The Author
Aaron Putze is an agricultural communicator, author, public speaker and public relations strategist. He was raised on a crop and livestock farm near West Bend, Iowa, and earned degrees in communications, public relations and journalism from the University of Northern Iowa.
He relishes time with family, enjoys the outdoors and is an avid runner and sports fan. Aaron, his wife Crystal and children Garrett, Grant and Jaelyn, live in Waukee, Iowa.
You Are Destined for Greatness: Stories of Inspiration & Empowerment
Book Description
YOU are destined for greatness.
Yes, you.
And your best friend, spouse, neighbor, and co-worker.
And the person standing next to you preparing to board the 6 a.m. red-eye from Des Moines to Chicago.
Greatness is there for us to grab hold of. What’s exciting is that it comes in all forms and callings: from being an awesome parent, helpful classmate, valued colleague, or nationally recognized athlete to holding elected office, earning a diploma, leading a not-for-profit, or starting a business.
The opportunity for fulfillment that comes with doing remarkable things is ever present, provided we want it bad enough to work for honestly. Best of all, we can lead from where we’re at and at this very moment. That’s empowering! That’s awesome!
This book can help.
My Thoughts
You Are Destined for Greatness is the best nonfiction book I’ve read this year. Written subject by subject–from Strength in Humility to Authenticity Matters to Goals Bring Focus, the author has assembled worthy quotes and stories from a couple of dozen leaders with ties to the State of Iowa.
At the end of each chapter are Reflections, questions to ask yourself in order to aim toward greatness in your own circle of influence. Very satisfying and challenging.
—–
Chuck Long: Destined for Greatness
Book Description
It’s 1981 and the Iowa Hawkeyes are struggling for football respectability after decades of losing. Coach Hayden Fry needs a talented quarterback to right the ship. Unexpectedly, he signs a lightly recruited QB from run-dominated Wheaton (Illinois) North High and proclaims him “destined for greatness” before even taking a snap.
After getting bruised, battered and benched in a 42-7 drubbing by Nebraska in his first start, Chuck Long proves his coach prophetic by throwing for more yards than any other quarterback in Big Ten history, finishing runner-up for the Heisman to a kid named Bo and hearing his name called as the 12th overall pick in the ‘86 NFL Draft. And that’s just for starters.
Sound too good to be true? Not if you’re destined for greatness.
My Thoughts
Chuck Long’s enthusiastic but calm take on life and football almost makes me wish I’d been a football fan back in the day. I enjoyed getting acquainted with him especially through his years playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes. There are vignettes throughout of his coaches, Governor Terry Branstad, the Farm Crisis of the 1980s (and Hayden Fry’s idea of having the team wear ANF stickers–America Needs Farmers), other players, and family members. The book has several photos and is full of anecdotal footnotes.
At the end is a salute to sports reporters by Chuck Long. Also tidbits and quotes which “didn’t find a home in the storyline but were too good not to share!” A wonderful story about servant leadership. I didn’t expect to become a fan of Hayden Fry!