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Endorsements
Pat Williamss waste-no-time philosophy has informed my work ethic for decades, so I know from experience that hes an authority on this subject. The Sweet Spot for Success distills all hes learned and put into practice. Pat lays it out in such a way that you can easily intersect your talent with your passion to discover your sweet spot in life. Now thats success!
Jerry B. Jenkins , novelist and biographer; founder, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild
Pat Williamss new book, The Sweet Spot for Success , is a powerful, life-changing read!
Bruce Arians , head coach, Arizona Cardinals
The books that Pat Williams writes are always thought-provoking and uplifting. The Sweet Spot for Success is no exception. Youll love reading this one!
Dabo Swinney , head football coach, Clemson University
Talent and passion. Thats the ticket for success in any field. Pat Williams captures this concept beautifully in his latest book, The Sweet Spot for Success . Get ready for an impactful reading experience.
Steve Prohm , head basketball coach, Iowa State University
Pat Williams reveals secrets learned over a lifetime of leadership in professional sports. From tools for identifying and managing talent to the importance of finding the right collaborators, The Sweet Spot for Success offers practical advice from some of the most influential people in sports, entertainment, and business. This book is for anyone who wants to compete and succeed at the highest level.
Adam Silver , commissioner of the National Basketball Association
Pat Williams is a book-writing machine with over one hundred books to his credit. His latest work The Sweet Spot for Success is my favorite. After you read this compelling book, I know you will agree with me.
Bob Lanier , NBA legend
Once I started on The Sweet Spot for Success by Pat Williams I couldnt stop reading. Its loaded with great information and the stories are terrific. I know youll be as impacted as I was.
Jim McElwain , head football coach, University of Florida
The Sweet Spot for Success really drills down on two areas of maximizing achievement that all coaches strive to develop in their teamstalent and passion. This book provides a clear road map for teams as well as individuals to find their sweet spot in life.
Dirk Koetter , head coach,Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I have read many of Pat Williamss books and have always benefited. The Sweet Spot for Success is his best one yet. Youll read it in one sitting.
Eric Musselman , head mens basketball coach, University of Nevada
Growing up with a dad like Pat Williams means that from a very young age, I saw what passion looked like. As a child, I never understood why he was so excited to go to work every day, but now I know that its because he was passionate about his message and he absolutely loved what he did. He always used to say, You cant fake passion. You either have it or you dont. He sure had it, and still doesand it spreads like wildfire to everyone he meets. This book will help you pinpoint your sweet spot and ignite a fire so bright, the world will sit up and take notice!
Karyn Williams , Christian recording artist
Dedication
This book is dedicated to
Gracyn Alyssandra Salazar,
our youngest grandchild,
in the hope that she will learn early in
life the principles in this book.
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Endorsements
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Foreword by Clint Hurdle
Introduction: Telling My Secret
1. Standing at the Intersection
2. Identify Your Talent
3. Identify Your Passion
4. Focus Your Talent
5. Focus Your Passion
6. Energized with Confidence
7. Multiply Your Success: The Power of Teamwork
8. Guiding Others to Their Success Intersection
Notes
About the Authors
Back Ads
Back Cover
Acknowledgments
W ITH DEEP APPRECIATION I acknowledge the support and guidance of the following people who helped make this book possible:
Special thanks to Alex Martins, Dan DeVos, and Rich DeVos of the Orlando Magic.
Hats off to my associate Andrew Herdliska; my proofreader, Ken Hussar; and my ace typist, Fran Thomas.
Thanks also to my writing partner, Jim Denney, for his superb contributions in shaping this manuscript.
Hearty thanks also go to Andrea Doering and the entire Baker Publishing Group team for their vision and insight, and for believing that we had something important to say in these pages.
And finally, special thanks and appreciation go to my wife, Ruth, and to my wonderful and supportive family. They are truly the backbone of my life.
Foreword
V ISIT MY OFFICES at PNC Park in Pittsburgh or Pirate City in Florida, and the first thing youll notice is my books. I have books lining my shelves and piled on my desk and stacked on the floor by the wall.
People often ask me, Do you actually read all those books? And yes, I actually do.
Theyre mostly books about leadership or teamwork or success or motivation. I read a lot of biographies about great sports heroes and great coaches like John Wooden and Vince Lombardi. And many of my favorite books have Pat Williamss name on the cover. The man knows how to inspire and motivate. Hes a great leadership teacher. He understands success, because hes been living it throughout his career as a sports executive and cofounder of the Orlando Magic.
Full disclosure: Pat Williams is a longtime friend. But Im not praising his books out of friendship. Im saying all this because its true. If you want to know what it takes to be successful in life, if you want to be inspired and fired up to achieve your goals, youve got to read Pats booksand I strongly suggest you start with this one.
The Sweet Spot for Success will light a fire under youand it will show you how to harness that fire to ignite your passion for success. This is the book I wish I had read at the beginning of my baseball career. And this is the book that will open your eyes and change your life, no matter where you are in your career.
From my years of experience as a player and a manager, I can tell you that everything Pat says in this book is the absolute truth. You may be loaded with talent, and you may think your talent alone will carry you to your goals. Wrong! Talenteven incredible talentis simply not enough.
In addition to your great talent, you must have an intense passion for your goals. In this book, Pat will show you how to find and develop your greatest talent, and how to ignite your deepest passion so that you can achieve your dreams of greatness.