A philosophical guide to an enlightened life.
Having it all doesn’t necessarily mean finding happiness, as retired CEO Draper discovered. On his way from an impoverished upbringing to a career as a highly paid executive, he felt he lost his humanity while striving for success and monetary gain. But it’s not only his problem–the author says it has been the great failure of business and the cause of much of today’s economic woes. He endeavors to share his journey back to humanity–to teach others how to make the same journey, live a life of value and, along the way, improve the world around them. With almost detached hindsight, Draper recounts moments of utter disregard for his actions and the dawning realizations that lead to his search for meaning. The author then shows how, through extensive reading and self-examination, he went from superficial happiness and greed-driven success to true happiness. His definition of success changes from material achievement to something some find harder to achieve–self-realization. Draper sets out to be the teacher, sharing passages from Socrates, Epictetus, Plato, Thomas Jefferson, Nietzsche and other great thinkers whose writing helped him during his path to self-discovery. Like his teachers, the author at times takes a long route to his conclusions, but he does make a point and reinforce it succinctly once there. He details questions to ask and provides guidance to finding the answers. Having learned the hard way, Draper uses his experiences as an example. He hopes to guide readers out of the grip of greed and self-centeredness and put them on the path to an examined life, where kindness arises out of self-awareness and respect for humanity.
An inspirational look at one man’s journey from meaningless success to a life of purpose.
