Lessons from Life: Four Keys to Living with More Meaning, Purpose, and Success

In his deeply personal memoir, Steve Darter asks himself the question: What is the purpose of my life? Using entertaining storytelling, Steve takes you on a journey of emotion, reflection, and insight that encourages you to think about how to live with more meaning, purpose, and success at any age--young, old, or in between.

Have you ever wondered what the purpose of your life is? The secret to living a life that has meaning? The path you should take to achieve your purpose? Do you even believe you have a purpose? How about an intended destiny? Most, if not all, of us have asked (or will ask) ourselves these types of questions at some point in our lives--even if it is only at the end.

Ranked as the #1 "Profound Book about Finding Yourself" by Fupping, a media company that focuses on book and product reviews and expert buying guides.

Ranked "One of 12 best books for people who are looking for inspiration on how to change their lives for the better" by Global People Transitions, an organization that helps international professionals assigned abroad

What others have said about Lessons from Life:

"I found the writing to be magnetic, sentence after sentence. The communication is clear and deep; nothing hidden, so painfully honest."

"Steve Darter distills years of wisdom and experience into a compelling and concise narrative, as engaging as it is inspirational."

"This honest story of your life's journey is such a powerful way for you to help us all reflect on and better understand our own journeys in such a constructive frame of reference."

"Steve probes deep into understanding what makes us more complete as people--using marvelous storytelling and himself as a real-life example"

"Steve offers us the powerful reflections that have emerged from his own life story."

"Everyone who reads this will benefit from its honest self-reflection and will be inspired to find the hidden strength their life journey has to make them better people."

"Steve incisively mines his life's experience to come to a deep understanding of his own meaning, purpose, and truth, and simultaneously equips us to do the same."

"The message about life and purpose, consistent and growing, illustrated through struggles, victories, and defeats that are so real."

"Steve's engaging life stories--each with important lessons for all--point to the imperative of finding one's unique design and purpose to be fulfilled."

"This is a book you will read, reread, and gift to others"

"Truly a life-changing book!"

"Written with wit, humility, and heart"

"Much more than an engaging autobiography, this thought-provoking book is a call for reflection and action"

"This book reveals an amazing, intelligent, and proven way to discover your life's purpose."

"Steve Darter describes, in a compelling manner, his life's work in pursuing the identification of what it takes to have a best chance of finding a rewarding, meaningful, and successful career and life."

"Steve gently provides the outline, palette, contours, and framework of an image of 'the purpose of a life' that resonates deeply and, upon reflection, results in a compelling basis for the reader to complete the picture for his or her own life."

"In this thoughtful and deeply personal book, Steve Darter addresses one of the most important and central questions in life: How can one find more purpose and meaning in his or her life."

Steve Darter has a distinguished career as a consultant, author, educator, and speaker. For more than forty-five years he has counseled people, ranging from CEOs of Fortune 500 corporations to troubled teenagers, on work, career, and life issues. He has written and presented extensively about the importance of understanding, using, and effectively managing motivated strengths to live a more meaningful, purposeful, and successful life.

Read what others say about LessonsFrom Life
 
"Steve Darter exhibits extreme courage, humility, and vulnerability as he tells a fascinating story of his lifelong journey leading to self-discovery of his God-given giftedness and life purpose. All readers will relate to many of Steve's experiences that are often humorous,inspiring,and emotional. But the value of this book goes well beyond the impact of interesting memoirs. In it,through provocative questions for reflection, he encourages readers to understand their own giftedness and life purpose and thereby the drivers of future happiness and personal fulfillment. This book can significantly enhance your life!"
--Fred Sievert, retired president, New York Life Insurance Company; author of God Revealed: Revisit Your Past to Enrich Your Future and Grace Revealed: Finding God's Strength in Any Crisis  
 
 "This honest story of your life's journey is such a powerful way for you to help us all reflect on and better understand our own journeys in such a constructive frame of reference . . . I found myself laughing at times and shedding tears of emotion at others. I literally couldn't put your book down after I started it. Everyone who reads this will benefit from its honest self-reflection."
--Kenneth Klepper, Cofounder,Chairman, and CEO, ReactiveCore; former president, Medco Health Solutions, Inc.; business board director, U.S.Department of Defense; and board of directors, U.S. Naval Institute
 
 
"Steve Darter's book draws you from one page and story to the next. I found the writing to be magnetic,sentence after sentence. The communication is clear and deep; nothing hidden,so painfully honest. The message about life and purpose,consistent and growing,illustrated through struggles, victories, and defeats that are so real."
--Arthur F. Miller, author of The Power of Uniqueness, The Truth About You, How God Shapes Our Lives, Look No Further, and other books; founder of SIMA International 
 
 
 "This book reveals an amazing, intelligent, and proven way to discover your life's purpose."
--Dick Staub, nationally syndicated broadcaster and founder of The Kindlings; author of About You: Fully Human Fully Alive, The Culturally Savvy Christian, and other books
 
"Steve Darter describes, in a compelling manner, his life's work in pursuing the identification of what it takes to have a best chance of finding a rewarding, meaningful, and successful career and life."
--Stephen D. Ban, PhD,former president and CEO, Gas Research Institute;retired member, board of directors, UGI Corp, Energen, and Amerigas
 

"The framework of belief that we are made with specific gifts and talents takes real and living form as we walk with Steve through moments of discovery.. .  For those who have found learning in school difficult and frustrating, Steve's experience and insights should be very helpful."
--Edward Bouquillon, PhD, superintendent of the Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School District
 

 "Have you ever stopped and taken the time to thoughtfully consider what makes you special. Well, here's your chance. Steve Darter helps us explore and identify our life's purpose by sharing his own personal story.He courageously shares his successes, failures, and experiences with thought-provoking questions at the end of each chapter. Join Steve on this personal journey of reflection and growth and, like me, get a deeper, more meaningful appreciation and understanding of your life's purpose."
--Ed Landry, founder and leader, Jobs Assistance Ministry
 

 "Coupled with wisdom garnered from guiding others to leverage their true giftedness, Steve offers us the powerful reflections that have emerged from his own life story. . .  This is a book you will read, reread,and gift to others."
--Zara F. Larsen, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Engineering,Werner International POC GmbH; former president, The Larsen Group and live talk radio show host
 
 "Steve distills incredible wisdom from his own life's experiences . . . Written with wit,humility, and heart. . . I often found myself frequently laughing one moment, only to be startled by a moment of great poignancy the next. Steve incisively mines his life's experience to come to a deep understanding of his own meaning, purpose,and truth, and simultaneously equips us to do the same."
--Greg Baumer, senior vice president and chief growth officer, naviHealth; author (with John Cortines) of God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School
 
 
"In this thought-provoking book, Steve Darter addresses one of the most important and central questions in life: How can one find more purpose and meaning in his or her life.  
--James W. Fairfield-Sonn, Ph.D.,Professor of Management, Former Dean of the Barney School of Business, University of Hartford and Author of Corporate Culture and the Quality Organization
 

"Steve's engaging life stories--each with important lessons for all--point to the imperative of finding one's unique design and purpose to be fulfilled."
--Robert C. Andringa, PhD, President Emeritus, Council for Christian Colleges&Universities
 

"Drawing on his many years of professional experience guiding others to find meaning in their working environment and on his belief in God, Steve gently provides the outline, palette, contours, and framework of an image of 'the purpose of a life' that resonates deeply and,upon reflection, results in a compelling basis for the reader to complete the picture for his or her own life. His words, message, and examples are clear, simple, and to the point."
--David T. Emott, retired CFO, Ensign-Bickford Industries; author of Practitioner's
 Complete Guide to M&As
 
 
 "Steve distills years of wisdom and experience into a compelling and concise narrative, as engaging as it is inspirational . . .  Truly a life-changing book!" 
--Robert Rex Waller, Jr, Associate Professor of Writing, University of Southern California; singer and co-song writer for the critically-acclaimed roots band "I See Hawks in L.A." 
 
 
"Steve probes deeper into understanding what makes us more complete as people. . . marvelous storytelling. . . Intriguing, courageous, and thought-provoking."
--Frank Pacholec, PhD, VP Strategy and Corporate Development, Stepan Company
 
 
 
 "Whether you are early or late in your life journey,there is much to learn or relearn from Steve Darter's Lessons from Life."
--Sam Havens, retired president,Prudential Health Care; former chair of the board,American Health Insurance Plans; and currently a solo entrepreneur working as a board member and advisor to early-stage health services companies
 
 
"Because we all yearn to live a meaningful, purposeful life, there is something for everyone in this book."
--Margaret Crowley, RSM, PhD, a Sister of Mercy with a long career in higher education and health care that includes founding several organizations and, most recently,developing programs in workplace spirituality