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The King's Flyswatter: A Parable for Moving up in Work and Life
Foreword by Pat Flynn
The best way to succeed in business, or anywhere, is to shed one's sense of entitlement, stop looking for someone else to provide opportunities and rewards, quit wishing on a star, and chart a pathway to success.
This book is about a story as old as a person taking control of their own destiny. A boy becomes the king's flyswatter, a seemingly unimportant job with no real prospects. Compared to today's world, where employees expect a succinct and tangible path of promotions and raises, fly-swatting seems like torture. But, with the help of a few key mentors, Ubar of ancient Babylon learns that there's more to the position than meets the eye. After all, he spends his days standing at the wise king's side, watching as he renders royal judgment on his citizens' disagreements. It's Ubar's responsibility to learn as much as possible without sacrificing his performance at swatting flies, a mundane job.
The parable of the King's Flyswatter holds up remarkably well when entwined with modern stories of people who took the skills they learned in their jobs and set off on their own paths. Modern day executives and entrepreneurs understand the importance of going above and beyond at work, forging connections, and gaining a deeper understanding of the industry, even when they hated the job.They mastered their job, their boss's job, and made themselves invaluable as employees. That hard work and dedication paid off later when they were able to pursue a lifestyle that suited their needs, financial and emotional. They gained agency once they realized that they worked for themselves, even in a monotonous job working for someone else. This is the Way of the Flyswatter.
The King's Flyswatter is a combination of an ancient parable and the author's real-life experiences as an entrepreneur, all wrapped up in actionable wisdom that working-people can use to find their own path to success. The alternating chapters about the author's own journey, and the stories of his friends and business partners, help punctuate the book with actionable principles and real-life applications.
The best way to succeed in business, or anywhere, is to shed one's sense of entitlement, stop looking for someone else to provide opportunities and rewards, quit wishing on a star, and chart a pathway to success.
This book is about a story as old as a person taking control of their own destiny. A boy becomes the king's flyswatter, a seemingly unimportant job with no real prospects. Compared to today's world, where employees expect a succinct and tangible path of promotions and raises, fly-swatting seems like torture. But, with the help of a few key mentors, Ubar of ancient Babylon learns that there's more to the position than meets the eye. After all, he spends his days standing at the wise king's side, watching as he renders royal judgment on his citizens' disagreements. It's Ubar's responsibility to learn as much as possible without sacrificing his performance at swatting flies, a mundane job.
The parable of the King's Flyswatter holds up remarkably well when entwined with modern stories of people who took the skills they learned in their jobs and set off on their own paths. Modern day executives and entrepreneurs understand the importance of going above and beyond at work, forging connections, and gaining a deeper understanding of the industry, even when they hated the job.They mastered their job, their boss's job, and made themselves invaluable as employees. That hard work and dedication paid off later when they were able to pursue a lifestyle that suited their needs, financial and emotional. They gained agency once they realized that they worked for themselves, even in a monotonous job working for someone else. This is the Way of the Flyswatter.
The King's Flyswatter is a combination of an ancient parable and the author's real-life experiences as an entrepreneur, all wrapped up in actionable wisdom that working-people can use to find their own path to success. The alternating chapters about the author's own journey, and the stories of his friends and business partners, help punctuate the book with actionable principles and real-life applications.
144 pages, Hardcover
Published February 27, 2024
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December 25, 2025
The King's Flyswatter strikes an excellent balance between storytelling, insight, and actionable application. Rather than burying practical wisdom in extended allegory or offering interpretation without context, King gives readers all three elements in proportion. The parable format makes the concepts memorable, while the direct application ensures you can actually use what you've learned. A refreshing approach to professional development that respects both the power of story and the reader's need for concrete takeaways.
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