Be Audacious
Inspiring Your Legacy and Living a Life That Matters
- 2015 INDIES Finalist
- Finalist, Self-Help (Adult Nonfiction)
Practical exercise, mantras, compelling anecdotes, and stories of scrappiness all help instill an audacious kind of confidence in kids.
Be Audacious features stories of grit and scrappiness that are required for overcoming adversity; the vulnerability needed at the heart of authentic leadership; purposeful, sustainable passion as keys that unlock potential; and the planning needed for big dreams.
At 35, author Michael Leach inspires youth and millennials, living his life as testament to and training ground for the book’s “be audacious” message. He shapes a captivating tale, supported by practical exercises, mantras, and compelling anecdotes. His personal growth lessons resonate as an embodiment of the Be Audacious movement, philosophy, and way of life—to “inspire people to pursue their passion, live a life that matters, and change the world.”
Being diagnosed at 19 with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a chronic autoimmune disorder, served to shatter his dream on the basketball court. Later, Leach recounts coaching his basketball team from a wheelchair after surgery, leading to a cultural healing during playoffs with a reservation team. “I don’t share the stories … to wow you or to boost my ego; I simply wish to remind you of what is possible when we remain resilient.”
In his words, “The simple but powerful tools and stories that unfold here—if adopted and embraced—can become a foundation upon which you face and ultimately embrace what the world throws your way.” Leach shows what that looks like as each adversity calls forth every ounce of resiliency. He also redefines “swagger,” including a host of variations, reframing its negative baggage. “I’m talking about humble swagger, authentic swagger—what I like to call swaggage. I love these terms, as I’ve seen them work with young adults, inspiring a more contemporary and audacious kind of confidence.”
Authentic leadership frames the bigger picture. He says, “Twenty-first century leadership is about positively impacting the world around you by doing it your way. … Whatever fuels your heart, identify it, nurture it, and lead with it!” Each chapter’s practice exercises help the insights sink in. Leach concludes with “Your Legacy—A Life that Matters.” He shines the Be Audacious message like a beacon in his fresh, unexpected voice.
Reviewed by
Bobbye Middendorf
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
