Make the Impossible Possible: One Man's Crusade to Inspire Others to Dream Bigger and Achieve the Extraordinary (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: impossibility thinking, impossible possible, jazz program, Manchester Bidwell, Harvard Business School, The Secret (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Community activist and MacArthur fellow Strickland explains the jazz expression tell your story as playing that doesn't just display your virtuosity, but also gives the audience a glimpse of your soul. He succeeds in doing just that. We get the virtuosity: he was an African-American kid from Pittsburgh's inner city who at 19 established what became Manchester-Bidwell, the now famous arts and job-training center for disadvantaged kids and adults. And we get the soul: he was spurred on by a mother who taught him to polish a wood floor until it gleamed no matter what was going on in the streets outside; an art teacher who believed in the aimless boy; a classroom where coffee brewed, jazz played softly, and he had the transformative experience of throwing his first clay pot. It's the American dream with a twist: for Strickland, it was never about shedding his past and getting ahead but about following his bliss and making a difference. Which is not to say the skilled fund-raiser isn't savvy. He touts the value of a Brooks Brothers suit and knowing the right people. Unfortunately, we don't learn how Strickland's philosophy of making the impossible possible applies to his—or our—personal lives. (Dec. 31)
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Review

Acclaim for Make the Impossible Possible

“Passionate. Inspirational. Hopeful. Optimistic. Powerful. Compelling. And most important— it works . . . Here is the cure to what ails this country. Take it home. Read it. Then live it.” —Alan M. Webber, founding editor, Fast Company magazine

“Bill Strickland is a genius, because he sees the inherent genius in everyone. Bill’s ability to inspire hope is powerful, universal, and world changing. Make the Impossible Possible will show you how you can achieve even your wildest dreams. Bravo!”

—Jeff Skoll, first president of eBay, founder and chairman, Skoll Foundation

“We often hear the word inspire, likely allowing it to pass and not sink in our psyche.
However we often will never forget things that inspire us. A visit to see Bill Strickland's concept in Pittsburgh was one of those events for me. Now you can read about how he was driven to build it.” —Jim Hackett, President and CEO, Steelcase, Inc.

“Are you yearning to pursue what others say is an unrealistic or impractical dream? This is the book for you. By telling his remarkable story, Bill Strickland shows us that an impossible notion is just an idea nobody had the guts to try.  With great flair and amazing range—you'll read about jazz, pottery, airplanes, even orchids!—he reveals how each of us can change our part of the world. Like the man who wrote it, this book is inspired and inspiring.” —Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of A Whole New Mind

“Bill Strickland could sell anything . . . Read this book and you'll understand why he is such an inspiration to practicing and aspiring entrepreneurs.” —James Heskett, Harvard Business School

PRAISE FOR BILL STRICKLAND AND MANCHESTER BIDWELL
“One of the most innovative social enterprise thinke... --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Broadway Business (December 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385520549
• ISBN-13: 978-0385520546
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #141,874 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Everyone deserves a chance at a great life , January 6, 2008

By	Sal Nudo (Champaign, Illinois) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Before purchasing this book, I was lucky enough to hear Bill Strickland speak at a conference luncheon in Chicago. Prior to the speech I had never heard of the guy, and therefore didn't know what to expect. I certainly didn't imagine I'd witness possibly the best, most uplifting speech I've ever heard in my life. When Strickland mentioned in his talk that he had a book being released, and that he wanted his book to zoom to No. 1 on the best-sellers list, I sat in my chair with the immediate thought that I'd be more than obliged to help him out with his goal. Frankly, the more people who know about this man and his message, the better off the world will be.

Like his speaking style, Strickland's words on paper are fairly plainspoken and to the point. He's accomplished some amazing things and is a beacon of inspiration, but onstage and in book form, Strickland won't necessarily wow you with dazzling buzz words or an excitable manner. Thankfully, he steers clear of religion and the clichéd "10 Steps" a person needs to follow in order to become an overnight sensation. Instead of rehashing the usual banter, Strickland tells the story of his life. He believes people need to follow success on their own terms, using their heart and mind as a guide. In this world of high-strung, fake, successful know-it-all types who believe they have all the answers, I frankly find Strickland's laid-back persona very refreshing and appealing. To be honest, while watching him talk and after reading his book, I couldn't help but wish that more people like Strickland would get into politics or even run for president.

So what is Strickland's main message? Basically that EVERYONE should have a shot at a good life and a chance to display his or her potential, no matter what that person's race or socioeconomic status is. In Strickland's own words within the book: "Every human being, despite the circumstances of his or her birth, is born full of potential, and the way to unlock that potential is to place individuals in a nurturing environment and expose them to the kind of stimulating and empowering creative experiences that feed the human spirit." Strickland's method of feeding the human spirit is not through social programs or feel-good seminar sessions that define what it means to be poor. His vision is much more ambitious but also much more helpful: change social policy and the educational system by creating inner-city schools that look less like prisons and more like his uplifting Manchester Bidwell facility.

Strickland came from very humble beginnings in Pittsburgh, where he watched his once proud and diverse neighborhood turn to shambles by the time he hit high school. Though Strickland himself went through a period of intense self-doubt and aimlessness as a young man, due to the ghetto he grew up in that so fiercely attempted to inhibit ambition, his ability to rise above negative habits and make something of himself is both impressive and endearing. Sure, Strickland doubted himself early on, but you get the feeling it wasn't for very long. This is a guy, after all, who made great things happen for himself -- and, more importantly, for others -- during his teenage years.

I've often heard it said that when you're living in poverty and surrounded by countless negative elements, it's extremely difficult to bust out of those circumstances and move on to a more hopeful way of life. Well, though it wasn't an easy journey by any means, Bill Strickland is an example of a guy who sprung out of his harsh hometown circumstances without ever even leaving town. Unlike so many others who "make it" in this world and move away to greener pastures, Strickland decided to remain in his own corner of the world; he immediately began saving the world there, which he has done in a major way. Strickland did so by starting an art center that grew by leaps and bounds after a sluggish beginning. His gravitation toward pottery and great art is itself charming to read about, and it's always impressive to discover someone whose own passions spread outward to help or inspire others.

As is expected from a man who has worked so hard to make his world a better place, Strickland experienced numerous roadblocks in the pursuit of his varied dreams. (One of his dreams included becoming an airline pilot.) He writes about both his setbacks and his accomplishments, making sure to relate how both the positive and negative occurrences in his life can help his readers during their journey. This is a great story about a genuinely nice, well-rounded, passionate, altruistic person who does pretty much everything he does for the betterment of his own soul -- which just happens to enhance other people's lives.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Starting Small, Dreaming Big, January 19, 2008

By	Barbara J. Winter (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Bill Strickland first got my attention when I read an article where he said he saw no difference between artists and entrepreneurs. My thoughts exactly. It wasn't until someone alerted me to this amazing autobiography, that I learned the story that led him to that wise observation.

Strickland's turning point began the moment he followed his teenaged curiosity into Frank Ross's art classroom and was invited to try his hand at throwing a pot. In this calm and inspiring classroom, Strickland realized that life had much to teach and he became an enthusiastic learner. Like a true creative student, he was influenced by a wide array of people and things. Frank Lloyd Wright, jazz and orchids all become part of this story. Happily, he passes on what he learned along with this fascinating story of starting small and dreaming big.

This is the best kind of story...the kind that shows what can happen when we refuse to give up on our wildest dreams. Unlike many success manuals, there's nothing sappy about Strickland's path from ghetto kid to community force for good. He won't tell you how to make a million dollars, but he will show you how to find your own path and purpose. In our information-drenched world, it's also wonderful to read a story that shows us that inspiration matters every bit as much as information. Bill Strickland is a man worth knowing.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can One Man Change The World?, January 8, 2008

By	Vice President, Sales (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

I had seen Bill Strickland speak and was absolutely blown away. This book hits me the same way. Here is a man who, through hard work and an unbridled passion, has empowered thousands of people to create better lives for themselves, many of whom were the discarded and disenfranchised of our poorest neighborhoods. I can just imagine what our leaders in companies, government and schools if they could harness just a fraction of Strickland's beliefs and leadership practices. And it is my belief that, by reading this book, you will change your life, and in the process, change others along the way.