The Daily Six: Simple Steps to Prosperity and Purpose [Hardcover]

John Chappelear (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 3, 2005

USA Book News - Best Book Award Winner -
Time-tested life-changing strategies to show how anyone can be financially and professionally successful-without becoming spiritually bankrupt.

For years, John Chappelear's personal mantra was "Everything! All the Time! Right Now!" A success by almost every standard, Chappelear had created a multimillion-dollar business from scratch, owned luxury homes and cars, and enjoyed all the benefits that lots of cash can buy. This all-consuming quest for more, however, ultimately led to a divorce and estrangement from his children. Then, in a bitter twist of fate, he lost the business that he had worked so relentlessly to build.

Today, as a self-described recovering Big Shot, Chappelear has committed himself to the pursuit of "success with significance." In changing the priorities of his own life, he developed and codified "The Daily Six"-six practices and truths that provide a bridge between career success and personal well-being, and which have become the cornerstone of his corporate and personal consulting work.

Changing the focus of one's life begins with "willingness," germinates in "quiet time," and flourishes through "service to others." The journey to a well-balanced life is enlightened by "love and forgiveness" and is enabled by "gratitude," but can only be fulfilled through "action." When observed daily, these practices result in both career achievement and personal contentment.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

More books about spiritual renewal have hit the shelves of business and management literature in recent years, as a generation of kinder, gentler leaders comes of age. Compared to earlier practitioners of the proverbial stiff upper lip, this new group of leaders grapples more openly with issues of burnout and emotions generally, and finds solace in books such as Resonant Leadership and The One Minute Manager Balances Work and Life. Following in this tradition comes The Daily Six, which offers its own recipe for business leaders seeking to preserve their mental health amid stressful environments.

Author John Chappelear writes from personal experience. A classically driven, Type A personality, he opens his book by telling readers about his own entrepreneurial adventures, first in building a 50-person company, then his subsequent fall from the grace of a "multi-million dollar business, a beautiful home on the Potomac River, luxury cars, and more." Chappealear lost his way, he explains, due to a lack of perspective on his own situation, which in turn rearranged his values and left him making poor, ill-considered decisions. Without the ability to balance prosperity with purpose, he quickly felt the strain of a difficult and unsustainable life, not to mention business situation.

Fortunately for readers, from the crucible of his experience, Chappelear has forged recommendations on how they can avoid fates similar to his. They come in the form of 6 values, or strategies, which he counsels business leaders to practice on a daily basis. The values are: willingness, quiet time for reflection or meditation, love and forgiveness, service to others, gratitude, and action.

How individuals will practice the book's "Daily Six" recommendations may differ. What Chappelears offers is commentary on why they should adopt these six values or practices over others. Not every reader will enjoy the emotionally open, psychologically candid nature of this book. However, those who want a tonic from the everyday humdrum of business, and who want practical suggestions on how they can turn toxic situations into tolerable ones, could do worse than to consult Chappelear's manual for self-improvement. The small steps it recommends can lead to big changes. --Peter Han

From Publishers Weekly

Like other multimillionaires who have come before, the author, the former head of a very successful company, discovered that money doesn't buy happiness. And like others, he reduces his hard-earned wisdom to simple bromides to help others. After he was a no-show for his own 1982 wedding anniversary party, his wife divorced him and he was separated from their daughters. He remarried happily and had a son, but in 1991 lost his overextended financial empire within 48 hours. This wake-up call motivated Chappelear, now an executive coach, to develop a six-point plan to bridge the chasm between fulfillment at work and at home. This warmly presented but less than novel program includes setting aside a daily quiet time, practicing forgiveness and acting to benefit others. Clearly directed at people who want to see their career flourish, the book offers advice on deepening relationships with co-workers and intimates. In a chapter on service, he suggests, for example, that holding the door for a strangeris a small step that can lead to volunteering for a prison mentoring program, an activity Chappelear considers a rewarding addition to his own life.
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: GP Putnam Business/Self Help; 1st edition (November 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399153020
• ISBN-13: 978-0399153020
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,486,109 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Chappelear is a business consultant, executive coach, workshop leader, and professional speaker. He has 27 years of experience as a business executive and entrepreneur, founding his first company in the Washington Metropolitan area at the age of 30. The experience of creating new businesses from the ground up, and eventually making them top nationwide producers, uniquely qualifies John to provide leadership and guidance to those who want to achieve growth and success for their organizations.

John's company is; Changing the Focus, LLC. John uses both business and personal experiences to create exciting and inspirational messages, workshops, and coaching sessions. John's whole focus is about creating change within the lives of leaders, and their organizations. John offers skill and capacity building workshops on a wide range of subjects. John's signature workshop build on the foundations of his book The Daily Six is a full day workshop on creating a six-step plan for living and working. Ideas for positive change come alive through both his speaking engagements and workshops for individuals and organizations. In the last twelve months John has spoken to over 10,000 people. His audiences have included the Cable Television Association, The Financial Services Roundtable, GWSAE, National Restaurant Association, the National Club Managers Association, Leadership Washington, Alexandria Dental Association, DC Vote and many chamber's of commerce as well as hundreds of service organizations. John is also a featured writer in Business Journals across the country. John has contributed articles for publications such as GWSAE's Executive Update. His articles have appeared on over 50 web sites and have over a dozen pod casts to date.

John's book, The Daily Six ' six simple steps to find the perfect balance of prosperity and purpose, published by GP Putnam, was released in November of 2005. The book has received five star reviews nationwide and was selected by USA Book News as 2005 Winner in the Self Help category.

In 1979, John founded his first business, The Stationers Inc., an office product and furniture distribution company, which grew from a two-people to a staff of 250. During this time, he also founded Corporate Interiors Inc., a full-service, commercial interior design company, and eventually brought in combined revenues exceeding 50 million dollars. It was upon selling these businesses that John began the journey leading to his current career.

John has served on the boards of numerous organizations, including The Alexandria Rotary Club, Leadership Washington, the Washington and Alexandria Chambers of Commerce, the American Cancer Society, The Alexandria Symphony, and National Office Products Association. John's commitment to the community was recognized in a Presidential Letter of Commendation. John was born in Washington, DC and raised in Alexandria. He attended the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, where he was a proud member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.

John is gratefully married to Susan, and the father of three great kids, Lisa, Erin, and Dayton.
John and his family live in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful Book, November 14, 2005

By 

Richard Ricci - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Daily Six: Simple Steps to Prosperity and Purpose (Hardcover)

I really enjoyed this book. I have seen John speak in person and about the only thing more powerful than reading this book, is to actually see John in action at one of his keynotes or coaching sessions. If you are a type A business man looking for a way to balance your professional and personal life, or just lost and looking for simple a way to maintain happiness, I would definitely recommend this book. A must read for just about anyone.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An inspirating book, November 18, 2005

By 

Lauryl G (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Daily Six: Simple Steps to Prosperity and Purpose (Hardcover)

The Daily Six is a roadmap to personal freedom. This book pin points what it takes to be a true success and clearly distinguishes the components in our lives that keep us from being as completely happy and successful as we should be. His book reveals just how truly simplistic life is and how you can be your best...read the book! He also makes a great motivational speaker. I heard him speak and he delivered such an inspiring message that I had to read his book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Enlightening Book, November 16, 2005

By 

Pearl "Pearl" (Daytona Beach, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Daily Six: Simple Steps to Prosperity and Purpose (Hardcover)

John Chappelear's strategies in this book are life changing. I have heard him speak about his six strategies and it was a real eye opening experience that I recommend to every one.