I was charmed by intensely human approach he takes from beginning. I've got to agree with him because my own experience with time management is that it has a mechanistic, almost robotic feel to it as presented by efficiency experts, management consultants and minutia-charting time accountants. Here is an approach that allows for "wasting time" and, even more surprisingly, advocates getting sufficient sleep!

Although he suggests wasting incrementally less time than you normally might he is clearly aware that as human beings, we are driven less by deadlines than by emotional needs. At least once in every chapter, reminding reader that we are not perfect and that it's OK that we're not precise as robots.

Panella blends best of self improvement with his unique approach to what he calls "Time Control", quoting personal growth gurus Tony Robbins and Deepak Chopra beside references to American Statistician, W. Edwards Deming, man who was ". . . given credit for engineering Japan's modern industrial success over last 50 years." Deming guided Japanese business through a formula of continual success improvement.

Constant incremental refining of success formulas is certainly not limited to Deming. One of my strongest early inspirations was reading "The Autobiography of Ben Franklin", in which continual improvement of Franklin's character throughout his life is chronicled. Self improvement predated Franklin as well, but Panella has combined best of personal growth with time control to offer what he has called "Success Centered Time Management."

Although Panella does cover critical topics typical to time management such as standard issue and admittedly important -

* Winning War Against Procrastination * The Power and Purpose of Goals * Reducing Distractions

Those key points are presented in ways that kept my interest, a surprising accomplishment in itself. But Panella has some more compelling thoughts on some new approaches he has refined over his nearly 20 years of presenting this material. Notable are several concepts that resonate strongly with humanity.

* Gain 2 More Hours a Day Through Power of Sleep As one with sleep apnea disorder, I require more sleep than most, but Panella boldly proclaims that, "Lack of adequate sleep is reason for 90 percent of problems many of us experience in gaining more control of our time."

1. Ignore your own strengths and weaknesses.

We all have many individual attributes, but it is pointless trying to be someone or something that we are not. As Peter Thompson, great motivational speaker says, "People will only do who they are."

Don't ignore reality. Learn who you are and build your business or career accordingly.

2. Stop learning.

For many people, very idea of learning is something that they left behind at school or college. They don't read. In their jobs they only know one way. Their way.

Successful people are universally sponges for information. They read, listen to tapes, scour Internet and spend their whole lives learning.

The best investment anyone can make in their business, career or life is in their own ongoing education. If you are spending less than $200 a year on learning new things, you are short-changing yourself.

3. Believe that you can make it for free.

'Make $1000 a week with no outlay!'

We've all seen ads. By all means study them and analyze their sales and copywriting techniques. But don't believe them.

No person or business can succeed without intelligent and consistent investment. Some online endeavors may be able to manage on less capital than many traditional businesses, but they still need something.

Sure you can operate an affiliate mini site on a free web host, with free email accounts and do all writing and coding yourself. Trouble is, result is guaranteed to look amateurish and your chances of making sales virtually zero.

Don't be cheap. If it is worth doing, it is worth doing properly.

4. Try to get before you give.

We live in a gimme-gimme world. It is so easy to have a take-take attitude. Well, why not? There is so much available, why shouldn't we get our share first?

Successful people don't think that way. They see value of long term. Anyone can get a short-term benefit, but at what cost? Trust and respect are built by giving, not by taking. These two little words are foundation stone of any successful business or person.

Whether you are offering free advice or help to a fellow entrepreneur, or delivering far more than your customers expect, think of long term.

Build your business on a firm foundation. After all, there is a lot of truth in axiom, 'what goes around, comes around.'

5. Don't set goals.

What do you need goals for when you can play it by ear? Isn't all that goal stuff just new-age mumbo-jumbo?

No it isn't. Without a clear objective you can never reach your target. How many times have you heard a soldier being commanded 'Ready ... Fire.' There are always two little words in middle: 'Take Aim'. Imagine consequences otherwise!

Every successful person has mastered art of setting goals.

As Martha Lupton put it, 'To get anywhere, strike out for somewhere, or you'll get nowhere.'

6. Don't focus.

In any given day we have thousands of thoughts, hundreds of memories, scores of outside influences, dozens of helpful ideas, tens of items on out to-do lists. But of all these things, only one is important enough to take our full attention, right at this moment.

High achievers have mastered this art. They have ability to focus 100% of their mind, creativity, intuition and experience into a single laser beam that burns to heart of problem. Then they move on to next.