The Mentor: A Tribute To Ralph Autry
Tim Hendricks
Paperback: 270 pages
ISBN: 1933215097
Publisher: Music City Publishing
Review by Graciela Sholander
For Independent Professional Book Reviewers
By the time he’d reached his thirties, Tim Hendricks had had enough. Enough of dead-end jobs. Enough of living from paycheck to paycheck. Enough of working at a factory for $10.82 an hour. Enough of working 70 to 80 hours a week just to survive.
He had already held a rather eclectic assortment of jobs, including driving a steam train at Disney World and working as a concrete finisher, carpenter, radio station manager, and steel hanger. Despite his vast and varied on-the-job experience, he felt extremely frustrated that all of his hard work had failed to bring him any measure of financial independence. Tim decided to embark on a quest for the very thing that had eluded him his entire working life.
Early on, he realized it wasn’t just about money; something else was missing from his life. Working just to survive had squelched his passion, his sense of adventure, his thirst for excitement. Tim asked himself, “Where had all the fun gone?” He was working hard but he was dying of boredom, dissatisfied with the routine of his life and the tedium of his job. He wanted so much more out of life than to just eat, work, and sleep.
His quest began in earnest with a single phone call. Out of the blue, Tim called a man named Ralph Autry whom he had heard of from others. Tim had learned that, after having been an Air Force pilot and a pharmacist, Ralph retired at the age of 42 to fully enjoy life with his wife and children. Tim called Ralph hoping to get a few pointers and helpful tidbits to set him on the right path. Instead, Tim got a dedicated mentor who, little by little, began to show him, through sage words and practical, real-life example, what it takes to become independently wealthy.
The Mentor is a careful, detailed retelling of life lessons the late Autry taught his protégé. As the story unfolds, the reader is showered with a wealth of life wisdom mixed together with advice on how to succeed in the business world. Every chapter presents valuable lessons, such as, “Never take anyone’s advice unless they have the fruit on the tree that you want.”
Both empowering and transformative, The Mentor shows how having consistent, one-to-one dialogue with somebody who’s “been there, done that” can get you to your desired destination much more quickly than going it alone. From beginning to end, the reader observes how Tim undergoes a tremendous mindset transformation. With his mentor’s guidance, he goes from working just to get by to being his own boss and having the freedom to travel to Hawaii, Colorado, the Bahamas, and other destinations, bringing the excitement and adventure he so craved back into his life.
Written in a straightforward, easy to digest manner, the book is sprinkled liberally with photos that show a successful Ralph Autry and his family posing with well-known success stories, including George Foreman, Crystal Gayle, and Mike Ditka. Other photos show how Tim’s life was transformed completely; we see him meeting fascinating people and enjoying experiences he’d previously only dreamed of. Faith-based themes are woven throughout the text, since the life philosophy shared by both mentor and protégé includes fundamental principles of compassion, respect, and service to others. Tim devotes an entire chapter to how to be a great protégé, and another chapter to how to be a great mentor.
Much more than a tribute to a man who shared his enthusiasm, energy, and business savvy with everyone he encountered, The Mentor is a key to reaching one’s full potential. Tim Hendricks urges others to find mentors and to become mentors. This unique relationship is too often overlooked in business, but as Tim emphasizes, it can help a struggling protégé achieve phenomenal success.
The Mentor is both a tribute and a guide, chockfull of little wisdoms that collectively add up to great advice for anyone who wants to live more abundantly.
Review by Graciela Sholander
For Independent Professional Book Reviewers |
