I have read more than 100 business books a year every year since 1989, and I can count on one hand, with a few fingers left over, the number of books I’ve read that deliver as much true business and life wisdom as this one does. Regardless of where you are in your career, on the following pages you will learn valuable lessons that will help you avoid painful mistakes, make better decisions, suffer less stress, reduce negative conflict, vastly improve your communication skills, become a more effective leader, build a stronger business and create a happy and successful life. That is a big promise, but it is true.

Achieving success in business and life does not happen from chance, fate or good luck, it comes from creating and implementing a set of focused strategic steps that consistently move you in the direction of your vision. In this book, Xavier has compiled some of the best advice and guidance from leading thinkers throughout time, and gives you specific tools, examples and workshops to help you apply those powerful ideas. What you’ll learn in this book can be life-changing, but it won’t be easy. It will require focus, hard work and sacrifice. And if you want to be successful, the truth is you have no choice. Let me tell you why…

For more than 15 years, I have been teaching an executive level strategy program as a guest lecturer at the Wharton School of Business, and I begin every session with this the equation:

II>EI

Here is what it means, “For your business to be successful in the future, the rate of Internal Innovation must exceed the rate of External Innovation.” In other words, to win in the marketplace your organization must innovate, create, strategize and execute better than any of your competition. Your company must be smarter, faster, more agile and adaptable than any other organization in your space. That is an extremely difficult challenge, but even more challenging is the fact that for YOU to be successful in the future you must innovate, create, learn, adapt, change and execute faster than anyone else in the world who does what you do. Think about that for a second, it should scare you, I know it scares me. This is an incredibly daunting challenge, however, there is a term used in this book: Jichigakuzen (you will have to read the entire book to find out what it means) that I believe will give you the answer of how to accomplish this successfully.

Several years ago I was asked to give a TED talk about the most important thing I’ve ever learned in my life and I would like to share that with you. After failing out of college on the first try, I graduated in the top four the United States in my major on my second try and was named CEO of an international company at the age of just 26. How did I make that turn around? Two key ideas:

Ask for help. This is the second most important thing I’ve ever learned in my life. Most people think that asking for help shows weakness, but the most successful people I have ever worked with, which includes several billionaires, were superb at asking for help, input, feedback and advice.

Which leads me directly to the most important thing I’ve ever learned: You become what you focus on, and like the people you surround yourself with. Whatever you fill your mind with and whoever you choose to spend your time with, will directly determine what your life will look like a decade from now.

One of the ways to do that is to by spending time with bright, sharp, smart and talented people and… asking them for help. Another great way to is to read books like this one. Xavier has taken the time to put together all the best things he’s ever learned in this book for you. He will help you overcome obstacles, avoid missteps, take advantage of opportunities, grow, excel and create a wonderfully successful business career and life. And it isn’t just some theory, he has learned this through personal experience. I’ve had the great honor to serve as a mentor to Xavier and have watched him apply the ideas in this book to make dramatic positive changes in his life. And I also know that this book was born from his deep passion to share these ideas and help other people achieve success too.

So, take what you learn in this book seriously, be thoughtful, be disciplined and apply your new-found knowledge with vigor and determination. Change is possible, success is achievable, many of the answers you are looking for are just a chapter or two away. Enjoy!

I wish you every possible happiness and success.

John Spence