Make the Impossible Possible: One Man's Crusade to Inspire Others to Dream Bigger and Achieve the Extraordinary

Summary (from the publisher): Bill Strickland has spend the past thirty years transforming the lives of thousands of people through Manchester Bidwell, the jobs training center and community arts program he founded in Pittsburgh. Working with corporations, community leaders, and schools, he and his staff strive to give disadvantaged kids and adults the opportunities and tools they need to envision and build a better, brighter future.

In Make the Impossible Possible, Bill Strickland shows how each of us, by adopting the attitudes and beliefs he has lived by every day, can reach our fullest potential and achieve the impossible in our lives and careers--and perhaps change the world a little in the process. Through lessons from Strickland's own life experiences and those of countless others who have overcome challenging circumstances and turned their lives around, Make the Impossible Possible teaches us how to build on our passions and strengths, dream bigger and set the bar higher, achieve meaningful success, and inspire the lives of others.

Review: This is the fourth (and hopefully the last for a while) book that I was required to read for work. I highly enjoyed this book, which largely centers on the author's personal journey towards success and inspiration, and his philosophy for how to approach life.  It's hard not to be inspired by Strickland's story of coming from poverty and the ghetto and deciding to stay there and make a difference for other children living in poverty. It's little wonder that he has received national recognition, simply by being the living embodiment of his approach to life; "authentic success, the kind of success that will enrich your life and enlarge your spirit, the only kind of success that matters, comes from knowing and trusting the deepest aspirations of your heart."

One thing I loved about Strickland's story is his sense of possibility. Although he loves helping people, he's very clear that he does what he does because it was only choice he had to be true to the person he is. In like fashion, the training center and community arts program he started is largely inspired by his passions. He loves jazz so the center has a jazz performance hall with famous musicians and its own recording label. He loves orchids, so it has a greenhouse and a successful horticulture training program. This is not to say that he's self-absorbed or that it's all about him but that his heart is behind everything he does. When people thought he was crazy for attempting the initiatives and new programs that he did, he persisted, because he knew they would serve his ultimate goal of inspiring youth the way he felt inspired.

Another aspect I found inspiring in Strickland is his knowledge that he can't do it alone. Strickland is seemingly brilliant at networking and making connections between who he knows and what he is trying to accomplish. For example, working with Bayer to start a Chem tech program. Strickland did not let his fear of the unknown squelch his desire to learn and reach his goals. He's willing to work hard and go out on a limb for what he believes. Strickland is the definition of an innovative and persistent soul who makes things happen.

Stars: 4