Everyone has a story to tell. And yet, countless stories go untold. It is unfortunate, given the missed opportunities for learning and growth for the storyteller and everyone at the receiving end of the story. When I left home from Corning, New York, four days after high school graduation and joined the Army as an enlisted Soldier at 17, I did not envision graduating from the University of Southern California with a doctorate before retiring 20 years later. While I would go on to experience other opportunities beyond my imagination, I did not anticipate the challenges that would inevitably come my way. Overcoming life’s obstacles and achieving personal goals led me to the realization that no one accomplishes anything alone. The help of others and those who gave me a second chance made all the difference. Without this, my life path would have been much different. Along the way, I shifted my focus from my aspirations to motivating and inspiring others to accomplish their goals. Exploring who we are necessitates discomfort, and the willingness to sit in the discomfort of uncertainty requires courage. To seek the answers to who we are propels us to revisit some things we would rather leave in the past. But this is the first step. By becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable, we can identify our true selves. By looking inward, we come to have a better understanding of who we are. Remembering the life experiences that have had the most impact on shaping who we are today leads us toward developing our authentic selves. My new book widens our capacity to lead with authenticity. Truly knowing who you are was also the catalyst for me to write this book.

Dr. Clinton M. Covert, Ed.D. Author
Dr. Clinton M. Covert
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