“What’s one practical life lesson you’ve applied from an inspirational memoir you’ve read? How has implementing this lesson affected your daily life or decision-making?”
Here is what 8 thought leaders had to say.
Reverse-Engineer Your Life Story With McConaughey’s Wisdom
I read Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey, and the thing that stuck wasn’t a deep philosophical insight—it was his idea of “live your resume in reverse.” He talks about making decisions based on the kind of stories you want to tell later, not just what looks good now.
I started applying that to how I say yes or no to work—especially when it comes to helping speakers with new opportunities. Instead of defaulting to what’s scalable or safe, I ask: Will this lead to a story I’d actually want to tell in five years? That lens nudges me to take more interesting risks, partner with offbeat clients, and prioritize bold ideas over tidy ones. Weirdly, it’s made my business feel more aligned—and my days less forgettable.
Austin Benton, Marketing Consultant, Gotham Artists
Nike Founder’s Uncertainty Transforms Leadership Approach
“Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight is a powerful memoir, not because of what Knight knew, but because of what he admitted he didn’t. He’s refreshingly honest throughout the book about the uncertainty he faced and the fact that he often wasn’t sure if he was making the right call.
Reading his account was a turning point for me, both as a business owner and as a person.
I used to think strong leadership meant having every answer lined up from the start. But “Shoe Dog” helped me reframe that belief. I’ve become much more comfortable making informed decisions even when the outcome is unclear, and I make it a point to be transparent with my team about what we know and what we’re still working through.
That shift has made me a more agile and effective leader in every aspect of my life, not just at work. I don’t wait around for perfect clarity anymore, and that decisiveness has a ripple effect, encouraging others to move with confidence.
Rob Reeves, CEO and President, Redfish Technology
Small Daily Habits Create Extraordinary Results
A Life Lesson from an Inspirational Memoir: The Power of Consistency
“Success isn’t about doing one thing well, it’s about doing many things well over and over again.”
The importance of consistency in achieving long term success is the one practical life lesson I took from “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg. In this book, the author highlights how small, consistent habits build up over time to give us huge results. I applied this lesson by focusing on creating daily rituals that support my personal and professional goals, like dedicating 30 minutes each day to learning something new, or maintaining consistent communication with my team. The effect has been life changing. I’m more productive, make clearer decisions, & feel more in control of both my career and my personal growth.
Working this lesson into my life has not just changed how I work, it has truly influenced how I face challenges now. Instead of seeing a problem as something that requires a big jump, I now focus on breaking it down into smaller, consistent actions that are much more doable. This mindset difference has made me more flexible, adaptable, & effective, even when facing uncertainty.
Consistency is very powerful, and it is the only way you can turn ordinary efforts into extraordinary results. Being truly dedicated to something means working for it consistently every day, because small, daily actions might sometimes mean that your progress is slow, but you will always be moving forward.
Kevin Connor, CEO, Modern SBC
Pause With Purpose: Leadership Lessons From Pausch
One of the most impactful memoirs I’ve read is The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. A professor diagnosed with terminal cancer, Pausch delivered what became a global phenomenon: his “last lecture” on achieving childhood dreams, living fully, and leading with purpose. But nestled among the themes of legacy and imagination was one deceptively simple lesson that changed how I live and lead: the power of the pause.
Randy wrote, “Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less than you think.” That line hit connected with my not because it was new, but because he meant it.
And this is an area I realized I could do better in and I am doing better today than ever before. I’m still a work in progress, but I’ve made the decision to stop rushing and start choosing with clarity.
As a leader, I noticed something powerful: the things on my calendar during the workday get done. Meetings, deadlines and strategy sessions they happen, no matter what. So I decided to start scheduling personal and family time the same way. Now, I intentionally block space on my calendar to recharge, move my body, and connect with the people I love.
In leadership, it’s easy to allow other people’s priorities to distract you. We confuse motion for meaning. We neglect our health, sacrifice our sleep, and miss the quiet moments like laughing with your spouse or really seeing your children at the end of the day.
So I started doing something radical in today’s hustle culture: I paused.
Not forever, just long enough to ask:
Do I want to say yes to this?
Am I leading from intention?
Will this move me or my team closer to our “why”?
I also began using my 5+5+5 Rule, a mental filter that asks: Will this matter in 5 minutes, 5 months, or 5 years? If it won’t, I let it go. If it will, I give it my full attention.
This discipline of pausing has reshaped how I lead, coach, and live. I’m now guided by clarity. It’s helped me to create room for reflection, and protect the things that fuel me most.
It is important for leaders to look beyond their current role and consider the impact they’ll leave behind. It’s not just about success, it’s about becoming someone your people remember for how you made them feel, grow, and believe in what’s possible.
While I can’t bottle time, I can lead with the awareness that how I spend my time is how I shape my legacy. That’s what I model for my team. That’s what I hope my family remembers long after the meetings are over.
Gearl Loden, Leadership Consultant/Speaker, Loden Leadership + Consulting
Embrace Discomfort as Your Growth Catalyst
Discomfort Is a Catalyst, Not a Roadblock
The Can Hurt Me by David Goggins was one of the most powerful lessons that I have applied to practice. The idea of tolerating pain instead of sidestepping it became close to my heart as a doctor and a person. The view expressed by Goggins that growth is an opportunity made available by self-chosen suffering motivated me to reformulate my attitude toward challenging circumstances.
This way of thinking has led me to be more conscious in making difficult but right choices in the provision of care, in leadership, and personal health. I do not wait to do something when it feels right (or perfect) anymore; instead, I move to the discomfort and believe that resilience is created by doing. It has sharpened my concentration, decreased hesitation, and turned me into a more regular person in my daily routine, as well as in long-term objectives.
Blen Tesfu, MD, Welzo
Tackle Your Hardest Task Before Noon
Eat That Frog!” by Brian Tracy is a book people toss around, but the real move is this: every morning, before I check a single email or get sucked into a group chat, I pick the hardest, ugliest task on my list and finish it before anything else. That is it. Sometimes, it is a legal review that takes two hours, or a difficult hiring call. I do this every single day, even when I am on vacation. To put it another way, I have missed zero major deadlines in five years, and my team knows we do not leave frogs untouched before noon.
Kiara DeWitt, Founder & CEO, Neurology RN, Injectco
Trust Your Team to Exceed Your Expectations
One usable life lesson that I adopted from the memoir “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight, founder of Nike, is – “Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do, and let them surprise you with the results.”
That one has stuck with me.
When I started Mexico-City-Private-Driver.com, I was doing everything: building the site, responding to every WhatsApp at 1 a.m., coordinating drivers, and obsessively caring about the “perfect” route. I assumed that if I didn’t micromanage 100% of each step, then everything would go to pot.
That said, once I was able to adjust my mindset, I began hiring differently. I began to search for people who owned their work, people who would think on the fly when a client’s flight was delayed, or the entrance to their hotel was blocked due to a protest – yes, that actually happened during a wedding day pickup in Roma Norte.
The results? Our customer satisfaction score (derived from post-service surveys) has gone from an 87% to a 98% in less than a half a year. Our most requested driver is now regularly working VIPs each week at the Four Seasons and would anticipate the needs of his customers before they would even ask.
That one quote has changed my way of leading – and freed me to focus on the long-game. I am no longer the driver of the business; I am the engine of it.
Martin Weidemann, Owner, Mexico-City-Private-Driver.com
Nike Founder’s Fail Fast Philosophy Conquers Hesitation
One of my favorite memoirs is “Shoe Dog,” about the founder of Nike, Phil Knight. I thought his story was so interesting and I felt really inspired after reading it. One lesson in particular that I took away from it was his mantra about failing fast. Basically, he followed this idea that failing is necessary and unavoidable, so if you fail fast, you have more time to learn and get past it. For me, sometimes when it comes to making decisions, I can be a bit hesitant because I don’t want to make the wrong decision. Knight’s philosophy here though has helped me overcome that a bit. I still don’t make rash decisions by any means, but I am less hesitant and I am also more prepared to handle failures and make the most out of them.
Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO, Cabana