In this latest edition of Byron’s Book Club, Byron Udell, Founder and CEO of AccuQuote, reviews “The Essence of Success” by Earl Nightingale.
“The Essence of Success” is one of my all-time favorite books, written by the granddaddy of self-improvement, achievement, and happiness, Earl Nightingale. This book is a compilation of observations, combined with stories and life lessons…all delivered in a series of “chapters” or vignettes. Each story is just a few pages long, so you can open this great book to any page and just start reading. You won’t be disappointed.
(Note: “The Essence of Success” is available online from several retail outlets, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble, in paperback, hardcover, and as a .pdf. The audio version is also available as well. If can get a copy, hold onto it. This book is a definite collector’s item.)
Like his landmark spoken-word recording, “The Strangest Secret” (which sold over one million copies, making the first spoken-word recording to win a Gold Record), Nightingale’s inspirational stories are timeless and totally applicable to our daily lives in the present day.
Spoiler alert – I’m not going give away any of Earl’s valuable insights from “The Essence of Success.” You should read this book for yourself. (Hey, it’s only 168 pages.) But I will tell you a little more about Earl Nightingale himself. He grew up in poverty during the Great Depression, and joined the U.S. Marines in 1938, when he was only 17 years old. Earl was one of only 15 Marines that survived the sinking of USS Arizona on December 7, 1941. After World War II, he became a radio announcer, which eventually led to him becoming a motivational speaker. His radio program, “Our Changing World,” became one of the highest-rated syndicated radio series of all time. Earl was inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame in the 1970s.
Like many other books I have recommended over the years, “The Essence of Success” is beyond just being “useful.” It’s literally worth its weight in gold. In fact, I own several copies, which I give as gifts to family and friends (especially my children), to share its epiphanistic brilliance. I highly recommend that you read this book.
