RONALD M. SHAPIRO

“A goal without a plan is just a wish”

— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

So, put down your BlackBerry for a moment and ponder this…

There are hundreds of excuses for why people don’t prepare as well as they should. However, the most successful, confident, and satisfied people in the world rely on steadfast, time-tested means to get to number one. They insist on being the most prepared people in the room. It’s not difficult, but it does take discipline.

In our fast-paced world of instant information and rapid analysis, it's easy to cut corners when it comes to preparation. But winging it is rarely the way to go in business or in life.

DARE TO PREPARE: How to Win Before You Begin! offers the reader a proven system – the Preparation Principles Checklist – to prepare for business endeavors and many of life’s challenges.

Ron Shapiro uses his own experiences as an attorney, agent, consultant, and master negotiator, as well as the stories of 38 successful individuals to illustrate how to become a preparation expert.

Learn firsthand the personal ethic and methodical preparation approach that drive New York Mets manager Willie Randolph and Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky; firefighter Anne Marie Tierney and acclaimed investment advisor at Legg Mason, Bill Miller; President of Sony Pictures Television, Steve Mosko and psychiatrist Ray DePaulo; CEO of Allied Capital, Bill Walton; Pulitzer Prize-winning author Taylor Branch and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, among many others. Their stories illuminate and enliven the principles.

Have you ever wanted to prepare for a business/personal endeavor and weren’t sure how to properly do so? Do you want to transform the preparation ethic of your company or team? Do you want to help yourself or others overcome excuses for not preparing?

By daring to slow down and prepare more methodically, you end up saving time and getting better results. The preparation principles offer not only a way to work, but also a way to live. DARE TO PREPARE provides you with a system, engaging examples, and inspiration to take the dare!