If you don’t like what is happening, you have to consciously make new choices about how you think, feel and act.
Roger K. Allen
The Hero’s Choice: Living From the Inside Out

I’m constantly searching for new ways to share valuable life lessons with others. I recently read a life changing book which has a series of lessons wrapped in an emotionally compelling story. I’d like to share some insights from this book with you now.

The story centers around Hal, a very successful real estate developer. He’s a typical entrepreneur and dedicated businessman. But his world comes crashing down around him because he fails to consider and include others in his decisions. He makes a lot of wrong choices, and as his world turns upside down, he resorts to his typical behavior: running and hiding.

Instead of drawing closer to his family and friends, he grows angry, blames others and further isolates himself. Quite by accident, he meets a remarkable stranger who guides him to recognize his mistakes and eventually change his life. The story will certainly make you smile, but it will also bring tears to your eyes.

One of the important lessons in the book centers on the 3 Rs. But these aren’t the ones you learned in grade school. Here, the 3 Rs mean “Reality + Responsibility = Results.”

“Reality is what is or the way things are. Reality exists independently of our opinions about it. Embrace it and find peace. Resist it and find pain.”

“Responsibility. The choices we make about how we think, feel and act about reality. The quality of our life depends on our ability to make good choices.”

“Results. The consequences or outcomes we get from the choices we make. Results are a function of the other 2 Rs.”

There are a number of other valuable lessons in this book, but I don’t want to reveal too much here. Suffice it to say that you’ll definitely learn a few things over the course of the story.

It’s not all lessons, though; it’s a heartwarming story that will leave you feeling better for having read it. The book is fast moving, a real page turner, and while the story is fictional, the characters are so real and their actions so commonplace that most people will identify with them. I believe anyone can enjoy and benefit from this book.

So when you’re doing your holiday shopping, consider making a gift of this book, either for yourself or someone you love. It would make a great gift and it’s well worth reading.

I have posted a detailed review of The Hero’s Choice: Living From the Inside Out on Amazon.com. Here’s a link.

You have to feel your emotion before you can take responsibility and move beyond it.
Roger K. Allen
The Hero’s Choice: Living From the Inside Out

Copyright © 2009 John Chancellor