A wonderful book that can be of use to us all! When I started reading "Everyday Greatness," I did so reluctantly and with low expectations. My wife had bought it for me along with some other books from a bargain table at a major department store. I think that was in about 2014. Reader's Digest's logo on the book's spine in bigger lettering than that of Rutledge Hill Press gave me the idea I was in for some homespun anecdotes with some basic Western wisdom and snippets of humor I might view as guilty pleasures. So, I got around to starting it in about 2016. Even though I was liking what I was reading, I put it down until a couple months ago. Only then did I finally comprehend the full value of this book. The life lessons and inspiration found within its pages are tools for elevating our lives to another level.
Dr. Stephen R. Covey, with the help of others who designed, compiled, contributed to, edited and supported this project, authored "Everyday Greatness" because of the inspiration he found in people who are unsung heroes in this world where narcissists, flashy personalities and shallow beauty get most of the attention. People doing the little things, the right things simply because they should. The underdogs who make something special of their lives against the odds. The givers who enrich the lives of those around them in a quiet, unassuming manner by living up to principles that have fallen by the wayside for many.
The book consists of sections that cover areas such as searching for meaning, taking charge, creating the dream, overcoming adversity and more. Some of those principles referenced above include responsibility, courage, discipline, integrity and empathy. These are expanded upon with real-life examples written by people close to their sources. Each chapter has a number of excellent quotes that apply to that chapter. These sections so well laid out made me want to be a better person and gave me hope that I could be.
I would like to just add that Reader's Digest deserves a lot of credit for being a magazine with its own version of everyday greatness. I've never been a big fan and I have no stake in singing their praises, but I've enjoyed those anecdotes and bits of humor occasionally through the years. They're wholesome, comforting and informative without being flashy or trendy (as far as I know). They have been around for 95 years and are still standing in this digital age when print media has been theoretically left for dead. I would like to think the principles that constitute everyday greatness can be found consistently in their pages. Their support of Covey's project should give us an appreciation of the kind of organization they have been through the years.