Who is the author of The School of Greatness?

The author of The School of Greatness is Lewis Howes.

Motivation & Inspiration

The School of Greatness Book Summary - The School of Greatness Book explained in key points

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The School of Greatness summary

Name: The School of Greatness
Rating: 4.4 (116 reviews)
Author: Lewis Howes

Lewis Howes

A Real-World Guide to Living Bigger, Loving Deeper, and Leaving a Legacy

4.4 (116 ratings)

17 mins

Brief summary

The School of Greatness by Lewis Howes is a motivational book that shares insights from successful individuals about achieving greatness. It provides practical tools for self-improvement and inspires readers to pursue their passions and live a fulfilling life.

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Goals Meaningful Living Focus Inspiration

Table of Contents

The School of Greatness
Summary of 6 key ideas

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What’s in it for me? Achieve your goals and realize your full potential with a simple framework.

How do some people lead inspiring, meaningful, and impactful lives while many others don’t? One man’s obsession with this question has led him on a personal journey from injured pro athlete to sought-after business coach, public speaker, and podcast host. In setting out to discover what, exactly, those who are living their purpose say about their own experiences, author Lewis Howes developed a straightforward and practical framework for living a life of purpose and meaning.

This blink explores practical advice and inspiring motivation from those who achieved greatness in pursuing their life’s goals and inspiring others. If you’re eager to do the same, read on.

Greatness 101: living with purpose

While greatness might be associated most often with conquerors and kings, what it means to be great isn’t one-size-fits-all. The definition of greatness will be different for everyone, in fact, because there’s so many different things in this world to be great at, and so many ways to be great at them. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t common ground, and common habits, among individuals that achieve greatness across all spheres of life.

What makes someone a great parent, leader, artist, athlete, or spouse, is not about achieving some external benchmark. Greatness is about living up to your own ideals, accomplishing your personal goals, and fulfilling your own life’s purpose. It's about living your full potential, and doing it with the mindful awareness that brings your full presence to the journey along the way.

So the first step on the road to greatness is an inward one: cultivating the vision for what living your full potential might look like. This isn’t the familiar question, “What do you want to do with your life?” It’s deeper than that. To achieve greatness you have to ask yourself who you dream of being, what it is that you are passionate about, how you want to live, and what legacy you’d like to leave behind when your life’s journey ends.

And while vision starts with a dream, it doesn’t end there. What makes a vision powerful is when it's coupled with an actual plan. So, cultivating your own vision has to be as specific, and personal, as possible. A great way to get clear on what living your full potential might look like is to start by imagining one perfect day.

How would you start your day, if you were living your dream? Would you begin spending time with your loved ones? In meditation? Perhaps exercising for physical health, or grounding yourself in nature? Your ideal day might include honing your craft, growing your business or motivating others through your leadership.

Writing out an ideal schedule can give you important insight into your priorities and how you want to spend your time. Be sure to include details like how many hours you spend on work, on hobbies or interests, and connecting with friends and family. These are important clues to what you truly value, and how you’d like to spend your most valuable resource: your time.

Holding this vision firmly in mind, it's time to tackle the obstacles.

Fundamentals of Greatness: overcoming obstacles with a champion’s mindset

When you’ve imagined your ideal day, and let it guide you toward your vision for how you’d like to live, write it down as specifically as you can. Formulate it into a single sentence, in fact, and create a certificate of achievement for yourself as if you’ve already accomplished it.

For instance, it might read a “distinguished professor of literature” or “New York Times best-selling author,” as you start your English major. Or perhaps “Entrepreneur of the Decade,” as you formulate your business plan. Maybe it says “multi-platinum recording artist” and hangs in your practice room. Whatever your goal, aiming high is the point – because no one achieves greatness without it.

Advanced Greatness: Pulling out all the stops

With your vision defined and your champion’s mindset, it’s time to set a course of action. No matter where you are along the journey to your goal, two things will help you go further, faster. The first is cultivating a sense of urgency, sometimes called hustle, to pursue your goals with energy and focus. The second is developing the daily habits that will assure progress every single day.

Remember, though, that a sense of urgency isn’t about feeling anxious – it’s about pursuing every opportunity that comes your way, and creating opportunities when none arise on their own.

Mastering Greatness: Building and serving

Think back to Kyle Maynard, the mountain-climber and accomplished athlete from an earlier chapter. He overcame severe physical challenges on the road to becoming a champion athlete, and has another excellent lesson to impart.

That’s because when Kyle launched his climb up Mount Kilimanjaro, he didn’t do it for himself – he did it to raise money for the wounded veterans he greatly admired. His climb was followed by ESPN, and won media awards, because he was climbing for an inspirational cause. And that cause carried him forward when things seemed impossible.

The Genius of Greatness: Vulnerability and connection

While vulnerability may not be the first thing that springs to mind when you consider greatness, it's actually a secret strength in the lives of many who have achieved it. Keeping a kind of beginner’s mind in the presence of greatness means staying open to learning from the experience of others. Since the road to greatness is a marathon, not a sprint, it will require adjustments and changes along the way. Staying open helps you respond faster and more flexibly.

That’s because ego can be a roadblock on the journey to success. Getting too invested in one way of doing things, or insisting that your way is the only way, can lead to a fall. When author Lewis Howes began The School of Greatness podcast, he had already faced a number of failures along the road to success, and felt pretty confident in himself. Then one day he faced a conflict on the court during a pickup basketball game, and he lost it – he met violence with violence in a rageful outburst.

Final Summary

Achieving greatness means living your full potential with presence and passion. This requires both a clear vision and a plan toward specific goals. But by embracing your adversities as challenges, tackling them through daily habits with a champion's mindset, building a supportive community around you and connecting with causes greater than yourself, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Embracing your vulnerability and staying open to change will make every step of the journey feel worthwhile, too.

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What is The School of Greatness about?

The School of Greatness (2015) draws on the author’s own journey and his extensive research into what it takes to lead an inspiring and meaningful life. This includes his many interviews and conversations on the topic with leading figures including entrepreneurs, artists and athletes on his podcast of the same name.

The School of Greatness Review

The School of Greatness (2015) is an inspiring and practical book that guides readers towards unlocking their own greatness. Here are three reasons why this book is definitely worth reading:

Packed with actionable strategies and exercises, it empowers readers to take control of their lives and achieve their full potential.
The book combines inspiring stories of successful individuals with practical advice, providing a roadmap for personal and professional growth.
With its engaging and relatable writing style, The School of Greatness manages to captivate readers, making personal development an exciting journey of discovery.

Who should read The School of Greatness?

Personal developers looking for practical, actionable advice
Aspiring leaders seeking daily habits to achieve their goals
Anyone looking to live a more meaningful, inspiring life

About the Author

Lewis Howes is a former professional athlete, successful entrepreneur and sought-after business coach. He is the host of The School of Greatness podcast, and a frequent speaker on topics of personal development.

Categories with The School of Greatness

Motivation & Inspiration Personal Development Mindfulness & Happiness

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