Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives (J-B Warren Bennis Series) (Hardcover)

by Christopher Gergen (Author), Gregg Vanourek (Author)
Key Phrases: success built, central kitchen, discovering core identity, Clif Bar, United States, Honest Tea (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This well thought-out, inspirational book is designed to help people creatively construct their best lives "through opportunity, recognition, innovation and action." Experienced entrepreneurs with backgrounds in education, Gergen and Vanourek interviewed 55 individuals who have applied successful business lessons to their personal lives and extracted a number of hands-on lessons for their readers: if you discover your "core identity," learn to recognize opportunities, develop a "life vision" and set clear, purposeful, achievable-but challenging-goals, you too can have an extraordinary life, they claim. While the book's content is standard inspirational fare, the authors have given it a spin that effectively taps into modern day work trends and language and taken their thinking beyond the surface level of many books of this kind. They balance specific advice, such as stumbling blocks to avoid when setting goals, with big ideas concerning "untethering from traditional careers," authenticity and integration. Despite occasionally lapsing into a paternalistic tone, they sprinkle enough juicy first-person accounts throughout their chapters to keep their maxims alive.
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Review
"The real question is not how to just make a living, but how to make a life. Life Entrepreneurs helps all who are struggling to integrate money and meaning in their careers to do just that."--Dr. Mark S. Albion, New York Times best-selling author, Making a Life, Making a Living®, and True to Yourself

"Like jazz musicians, good entrepreneurs improvise, finding the roads less traveled. Life Entrepreneurs does a great job of capturing this spirit and sharing valuable lessons for work and life."--Gary Erickson, owner/founder, Clif Bar & Company, and author of Raising The Bar

"In Life Entrepreneurs, Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek address the central issue of every emerging leader, ‘How can I design my life to be both fulfilling and significant?’ Through the life stories of many entrepreneurs who are impacting the world in dramatic ways, this compelling and refreshing new book provides deep insights that make it a must-read for all of us to use on our own journeys."--Bill George, author, True North and Authentic Leadership, former chairman and CEO, Medtronic

"At last, a powerful guide to integrating life, work, purpose, and work-life balance, one of the greatest needs of leaders in all three sectors of the emerging work force. Christopher and Gregg bring a new definition, a new clarity to life entrepreneurship that will make a difference in the lives of leaders at every level. A great gift."--Frances Hesselbein, chairman, Leader to Leader

"Business leaders and entrepreneurs alike will greatly benefit from Life Entrepreneurs. It captures the essential qualities of leadership including finding a worthy path, being willing to fail, and taking courageous action. I highly recommend it."--Howard Schultz, Chairman, Starbucks Coffee Company

"This is provocative reading for all those committed to creating a life of significance and meaning. Filled with helpful strategies and hopeful stories, Life Entrepreneurs is an intriguing, challenging guide for the next generation of leaders."--Wendy Kopp, president and founder of Teach for America

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass (March 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787988626
• ISBN-13: 978-0787988623
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #67,254 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Primer on Creating the Life of your Dreams, March 29, 2008

By	Jeremy Welch (North Carolina) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Length:: 2:18 Mins

Student and entrepreneur

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Framework for Taking Charge, April 8, 2008

By	Paul J. Lightfoot (United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Some of the most useful leadership/management books have been research driven and then provided a framework for changing behavior and results. Good to Great comes to mind as one of the best of the bunch.

Life Entrepreneurs does the same thing, but instead of doing it for your business, you'll be doing it for yourself.

This is a great book if you want to take charge of your life and get more reward and meaning out of it.

Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Changed the Course of My Life, June 7, 2008

By	Andrew R. Skotzko - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Life Entrepreneurs is a powerful book. I was fortunate to encounter this book at a turning point in my life, and it's with complete sincerity I attest that this book changed the course of my life: Gergen and Vanourek's work inspired me to follow my dreams after graduating from college and travel abroad for a year, rather than giving in to the societal pressure to get a job and take the typical post-grad path. I am eternally grateful to the authors and this book for the positive influence it's made in my life.

This book will inspire you to be your own person and write YOUR story -- not someone else's. Get this book!