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PAiLS
With his newest book PAiLS, New York Times bestselling author Chris Brady leads you through the adventure of your life like a veteran tour guide and provides a fresh approach to finding meaning along the way. His creative PAiLS illustration and ziggurat / layer-cake construct help you determine a clear direction toward living the life you’ve always wanted. He shows you how all that you have seen and done so far, even your mistakes, are just stepping stones for your next ascent in fulfilling your purposeful calling and contributing to the world what only you can. You will learn that:
It’s not as important to succeed
As it is to matter,
And you’ll likely accomplish the former
If you shoot for the latter.
It’s not as important to succeed
As it is to matter,
And you’ll likely accomplish the former
If you shoot for the latter.
140 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2014
25 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Chris Brady
96 books245 followersChris Brady is a NY Times best-selling author, speaker, humorist, and businessman. His books include The Bitcoin Bride, Launching a Leadership Revolution (co-authored with Orrin Woodward), PAiLS, Rascal, A Month of Italy, Leadership Lessons from the Age of Fighting Sail, and several other titles on leadership and success. Over 1 million of his books have been sold in six languages.
Chris is CEO and Creative Director of The Life Platform. He is also the executive publisher of Obstacles Press, and one of the founders of All Grace Outreach, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Originally educated as an engineer, Mr. Brady received his BA in Mechanical Engineering at Kettering University and his Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University as a General Motors Fellow, with Master’s Thesis work completed at Toyohashi University in Japan.
Chris is an avid motorized adventurer, world traveler, private pilot, community builder, soccer fan, Christian, and dad.
He also has one of the world's most unique resumes; including experience with a live bug in his ear, walking through a paned-glass window, chickening out from the high-dive in elementary school, destroying the class ant-farm in third grade, losing a spelling bee on the word "use," jack-hammering his foot, and more recently - sinking his snowmobile in a lake.
If you can’t find Chris speaking in front of a live audience, or in his office writing, or in a bookstore, or playing with his children, or on the sideline of a soccer pitch, or in the hills of Tuscany, or out on the lake, try looking in the following Online locations:
www.chrisbrady.com
www.christopherjamesbrady.com
www.twitter.com/rascaltweets
www.facebook.com/rascalnation
www.instagram.com/cbrascal
www.chrisbrady.typepad.com
www.chrisbradylife.com
www.medium.com/@rascaltweets
www.linkedin.com/in/cjbrady
www.amonthofitaly.com
www.launchingaleadershiprevolution.com
Chris has been recognized by INC. Magazine as among the Top 50 Leadership and Management experts. Richtopia listed Chris among the 200 Most Influential Authors in the world. Chris's blog has been included multiple times as a key resource on leadership for executives, managers and CEOs. In 2010 he was awarded the Kettering/GMI Alumni Association Entrepreneurial Achievement Award.
Chris and his wife Terri have four children and live in North Carolina.
Chris is CEO and Creative Director of The Life Platform. He is also the executive publisher of Obstacles Press, and one of the founders of All Grace Outreach, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Originally educated as an engineer, Mr. Brady received his BA in Mechanical Engineering at Kettering University and his Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University as a General Motors Fellow, with Master’s Thesis work completed at Toyohashi University in Japan.
Chris is an avid motorized adventurer, world traveler, private pilot, community builder, soccer fan, Christian, and dad.
He also has one of the world's most unique resumes; including experience with a live bug in his ear, walking through a paned-glass window, chickening out from the high-dive in elementary school, destroying the class ant-farm in third grade, losing a spelling bee on the word "use," jack-hammering his foot, and more recently - sinking his snowmobile in a lake.
If you can’t find Chris speaking in front of a live audience, or in his office writing, or in a bookstore, or playing with his children, or on the sideline of a soccer pitch, or in the hills of Tuscany, or out on the lake, try looking in the following Online locations:
www.chrisbrady.com
www.christopherjamesbrady.com
www.twitter.com/rascaltweets
www.facebook.com/rascalnation
www.instagram.com/cbrascal
www.chrisbrady.typepad.com
www.chrisbradylife.com
www.medium.com/@rascaltweets
www.linkedin.com/in/cjbrady
www.amonthofitaly.com
www.launchingaleadershiprevolution.com
Chris has been recognized by INC. Magazine as among the Top 50 Leadership and Management experts. Richtopia listed Chris among the 200 Most Influential Authors in the world. Chris's blog has been included multiple times as a key resource on leadership for executives, managers and CEOs. In 2010 he was awarded the Kettering/GMI Alumni Association Entrepreneurial Achievement Award.
Chris and his wife Terri have four children and live in North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
October 28, 2014
Awesome book- love all of books! Easy to read entertaining and informative ! Makes you want to take action!
August 4, 2024
The best book I've ever read! It's all about finding your purpose and living a fulfilling life! The best book anyone can read especially if they're young
February 14, 2015
Absolutely amazing book. Chris has a great way of teaching big lessons in a easy to learn and fun way. Learning how to seek a purpose is a very important journey in your life. He unpacks your life in layers, like that on a cake. He also provides insight into what you will experience along that journey. And towards the end he also ties it into growing into a leader and ultimately leaving a legacy. But more important he points in back to God and seeking His purpose for your life and understanding that purpose comes from one source, Him. Will be reading this one for years to come as well as reading it to my children and eventually buying their own copy to write in.
March 17, 2014
A longer review will eventually be posted on my blog - in short: This is a clear slam dunk must-read. Kept very simple to digest, the morsels on the table placed by Mr. Brady are easily delectable when it comes to the leadership call to live a significant and meaningful live.
The ziggurat construct, also aptly referred to as a layer cake, is ingenious.
Read this book & study your highlighting --- regularly.
.
The ziggurat construct, also aptly referred to as a layer cake, is ingenious.
Read this book & study your highlighting --- regularly.
.
March 10, 2014
Wow, another great book by Chris Brady! If you have ever wondered if you are on the right path, this book is for you. We have but one life to live so, why not make it a great one? Are you just letting life pass you by or are you living your life's purpose? If you want to lead a life worth living, read this book now and you won't ever look back in regret on what could have been.
20 years from now, what will you wish you had done today?
20 years from now, what will you wish you had done today?
March 30, 2014
Quality read by an interesting writer. Enjoyed this one quite a bid as it attempts to provide guidance on constructing a purposeful life. The ziggurat formula is an interesting concept that is quite easy to comprehend. If you're looking to identify purpose and build a foundation for achieving that purpose, read on.
October 7, 2018
Life is like a layer cake and what I have done is the preparation for the rest of my life. One of the most important questions in life "20 years from Now, What will I wish I had done today?" Gandalf the wizard ask in the movie "The Lord of the Rings" "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
January 28, 2016
I absolutely loved this book. I highly recommend it. I'll be reading Chris Brady's other books for sure. Don't skip reading his footnotes!
January 30, 2018
This was literally the worst thing I have ever read. If zero stars were possible, I would give it that. At the risk of becoming another "naysayer" like the woman he mentions in this book who gave him a one star review, I leave this review.
I want to keep this as brief as possible, although I am tempted to go on a rant here.
I was irritated almost immediately when it became apparent that this text took none of the very real individual and systemic barriers that most people face into account when developing it's "formulas" and "diagrams" for success. The author acts as if everyone has equal opportunities from the get go and total agency over their life's choices and direction. He writes as if we all have plenty of opportunities for success, and we simply need to know which ones of the plenty to take, which ones are not just "good", but "great". It's written from a privileged perspective, and it's painfully obvious. If you were to imagine Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this book is written for people already wrapping up work on the Esteem level. And while I totally recognize and understand that the book has it's intended audience, it would be nice if it didn't totally ignore the fact that not everyone can get to this level, most often due to factors completely outside of their control.
Instead, it asserts several other reasons why some people don't "make it". For instance, they just don't put in the time. Because, you know, according to the author, "anyone can make it if he or she is willing to put in the requisite amount of time." Or sometimes people are just quitters. Why might someone quit, you ask? Well, one possible reason, according to the author, might be a "failure of character" such as an "addiction" or "lack of mental toughness". In essence, this book shames anyone who doesn't reach their "full potential" as lacking grit or character. They must just be one of those people who are content to work a meaningless job and go home and mindlessly turn on the television or video games, as he says. It peddles the myth that if you just work hard enough, you can have the American Dream.
In addition to the glaring biases, I was also turned off by the sense that this author's definition of success is very limited. While on the surface he encourages all readers to find their unique purpose, most of the case examples of people who have "made it" involved a prestigious career, considerable wealth, and tons of leisure time to give back to the community. (I won't even go into the fact that most, if not all, of the people mentioned were born into wealth, or at least comfort, already).
I ended up tossing it.
I want to keep this as brief as possible, although I am tempted to go on a rant here.
I was irritated almost immediately when it became apparent that this text took none of the very real individual and systemic barriers that most people face into account when developing it's "formulas" and "diagrams" for success. The author acts as if everyone has equal opportunities from the get go and total agency over their life's choices and direction. He writes as if we all have plenty of opportunities for success, and we simply need to know which ones of the plenty to take, which ones are not just "good", but "great". It's written from a privileged perspective, and it's painfully obvious. If you were to imagine Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this book is written for people already wrapping up work on the Esteem level. And while I totally recognize and understand that the book has it's intended audience, it would be nice if it didn't totally ignore the fact that not everyone can get to this level, most often due to factors completely outside of their control.
Instead, it asserts several other reasons why some people don't "make it". For instance, they just don't put in the time. Because, you know, according to the author, "anyone can make it if he or she is willing to put in the requisite amount of time." Or sometimes people are just quitters. Why might someone quit, you ask? Well, one possible reason, according to the author, might be a "failure of character" such as an "addiction" or "lack of mental toughness". In essence, this book shames anyone who doesn't reach their "full potential" as lacking grit or character. They must just be one of those people who are content to work a meaningless job and go home and mindlessly turn on the television or video games, as he says. It peddles the myth that if you just work hard enough, you can have the American Dream.
In addition to the glaring biases, I was also turned off by the sense that this author's definition of success is very limited. While on the surface he encourages all readers to find their unique purpose, most of the case examples of people who have "made it" involved a prestigious career, considerable wealth, and tons of leisure time to give back to the community. (I won't even go into the fact that most, if not all, of the people mentioned were born into wealth, or at least comfort, already).
I ended up tossing it.
April 20, 2019
Author Chris Brady is one of Inc. Magazine's top fifty leadership experts and one of the top 100 authors to follow on Twitter. His talks and writings are always entertaining, inciteful, and very educational. I have enjoyed following him for quite a few years.
PAiLS (Potential and Actualization into Legacy and Spillage) delves into the best ways to pursue your life goals and dreams. By discovering this path you can build a framework for successful living and happiness. This is an excellent read for high-schoolers, college students, and anyone looking to define what you want in life and how to proceed.o
Brady has developed a four-layer ziggurat (think wedding cake) that starts with your Preparatory Experiences and your Pragmatic Occupation (what puts food on the table) and explores how these steps can provide the foundation leading to your Passionate Pursuit and fulfilling your Purposeful Calling. It is a lot to handle but explained well in the book. Wouldn't we all like to lead lives of purpose and provide a legacy that will stand after we pass into our eternal life.
I strongly recommend this book and would be happy to help you find a copy of your own.
PAiLS (Potential and Actualization into Legacy and Spillage) delves into the best ways to pursue your life goals and dreams. By discovering this path you can build a framework for successful living and happiness. This is an excellent read for high-schoolers, college students, and anyone looking to define what you want in life and how to proceed.o
Brady has developed a four-layer ziggurat (think wedding cake) that starts with your Preparatory Experiences and your Pragmatic Occupation (what puts food on the table) and explores how these steps can provide the foundation leading to your Passionate Pursuit and fulfilling your Purposeful Calling. It is a lot to handle but explained well in the book. Wouldn't we all like to lead lives of purpose and provide a legacy that will stand after we pass into our eternal life.
I strongly recommend this book and would be happy to help you find a copy of your own.
October 10, 2018
Definitely a good read! Having seen the author speak many times I could picture him and hear his voice and his humour throughout the book. However it's made me think and pray hard on the direction of my life and purpose that God has for me. In talking with a friend about it, your purpose may not be one final destinations but a series of destinations that help you achieve the most out of your life. Also a series of stages that will bring you closer to what you're meant to do. Detours on the road only help strengthen and prepare you for what's to come.
July 12, 2024
The Ziggurat of Success.
How do you not compound your victories and build a legacy after Chris' amazing book?
This is a storybook, workbook, history book, and most of all easy read for even a teenager.
Anyone who wants success in their life will read this book and be able to get a nugget or two that will play a part in their future success, I can almost guarantee it!
Great book, thanks for the visuals, Chris.
How do you not compound your victories and build a legacy after Chris' amazing book?
This is a storybook, workbook, history book, and most of all easy read for even a teenager.
Anyone who wants success in their life will read this book and be able to get a nugget or two that will play a part in their future success, I can almost guarantee it!
Great book, thanks for the visuals, Chris.
April 9, 2018
A must read for legacy creators
Definitely something I wish I read 20 years ago but happy it came into my life now. Live your life as if you are painting what will be known as a masterpiece. See the finished result and start from there, the brush strokes will align with where the need to be to create what you are now destined to make.
Definitely something I wish I read 20 years ago but happy it came into my life now. Live your life as if you are painting what will be known as a masterpiece. See the finished result and start from there, the brush strokes will align with where the need to be to create what you are now destined to make.
July 9, 2021
Short, said nothing new, and author forced in sideways his ridiculous "Jesus this" "my Creator that" viewpoint in a hundred places it didn't belong. The best thing this book had going for it was that even after being fluffed up, (ie including the blank pages at the front in the page count) it was a mere 140 double spaced pages, so could be laboured through in 90 minutes.
August 12, 2022
A surprisingly insightful book on how to harness ones destiny by understanding ones past and their skills and talents. The ziggurat model is clever and is a good visual method to understand the concepts put fort in the book.
December 3, 2017
It has a few good points. It definitely makes you think it parts. It also made me want to hurl it at the wall more than a few times. Not my cup of tea but I can see how it would appeal to others.
May 11, 2022
A simple and good read. If you take time to narrorate honest responses, you will understand how your life is shaping and how you feel about the direction in which you are moving.
August 27, 2023
Worthy of reading, pondering and applying. Wish it had been available when i was much younger.
July 16, 2024
Start with your Why, sounds like the smallest thing to do in your life, but that's the fundamental place to start, once you get your why, your purpose, your path to action will be revealed!
August 31, 2024
Great way to look at where you've been, going and want ahead. Great read!
December 16, 2024
Everything this book set out to do has been done before, but better.
November 14, 2024
Très inspirant et motivateur. Ce livre m'a éclairé et je recommande à chaque personne qui souhaite se dépasser et qui croit en son potentiel!
May 28, 2014
This might be described as a cheerleading book for those who need or feel they are in need of motivation to achieve "great" things. Find your dream and then do it. Don't let nay-sayers slow you down. etc.
Does this book have a purpose (that benefits the reader)? Does it say anything new? Does it add anything beyond what the author has already published? Does it say it better than other books?
Does this book have a purpose (that benefits the reader)? Does it say anything new? Does it add anything beyond what the author has already published? Does it say it better than other books?
October 24, 2014
I could not have anticipated how much this book would change and benefit my life. We know the story of the eagle raised with chickens. However, add one thing. PAiLS showed me how to rearrange my circumstances to design an eagle way of life to fulfill an eagle's purpose. My circumstances changed minutely, but they have been harnessed to propel me toward my purpose and calling while creating more passion and profits. Amazing!
May 28, 2014
Amazing way to answer the question "What do you want to do when you grow up?" Not just for youth, although the younger you are the more you benefit from reading PAiLS. Definitely going to have this on the summer reading list for my boys and on my read-again list.
October 30, 2015
Phenomenal look into how we should instead consider structuring our lives, rather than simply deciding to chase or dreams and possibly be left penniless or work a job for the best years of our lives for the security and cozy mediocrity it provides.
July 4, 2015
A great book to read that helps the realization of what a person is capable of. People don't lie on their bed and wish they had another $100 in their pocket they wish that they made more of an impact with the time they had. This book puts it to paper.
March 10, 2014
Wow. Every person that is in the process of deciding what they should do with their life needs to read this book.
March 28, 2014
a must read
May 15, 2014
Simple and yet absolutely profound. Every parent should read this book before they begin directing their children into their futures.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews