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Religious Book Store > Religious books beginning with H
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Halftime: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance |
Author: Bob Buford
Published: 1997-05-04 |
List price: $14.99
Our price: $10.19
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As of: December 03rd, 2008 10:48:11 PM
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Customer comments on this selection.
 Great for guys in midlife
This is one of the most helpful books I've ever read in regards to connecting with men at the mid-point of their life. The transition from success to significance is a message that men need to hear. Highly recommend if you are a guy in your 30s, 40s, or 50s.
some great ideas
Definitely on my recommended book list. A must read for women in business.
Susan Bock
The Success Coach for Women in Business
www.SusanBockSolutions.com
 Wrong Approach For Christians to Use
Buford attempts to provide a process for the middle aged ("half timers") to improve the second half of their lives. Buford believes:
"the second half of your life can be better than the first. Much better. But first, you need time to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. So he recommends that a reader call "halftime" to reflect not only on where he's going, but why. What is the source of Buford's wisdom? A "blend of personal insight, true-life examples, and quotes from those who have successfully navigated the exhilarating and potentially dangerous shoals of midlife."
Despite its portrayal as a resource for Christians, Half Time is essentially a "man made" process for making decisions because it:
1. wrongly assumes that everyone has a similar history ("first half" experiences) and needs;
2. measures success ("significance") by man made criteria;
3. replaces biblical sanctification (getting closer to God) with accomplishing certain steps to obtain significance;
4. presupposes that a "one size fits all" process will work to make major life decisions; and
5. gives the false impression that a formula can be implemented to secure one's future.
We are led to believe that there are many options besides learning Scripture to know God and acquire direction for our lives as Christians. Half Time demonstrates the danger of elevating "man's wisdom" above biblical sanctification (an intimate relationship with God) as a means of establishing goals or direction for ones life.
Teachings such as Half Time confuse the process of knowing God's will for our lives. It places action before relationship and puts trust in one's own calculations rather than in God. When we embrace self improvement programs characterized as Christian "teaching", we remain at the mercy of our circumstances. Man's wisdom is limited. By contrast, learning Scripture equips us to operate in the spiritual world. When we are consumed by God's presence in our lives, we are truly free of our circumstances -thereby able to successfully navigate and even minister in any situation. "Success" no longer depends upon implementing a plan that may or may not happen, but is measured by knowing God.
 Some helpful concepts but flawed approach falls short
Buford's concept of "Halftime," an arbitrary time in one's life when he or she moves from thinking about success to thinking about significance, describes an important process for people to regular go through. He advocates thinking about what is really important and then making adjustments to pursue that one thing and to subordinate all other things in life to that item. The short version of this idea is what the character Curly (Jack Parlance I think) in the movie City Slickers suggests to Billy Crystal's character. Remember him holding up his finger and saying "This one thing." Buford uses that as an example of what he is promoting in his book. He then elaborates with suggestions resembling most motivational and success-oriented types of books.
The flaws in this book include the fact that Buford is continuously and overwhelmingly self congratulatory about his accomplishments, success, wealth, status, who he knows, talents, offerings, etc. Rarely does a page go by on which he does not remind us of how successful he is. I think all of his anecdotes include his success or this or that CEO friend. This undermines the message of the book, because it is off-putting and distracting, even though the author has clearly adjusted his life to help people; the emphasis on altruism is a major theme of the book. He just pats himself on the back quite often.
The focus on wealth and success in the "first half" of life makes the idea of a second half seem like something only for the rich and comfortable who can make changes without making sacrifices. It also conveys a false assumption that one must pursue and gain success and wealth before shifting toward selflessness. Why not forego the first half self-centeredness and play the second half gameplan from the begining?
Another flaw is the mix of self-help, psychology and theology into one. Buford is a Christian, and writes this book from a Christian perspective. Buford however is not a theologian but writes as if he is one, even calling a conflicting idea "heresy." His "theology" reflects the flawed Western approach to Christianity that equates it with the dream of success and wealth and being all one can be using God-given talents and rugged individualism. This is an approach that would make no sense to Christians in most of the rest of the world and does not find resonance in the early church. Buford too often applies worldly success and wisdom to Christianity in the pages of this book and not vice versa. I don't doubt his sincerity, but the core of Christianity is not our power, strength and wisdom; it is as Paul said "Christ crucified, the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men." I question whether seeking significance itself is supported by Scripture which rather promotes sacrifice and service at the risk of obscurity. This theology leads to advice that I think contradicts Scriptural lessons.
The epilogue to the book also confuses the issue when he imagines being asked two questions as a final exam when approaching God after death. One is what did you do about Jesus and the other is "What did you do with what I gave you to work with?" Like most of the theology in the book, this last question is taking a couple of texts out of context and building a doctrine upon them. It promotes judgement or pride, condemnation or self-righteousness. The Bible rather teaches that because Jesus died for my sins I will be welcomed into Heaven with great rejoicing--that is the message of grace not performance. But the author's message of this book is clearly that he is quite pleased with what he has done about Jesus and what he has done with his life. But according to what standard? Rather than present my works, strengths and productivity to God, I'll relax and rest in Christ's righteousness.
I think the idea behind Halftime is important but the delivery is poor. I think the activities prescribed of self-evaluation and life adjustments are things we need to continually do no matter our stage or age of life. In that sense, this book is helpful but because of the flaws it might do more harm than good, except for those people that closely resemble the author in several important characteristics such as beliefs, age, career, aspirations and resources.
Craig Stephans, author of
Shakespeare On Spirituality: Life-Changing Wisdom from Shakespeare's Plays
 exceptional book
Though Buford goes on about his life a bit too long at times, it was an exceptional book that really got me thinking. While I am still in my 30's and haven't hit my "midlife crisis" yet, I am glad that I read this book now. Perhaps, I can avoid having a midlife meltdown by taking some of his suggestions and apply them. I would recommend writing down your responses and come back and revise as you proceed through life.
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