Lessons from Extraordinary Lives

I recently finished listening to a very inspiring book, The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives by Katie Couric.  Couric explains in her introduction how this book came about.  In April of 1997, her husband Jay was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer, fifteen months after their second daughter was born.  He died less than a year later, in January of 1998.  Two years later, Couric's sister Emily was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died. 

Couric says that while her husband was battling cancer, she felt upset and resentful whenever she saw others enjoying themselves.  She writes, "I now realize that everyone struggles, and that...very few of us get through this life unscathed.  Scratch beneath a stranger's surface and you're likely to uncover professional setbacks, broken hearts, unspeakable loss, unfulfilled dreams, or worse" (xxi). 

She asks, "How do you keep going when you want to curl up into a ball and never leave your bedroom?  How do you squeeze all the joy out of life while dealing with all the messy parts?  How can you find a calling that fills you up, give you a sense of purpose and your life meaning, and doesn't leave you feeling full of regret and remorse?  How do you shut out the voices (including, at times, your own) that tell you you're not good enough and you shouldn't even try?  How can you 'recalculate' your route when your personal GPS is on the fritz" (xxi-xxii)? 

Couric writes that she has found answers to these questions in the stories and experiences of others who have made their way through life's challenges.  The idea for this book came as she prepared to give a commencement address at Case Western.  She asked about thirty people to share with her their personal insights--what they've learned, and what lessons from their own lives might be useful and instructive.  She found the responses she received so helpful that she expanded the project beyond the commencement address and it became this book. 

The essays are divided into ten thematic chapters:

Part 1: You've Gotta Have Moxie: On Courage and Self-Confidence
Part 2: The Bank of Experience: On Hard Work and Tenacity
Part 3: Never Give In: On Pluck and Perseverance
Part 4: Be Unreasonable: On Passion and Dreams
Part 5: Minute Particulars: On Doing What's Right
Part 6: Don't Let the Turkeys Get You Down: On Rejection and Resilience
Part 7: Everyone Needs a Cheerleader: On Mentors and Encouragement
Part 8: Look Outside Yourself: On Commitment and Contribution
Part 9: What Boats are Built For: On Taking Risks and Seeking Opportunity
Part 10: Find the Joy: On Wisdom and Happiness

I am going to take you through this book and share some of my favorite tidbits in the coming days.  I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.