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Identity: Your Passport to Success
Features a foreword by John Maxwell and afterword from Steven R. Covey. Have you ever thought about the connection between knowing who you are and success? Identity can serve as your greatest asset. Enduringly successful people know who they are, are clear about what matters to them, have established powerful identities, and create value in the world. In this book, the process for discovering and understanding your identity is brought to life through Stedman Graham's personal experiences and the stories of individuals who've resolved their questions of identity, building a life that matters to themselves and those around them. Take control of who you are. Take control of your life. Achieve lasting success. Now a Wall Street Journal bestseller!
201 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2012
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197 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 30, 2013
Partly because my undergraduate degree is in psychology, partly because I'm a classic Type A personality and partly because I'm a want-to-know-it-all Aries, I've always had an interest in self-help books - or at least that was the case back when I had full-time jobs and always looking at the next rung up on the career ladder. Zig Ziglar, Steven R. Covey, John Maxwell, Ken Blanchard and their ilk always had a place on my bookshelves.
And once, I read one by Stedman Graham, chairman and CEO of S. Graham & Associates perhaps more universally known as Oprah Winfrey's significant other. In fact, he's penned something like 10 books including this one. Although I'm far less inclined to read books like this now that I'm mostly retired and my legs are a bit too old to clamor up that ladder, I enjoyed the one of his I read so many years ago and this one sounded like a good bet as well (and it didn't hurt that I was able to snag the Kindle version free at Amazon).
Actually, there's another reason for my interest in self-help books: For several years, I conducted what I'd call motivational/employee development workshops, and I was always looking for tidbits I could use in an attempt to get folks to become "internal" thinkers - taking charge of their own lives instead of wasting away blaming everyone else for their problems. "There are two ways to get to the top of an oak tree," was one of my favorites (from Ziglar, if I recall correctly). "You can go out and climb it or sit on an acorn and wait for it to grow."
Graham's latest book emphasizes that same theme; it's your life, and if you want to get anywhere (however you choose to define "anywhere"), you've got to take charge of yourself. As such, he's developed a Nine-Step Success Process - sort of a variation on the "Conceive, Believe, Achieve" espoused by another biggie in the motivational market, Napoleon Hill.
And therein lies one of the first truths about motivation: There's nothing really new in the world or on the horizon. The difference between any two of these well-known speakers and writers is mostly in the packaging: You might say each has developed an "identity." In this book, Graham encourages readers to do the same - and that's not a bad thing.
The book is put together concisely and well; each chapter offers insights from Graham as well as success stories from well-known people who have made it big, like the late Steve Jobs and Sen. John McCain. The core idea, Graham says, is this: "Your happiness and success in life flow from becoming clear about who you are and establishing your authentic identity - first inside yourself and then externally in the world."
Or, put another way, "I've learned that, for the most part, extraordinary people are simply ordinary people doing extraordinary things that matter to them."
The point of this book, then, is to show you how to stop thinking of yourself as a victim of your circumstances and become "extraordinary," starting with becoming self-aware. In that regard, it is a bit reminiscent of Pastor Rick Warren's book The Purpose Driven Life.
The nine steps, for the record, are titled as follows:
Check Your ID
Create Your Vision
Develop Your Travel Plan
Master the Rules of the Road
Step Into the Outer Limits
Plot the Seasons of Change
Build Your Dream Team
Win By a Decision
Commit to Your Vision
As you might expect, the devil is in the details; success stories of Graham and others are followed at the end of each chapter with questions to answer that will help you uncover, with the goal of eventually living, your true "identity." If nothing else, if you walk Graham's talk, you'll learn a lot about yourself. And that's not a bad thing, either.
And once, I read one by Stedman Graham, chairman and CEO of S. Graham & Associates perhaps more universally known as Oprah Winfrey's significant other. In fact, he's penned something like 10 books including this one. Although I'm far less inclined to read books like this now that I'm mostly retired and my legs are a bit too old to clamor up that ladder, I enjoyed the one of his I read so many years ago and this one sounded like a good bet as well (and it didn't hurt that I was able to snag the Kindle version free at Amazon).
Actually, there's another reason for my interest in self-help books: For several years, I conducted what I'd call motivational/employee development workshops, and I was always looking for tidbits I could use in an attempt to get folks to become "internal" thinkers - taking charge of their own lives instead of wasting away blaming everyone else for their problems. "There are two ways to get to the top of an oak tree," was one of my favorites (from Ziglar, if I recall correctly). "You can go out and climb it or sit on an acorn and wait for it to grow."
Graham's latest book emphasizes that same theme; it's your life, and if you want to get anywhere (however you choose to define "anywhere"), you've got to take charge of yourself. As such, he's developed a Nine-Step Success Process - sort of a variation on the "Conceive, Believe, Achieve" espoused by another biggie in the motivational market, Napoleon Hill.
And therein lies one of the first truths about motivation: There's nothing really new in the world or on the horizon. The difference between any two of these well-known speakers and writers is mostly in the packaging: You might say each has developed an "identity." In this book, Graham encourages readers to do the same - and that's not a bad thing.
The book is put together concisely and well; each chapter offers insights from Graham as well as success stories from well-known people who have made it big, like the late Steve Jobs and Sen. John McCain. The core idea, Graham says, is this: "Your happiness and success in life flow from becoming clear about who you are and establishing your authentic identity - first inside yourself and then externally in the world."
Or, put another way, "I've learned that, for the most part, extraordinary people are simply ordinary people doing extraordinary things that matter to them."
The point of this book, then, is to show you how to stop thinking of yourself as a victim of your circumstances and become "extraordinary," starting with becoming self-aware. In that regard, it is a bit reminiscent of Pastor Rick Warren's book The Purpose Driven Life.
The nine steps, for the record, are titled as follows:
Check Your ID
Create Your Vision
Develop Your Travel Plan
Master the Rules of the Road
Step Into the Outer Limits
Plot the Seasons of Change
Build Your Dream Team
Win By a Decision
Commit to Your Vision
As you might expect, the devil is in the details; success stories of Graham and others are followed at the end of each chapter with questions to answer that will help you uncover, with the goal of eventually living, your true "identity." If nothing else, if you walk Graham's talk, you'll learn a lot about yourself. And that's not a bad thing, either.
March 10, 2013
One of the things I love about reading is that it forces me to get my head out of the problems of the day and into the topic of the book. The best books are the ones that make that switch happen easily.
I did not give this book five stars because it's a magical golden bullet in the quest for identity, let's face it, not this book or anything else is. I gave it five stars because the questions the book posed flipped that switch for me in an effortless way. Its written in a clear, simple, and humble manner which made it easy for me get into it and stay into it.
Any book that makes me pause and think is a good book in my opinion and this book did just that. No matter where you are at in your own life, pausing to ask yourself some challenging questions is always a worthwhile experience. This book offers that opportunity.
I did not give this book five stars because it's a magical golden bullet in the quest for identity, let's face it, not this book or anything else is. I gave it five stars because the questions the book posed flipped that switch for me in an effortless way. Its written in a clear, simple, and humble manner which made it easy for me get into it and stay into it.
Any book that makes me pause and think is a good book in my opinion and this book did just that. No matter where you are at in your own life, pausing to ask yourself some challenging questions is always a worthwhile experience. This book offers that opportunity.
January 26, 2019
3.5 Stars....seriously, Goodreads needs to allow for the 1/2 star.
So, I did like this book because it discusses the concept of identity and how to tease it out by self-awareness through the process of answering questions, creating your vision, create a plan, determine the characteristics that will guide your life, step out of your comfort zone, create change and manage your results, build your tribe, make "good: decisions, and commit to your goals.
I listened to this book through without doing the exercises; however, I also have a kindle copy and plan to go back and take the process a little at a time.
So, I did like this book because it discusses the concept of identity and how to tease it out by self-awareness through the process of answering questions, creating your vision, create a plan, determine the characteristics that will guide your life, step out of your comfort zone, create change and manage your results, build your tribe, make "good: decisions, and commit to your goals.
I listened to this book through without doing the exercises; however, I also have a kindle copy and plan to go back and take the process a little at a time.
June 11, 2019
Really great reference book for understanding how to take your weaknesses in life and see them as gifts that hopefully you have learned from and use them for the benefit of others. Great book for helping put their own lives in perspective.
October 3, 2012
"Identity: Your Passport To Success" by Stedman Graham is an interesting look, with many case studies and examples, on how we identify our own identity and what that means in relation to our success in life. I enjoyed reading this book, and I made me pause and ponder my own identity.
The basis of the book is that knowing who you are is a key to success, and your identity can serve as your greatest asset. Through reading about others, and Graham's guidance, you can become more clear about what matters most in your life, and establish just what your own identity is.
The book has a number of "Profiles in Success" that feature people you may or may not know, and their story of identity. My favorite of these was on Jake Steinfeld. I've always liked him, and enjoyed reading his story in this book. The book also has "Questions To Consider" throughout the book, and if you take the time to read these, and really answer them, you may be quite surprised at what you discover about yourself.
After an introduction that focuses on the connection between knowing who you are and success and thinking of yourself as a personal brand, the book goes into Chapter One: You Have A Choice. The following chapters include: Chapter Two: Knowing Yourself Should Be Easy. It Isn't. Why Is That? Chapter Three: What Do Your Personal Values Have to Do With Your Identity? Chapter Four: Can Your Attitude Affect Identity? Chapter Five: Can People's Identity Change? Chapter Six: Do You Transform Your Own Identity? Or Is It Owning Your Identity That Transforms Your Life? Chapter Seven: When Identity Must Deal with a Life Crisis. Chapter Eight: Friendship, Teamwork, and Your Identity. Chapter Nine: Persistence and Your Identity. Chapter Ten: Adjustments and Tune-ups for Your Identity. Chapter Eleven: Bringing It All Together - Committing to Your Vision. At the end, Graham also includes a brief description of his nine-step success process.
There is a short Foreword by John C. Maxwell and there will be an Afterword by Stephen R. Covey. (The advance reader's copy didn't include the Afterword.) The book is also endorsed by a number of others. And while some may think that this only proves that Graham has a number of influential friends, I tend to like the endorsements and agree that this is a good book
If you enjoy self-help books, you will most likely enjoy this one. Graham provides personal experiences and stories of others to help you discover your own identity so you can build a life that matter most to you and those around you.
The basis of the book is that knowing who you are is a key to success, and your identity can serve as your greatest asset. Through reading about others, and Graham's guidance, you can become more clear about what matters most in your life, and establish just what your own identity is.
The book has a number of "Profiles in Success" that feature people you may or may not know, and their story of identity. My favorite of these was on Jake Steinfeld. I've always liked him, and enjoyed reading his story in this book. The book also has "Questions To Consider" throughout the book, and if you take the time to read these, and really answer them, you may be quite surprised at what you discover about yourself.
After an introduction that focuses on the connection between knowing who you are and success and thinking of yourself as a personal brand, the book goes into Chapter One: You Have A Choice. The following chapters include: Chapter Two: Knowing Yourself Should Be Easy. It Isn't. Why Is That? Chapter Three: What Do Your Personal Values Have to Do With Your Identity? Chapter Four: Can Your Attitude Affect Identity? Chapter Five: Can People's Identity Change? Chapter Six: Do You Transform Your Own Identity? Or Is It Owning Your Identity That Transforms Your Life? Chapter Seven: When Identity Must Deal with a Life Crisis. Chapter Eight: Friendship, Teamwork, and Your Identity. Chapter Nine: Persistence and Your Identity. Chapter Ten: Adjustments and Tune-ups for Your Identity. Chapter Eleven: Bringing It All Together - Committing to Your Vision. At the end, Graham also includes a brief description of his nine-step success process.
There is a short Foreword by John C. Maxwell and there will be an Afterword by Stephen R. Covey. (The advance reader's copy didn't include the Afterword.) The book is also endorsed by a number of others. And while some may think that this only proves that Graham has a number of influential friends, I tend to like the endorsements and agree that this is a good book
If you enjoy self-help books, you will most likely enjoy this one. Graham provides personal experiences and stories of others to help you discover your own identity so you can build a life that matter most to you and those around you.
November 2, 2013
I did enjoy the way Mr. Graham blended in his nine rules with stories of named people and a continuing story based on folks with their identities shielded in character names. It was consistently thought provoking and made me look at his system objectively.
Being tied to Oprah Winfrey for so long, it's a credit to Mr. Graham that his star still noticeably shines while in the presence of his partner. Definitely a worthwhile read.
Being tied to Oprah Winfrey for so long, it's a credit to Mr. Graham that his star still noticeably shines while in the presence of his partner. Definitely a worthwhile read.
November 5, 2013
Written from a mainstream perspective, the author uses inspirational achievers as "poster kids" for his ideas and those stories are interesting. He also creates a fictional life story to illustrate the concepts he wants to convey. The points he makes are meaningful but the storyline and dialogue was not engaging. Every author has their own way of presenting points and although it did not move me, maybe the book might resonate with the right person at the right moment to inspire.
February 12, 2015
I met Mr. Stedman Graham, when he came to my community, Dubuque, Iowa, last year. His staff very kindly sent me his book, and I recently started to read it, I finished it in a matter of days!
I love the stories of other people in this book. The stories of success...but else struggle. And how Mr. Graham also has struggled to find his own identity in life.
I LOVE his 9 Step Success Process, I'll definitely be using that with my future life goals!
I love the stories of other people in this book. The stories of success...but else struggle. And how Mr. Graham also has struggled to find his own identity in life.
I LOVE his 9 Step Success Process, I'll definitely be using that with my future life goals!
November 6, 2012
Great book! The author has a lot of wisdom as to how to live successfully but it's not rocket science and the answers are already in us. We just have to reach into ourselves and find them Stedman Graham does a wonderful job of helping us discover those answers that are already within us so that we can live successful fulfilled lives.
January 11, 2014
This book is mentioned in the Oprah club.
If you are at crossroads in life. This book is the answer. If you need inspiration in life. This book is the answer. If you want to find your sense of value in this world. This is your answer.
One thing I do learn that even though you maybe successful in life, but if you don't have solid values that guide you. Your life would be directionless.
If you are at crossroads in life. This book is the answer. If you need inspiration in life. This book is the answer. If you want to find your sense of value in this world. This is your answer.
One thing I do learn that even though you maybe successful in life, but if you don't have solid values that guide you. Your life would be directionless.
July 16, 2013
Clear simple steps to the process of understanding and unravelling your identity. Written in an understated style. Sincere and honest. I like it. And the steps are something I am thinking about and working on.
August 25, 2012
Did not like the workbook format. Concept was interesting in so much as it is important to know who you are today so as to plan for where you are going in the future.
March 7, 2014
Well written, easy to read reminds me a great deal of some of John Maxwell's books. This is the first I have read of Stedman's works but I am sure I will check out some others.
November 6, 2012
I found Identity: Your Passport to Success a very interesting and inspiring read. Loved it!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews