12 Life Balancing Continuums

A primary assumption in writing this book is that most people desire to improve both from within and without. Carl Rogers, the psychologist, said it well when he noted that "the good life is a process not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination" And Yann Martel puts this into even more focus: "The main battlefield for good is not the open ground of the public arena, but the small clearing of each heart" Using continuums to expose areas within us that need attention in terms of personal improvement is what this is all about. If taken seriously and focused, each person so engaged will notice subtle changes in feelings and attitude toward self and others, hopefully for the better. We might even become more civil-first toward ourselves and then toward others.

The author grew up in Central Missouri, the oldest of two children in a stable family. Both children went on to obtain doctor's degrees. He started his career in education as a teacher, then administrator, a state department of education consultant, and an educational-center director. He owned steakhouse franchises and operated up to ten restaurants at one time. This was followed by owning and operating an executive recruiting company for twenty-plus years. Most of the recruiting included engineers and plant managers. Later, as part of moving toward retirement, he sold real estate. Interestingly, he has experience as a bureaucrat and as an entrepreneur and enjoys the divergent thought processes each requires. He has been married to his wife, Jane, for fifty-two years and has two grown children, both with advanced degrees and gainful employments.