Yvette P. Richardson

On the surface, this looks like any other run-of-the-mill self-help book, but the wisdom it contains has been a valuable resource to me. When I initially encountered this book, I realized I had been spending much of my time in my "circle of concern" rather than my "circle of influence," and doing many activities that were urgent but not important rather than the "Quadrant II" activities that do not tend to be urgent but are very important. The book emphasizes building character through private victories and extending this to public victories through synergistic collaborations, all the while realizing that a successful life involves balancing multiple roles such as professor, mother, sister, etc. When I know my thinking has gone off-track, I return to this book to regain my focus.