A Practical Manual For Finding Your Path to Success
‘How to Be Successful: Think Like a Leader’ by M. Curtis McCoy
‘How to Be Successful: Think Like a Leader’ by M. Curtis McCoy’ came to me at an interesting time, and I appreciate the chance circumstances that brought the book to my attention. I’ve never been a person who was naturally drawn to books that outline a plan for life success, but more and more I’m seeing that there is a hunger in our society for this kind of writing. Perhaps many people, old and young, feel that our society has failed to properly prepare them for life and they are actively seeking direction from alternate sources.
The impulse to seek direction is a good thing, but it’s also important to process the advice you receive and adapt it to better suit your unique needs. I feel my work and education history has endowed me with a practical perspective that allows me to accurately gauge the value of this book.
A diverse background
I work professionally as a writer, so I suppose most people would label me as a “creative,” however I’ve worked in a wide variety of fields. Although I have an English degree, I earned a Bachelor of Science rather than a Bachelor of Arts, and my minor was Physics. I hold a teaching license in both Physics and English, and I also owned my own business for seven years.
A diverse background makes it easy to see what pieces of advice have universal application. These should be the objects of focus, particularly for young people who have yet to determine their exact life path.
Practical, fundamental concepts
The content of ‘How to Be Successful’ is the type of thing that everybody needs to hear. The book is written in an easy-to-read style that uses case studies and personal interviews to convey its point. This helps transform the lessons from abstract theories into practical concepts that people can easily apply to their daily lives.
One early chapter is a long interview with Navy SEAL Jeff “Biggs” Wobig. One phrase that he used which I particularly enjoyed was the concept of ‘Dream Thieves.’ He explained how we are all influenced by external perception and that sometimes people, actively or inadvertently, work to rob other individuals of their dreams. This can happen with poor advice, an unflattering impression, or in a variety of other ways.
How to avoid a detrimental thought process
In contemplating that thought, I found myself thinking about my own girls who are currently 9 and 6. There are days when they come home from school happy, and other days when you can tell that they’ve taken an emotional hit. The hardest part about life is that nobody considers themselves a villain. Everybody thinks that their behavior is necessary to promote some kind of greater good. However, many people sabotage themselves with a poor thought process that they have allowed to become instinctive. These people cause harm even as they aspire to be helpful and instructive.
It’s important for everyone, young and old, to deliberately consider the things they believe. Obviously, there’s no quick answer when it comes to adopting a mindset that can lead you to your personal definition of success. There are also a tremendous number of variables involved. What do you personally consider to be success? Can you comprehend the difference between short term and long term achievements? How do you have to adapt your mindset to account for different areas of focus?
The metaphor of the mixing board
I think a good metaphor would be to think of preparing your mind like setting the levels on a vast studio mixing board. Everything fluctuates between extremes, and it’s up to you to find the balance that you can live with, and which helps you achieve your own life goals.
‘How to Be Successful: Think Like a Leader’ does a good job of going through a variety of the different “dials” on a mixing board and discussing potential optimal settings. It also advocates effective ways to implement changes so that they can become habitual.
Based on my experience as a teacher, a writer, and a business owner, there is nothing objectionable in this book. It aspires to emphasize the importance of hard work, maintaining a positive attitude, and achieving control over your own life. The tactics are effective, and the message is good. This would be a nice book for a parent to read together with a son or daughter as they approach the final years of their education and start to wonder what the future holds.
Addendum
Not too long ago, I was giving an interview to a college student for the local paper, and she bluntly asked me for life advice. I thought about it for a few days after talking with her and eventually produced a creative essay. As I was reading ‘How to Be Successful: Think Like a Leader,’ I found myself reflecting on that essay.
As I wrote it, I thought expressing life concepts in a semi-poetic form was the most effective way to convey them. However, perhaps M. Curtis McCoy’s instruction manual model is more practical. Here’s my creative essay so you can compare the two and decide for yourself. I think they both have their uses, but perhaps the message is more clear when the two versions are taken together.