Book Review

Today We Are Rich : making total confidence work for you
Tim Sanders
Tyndale, 2011

Reviewed by Diane Busch

This book is highly motivating as all Tim Sanders’ books are. He gets very personal sharing about his childhood, being raised by his grandmother, the murder of his father when he was a
teenager, and what he calls his “sideways years”.  He recalls many lessons that his beloved grandmother, Billye Sanders, taught him and explains how they have helped him achieve success.

In Today We Are Rich, Sanders lays out 7 principles of total confidence:
● Feed your mind good stuff - start out each day with time reading the Bible and other
great books and prayer.
● Move the conversation forward - “The key to positive conversations is to project your
confident outlook by selecting the right words, saying them in the proper tone of voice,
and assuming a constructive role.” This will generate enthusiasm and encourage others.
● Exercise your gratitude muscle - " Gratitude is a muscle, not a feeling...You've got to
give your gratitude muscle a workout everyday if you want to feel gratitude.”
"You can't be hateful when you are grateful" - Billye Sanders.
"Gratitude fuels optimism and inspires hope" - Erwin Manus in “Uprising”.
● Give to be rich - Sanders says, "Gratitude will give you a desire to give back, so act on
it, because when you give from a heart of thanks, you are ready to be rich...Giving is like
any other exercise: the more you do it, the better you get at it and the more you get out
of it. You should do it all the time.”
● Prepare yourself - “Add to your existing preparation the following 3 elements, and you
too will find the way to leap from good to great in everything you attempt: 1) get smart; 2) network knowledge; 3) Mentorize - have a mentor & be a mentor.
● Balance your confidence - Rehearse fully: practice makes perfect. Sanders
says, “Define your purpose. A purpose is an effective focal point for your life, giving you
a worthy goal to pursue in all your efforts...How well I accomplish my purpose is the endall
measurement of my success...Purpose does more than keep your confidence on an
even keel. It preserves it...When you are faithful to a purpose, you'll have a sense of
personal integrity. It will help you believe that others, and God, will be there with you.”
● Promise made, promise kept - "Promises are like crying babies in a theatre, they should
be carried out at once." - Norman Vincent Peale.

Sanders has been greatly influenced by his now ninety-five-year-old grandmother, known as
the cherished Miss Billye to those around her. She always has a good attitude and expresses
love to everyone. We also should strive to make a difference in other’s lives as we invest in the positive practices of learning, thanking, giving and finishing.