Building Yourself: Putting Your Success Together One Piece at a Time

by Elliot Essman

Elliot Essman had an uncle, who, as a TV soap-opera producer, become terrifically successful. What stuck in Essman's mind was that his uncle had no consistent success until he was 45. "I was 35 at the time," he writes, "in a new business, with a lot of struggle already behind me, a marriage that had not worked, years spent in a dead-end job." If only he'd had, at 25, the judgement of a 45-year-old, just imagine.... Instead of dwelling in "if only," Essman wrote Building Yourself. Success, argues Essman, can be defined as managing to live your life independent of others' judgements, needs, and priorities. He dedicates the book to those who love and value achievement. How does one progress from autonomy to achievement? Building Yourself is organized into 10 chapters, each of which develops a concept introduced by a jazzy word beginning with S, such as "savvy" and "sweat."

The book moves from inner to outer work--from deep shifts in attitude to the wise choice of mentors, associates, and friends. Those who enjoy the aggressive edge to Essman's philosophy might appreciate the chapter "Strength," which gives advice on taking advantage of stress and becoming more powerful through managed emotional and physical releases. For those struggling to make things work, Essman's strategies, with their rigorous tone and call to discipline, will offer structure. For those seeking Essman's brand of success, the translation of abstracts into action (translating time into money, investment plans, etc.) will prove helpful. Building Yourself is packed with the sort of upbeat, practical information so typical of experiential self-help seminars. It comes as no surprise that the persona Essman built for himself was that of a lecturer and seminar leader. For those who believe that hard work will be rewarded, and that humans possess the ingenuity not only to survive but thrive, Building Yourself reinforces these peculiarly American values.

203 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1994

About the author

Originally trained as an attorney, and still quite active as a public speaking trainer and coach, Elliot Essman has more recently established himself as a stimulating food and a wine writer. Elliot was nominated for the James Beard Foundation Journalism Award in 2005 for his writing in the "Beer, Wine or Spirits" category.

A great music lover, Elliot is creator of the musical comedy "Meet Me At The Mall" as well as the blues album "Blues Cookbook."

In addition to being a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), Elliot is a trained pastry chef.