Quarter Million Steps

Ph.D. Anthony Paustian

Description

Drawing inspiration from the epic story of the Apollo Moon Program, collected research, and his own life experiences, Dr. Anthony Paustian outlines the many small steps it takes to create success in life. With the practical tools described in this imaginative, easy-to-read book, Dr. Paustian teaches the principles of creative expression, imagineering, strong leadership, focus, a solid work ethic, and so much more. After reading this book, you'll have the tools to set effective and achievable goals and know how to invoke your own personal leadership to accomplish them. He teaches you less about what to think and more about how to think.A Quarter Million Steps is a work of non-fiction in the self-help/self-leadership genre. The book is unique in that to discuss these important personal and organization issues, it uses the imagery and innovation of the Apollo Moon Program from the 1960s as a metaphor for success. The author has a personal relationship with many of the men who made that epic voyage thus providing him some detailed insight as to how the Apollo Program provides lessons that should serve as an example today. With the approaching 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing in 2019, it's timely to both reflect on and reapply those lessons.

Sujets

• Sociologie, société et politique
• Self-help
• Psychology

Informations

• Publié par: Bookpress Publishing
• Date de parution: 01 octobre 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780996442862
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

A
QUARTER
MILLION
STEPS
PRAISE FOR
A QUARTER-MILLION STEPS
“Dr. Paustian’s book uniquely addresses leadership and how it must be applied in all of our lives, now more than ever. It’s a great read!”
Captain Gene Cernan , Gemini 9, Apollo 10 and 17 astronaut and the last man to walk on the Moon
“Dr. Anthony Paustian takes the reader on a pragmatic journey to achieving his or her goals and dreams. Regardless of one’s life experience, everyone can benefit by picking up this easy-to-read book and taking it to heart.”
Dr. David Gallo , Oceanographer and co-expedition leader to the wreckage of the RMS Titanic
“Reading Anthony’s book made me think about why I do what I do. That never-ending inspiration, invention, creation, and dedication are what forces us to become dreamers and leaders. Understanding that failure is a path to success is one of the most important lessons I have learned through life. A Quarter-Million Steps takes us on multiple scenarios through time and space, trial and error, and blood, sweat, and tears, giving us the gift that someday every kid could realize their dream if they want it bad enough.
Howard Berger , Oscar and Emmy Award-winning visual effects and make-up artist
“Ever the educator, Dr. Paustian navigates readers through modern-day challenges using his passion for history, unique cultural insight, and humor. But it is the way Dr. Paustian calls readers to action that holds the greatest potential for authentic impact, no matter where a reader is in his or her education, career, or personal journey.”
Cassie Kloberdanz Lee , Former NASA aerospace engineer, commercial spaceflight executive, writer, and co-founder of the Brooke Owens Fellowship Program
A
QUARTER
MILLION
STEPS
ANTHONY PAUSTIAN, PH.D.
Foreword by Apollo 15 Astronaut Alfred Worden
Copyright © 2017 by Anthony D. Paustian. All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Requests to the publisher for permission or information should be submitted via email at [e-mail] .
Any requests or questions for the author should be submitted to him directly at [e-mail] .
Readers should be aware that Internet sites offered as citations and/or sources for further information may have changed or disappeared between the time this was written and when it is read. Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information contained in this book, we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein. Any slights of people, places, or organizations are unintentional.
Published in Des Moines, Iowa, by:
BookPress Publishing
P.O. Box 71532 • Des Moines, IA 50325
www.BookPressPublishing.com
ISBN: 978-0-9964428-6-2
This book is dedicated to the over 400,000 men and women who, because of their imagination, creativity, dedication, focus, and exceptional work ethic, inspired not only me but my entire generation .
CONTENTS
Foreword by Apollo 15 Astronaut Alfred Worden
1 Why a Quarter-Million Steps?
2 Beware the Purple People Eaters
3 Fax Me Up, Scottie!
4 The Great Steffano
5 It is Inevitable, Mr. Anderson
6 What’s the Big Idea?
7 Not My Monkeys, Not My Circus
8 Noses, the Grindstone, and a Guy Named Bob
9 Remember the Alamoon!
10 Last, But Not Least…
Acknowledgements
References
Foreword
by Alfred (Al) Worden
Apollo 15 Command Module Pilot
Long before becoming an astronaut and taking the quarter-million mile journey to the Moon, I grew up on a small farm in Jackson, Michigan. One night, while at my grandfather’s farm in northern Michigan, I awoke to the intense thunder of a terrific storm, rattling the windows and raining buckets. I was very young and therefore concerned for the animals in the fields and barn. I went to my grandfather and asked him what we should do. He told me not to worry; he had already moved all the livestock into the barn and closed all the windows after completing the chores. He taught me to look out for those who worked for me, and that if I took care of them, they would take care of me. It was a great lesson in responsibility, and I’ve never forgotten his philosophy.

Apollo 15 Astronaut Alfred Worden Inside the Command Module Endeavour. (Image courtesy of NASA)
Like my grandfather, Dr. Paustian teaches the need for sound thinking in every aspect of our lives and what it takes to accomplish something great like we did during the Apollo Program. As I read this book, I thought about what it takes to accomplish challenging goals and the quarter-million steps I took to achieve mine. No matter who you are or where you come from, this book will teach you what many of us take a lifetime to learn. Most importantly, it teaches the principles of leadership and taking personal responsibility for the well-being of others, just like my grandfather took care of those who worked for him.
As a young adult, I attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and then joined the Air Force. I had never flown much before, but I thought it would be an exciting and rewarding career. Flying turned out to be something I could really relate to. During my training, I realized I was good at all-weather flying and was ultimately assigned to an all-weather squadron in Washington, D.C. However, when I arrived, I found we didn’t have enough aircraft in commission to fly a full schedule. It was a disappointment to say the least.
Instead of just hanging out in the pilots’ lounge, I wandered around the repair shop for electronic maintenance. It was a mess, and I began to think that part of the problem was its deplorable condition. The squadron commander saw my interest and asked me to manage the shop, as he had no confidence in the currently assigned Armament Officer. I believed I could do better, so I said yes. It was a matter of promoting quality maintenance while creating ways to accomplish it. It was an example of expanded “in the box” thinking, one of the many skills A Quarter-Million Steps will teach you.
The shop was required to maintain the aircraft as prescribed by the manuals, but it was not being done well. Instead of berating and blaming the technicians, I decided to do something entirely different. I focused on changing the work environment. I believed that if the shop was as clean as an operating room, then the work habits and performance of the technicians would naturally improve. Funding was also an issue, so I convinced the companies who supplied our aircraft and avionics that I needed their help. My plan worked. We ended up with a squeaky-clean shop with good lighting and polished floors. It was amazing to see the change in the work ethic and performance of the technicians. Our in-commission rate went up to nearly 80%, and flying became a joy.
Because of the creative approach we took to problem solving at the squadron, I was asked to transfer to headquarters and take my message to all the fighter squadrons in the Air Defense Command. Instead, I requested and received an appointment to go back to college and get my master’s degree.
My philosophy has always been to do the very best you can at whatever you set your mind to, something Dr. Paustian also teaches in A Quarter-Million Steps . It just so happened that while I was working on my degree, I became friendly with two instructors from the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California. They convinced me to apply for the test pilot school; I not only had the education, but while going to college, I was also logging a lot of flying time as the Operations Officer. Since I was driven to be the best pilot in the Air Force, I applied and was accepted.
I was on a path to become a successful test pilot when NASA called for applicants to the space program. Because I felt I was too old for the program, I never thought too much about it until other doors were opened. After working so hard to become the best test pilot, my work ethic was rewarded in a way I didn’t expect. I was accepted by NASA and went on to fly in space on Apollo 15, one of only a handful of flights to the Moon and the pinnacle of my career.
Now at the age of 84, I am reviewing my life and the many events that provided direction and purpose to my adventure. The same lessons I learned through hard work and decades of experience are the lessons Dr. Paustian outlines in this important book. You will find great examples and suggestions to help you live a full and successful life, particularly in the area of “imagineering,” something I worked hard to achieve. You’ll find techniques and strategies to harness your creativity and imagination, as well as strategies for effective leadership and motivating a team to achieve HARD goals.
Dr. Paustian and I both believe that if you follow your dreams you can make a difference in the world, and this book will show you how to do it. Work hard at excellence, and you will be surprised at the doors that will open for you.
Why a Quarter-Million Steps?
Whether it’s building the Panama Canal, inventing new technologies in Silicon Valley, designing massive skyscrapers for New York City, developing new wind energy in the Plains, creating larger-than-life movies in Hollywood, growing food more efficiently for the masses in Iowa, or advancing medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital or the Mayo Clinic, the people of this country have continually, throughout history, realized incredible feats of imagination.
However, in my opinion, nothing has been more momentous than when more than 400,000 people worked together to put a man on the surface of the Moon during the 1960s, a decade of challenging social unrest. The country during that period in