Synopses & Reviews
What would you rather haveconventional success or a high level beyond success?
Dan Clark, one of the worlds leading inspirational speakers and leadership trainers, vehemently opposes the conventional wisdom about success. He believes its tragic and superficial to build our careers and personal lives around getting more money, bigger houses, cooler toys, and fancier job titles.
Whats it all worth in the end? How many outwardly successful people still feel empty inside?
Clark has spent decades traveling around the world, interviewing the famous and powerful; consulting with presidents and generals and sheikhs and corporate leaders; creating a multimillion-dollar business; and (before any of the above) overcoming a paralyzing injury. All those experiences have convinced him that the happiest people in the world dont pursue success at all. Instead, they pursue significanceand find that success comes along as part of the package.
Whats the difference between success and significance? As youll learn in this powerful, myth-shattering book . . .
- The successful get what they want; the significant want what they get.
- The successful think wealth flows to them; the significant know that wealth flows through them, to bless those around them.
- The successful earn financial independence, influence, and popularity; the significant earn financial independence, influence, popularity, admiration, loyalty, and respect.
- The successful compare themselves against others; the significant compete only against themselves.
- The successful are quickly forgotten when they die; the significant leave a long-lasting legacy.
Clark shows us how it can be done by following his Twelve Laws of Significance, which include counterintuitive ideas such as Patience is overratedit allows us to never begin,” Its not all about teamteams lose,” and Dont strive for work/life balanceits about harmony.”
He illustrates his ideas with a wide range of powerful true stories from business, education, the military, and sportsstarting with his own story of fighting his way back from a serious injury that cut short his football career. Paralyzed both physically and emotionally, Clark began his recovery only when he started to focus on purpose rather than on goals; on being whole rather than famous; on serving others rather than seeking praise. In the long run, that accident was the greatest gift he ever received, setting him on a lifelong path toward true significance.
Clarks wisdom will stimulate your intellect, challenge your beliefs, and penetrate your heart. By following his Laws of Significance, you will learn to connect your head and heart, manage your priorities, and live an extraordinary life that matters to your family, friends, coworkers, community, and country.
Review
“Dan Clark shows how success is but a stepping-stone to the real prize—making a difference that benefits others. He offers commonsense tools for character building and focusing on the greater purpose. Mr. Clarks work affirms my belief that ‘the best exercise for the human heart is reaching down and lifting another up.”
—JON M. HUNTSMAN, Sr., founder and executive chairman, Huntsman Corporation
“Dan Clarks The Art of Significance is a magnificent read! His Twelve Laws urge us to chart a course beyond the fleeting success found in money, popularity, and fame in order to enjoy the enduring rewards found in service, obedience, harmony, and love. Leaving a lasting legacy is our true gift to the world.”
—STEPHEN M. R. COVEY, author of The Speed of Trust
“This is one of the most important life-changing and enriching books you will ever read. Rare and remarkable insights and transformational laws that will help you not only become successful but significant. Destined to become a classic!”
—JASON JENNINGS, author of The Reinventors and Think BIG, Act Small
“I recommend The Art of Significance as a must-read to all of the officer, enlisted, and civilian personnel enrolled in our professional military education courses. In this extraordinary read Clark articulates the highest laws of life-changing leadership while illustrating the practical application of our core values: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.”
—LIEUTENANT GENERAL AL PECK (USAF, retired), former commander of Air University, the intellectual and leadership center of the U.S. Air Force
“This is not just another motivational self-help book. If you are open to being challenged and are willing to work to achieve that next level of achievement Clark rightly calls significance, then please read this book and complete the exercises and you will reach a new level of effective leadership and meaning in your life.”
—SAMUEL L. SALTER II, CEO, MTBC LLC
Synopsis
We’re socialized from birth to pursue success at all costs. Day after day, we build our careers and our personal lives around getting what we want. But Dan Clark thinks we’re missing something important: the difference between success and significance. For instance, successful people think wealth flows to them. Significant people know wealth flows through them. The successful say “knowledge is power.” The significant realize that knowledge has no heart—that reason leads to conclusions but emotion leads to action. Clark offers a unique blend of psychological insights, historical examples, military stories, incredible personal experiences, and other material from his popular motivational speeches and leadership training. In a series of brief, emotionally charged essays, he answers essential questions such as “How do we carve out meaningful legacies?” and “How do we bring ourselves and those around us true, lasting satisfaction?” This book will help readers improve not merely their financial and career performance, but their human performance as well.
About the Author
DAN CLARK is an internationally recognized Hall of Fame professional speaker and the bestselling author of twenty books on leadership, management, team building, humor, story power, public speaking, and self-mastery. He is a CEO, a consultant, a university professor, an adventurer, a songwriter, a philanthropist, and a community activist. He lives in the mountains outside Salt Lake City and with his wife has raised four significant children.
Visit www.danclarkspeak.com