“Anthony Silard is both talented and wise. His book The Connection is an affirmation of the beauty and higher calling within each of us. It will help the reader firmly ground him or herself in values that spring from deep within, and then embark mindfully on a path toward meaning, joy, and unconditional self-acceptance.”
—Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance

Silard, president of the Executive Leadership Institute, argues that how we choose to play with the cards we are dealt in life is the most important determinant of potential success. To that end, he helps people harness the power that’s already inside them and provides a number of practical tools to help individuals determine their own best direction and make important choices. He shares inspiring stores from Fyodor Dostoyevski, Viktor Frankl, and Al Gore and offers a relatively fresh approach to that age-old eternal quest for happiness. Silard does succumb to a few buzz phrases that plague this type of self-actualization work, such as vision statement and nonlinear progression, but he keeps these to a minimum and provides a fairly straightforward approach to instigating positive change. While some may find the path he advocates too laborious, there is much to take away in “chunks” that will improve one’s approach to life even if one never attains the Holy Grail of happiness that Silard believes is available to all of us. (Jan.)
—Publishers Weekly

“Which do we choose: (1) rushing through life to the finish line or (2) slowing down to discern what a meaningful life looks like and then making it a reality? If we choose the latter, chances are we'll need some help! In The Connection, Anthony Silard inspires us with his own journey and the wisdom of ancient traditions, sharing enlightening exercises and lucid models that amount to a how-to guide for discovering and achieving a life of purpose and balance”
—Klia Bassing, President and CEO, Visit Yourself at Work

“Silard provides compelling insights, real-life examples, practical do-it-yourself exercises, leadership lessons ranging from Dell and Sony to Churchill and Bono, philosophical insights from Galileo and Goethe to Hilary Swank, Muhammad Ali, and Gandhi, and a reader-friendly style that make this book a true gem. The Connection is a beautifully crafted tapestry of wisdom, personal anecdotes, and extremely useful models that are easy to apply to your own life. Silard has proven himself the new master of the personal leadership genre.”
—Jessica Teisch, senior editor of Bookmarks

“Anthony Silard, a man who walks the walk and the talk, combines a disarming humility with a confident, penetrating wisdom into who we are and what motivates us, at our core. Anyone interested in developing their self-mastery, interpersonal, and communication skills should read this valuable book!”
—Sandra Crowe, author of Since Strangling Isn’t An Option... Dealing with Difficult People—Common Problems and Uncommon Solutions

“Anthony is a natural leader who guides us on our most important journey: to rediscover our life’s passion. The Connection is a powerful and practical step-by-step guide aimed at focusing and balancing our lives. It achieves a unique balance between the heart, mind, and soul unlike any other book I’ve ever read. This book is a must-read for us action-oriented people!”
—Jonathan Berkey, professor, Monterey Institute of International Studies

“These days lots of people are writing about giving and giving back. How do you know if the information you're reading will help you make a difference? Read this book. It's one of the best I've read and will help you unleash your gifts to create the world we know is possible.”
—Kathy LeMay author of The Generosity Plan and founder and CEO of Raising Change, LLC

“This book is a must-read; a rich treasure trove of wisdom. Anthony Silard teaches how to make, build, activate, and shape a strong, dynamic, and expansive life of heart driven thinking. Insightful, inspiring, and sound, Silard demonstrates a deep understanding of human behavior with refreshing clarity and humor. Make the mental shift to self-actualization by following his practical examples that build on qualities and values of excellence. The Connection certainly delivers on its promise.”
—Yvonne Oswald, author of Every Word has Power