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EVERYDAY GREATNESS

Inspiration for a Meaningful Life

Book Review

Compiled by : -

David K. Hatch

Insights and Commentary By : -

Stephen R. Covey

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About the Book• Title : Everyday Greatness:

Inspiration for a Meaningful Life

• Compiled by : David K. Hatch

• Commented by : Stephen R. Covey

• Binding : Hardcover

• Publishing Date : 2007

• Publisher : Pearson Education

• Pages : 445

• Language : English

• Price : Rs. 499

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About the Authors

• Stephen Covey is a sought-after and compelling keynote speaker and advisor on trust, leadership, ethics, and high performance

• Covey currently serves on the board/advisory board of several entities, including the Human Performance Institute—the leader in energy management technology—where he serves as Advisory Board Chairman.

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About the Authors• Covey has considerable respect and

influence with executives and leaders of Fortune 500 companies as well as with mid- and small-sized private sector and public sector organizations

• Stephen R. Covey is the author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, a classic that has sold more than 15 million copies

• He is also the author of The Speed of Trust, a groundbreaking and paradigm-shifting book that challenges our age-old assumption that trust is merely a soft, social virtue

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About the Authors

• David K. Hatch is a recognised business consultant who advises organisations about leadership and organisational effectiveness

• His career has taken him to over fifty countries

• His assessment tools have benefited numerous Fortune 500 companies and over a half million leaders

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“Everyday Greatness”

• The book is an anthology of stories compiled by David K. Hatch out of Reader’s Digest published since 1922

• A commentary from inspirational writer Stephen R. Covey has been added to become an inspiring and life-changing resource for anyone who wants more from life

• The format lends itself to either serious study or more casual tasting

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“Everyday Greatness”

• Everyday Greatness: Inspiration for a Meaningful Life is one of those books meant to be read in small doses so that the concepts can sink in

• The stories uplift its readers and provide wise insights, spiced with gentle humour

• Every story exemplifies people living to their best, often through adversity and challenge

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“Everyday Greatness”

• The book provides numerous examples of ordinary people living principled lives, without fanfare, quietly and nobly

• These unrecognized heroes make the world a better place

• They demonstrate what conviction, charity and goodness really mean

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Scheme of “Everyday Greatness”

• The stories have been divided into chapters• Each chapter has around three stories that illustrate a

particular trait • There is then a Wrap Up and Reflections section that

summarizes the stories and theme• Questions are also asked to more deeply examine

how that trait would manifest in your life• Finally, the chapter concludes with a number of

quotes that stick to the theme but show slightly different facets of it

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Summary• The titles of the chapter will give an idea about the design. It is

more like a road map. The 07 chapters are:-

– Searching for Meaning

– Take Charge

– Starting Within

– Creating the Dream

– Teaming with Others

– Overcoming Adversity

– Blending the Pieces

• Each chapter is subdivided exactly into three subchapters

• Each subchapter comes with one or more stories to illustrate the theme

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Chapter 1

Searching for meaning• Within each individual lies the need for meaning – the

longing to be of value• This carving for purpose propels us to make the

choices that will bring us the most joy and satisfaction from life

• The busy world divert us to lesser choices – choices that in the long run are of little value or meaning

• Principles that help us in our search for meaning include: -– Contribution– Charity– Attention

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Chapter 2

Taking Charge• We are to take charge of our life and accept

responsibility for bringing our dreams to fruition• The search for meaning inspires us to create a

blueprint for the contributions we want to make in life• We plan our course and measure our progress

against it• This needs fearless discipline and focused energy• Principles that enable us to take charge of life

include: -– Responsibility– Courage– Discipline

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Chapter 3

Starting Within• The most important element we put into any goal or

relationship is not– What we say Or– What we do Or– What we have– But Who we are

• Principles that strengthen our capacity to start within include: -– Integrity– Humility– Gratitude

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Chapter 4

Creating the Dream

• One of the deepest joys in life is to be creative

• Put yourself into something innovative and worthwhile

• Then see it come to fruition

• Principles that enable the art of creating include: -

– Vision

– Innovation

– Quality

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CHAPTER 5

TEAMING WITH OTHERS• We must learn how to live, work, and team with

others• This is not always easy as people come in all shapes,

sizes, colours, ages, genders, and social varieties• People with Everyday Greatness value, celebrate,

and capitalise on the wide range of differences• Principles that enhance the ability to team include: -

– Respect– Empathy– Unity

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Chapter 6

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY• Whether working independently or teaming with

others, we can expect opposition• Our response to adversity can make or break our

ability to accomplish our purposes• Much of the opposition we face works in our favour: -

– It challenges and teaches us lessons– It causes us to reach a little higher conclusions

• Principles in overcoming life’s obstacles include: -– Adaptability– Magnanimity– Perseverance

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Chapter 7

Blending the Pieces• Burnouts, red-eye flights, stress, power launches,

workaholism, and overtime do not let us “live our life”• Everyday Greatness is dealing with all the competing

demands that are placed upon us• There seem to be so many choices and so little time• Principles that help us properly blend the various

demands of life include: -– Balance– Simplicity– Renewal

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Personal Views• Some books are to be viewed: some to be tasted:

some other to be chewed and digested. The book under review pass the test laid down by Francis Bacon

• It is said that once a mind is open, it never returns to it original size, books like this add and hasten that expansion

• The reader is able to enjoy the experiences of others and then apply to making his own life richer

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Personal Views• The overall impact of the book is quite powerful

• Stephen R. Covey teaches that every individual has the potential to grow, enrich and achieve greatness

• The "Reflections" portions and the comments at the end of each chapter are enlightening experiences sharing

• The "Further Insights" section provides quotes on each topic

• Most of the stories are deeply thoughtful and inspiring

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Personal Views• Some of the stories are weak, at times silly and

shabbily narrated

• Many of the lessons are vague and demand elucidation and comprehension

• I disagree with some of the lessons drawn

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Comments• Everyday Greatness: Inspiration for a Meaningful Life is a guide

to mentally transforming one's life through – Creating one's own dream, – Focusing on a purpose, – Teaming with others as needed to make the vision a reality.

• Numerous insights, quips, and proverbs from famous people pepper Everyday Greatness, adding extra punch to its points on the virtues of humility, dedication, empathy, adaptability, and more.

• The core text draws upon the author's lifelong wisdom, alternating between overviews of positive traits to cultivate in oneself and vignettes written by others that lend a palpable dimension to life lessons.

• A highly recommended repository of insight and drive, that flavours its wisdom with subtle humour.

• "Originality is unexplored territory. You get there by carrying a canoe - you can't take a taxi." - Alan Alda

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Comments• Stephen R Covey brings us the stories arranged like

beads in a necklace; but each one with a specific perspective adding a unique beauty to the whole necklace.

• They are stories of lives lived to the fullest, often through adversity and challenge.

• They are woven into a design that taken as a whole gives a strong message about how to create everyday greatness.

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Crux of the Nut• The whole design rests on three pillars, which Covey

calls as everyday choices: -– The choice to act

(representing the energy we bring to life)– The choice of purpose

(representing our destination) and – The choice for principles

(representing how we will reach that destination)• He points out that the main characters of the stories

included, have all these great attributes

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Crux of the Nut• Covey’s visualizes that Parents and teachers

gleaming from its thoughts or stories are to: -

– Inspire youth, professional speakers and business leaders

– Use it as a content resource, discussing and applying principles to various work efforts

– Discover inspiring, mind expanding insights and solutions to specific personal challengers

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