Synopses & Reviews
It goes without saying that everyone wishes to live a life that matters. But how do we harness this potential and positively impact the world around us? In Be Audacious: Inspiring Your Legacy and Living a Life that Matters, author and motivational speaker Michael W. Leach offers a simple, four-part game plan for overcoming adversity, living authentically, uncovering purposeful passion, and developing vision. Leach encourages readers to embrace nonconformity--to "shed the shackles of societal norms"--in pursuit of their dreams. Fresh, vulnerable, and contemporary, this call to action speaks to millennials and any others who aspire to break out of the box on the path to a purposeful journey uniquely their own.
Review
"[Leach] shines the Be Audacious message like a beacon in his fresh, unexpected voice." --Foreword
Synopsis
* Michael Leach is a popular motivational speaker who keynotes and presents to organizations across the US. See this inspiring young man in action on his website:
and his YouTube Channel: and . * Michael will be touring to stores, retailers, and organization headquarters across the US to promote his books and his brand with appearances and interviews. He lives to speak and inspire and his fan base is growing exponentially.
* Michael has excellent brand platform in place and an active social media presence across all the key channels.
* Michael was featured at MPIBA Books and Brews in 2014 with his book GRIZZLIES ON MY MIND.
* This author is attractive, knowledgeable, dynamic, and appeals to a wide variety of demographics.
* Author has a fresh voice and demographic uncommon to self-help category.
* Will be a strong e-book as well because men can purchase and read confidentially.
* Be Audacious portrays several empowering themes that set it apart from the competition:
1. Art/story: the idea that the reader is the storyteller-the creator-who crafts the one-of-a-kind narrative of his/her life, even when the outcome is uncertain.
2. Examples of others' stories: Michael shares his experiences as well as those of others he's worked with and/or known.
3. Strong but humble voice: Michael's personality comes through with "swagger," but the book isn't all about him and puts him on the same level as readers.
4. Storm/adversity: Accepting that living an audacious life (one of purpose and meaning) is going to involve being frequently challenged.
5. Hardship is a gift: Each challenge (storm) has the potential to make you stronger every time you weather it (see also the toolbox theme below.)
6. Personal toolbox: An exercise is included with each chapter to add to the reader's personal toolbox (ways in which he/she can face adversity and come out stronger on the other side.)
7. Control what you can: Recognizing that many circumstances are beyond our control but we can still take charge of our attitude, behavior, outlook, etc.
8. Legacy: In our immediate community/circle of influence and as citizens of this planet (environment, advocacy, etc.) "living a life that matters."
9. Nature/global view: This is the big-picture item that helps to keep one's life in perspective.
10. Broader audience: Even though the book is targeting young adults, the language and message speaks to people of any age.
About the Author
Michael W. Leach is a respected and highly sought after public speaker known for his ability to motivate teens and young adults from all walks of life. As a ranger naturalist in Yellowstone National Park and outdoor educator, Michael has worked with high school and college students from all over the country, always receiving a powerful and often overwhelming response from his audience, which includes rural and inner city teens, college students, and educators. Through his work with his nonprofit and as the head boys basketball coach at a rural high school in Gardiner, Montana (and head boys basketball coach in Manhattan, MT), Michael has developed a strategy that inspires young adults on a multitude of levels. Whether it be a motivational presentation to fifty inner-city students from Atlanta, leading a service project with twenty rural teens participating in one of his nonprofit's flagship programs, or preparing his team to overachieve--something Michael's teams have always been known for--Michael utilizes the methods and concepts shared in BE AUDACIOUS: INSPIRING YOUR LEGACY AND LIVING A LIFE THAT MATTERS with resounding results.
Table of Contents
Foreword Introduction Part I: Overcoming Adversity 1 Hardship Is Your Greatest Gift • The BA Balance • Physical Adversity • Mental Adversity • Spiritual Adversity • Manage Expectations • Practice Exercise: Belly Breathing 2 Your Essence Defines Your Swagger • Write a New Story • Resiliency • Mantra, Mantra, Mantra • Scrappy and Undeterred • Connection • ODAAT • Attitude, Character, and Integrity • Practice Exercises: Positive Visualization o Exercise #1: Gratitude Windows o Exercise #2: Look, Plan, Act Part II: Living an Authentic Life 3 Lead from the Heart • Becoming a Leader • Uncertainty Scaffolding • The Guts to Be Vulnerable • Fight Fear and Shame • Metamorphosis and the What Happened Bubble • Core Values • Practice Exercises: Change for the Better o Exercise #1: Your Core Values o Exercise #2: The What Happened Bubble 4 Embrace Criticism • Flowing Waters, Open Roads • In the Face of Dogma • The 30 Percent Rule • Swagger versus Peer Pressure • Swagger versus Arrogance • Belonging and a Thick Skin • Your Personal Mountaintop • One Tribe: Local and Global • Armor and Training • Practice Exercise: The Three R's Part III: Uncovering Purposeful Passion 5 Harness Your Potential • Change Happens • The Remake • Purpose and Permapassion • Legacy Work • Fire Plus Vision • The Time for Purposeful Action • The Waters of Personal Growth • A Word of Caution: Recover and Recharge • Practice Exercise: Exploring Your Passion(s) o Session #1: I Am Passionate About... o Session #2: I Admire... o Session #3: I Can Make an Impact By... Part IV: Developing Your Vision 6 Think Big and Dream Even Bigger • Get Up and Try • Fall In Love with "Impractical" • Avoid Dream Stealers • The Nutrients to Stay the Course • Plan for Your Vision • The Handful • The All In Mantra • Practice Exercise: Your Mission and Vision Statements o Session #1: Noodling o Session #2: Committing to Paper o Session #3: Making It Official 7 Weather the Storm, Face Your Fears • Resiliency Reservoir: Part I • Change Your Narrative • Resiliency Reservoir: Part II • Brush with Eternity • Aftermath • Love, Balance, Gratitude • Practice Exercise: A Gratitude Journal In Conclusion: Your Legacy--A Life that Matters Acknowledgments Notes