Nailing It: How History’s Awesome Twentysomethings Got It Together
Robert L. Dilenschneider
Citadel Press/Kensington Publishing Corp. (December 2021)

“Champions get up when they can’t.” Jack Dempsey

According to Robert Dilenschneider, “This book tells the stories of twenty-five men and women from around the globe who started with modest means and helped change the world.” His purpose is to inspire young people and help them recognize that they can make a difference. For the more mature this book offers a snapshot of history in the making.”

Dilenschneider had a clear vision for this book and, in my opinion, has created material that will make a significant difference in the lives of those who read it.  All of the subjects “used a variety of strategies to rise out of difficult personal circumstances,  overcome great obstacles, defy their critics, and attain success — in other words, to ‘nail it.'”

I was especially eager to share Dilenschneider’s thoughts about these “twentysomethings” whose challenges and achievements against the odds are of greatest interest and value to me, listed in alpha order:

o Maya Angelou
o Jean-Michael Basquiat
o Coco Chanel
o Albert Einstein
o Ulysses S. Grant
o Audrey Hepburn
o Helen Keller
o Golda Meir
o Akio Morita
o Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson

Readers will especially appreciate Dilenschneider’s strategic insertion of dozens of annotations,  nuggets of background information, that enrich his lively narrative. For example, re Ulysses S. Grant: “I find the early chapters of Grant’s two-volume memoir invaluable because they communicate the peace, stability, and regularity — the ordinariness — that underpinned his early life. They’re also interesting! And some of his language may be archaic, but it’s charming. His entire, minutely detailed memoir, ‘dedicated to the American soldier and sailor,’ is as subjective as anyone else’s would be. tells us what he wanted us to know, nothing more and nothing less.'” (Page 37]

In a few months, hundreds of thousands of young people will graduate from schools, colleges, and universities. This book would be an appropriate gift of incalculable value. Meanwhile, most — if not all — of countless business executives — with direct reports entrusted to the care — have already encountered eager beavers who need encouragement as they struggle with various challenges. This would also be an appropriate gift of substantial value for them. Moreover, I think that Nailing It should be included among the assigned readings for corporate and self-directed learning programs that help people to accelerate their personal growth and professional development.

These are among Dilenschneider’s concluding remarks: “Can you do the kinds of things that [these 25 people] did? Can you, like them, measure up to the challenges you face and achieve the goals that will make your life what you want it to be?

“Of course you can! Just set your objective and think in specific terms about what it will take to get you there. Then stay on course. Put every distraction and temptation aside no matter how attractive it is at the time…If you take that approach and stick with it, it will change your life for the better…Now, go out there and [begin italics] nail it [end italics].”

He really nailed it, as he also did in a previously published book, Decisions: Practical Advice from 23 Men and Women Who Shaped the World (2019). I am grateful to Robert Dilenschneider for another brilliant achievement.

He really nailed it, as he also did in a previously published book, Decisions: Practical Advice from 23 Men and Women Who Shaped the World (2019). I am grateful to Robert Dilenschneider for another brilliant achievement.