Praise “Cliff Michaels delivers a powerful path to profits, passion, and purpose.” TONY HSIEH CEO, Zappos.com, #1 NY Times Bestselling Author - Delivering Happiness “Cliff’s writing is full of creativity, inspiration, and practical lessons. Whether you’re a student or professional, I highly recommend this book.” BLAKE MYCOSKIE Founder, Chief Shoe Giver, TOMS Shoes #1 NY Times Bestselling Author - Start Something That Matters “The 4 Essentials is a fun read. Like Cliff, it’s full of passion with a blend of new ideas and timeless wisdom.” DAVE LOGAN Former Associate Dean, USC Marshall Business School #1 NY Times Bestselling Co-Author - Tribal Leadership “A visionary leader and pioneering entrepreneur, Cliff Michaels sets the bar for life and business training. The 4 Essentials is a winning formula.” MICHAEL CAITO International Chairman, Entrepreneurs’ Organization “Intelligent and highly recommended! Cliff has that rare ability to connect with people at all levels.” ALLANA BARONI Featured Contributor for Socializing on Oprah.com, Author - Get Social “Cliff’s concept for a Master’s in Basic Abilities hits the nail on the head. He takes us on a life journey with pragmatic insights, offering a guide for anyone on their entrepreneurial path.” SUE HESSE Director, Foundation Partnerships, The Kauffman Foundation “Cliff Michaels’ 4 Essentials is a great framework for helping students achieve in school and succeed in life.” BILL MILLIKEN Founder, Communities In Schools, Author - The Last Dropout “The 4 Essentials is an inspiring book for students and entrepreneurs worldwide. Cliff Michaels’ lessons are a dynamic standard for success.” STEVE MARIOTTI Founder, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship “Cliff Michaels is the consummate entrepreneur with a contagious can-do spirit. Engaging and real, his personal story and life lessons are riveting. I’m proud to call him a friend.” MARY MAZZIO Founder, 50 Eggs Films, Award-Winning Producer “From classroom to boardroom and Main Street to Wall Street, The 4 Essentials should be required learning.” JIM WELDON CEO, Revenue Architects “The 4 Essentials is a game-changer for personal and professional growth. Cliff proves that anyone from artist to executive can master entrepreneurial thinking.” SHEP HYKEN Shep Hyken, NY Times Bestselling Author - The Amazement Revolution “There’s too much theory out there. Cliff provides a real-world framework for success. Thanks for bringing this important resource to the world.” DOUG MELLINGER Founder, Vice Chairman, Foundation Source “Original, entertaining, and thought-provoking! Cliff Michaels has written a street-wise yet disciplined approach to success.” ALEXANDER L. CAPPELLO CEO, Cappello Group / Chairman, Young Presidents Organization (2003-2005) “The 4 Essentials of Entrepreneurial Thinking is destined to be a classic. Fans from Napoleon Hill to Malcolm Gladwell will love this book.” JAYME RIGGIO CEO, Riggio Agency, Top 1%, Allstate Insurance “Cliff Michaels’ 4 Essentials is the nearest thing to success in a bottle. Drink this book!” MIKE FAITH CEO, Headsets.com “Powerful. Authentic. Practical. Cliff’s street-smart style feels like a conversation with a trusted mentor.” MOHAMMED FATHELBAB CEO, Forum Resources Network “Our members raved! Cliff’s humor, humility, and down-to-earth style make his real-world lessons fun and highly effective.” YANNIS PEYRET AND NATHAN DOCTOR 2010 & 2011 Presidents, USC Entrepreneur Club “Cliff Michaels provides The 4 Essentials for a successful and fulfilling life.” PETER H. THOMAS Chairman Emeritus, Entrepreneurs’ Organization The 4 Essentials of Entrepreneurial Thinking What Successful People Didn’t Learn in School © Copyright 2011 By Cliff Michaels First Edition Published by Cliff Michaels & Associates, Inc. www.cliffmichaels.com www.the4essentials.com Ebook ISBN: 978-0-615-51911-1 All rights reserved. Except as permitted by U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Dedication To my nieces and nephews » Jenny, Rachel, Ian, Ryan, Ethan Much love To the misfits, dreamers, and risk-takers Carpe diem Mission Inspire, give back, and raise the bar for education and entrepreneurship. Giving Back With each book you purchase, a FREE book is donated to a student. 10% proceeds also go to charities. Share the Buzz CLiffMichaels.com Acknowledgements “In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that, I learn from him.” RALPH WALDO EMERSON (1803 – 1882) American Poet, Philosopher A MILLION THANKS … To my sisters, Gigi and Eve » Thanks for unconditional love and the midnight nosh. You always gave me a place to talk and laugh it out. To esteemed colleagues spreading great ideas at TEDTalks, Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), and The Aspen Institute » Continue raising the bar for education and entrepreneurship. To countless mentors responsible for my real-world education through the years » This book is my mission to pay it forward. To interns, students, and campus organizations for tireless contribution to my work » Your imagination has no boundaries. Keep rockin’ the boat! To selfless volunteers who teach us about giving and gratitude » Namaste. To special friends » Your support was instrumental to this book » Allana Baroni, Michael Caito, Sally DeLuca, Scott Duffy, Judy & Tony East, Amir Esfahani, Mohammed Fathelbab, Kasra Ferasat, Nicole Frank, Brandon Franzke, Neema & David Ghannadi, Ridgely Goldsborough, Dan Goldstone, Rich Halvorson, Milad Hassani, Christine Hassler, Troy Hazard, Patrick Henry, Sue Hesse, Craig Honick, Shep Hyken, Mary Leonida, Gene Lim, Ross Loehner, Dave Logan, Adrian Mason, Mary Mazzio, Doug Mellinger, Bill Milliken, Kam Najmi, Nina Nazar, Jason Niedle, Chris Novy, Steve Phillips, Marsha Ralls, Rob Richman, Jason & Jayme Riggio, Sam Roham, Michael Shillan, Diane Sillan, Jake Strom, Jim Weldon. To my parents » Thanks for the gift of an adventurous soul. To Inspirational Mentors Thanks for sharing your passion and vision. Artists, Leaders, Writers Scientists, Teachers, Philosophers Maya Angelou, Aristotle, The Beatles, Warren Bennis, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Buddha, Warren Buffett, Dale Carnegie, Charlie Chaplin, Confucius, Stephen Covey, Charles Darwin, Leonardo da Vinci, Ellen DeGeneres, Charles Dickens, Walt Disney, Peter Drucker, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Aretha Franklin, Benjamin Franklin, Galileo Galilei, Mohandas Gandhi, Howard Gardner, Bill and Melinda Gates, Kahlil Gibran, Malcolm Gladwell, Seth Godin, Jane Goodall, Daniel Goleman, Stephen Hawking, Napoleon Hill, Tony Hsieh, Helen Keller, Elisabeth Kubler- Ross, Steve Jobs, Bruce Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, A.A. Milne, Margaret Mead, Wolfgang Mozart, Blake Mycoskie, Pablo Picasso, Friedrich Nietzsche, Tony Robbins, Charlie Rose, J.K. Rowling, Howard Schultz, William Shakespeare, Will Smith, Socrates, Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, Henry David Thoreau, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mark Twain, Sun Tzu, Oscar Wilde, Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder, 14th Dalai Lama. Comedians, Satirists, Cartoonists Woody Allen, Lucille Ball, Mel Brooks, Carol Burnett, George Carlin, Stephen Colbert, Bill Cosby, Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres, Tina Fey, Matt Groening, Steve Martin, The Marx Brothers, Mike Myers, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, Charles M. Schulz, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Robin Williams, Steven Wright. Sports Legends Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Wayne Gretzky, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Magic Johnson, Pelé, Jackie Robinson, Vin Scully, John Wooden, Tiger Woods. Table of Contents Genesis of The 4 Essentials Introduction How this Book is Structured Cliff Michaels: My Lessons From The Edge Chapter 1 Early Childhood Chapter 2 Games, Chess, and Secrets to Success Chapter 3 My Summer Real Estate Camp Chapter 4 A Unique College Experience Chapter 5 Extra Credit or Class Dismissed Chapter 6 Welcome to The Real World Chapter 7 Diary of a Dot-com Chapter 8 Finding Passion and Purpose Essential # 1: Basic Life Skills Skill 1 Define Success and Happiness Skill 2 Unleash Your Entrepreneurial Soul Skill 3 Build a Passion for Learning Skill 4 Leverage Tools and Mentors Skill 5 Cultivate Curiosity and Creativity Skill 6 Practice with Passion and Purpose Skill 7 Never Quit – Failure is Your Friend Skill 8 Embrace Challenge and Change Skill 9 Be Ambitious but Recognize Greed Skill 10 Carpe Diem, Baby! Essential # 2: Action Strategies Strategy 1 Self-Discovery and Team Mission Strategy 2 Emotional, Social, and Communication Intelligence Strategy 3 Relationships and Networking Strategy 4 Decisions and Problem Solving Strategy 5 Teams, Leaders, and Advisors Strategy 6 Focus and Time Management Strategy 7 Hardcore Goal Execution Essential # 3: Core Values Value 1 Integrity – Words and Deeds Matter Value 2 Sportsmanship – The Lost Art Value 3 Humility – Check Your Ego at the Door Value 4 Patience – The Tortoise and The Hare Value 5 Tolerance – Open Mind, Open Doors Value 6 Gratitude – How Thankful Can We Be? Value 7 Humor – Show Me the Funny Essential # 4: Purpose Principles Purpose 1 Live Your Passion Purpose 2 Master Your Personal Health Formula Purpose 3 Embrace the Art of Giving Purpose 4 Enjoy the Journey Summary: Bridging the Education Gap The Misfit Hall of Fame Parting Wisdom About The Author Genesis of The 4 Essentials “Why don’t schools teach this stuff?” OR THE RECORD, I don’t