I fall back.. It helped me see where my new edge is and challenged me to link my journey in new ways to the world around me.. I recommend it to some coaching clients - interestingly particularly men who are wanting some sense of structure to the journey they are discovering they are on."

1."Best bits: Summary of Spiral dynamics. Graphical/visual presentation. Recommendations for further inspiration. Explanation for how to progress onto the next stage."
 
2. Overall I found the book a very useful tool in my own personal development and in my coaching work. It has helped me to understand where clients are in the Seven Stages and how best to serve them. In my life I have found it inspirational and informative. It has helped me to articulate for myself where I am on my personal and spiritual path and achieve some clarity and confirmation in some respects that I'm continuing to make progress.  I frequently recommend all of your books, Neil, including this one.
 
"For me Seven Stages has provided a much needed link between the different elements of our journey through life, highlighting those areas that we might have forgotten needed to be brought into balance, before we can fully step into our 'authentic' selves. Each journey through the book throws up different areas for consideration and gives clear and understandable guidance that has clearly come from experience."
 
"After reading the first few pages of the Seven Stages of Authenticity I realised that this was not a book I could read and put down, like so many others, to gather dust on my bookshelf."

Whilst reading I was reminded of a course I attended recently where we were taught, or rather encouraged, by a tutor who was himself living authentically. He inspired us by transmitting his vibration, his enthusiasm, his genuine love, which then infected, affected and impacted us all. Everyone on the course came away with a new thought, idea or direction. So it is with Neil’s book.
If you are feeling the need to look for advice or guidance and feel it is time to take action then Neil’s guide offers you some structure. Self awareness for me is a magical journey, but every now and again we all need a little guidance or clarity.
The non-linear approach to Seven Stages is significant too. Each of us will score ourselves differently and so our journey through the book will be unique. To read it end to end would not do it justice for that would be our traditional linear way of behaving. I can see this copy becoming well thumbed as I work through again and again, for once we have completed the first pass what will our route be the second time?

"One of the most immediately impressive things about it is that it gives so many practical ideas. Most books of this ilk do a fantastic job of convincing and enthusing the reader of the theory but then you are left to bridge the gap of putting that theory into practice into your own life - which is where things can easily fall down. Seven stages contains so many ideas - down to what music to listen to and films to watch."

"I was very impressed by your book. I read it very fast, I was so curious. It offers a quite unusual approach to growth.
1. It gives a clear view about my position(s) in life, and in what areas I need to work most. I like schemes, placing things in perspective, and this book does this excellently.
2. I recommended it to many people. It gave me a very inspiring vision. I am using the framework regularly. It seems like it is one of the few books whose message will stay with me a long time. I thnik I will go back to it many times.
Thank you for writing it!"

"The best bits for me were/are:
• the way in which the book led me to focus on the area of greatest impact for me through the initial questionnaire
• the simplicity of its language and style - it really brought to life how it feels to be at the different stages (and how it will feel to be at the later stages)
• the vision of how life can be and the use of your personal story to illustrate this
• the music, books and films that you recommend for inspiration"