New Book “The 4 Essentials: A Path to Success & Happiness”

Lessons learned in classrooms or even through work experience are extremely important.  That said, those learned outside the classroom or boardroom — the real-world essentials — are critical to success as well.  In his new book, The 4 Essentials: A Path to Success and Happiness, successful entrepreneur Cliff Michaels brings to life what he calls a Real-World MBA, a Master’s in Basic Abilities.

In The 4 Essentials, Cliff Michaels takes readers on a journey of success, failure, and purpose with lessons to be gleaned from each.  Michaels complements this journey with wisdom drawn from books, movies, childhood heroes, and virtual mentors from Leonardo daVinci and Thomas Edison to modern-day icons such as Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Blake Mycoskie. Passionately written and thought provoking, Michaels illustrates why success is not predicated solely on degrees, intelligence, or opportunity.

The 4 Essentials has already gained recognition by leaders in education and entrepreneurship:

"Cliff's 4 Essentials are a great framework for students to succeed in school and life."
Bill Milliken – Founder, Communities in Schools, Author, The Last Dropout

“Cliff Michaels delivers a powerful path to profits, passion, and purpose.”
Tony Hsieh – CEO, Zappos.com, NY Times #1 Bestseller, Delivering Happiness

“By applying ‘The 4 Essentials’— life skills, action strategies, core values, and purpose principles — anyone can fill gaps in education, intelligence, or socio-economics that may be holding them back,” says Michaels. “That’s not to say traditional education isn’t important. It certainly is. But teaching vocation skills without people skills or business excellence without purpose principles is fundamentally flawed.”

As a real estate broker, investor, high-tech CEO, and strategist, Michaels has successfully navigated the high flying 80's, recovering 90's, and 21st century booms and busts. His firm has produced more than $500 million in sales and he’s a former president and 10-year board member of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization Los Angeles Chapter.

Before hitting his stride, Michaels’ journey began as an aspiring entrepreneur at the University of Southern California. While cutting his entrepreneurial teeth with street-wise real estate mentors, Michaels noticed a serious gap between traditional education and basic abilities of peak performance. This fueled philosophical debates with students and professors, leading Michaels to conduct research on “Real-World Essentials Critical to Success,” especially in competitive environments. His research and personal journey supported Michaels’ belief that basic life and business strategies must be taught in concert. This was the inspiration for The 4 Essentials.

“Based on my research, The 4 Essentials are keys to achievement – personally and professionally,” continues Michaels. “I’m convinced anyone willing to Master Basic Abilities can find their path to success and happiness.”

In addition to his book on The 4 Essentials, Michaels has developed online e-courses and tools on topics from self-discovery and team building, to communication, people skills, conflict resolution, sales, negotiations, and business planning; among others (coming this Fall). Additionally, Michaels launched The Giving Back Mission as a companion to The 4 Essentials. With each purchase at CliffMichaels.com, free books and courses are donated to students with 10% proceeds also going to charities. Initial targets include: Charity Water, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Communities in Schools, Doctors Without Borders, and Habitat for Humanity.

The 4 Essentials is now available for pre-order and will be released in paperback January 2012. FREE Chapters are available and anyone who pre-orders the book gains exclusive access to a full PDF Online version of The 4 Essentials at www.CliffMichaels.com. 50% Off Michaels’ E-course on Self Discovery & Team Mission is also available when pre-ordering the book (Courses come with result-oriented tools like goal and project-planning forms).