A Personal Letter from the Author

 Book the First

Life Leadership Begins with Education

Dedicated to:

LEADERS, EDUCATORS, PARENTS, and INDIVIDUALS everywhere in hopes they might internalize the great truth taught by President Theodore Roosevelt, who wisely noted that...

"To educate a person in mind

and not in morals is to educate

a menace to society."

—Theodore Roosevelt

Chapter 1

A Personal Letter from the Author

Dear Reader:

If someone writes a book and nobody reads it, you could argue that the writer largely wasted his or her time writing that book in the first place. With this in mind, I want to THANK YOU for taking time out of your busy career and life to read this book; it means a lot to me.  

This is no ordinary book. 

To begin with, it wasn't a quick or convenient writing project. In fact, I have been preparing for the task since 1987, when I was only seven (7) years old. That's a long time... thirty-eight (38) years to be exact! 

The first 18 years—from 1987-2005—were years of preliminary preparation where I learned to read, write, study, and think analytically and critically. These were the years of my formal education on up through my 4-year bachelor's degree in English. These years provided me with a variety of valuable opportunities to develop, practice, refine, and polish my skills as a writer, speaker, and thinker. In conjunction with completing my schoolwork and penning thousands of pages in personal journals and letters, I also landed jobs with a couple of newspapers, which further honed my skill as a writer.

The last 20 years (2005-2025) have been spent writing, editing, revising, and polishing this same book over-and-over again SEVEN (7) different times. That's right; you now hold in your hands the 7th Edition of the SAL Textbook, which, upon publication of the Sixth Edition in 2019, became the SAL Textbooks (plural), published in a two-volume format for the first time.  

First Edition of the SAL Textbook
Self-Published in 2006

The FIRST Edition was published in 2006 as a one-volume personal leadership guide for high school students (teenagers), self-published by BookSurge.  

The SECOND Edition went unpublished in 2007. Despite getting a professional publisher behind the project, the owner inexplicably and dishonestly reneged on our signed contract, thereby leaving me in a lurch. Things like that happen sometimes in life. I learned from that experience the value of trust, and discovered that some people's word (even on a signed contract) isn't worth much.

The THIRD Edition was my 1,149-page doctoral dissertation, published in four volumes in 2013, the same year I completed my Doctoral degree in education.

The FOURTH Edition was a popular recapitulation of my doctoral dissertation. In other words, I took the material in my academic dissertation and reframed it for a layman's audience. This process involved eliminating the scholarly citations, simplifying the formatting, language, organization, and structure of the text and otherwise making it easier and more interesting to read. This edition was self-published by authorHouse in the late summer of 2013. 

FIFTH Edition, self-published by
authorHouse in 2015

The FIFTH Edition was self-published in 2015, again by authorHouse. It was a comprehensive revision of the FOURTH Edition, including a subtitle change from Self-Action Leadership: The Key to Everything to Self-Action Leadership: The Key to Personal, Professional, and Global Freedom. 

For the SIXTH Edition, I finally landed an official publisher—Cambridge Scholars Publishing—an academic printing house in the United Kingdom. This time the publisher made good on its word and everyone involved came through on their contractual commitments. The SIXTH Edition was the first time the SAL material appeared in TWO (2) separate volumes—one volume for the Self-Action Leadership (SAL) Theory and one for the SAL Model, including two new subtitles, as follows: A Theoretical Framework for Existential Growth (Volume 1) and An Action Research-Based Character Development Model (Volume 2).

This edition was published in 2019. Overall, I was pleased with how this 2-Volume edition turned out, but have since grown frustrated by its costly academic price tag and other variables involved in its practical functionality.  

Five years later, beginning in September 2023, the time came to undertake yet another revision (the 7th Edition). This time around, my goal is to make all the material available for FREE on the Internet. I further seek to employ the online serial publication as a means of further revising and polishing the texts, which will then be printed in hard-copy form in late 2025 as a New and Improved single-volume SEVENTH Edition. This fresh and new self-published work will be more accessible, affordable, and attractive than its immediate predecessor (6th Edition). I am thrilled that YOU now hold this newest 7th Edition of the SAL Textbook in your hands.  

This are no ordinary book. 

To begin with, it took 22 years and thousands-upon-thousands of hours to prepare, plan, organize, compose, edit, revise, polish, and then repeat the entire process SEVEN (7) times. 

Thus, the book is a long and substantive tome.  

I hope you will not let their length or seeming complexity and difficulty discourage or dissuade you from diving head-, heart-, and soul-long into them, because I know you can do hard tasks and accomplish great things... harder tasks and greater things than you realize. Moreover, I know that the principles and practices outlined in this text can change your life... if you are willing to pay the price that authentic change requires.  

How do I know this? 

Because incorporating the principles and practices outlined in this book has changed my own life for the better over and over and over again throughout my life and career, and I am an infinitely better human being, man, husband, father, son, brother, friend, and citizen because of these transformational changes. I also know this because there is nothing inherently special about me; but everything is special about the principles and practices outlined in this book. Therefore, if YOU are willing to apply them with the same energy, focus, and determination that I have, you will eventually reap similar benefits over time. 

Of this fact I am absolutely certain.   

If you intend on becoming a serious student of Self-Action Leadership and are committed to completing the SAL Master Challenge as outlined in Chapter 4, then you will need to read all of this 2-volume work and study it closely. That means that when you come to a difficult chapter or section, you will be expected to push through it, forge ahead, and never give up until you have summited your own SAL mountaintop by finishing the entire work and completing the SAL Master Challenge.

Those who persevere in pursuing this Road Less Traveled to its final destination will discover that far greater awards await you at the finish line—and beyond. These awards include personal and professional changes to your mind, heart, and soul—the epicenters of the real magic. Accompanying these changes will be many tangible blessings in your life and career that will further evince how far you have come. Such blessings may include finding that special someone, earning a promotion, raise, or landing the job of your dreams. Most valuably, you will discover that you are a happier, more satisfied and fulfilled human being who experiences inner joy and peace the likes of which you have never experienced before. 

On the other hand, if you are not intending to pursue the SAL Master Challenge just yet, but prefer to peruse this book as a more casual reader, I also invite you to not get discouraged and give up too early. If you meet with a section or chapter you find boring or difficult, just skip to another passage and start again from there. I promise you will eventually find something that will be easier, more interesting, and perhaps just the thing you need to read or learn to help you along your way at any given juncture of your career or life. Then, as your confidence grows, you can aim for a more ambitious undertaking down the road a ways... whereupon you can eventually tackle the entire text and conquer the SAL Master Challenge.

Christopher P. Neck, Ph.D.

As Dr. Christopher P. Neck so kindly put it in the FOREWORD to this book, there really is "Something for Everyone" in this book. I invite you to get to work discovering what that something is that can benefit you today, tomorrow, and forever.

THANK YOU for honoring me and my company, Freedom Focused, by taking time to read and study what I have so painstakingly put together over the course of my entire professional career, which recently entered its third decade.

Like the SAL Textbook, FREEDOM FOCUSED is no ordinary company. Our vision is simple to state, but difficult to actually realize. Our aim is not merely to sell books and training; that is just a means to an end. Our ultimate objective is to influence the broader culture in societal-changing ways through positive and transformational individual, familial, organizational, national, and international change.

We envision a world that is more safe, fair, just, and good—even a world full of SELF-ACTION LEADERS. We are committed to being catalysts of this change and will persist in pursuing our mission to our last breaths in this world—and beyond.  This vision will be realized the same way that any other vision has ever been realized throughout the history of the world... ONE mind, heart, and soul at-a-time. 

I respectfully invite YOU to join us on this grand, inspiring, and noble QUEST.

All you have to do to begin is to start being honest with "The Guy in the Glass" and then...

Keep

     On

          Reading and taking

ACTION!

The Guy in the Glass

When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf  [1]
And the world makes you King for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that guy has to say.

For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife,
Whose judgment upon you must pass.
The feller whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the guy staring back from the glass.

He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest,
For he's with you clear up to the end,
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the guy in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plumb
And think you're a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass thinks you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you've cheated the guy in the glass.  [2]

By: Dale Wimbrow

             (1895-1954)

Respectfully Yours in SAL,

Jordan  R . Jensen

—Dr. JJ

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 356th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 170th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 355 FF Blog Articles 

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL QUOTES  

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS   

Click HERE to access the FULL TEXT of Dr. JJ's Psalms of Life: A Poetry Collection

Click HERE for a complete listing of Self-Action Leadership Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Fitness, Heath, & Wellness Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Biographical & Historical Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks

Chapter 1 Notes

1).  Pelf refers to money, especially when acquired dishonestly.

2). This poem is reprinted with permission of the Wimbrow Family.

Freedom Focused Upholds & Defends the U.S. Constitution

 

The time has come to officially go on the record in support of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Our support of these remarkable documents has always been deeply implicit in everything we have said or done at Freedom Focused; nevertheless, the perilous times in which we live demand that we make it explicit and unequivocal.  

At Freedom Focused, we believe in, support, and strive to uphold CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES, including those principles enshrined in our own nation's Constitution—even the U.S. Constitution.  

This is one reason why we have incorporated concepts of a Self-Declaration of Independence and Self-Constitution into our core curriculum as contained in the Self-Action Leadership (SAL) Model. We also function as an organization based on principles and practices explicitly outlined in our Corporate Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

Suffice it to say, we believe so strongly in CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES that we ourselves have willingly bound ourselves both individually and collectively to conduct ourselves based on the principles and practices consciously and intentionally set forth in written constitutions. In our view, it is the best possible way to live and operate as individuals, organizations, and nations. 

As such, we hereby proclaim our support of and willingness to defend the United States Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.   

At this precarious point in time in the history of the United States and world, we call upon all within the sound of our voice to support and strive to uphold CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES in whatever nation in which you live.  

Ben Franklin peeks down on Independence Hall,
where he and his colleagues held the great
Constitutional Convention of 1787.

As the author and founder of Freedom Focused as an organization, as well as the SAL Theory and Model which it sponsors, my own journey as the creator of this organization began in part by learning about and developing an admiration of and respect for the Declaration of Independence and Constitution of my country—The United States of America—as well as the remarkably creative, intelligent, talented, and visionary men who authored these august documents. 

At Freedom Focused, we believe their extraordinary feat—commonly referred to as the "Miracle at Philadelphia"—went beyond the realms of mere mortal genius to incorporate Divine inspiration. We further believe that the unprecedented peace, prosperity, and success of The United States of America over the past 235 years is due in large part to our collective willingness to abide by this foundational document.

The violent French Revolution and bloody reign
of terror that followed is an example of what occurs in a vacuum
of absent (or ignored) CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES. 

Sadly, CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES are increasingly falling out of favor in the prevailing culture of our national academics, media, and politics. More-and-more, extreme partisans on the left and right are prioritizing their political, cultural, and academic priorities above the Supreme Power of the Land since 1788 (the Constitution). And it isn't just extreme partisans who are guilty of this dismissiveness; high-profile politicians in the mainstream of both major U.S. political parties have increasingly demonstrated a willingness to disregard and flout the Constitution if and/or when it gets in the way of their personal and/or political agendas.   

Grievously, these partisans fail to comprehend that the Miracle of 1788 in North America is what prevented the U.S. from descending into the chaos and violence that erupted a year later across the Atlantic in Paris, France, in 1789. A continuation of this course is leading ominously toward Fren

Like the leadership of GEORGE WASHINGTON and
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, our times call for a true Patriot's FIX

ch Revolutionary-esque violence and chaos here in America in the 2020s—which extremists on both sides are increasingly willing to embrace as they feel stifled by existing systems and structures, including Constitutional edicts.  

Our historical embrace of CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES is what enabled and empowered the United States to not only become the greatest nation in the history of the world, but to do so—and then maintain said status—relatively peacefully. There were, of course, two obvious outlying exceptions to this pattern, which played out violently between 1775-1781 and then again on a much greater and more horrific scale from 1861-1865. Freedom Focused is concerned it may take another awful and bloody struggle to quell the aims of those who are presently rising up against our previously enshrined governing document.  

All Constitutions derive their power from the willing consent of the governed and those they choose to elect. Without this willing consent, a constitution is worth no more than the paper and ink used to print it. For many years now, the United States' Constitution has been steadily losing the currency of this consent, and with it, its power and authority. As this authority and power has atrophied, the steady rise of anarchists, antichrists, autocrats, mobs, and corporate and media oligarchs has gained momentum.

Freedom Focused foresees a great and terrible series of struggles in the near future throughout the United States and World. Whether this struggle ends up being a second civil war, a third world war, or some combination of the two, the immediate future does indeed look bleak. 

That is the bad news.  

Freedom Focused is optimistic that, come-what-may,
the future and destiny of the United States and world remains bright.

The GOOD NEWS is that we do not expect our nation to entirely dissolve. Though it may feel in coming days, weeks, months, and years as though we are wending our way precariously close to the precipice of complete dissolution and utter disaster, we foresee that wise men, women, and organizations throughout this nation and world will ultimately rise to the challenge and SAVE our Country and World from the abyss of darkness, despair, and destruction—and they will do so by adhering to and abiding by the same basic CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES that made us a great nation in the first place.   

At Freedom Focused, we aim to be among these leaders through our contributions to the fields of education and literature, beginning with this blog and the SAL Textbooks.   

Make no mistake: the price for the salvation of our nation will be high—much like the price for the termination of slavery in the 1860s and the defeat of fascism in the 1940s was costly. But the price must ultimately be paid. Once it has been paid, we predict that our nation and world will—phoenix-like—rise from the ashes of pending disasters to ultimately fill the full measure of our Divine creation.

Like Abraham Lincoln before me, I do not expect our house to fall—at least not entirely. Rather, I expect that our house will, in due time, cease to be divided—but not before a trial-by-fire the likes of which we have never before seen or experienced in our lifetimes.  

Abraham Lincoln
1809-1865

"A house divided against itself cannot stand....

I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. ... [but not] until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed. 

—Abraham Lincoln

Springfield, Illinois

June 16 1858

It's too bad that such dire calamities must arise to shake us out of our collective stupor. It's too bad it had to happen during the Napoleonic Wars and American Civil War in the nineteenth century and then again (twice) during the two World Wars of the twentieth century. But there is no better predictor of the future than the past, and for anyone who has carefully studied the past, it's pretty clear what is coming down the pike.

The coming crucibles and other trials-by-fire will inevitably separate the "sheep" from the proverbial "goats" in terms of those who will and will not support CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES in the future. Thus, we call upon citizens everywhere—for the safety of your lives and the salvation of your souls—to begin now (or continue to) align your thoughts, speech, and actions with said principles, that you may be found on the right side of history and prove yourselves to be both followers and leaders in the righteous struggle for authentic liberté, égalité, and fraternité—not to be confused with the bloodthirsty reign of terror and revenge historically associated with these three noble (albeit sometimes misused or misconstrued) and idealistic terms. Thus, may we ever aim towards genuine liberty, equality, brotherhood, and the FREEDOM attainable through the righteous pursuit thereof.   

Moving forward into the future, we encourage and invite everyone everywhere to carefully study CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES as well as the issues of the day and then follow your conscience in the process of voting as well as the exercise of your own freely selected thoughts, words, and deeds both private and public. Along the way, we exhort you in words of soberness to exercise heroic discretion and courage to do what is right while eschewing the coward's pathway of popularity and convenience. As you strive to support, promote, and trumpet true and virtuous principles wherever you go and with whomever you associate, you can join us in the great cause of FREEDOM—now and forevermore—and become a recipient of that cornucopia of blessings that flow so freely to all who enduringly embrace light and truth.      

—Dr. JJ

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 355th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 170th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 354 FF Blog Articles 

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL QUOTES  

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS   

Click HERE to access the FULL TEXT of Dr. JJ's Psalms of Life: A Poetry Collection

Click HERE for a complete listing of Self-Action Leadership Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Fitness, Heath, & Wellness Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Biographical & Historical Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to learn more about Freedom Focused

Click HERE to learn more about Dr. Jordan Jensen

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks

Life Lessons Learned from Doing Puzzles

Click HERE to buy this BOOK

I am pleased to announce the publication of PUZZLED: Life Lessons Learned from Doing Puzzles, written by my dear, sweet, mother, Pauline Smith Jensen (Zaugg) and published by Palmetto Publishing.  

As her editor and publication liaison, I found this project to be a wonderfully rewarding journey and encourage all my readers to buy and read this engaging, entertaining, and inspiring book!  

As a mother of seven (7) and grandmother of thirty-one (31), seventy-seven (77) year-old Pauline Smith Jensen knows a few things about life and the adventures, challenges, and yes, PUZZLES that often confront us humans along our journeys here on planet Earth.

In this fun, heartwarming, and educational book, Jensen narrates the puzzle-assembling adventures she embarked on during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Along the way, she provides readers with timely insights and timeless wisdom gleaned from these puzzling experiences and her nearly eight decades of life experience as a mother, grandmother, student, teacher, friend, household manager, salesperson, entrepreneur, puzzler, and most importantly—a human being.

In the process, she authentically owns up to her own mistakes and shortcoming while concurrently recognizing her successes and strengths—and the principles and practices that helped her along the way. The result is an optimistically-realistic outlook on life that has given her much hope for the future—a hope she seeks to pass along to those who read Puzzled. If you are looking for a light-hearted and entertaining book capable of illuminating and inspiring readers of all ages in the spirit of the self-help genre, Jensen's Puzzled is the book for you!

Click HERE to buy PUZZLED: Life Lessons Learned Doing Puzzles

About Pauline S.J. Zaugg

Pauline Smith Jensen recently married Lee Zaugg of Saratoga Springs, Utah. They live together in Cedar Hills, Utah.

Pauline was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1946. A few years later, her family moved to Honolulu, Hawaii. With the exception of her 8th and 11th grade school years, which she spent on Long Island in New York, Jensen lived in Honolulu until she graduated from high school in 1964. She then attended Brigham Young University for a couple years prior to marrying Rex Buckley Jensen in 1966. Her seven children were born in between 1967-1981. Her 31 grandchildren were born in between 1994 and 2018. 

From 1988-1992, Jensen returned to Brigham Young University during summer terms to complete her bachelor's degree in elementary education. In addition to her extensive family rearing and homemaking endeavors, Jensen has also worn many professional hats over the years. These posts include: small business owner, entrepreneur, substitute teacher, direct sales representative, corporate retail salesperson, and award-winning Avon Lady (7-time President's Club recipient). Jensen is also a Certified Household Manager via the Starkey International Institute of Household Management in Denver, Colorado, and has a professional certificate in Interior Design from a professional school in Chicago, Illinois. Known in some circles as "The House Doctor," Jensen has an undeniable talent for all aspects of interior decoration and design.  

In addition to her love for assembling puzzles, Jensen also enjoys crocheting, writing, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. She also makes a wicked batch of fudge!   

Click HERE to buy PUZZLED: Life Lessons Learned Doing Puzzles

  

—Dr. JJ

Wednesday, October 23, 2023

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 354th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 170th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 353 FF Blog Articles 

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL QUOTES  

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS   

Click HERE to access the FULL TEXT of Dr. JJ's Psalms of Life: A Poetry Collection

Click HERE for a complete listing of Self-Action Leadership Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Fitness, Heath, & Wellness Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Biographical & Historical Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to learn more about Freedom Focused

Click HERE to learn more about Dr. Jordan Jensen

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks

Author's Note on the 7th Edition

 

This textbook is divided into two separate volumes as follows:

VOLUME I—The Self-Action Leadership Theory—contains prefacing information for the complete work and the first four book sections, which are referred to as "Books" (i.e. Book the First, Book the Second, etc.) in the Dickensian style of A Tale of Two Cities.

VOLUME II—The Self-Action Leadership Model—contains the last four book sections and appendices for the combined work.

This textbook is an amalgamated revision of my doctoral dissertation and other papers I wrote as a graduate student at Fielding Graduate University during the years 2009-2013. It is also an expanded revision of several books published before and after the completion of my dissertation. These books include:

1.  I Am Sovereign: The Power of Personal Leadership  (self-published by Booksurge in 2006)
2.  Leaders for Life: The Complete Step-By-Step Guide to Personal Leadership (unpublished manuscript completed in 2007)
3. Self-Action Leadership: An Autoethnographic Analysis of Self-Leadership Through Action Research in Support of a Pedagogy of Personal Leadership (Doctoral Dissertation, 2013, ProQuest UMI number #3592738)
4. Self-Action Leadership: The Key to Everything (self-published by authorHouse in 2013)
5. Self-Action Leadership: The Key to Personal, Professional, & Global Freedom (self-published by authorHouse in 2015). 
6. Self-Action Leadership: A Theoretical Framework for Existential Growth (Volume I)
Self-Action Leadership: An Action Research-Based Character Development Model (Volume II)(Published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing in 2019)

This present version of the SAL Textbook is the Seventh (7th) Edition. 

The following pictures display earlier editions of the SAL Textbook, thus chronicling the 22-year journey I have spent developing, organizing, composing, refining, augmenting, and polishing the material into the comprehensive work you now hold in your hands.

First Edition
Booksurge Publishing, 2006

                                                                         Second Edition
                                                                                Unpublished Manuscript, 2007

This book originally had a publisher, but he dishonestly reneged on our signed contract, thus leaving the manuscript—a comprehensive revision of the I Am Sovereign book for teenagers—unpublished to this day. 

Third Edition
Doctoral Disseration, 2013

ProQuest UMI #3592738

Fourth Edition
authorHouse Publishing, 2013

Fifth Edition
authorHouse Publishing, 2015

Sixth Edition
Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2019




Seventh Edition
Serial Publication online at the Freedom Focused Blog, 2023-2025
Palmetto Publishing, 2025

How to Use this Life Leadership Textbook

In a bunch of different ways, this is an unusual book, especially given the time periods in which is has been published to date. Its author designed the text with an express intent to be different—and to be used differently—than other books.

First, it is not meant to be read once and then given away, or sold, or put up on the shelf to collect dust. It's not that kind of book.

This book is meant to be read, studied, and/or referenced over-and-over-and-over again throughout the rest of your life. In other words, it is intended to be used by anyone and everyone in much the same way as religious believers use scripture. Please do not misunderstand: this book is not scripture, nor does it have a divine author; although its thoroughly mortal author does credit Divine Sources for inspiring and otherwise lighting up his mind, heart, and spirit with the desire, capacity, energy, intellect, motivation, and endurance to see the enormous project through to fruition.

No, this book is not scripture. But it is like scripture in terms of its intended usage, which is early, often, and always by anyone and everyone who finds its contents authentic, comforting, educational, encouraging, insightful, instructive, motivating, true, and useful. By supping regularly (even daily) from its pages, its author promises residual benefits in the personal, professional, mental, emotional, social, and existential (spiritual) realms of your life and work.  

Second, in addition to reading, studying, returning continually to, and referencing as needed, this book is further designed to serve as a Life Leadership Journal and personal leadership "Training Diary." 

Third, this book includes the SAL Master Challenge. This challenge will be introduced later on in the text. It involves 25 homework assignments that accompany the material in the book. We challenge YOU to accept this challenge whereby YOU can officially become a self-action leader. 

It is the author's sincere hope, prayer, and desire, that this book will eventually serve as the cornerstone of happiness, success, freedom, growth, and inner peace for countless individuals throughout his home planet, Earth. 

Here's to SAL, today, tomorrow, and FOREVER!

Freedom Focused

SAL

Self-Action Leadership

Throughout this book, the acronym SAL is used to refer to Self-Action Leadership.

—Dr. JJ

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 353rd Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 169th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 352 FF Blog Articles 

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL QUOTES  

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS   

Click HERE to access the FULL TEXT of Dr. JJ's Psalms of Life: A Poetry Collection

Click HERE for a complete listing of Self-Action Leadership Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Fitness, Heath, & Wellness Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Biographical & Historical Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

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FOREWORD by Dr. Christopher P. Neck

 

Dr. Chris Neck

Foreword

By

Christopher P. Neck, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Management

Arizona State University

David McCullough—that famous historian of our recent past—once remarked: "The only way to teach history, to write history, to bring people into the magic of transforming yourself into other times, is through the vehicle of the story. It isn't just a chronology. It's about people. History is human."

With these words in mind, Jordan Jensen's comprehensive work on Self-Action Leadership (SAL), built upon the foundation of his own, unique personal leadership history is truly an exceptional work, and for two distinct reasons. 

First, Self-Action Leadership applies the method of teaching outlined by McCullough. There are many good definitions and explanations of self-leadership (forerunner of SAL) out there, but Jordan's work stands apart because he teaches us the concept through the vehicle of storytelling. And the wonderment of the story is that it is his own and it is true. 

In the pages that follow, Jordan articulately chronicles his own self-leadership successes. In doing so, he does not withhold the painful details surrounding his countless struggles and failures preceding those successes. With unusual honesty and courageous self-disclosure, he opens our eyes to our own imperfect, yet determined humanity by providing a fascinating look into his own. In the process, he inspires us to acknowledge, confront, and transcend whatever adversity comes our way to eventually realize the full extent of our own potential. But he does not stop at sharing his story. He goes on to utilize his narrative as a foundation for expanding self-leadership theory by introducing his own, original theory and model—the Self-Action Leadership (SAL) Theory and Model.

Second, Jensen has accomplished a task that is very difficult for any author to achieve, and that is to produce a single text that is highly relevant to multiple audiences at the same time. Because of the universal applicability of basic self-leadership principles, his message is germane not only to persons struggling with OCD, depression, or other forms of mental illness, but to civic leaders, business professionals and workers of all kinds, educators, parents, students, and children—in short, to everyone. Indeed, I do believe that virtually anyone who reads this text will be able to take something away from it that will improve his or her life in a significant way. As an author myself, I am amazed at Jordan's achievement in writing one text that carries the potential to reach such a wide variety of people—and that is the beauty of it.

This book will do much more than just teach you about Self-Action Leadership. It will cause you to think deeply about how you are currently leading your life and how you could lead it more effectively. More importantly, Jensen's compelling story and courageous personal example, combined with his percipient ability to effectively teach the corresponding self-leadership principles, will inspire and motivate you to actually do something about what you will learn. In the process, it might even touch emotions in your heart that will move you to joy and tears. It takes a talented writer to do all of these things, so I know you'll enjoy reading this work. More importantly, I know you'll come away a wiser person with an increased motivation to get moving to realize your own Self-Action Leadership potential, an opportunity we can all take full advantage of, if only we will.  

About Dr. Chris Neck

 

Christopher P. Neck, Ph.D., is one of the world's most prolific and prestigious scholars in the academic field of SELF-LEADERSHIP. He is the lead co-author (with Dr. Charles C. Manz and Dr. Jeffery D. Houghton) of Self-Leadership: The Definitive Guide to Personal Excellence, 2nd Edition (SAGE), which serves as the seminal textbook on self-leadership used at colleges and universities throughout the world.

A forerunner of this text, Mastering Self-Leadership: Empowering Yourself for Personal Excellence, which Neck also co-authored with Manz, was used by Jordan Jensen in a leadership class his freshman year of college. It served as Dr. JJ's formal introduction to self-leadership in academe.  

Dr. Neck is currently an Associate Professor of Management at Arizona State University, where he held the title “University Master Teacher.” From 1994 to 2009, he was part of the Pamplin College of Business faculty at Virginia Tech. He received his Ph.D. in Management from Arizona State University and his MBA and bachelor's degree from Louisiana State University ~ Geaux Tigers! ~ in Baton Rouge.  

Dr. JJ's college copy of Manz & Neck's
seminal textbookon self-leadership

Neck is author and/or coauthor of twenty-seven books or textbooks, including the following:

• Self-Leadership: The Definitive Guide to Personal Excellence
• Get a Kick Out of Life: Expect the Best of Your Body, Mind, and Soul at Any Age
• Fit To Lead: The Proven 8-week Solution for Shaping Up Your Body, Your Mind, and Your Career
• Mastering Self-Leadership: Empowering Yourself for Personal Excellence
• The Wisdom of Solomon at Work
• For Team Members Only: Making Your Workplace Team Productive and Hassle-Free
• Medicine for the Mind: Healing Words to Help You Soar
• Management: A Balanced Approach to the 21^st Century
• Entrepreneurship
• Organizational Behavior
• Introduction to Business

Dr. Neck’s research specialties include employee/executive fitness, self-leadership, leadership, group decision-making processes, and self-managing teams. He has over 150 publications in the form of books, chapters, and articles in academic journals. Some of the outlets in which Neck’s work has appeared include:

• Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
• The Journal of Organizational Behavior
• The Academy of Management Executive
• Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
• The Journal of Managerial Psychology
• Executive Excellence
• Human Relations
• Human Resource Development Quarterly
• Journal of Leadership Studies
• Educational Leadership
• The Commercial Law Journal. 

Dr. JJ's copy of Neck and Manz's 5th Edition
S-L textbook, which he used during his doctoral studies

Neck is the Deputy Editor of the Journal of Leadership and Management. Neck’s expertise in management has landed him citations in numerous national publications, including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Houston Chronicle, and the Chicago Tribune.

Dr. Neck was recently voted as a semi-finalist (top six out of 140 nominations) for the prestigious international 2020 Baylor University Cherry Award for Great Teaching. Neck was also the recipient of the 2007 Business Week Favorite Professor Award,” one of the approximately twenty professors from across the world receiving this award.  

 

Chris has taught over 80,000 students during his career in higher education. He currently teaches a mega section of Management Principles to approximately 900 students at Arizona State University. 

Neck was the recipient of the 2020 John W. Teets Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award (voted by W.P Carey students). Neck also received the Order of Omega Outstanding Teaching Award for 2012.  This award is presented to one professor at Arizona State by the Alpha Lamda leadership fraternity.

His class sizes at Virginia Tech filled rooms with up to 2500 students. He received numerous teaching awards during his time in Blacksburg, including the 2002 Wine Award for Teaching Excellence. Between 1996 and 2008, Dr. Neck was a TEN-TIME winner of the “Students’ Choice Teacher of The Year Award” (voted by students annually for the best teacher within the entire university).

Neck has provided professional training for many corporations, including:

• Anavate Partners
• Mountainside Fitness
• GE/Toshiba
• Busch Gardens
• Clark Construction
• The United States Army
• Crestar
• American Family Insurance
• Sales and Marketing Executives International
• American Airlines
• American Electric Power
• W. L. Gore & Associates
• Dillard's Department Stores
• Prudential Life Insurance.

An avid runner, Chris has completed 12 official marathons and over 100 unofficial ones, including the New York, San Diego, and elite Boston. To-date, his longest continuous run is 48 miles.  

Dr. Neck and his wife, Jennifer, are the proud parents of a son and daughter. 

For more information about Dr. Neck's work and consulting services, to to contact him personally, please visit his professional website at: www.chrisneck.com or his academic website at: https://search.asu.edu/profile/1382090.

—Dr. JJ

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 352nd Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 168th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 351 FF Blog Articles 

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL QUOTES  

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS   

Click HERE to access the FULL TEXT of Dr. JJ's Psalms of Life: A Poetry Collection

Click HERE for a complete listing of Self-Action Leadership Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Fitness, Heath, & Wellness Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Biographical & Historical Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks