Live Life in Crescendo

This is a picture of my late father, Stephen R. Covey, and my mother, Sandra Covey in their young 30’s.?You can see that my dad went bald at an early age.?Haha! I’m happy to let you know that the last book he was writing before he passed on is launching today. Live Life in Crescendo.?Written with my older sister, Cynthia, this book is a masterpiece. Stephen was as excited about this book as anyone he had ever written, including the 7 Habits.?

This book is about the idea that your greatest work is always ahead of you, not matter what age or stage of life you’re in. If you are nearing retirement, this book will help you see that bigger and better contributions are yet to come.?If you have been very successful, this book will encourage you to not rest on your laurels but to find new ways to make a difference.?If you have experienced a life changing setback, this book will illustrate through dozens of compelling stories how that very setback can be the springboard to amazing new triumphs. And if you are stuck in a stagnant midlife where your life is not turning out as you hoped, you’ll love reading about how others were able to pull out of their stagnancy and turn their lives around, such as John Kralik.?

At age 53, John Kralik found his life at a terrible, frightening low.?His small law firm was failing.?He was struggling through a painful second divorce.?He had grown distant from his two older children and was afraid he might lose contact with his young daughter.?He was living in a tiny apartment where he froze in the winter and baked in the summer.?He was 40 pounds overweight.?His girlfriend had just broken up with him.?Overall, his dearest life dreams—including hopes of upholding idealistic legal principles and becoming a judge—seemed to have forever slipped beyond his reach. Then, during a desperate walk in the hills on New Year's Day, John was struck by the belief that his life might become at least tolerable if, instead of focusing on what he didn't have, he could find some way to be grateful for what did have.

Inspired by a beautiful, simple note his ex-girlfriend had sent to thank him for his Christmas gift, John imagined that he might find a way to feel grateful by writing thank-you notes. To keep himself going, he set himself a goal—come what may—of writing 365 thank-you notes in the coming year.

One by one, day after day, he began to handwrite thank-you notes for gifts or kindnesses he'd received from loved ones and coworkers, from past business associates and current foes, from college friends and doctors and store clerks and handymen and neighbors.?Anyone, absolutely anyone, who'd done him a good turn, however large or small. It wasn’t long after he'd sent his very first notes, that significant and surprising benefits began to come John's way—from financial gain to true friendship, from weight loss to inner peace. While John wrote his notes, the economy collapsed, the bank across the street from his office failed, but thank-you note by thank-you note, John's whole life turned around.?

?After practicing law for thirty years in California, John Kralik achieved his dream and was appointed a judge in the Los Angeles Superior Court.?Just two years after his life was at an all time low, John published his story of overcoming his apparent “mid-life crisis” in a book entitled A Simple Act of Gratitude:?How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life.?His simple message of actively looking for reasons to show gratitude for those in his life, and making the effort to express thanks through a sincere handwritten note has inspired countless others who became beneficiaries of his actions.?Though saying “thank you” is something we learn when young, actually handwriting a short note is an uncommon and surprisingly valued practice in this digital age.

?This story and many others like it are captured in this beautiful new book, Live Life in Crescendo.?

Hope you enjoy it!