SAL Textbook 7th Edition is FINISHED

Dr. Jordan R. Jensen
Founder, CEO, Master Facilitator, and
Author of the SAL Life Leadership Textbook
Freedom Focused LLC
Since 2002

To my Dear Family, Friends, Colleagues, and Fellow Citizens:

It is not often that one concludes a project a quarter-of-a-century (25 years)—and tens of thousands of hours of diligent, persistent, and relentless sweat equity—in the making. 

I have the privilege, satisfaction, and elation of doing just that this week as I submit the landmark seventh edition of the SAL Life Leadership Textbook to its publisher.

What began as a final project in a college leadership course back in 2001 has since evolved ever so gradually, steadily, piecemeal, and providentially into the mammoth, monumental, and unprecedented undertaking it has become today. 

I began the 7th Edition on September 6, 2023, on the Freedom Focused blog, where I have since published the entire work serially online—one chapter or section at a time—over the course of the last 30 months.

Along the way, I completely reformatted the 2-volume, 6 x 9-inch, scholarly 6th edition into the 7th edition's brand new, single-volume, traditional textbook specifications that will be 8.5 x 11-inch, 2-columned, thinner-paged, and more of a guidebook, handbook, and workbook in conjunction with a content-rich textbook. 

The new edition will be available in hardback, softcover, and electronic versions.  

And this ultimate TEXTBOOK for LIFE is just a few months away from being released!    

I've always been inspired by big, long, BOOKS.
And now I have my own to add atop the pile.

This work is my life and career's magnum opus as an author, thinker, writer, and artist.     

It is my Iliad and Odyssey... my Divine Comedy... my Canterbury Tales times three (3)... my Don Quixote... my Bleak House and David Copperfield combined... my unabridged Les Misérables... my War and Peace—even my 7 Habits of Highly Effective People plus + the 8th Habit.   

And I sincerely and respectfully thank my many literary friends and mentors, including: Homer, Dante, Chaucer, Cervantes, Dickens, Hugo, Tolstoy, Covey, and others like them—including Shakespeare (of course) and all of the Prophets—for inspiring me all my life to follow in their ambitious, proactive, visionary, and—for better or for worse—loquacious footsteps.

I did not write a long textbook just for fun—although I confess I have immensely enjoyed much of the work. For me, there are few FLOW experiences more enjoyable and engaging than being deeply immersed in a substantive writing project.

I wrote a long textbook because the extensive, expansive, and extraordinarily deep nature of my subject matter—which encompasses LIFE itself, and the effective and successful leadership thereof—ultimately demanded it. This is, after all, the same basic reason the other books listed above are also very long works of timeless wisdom literature.   

Fortunately—or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it—I am a BIG Mouth. I always have been and probably always will be... much like those verbose writers and thinkers of yore whose lives preceded mine.

It is no secret to anyone at this point that I came into this world with a burdened mind, heart, and soul—and a lot to say as a result—and I cannot go to my grave with my Muse's art, music, and message still inside of me. 

My Muse would not appreciate it if I did that after all THEY have so generously gifted and given to me over the past thirty-nine (39) years.

Moreover, I personally would endlessly regret it if I failed to liberally spill, spread, plant, cultivate, and nurture the precious "magic beans" that have been so carefully, conscientiously, and completely entrusted to my care.    

Now... with all that blah, blah, blah behind us, I am pleased beyond measure to unveil the fresh NEW TITLE of this ever-evolving and expanding LIFE LEADERSHIP manual, which is...

SELF-ACTION LEADERSHIP: 

A Textbook and Journal for Life 

With a little luck, this unusual undertaking—a quarter-of-a-century in the making—will be hot off the presses by midsummer: in close proximity to the celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the semiquincentennial celebration of my beloved and cherished country and homeland—even the United States of America.

July Fourth, also known as Independence Day in the United States, is more than just the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of my nation. 

It simultaneously marks the 200th anniversary of the passing of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two compositional committee members and signers—and the principle author (Jefferson)—of the Declaration of Independence. 

These two august Founding Fathers further served our nation as ministers (ambassadors) to Great Britain (Adams) and France (Jefferson) before ascending to the highest role in all the land as the second and third Presidents of the United States.

Benjamin Franklin (age 70), John Adams (age 40)

and Thomas Jefferson (age 33) working on drafts

of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson was

its principle author. Adams, Franklin, Robert Liv-

ingston, and Roger Sherman rounded out a committee

of five (5) tasked with producing the document for

the Second Continental Congress to review & approve,

which they did on July 4, 1776, forever cementing the 

date as America's Birthday.    

Adams and Jefferson started out as close friends and respected colleagues working together on a common cause and goal: Independence. 

Later on, the rancor and vitriol of the acidic political arena soured their friendship, turning them into enemies for an extended season lasting over a decade (1800-1811) 

Then, several years after both of their political careers had ended, John Adams made the humble and manly first move to reconcile when he sent Thomas Jefferson a brief note in early 1812, wishing him a Happy New Year. 

Jefferson wisely responded, thus resurrecting an old friendship that would include 158 more combined letters spanning the final 14 years of their storied lives. 

Incredibly, and no doubt Providentially, these legendary leaders left this world within a few hours of each other on the exact same day: July 4, 1826—fifty (50) years to the day that Congress officially approved the Declaration of Independence, which the two of them had played such a pivotal role in bringing forth.  

John Adams was 90 years old.

     Jefferson was 83.      

Suffice it to say, Americans have a lot to celebrate this summer! 

Are YOU Freedom Focused?

Given the pervasive themes of LIBERTY, FREEDOM—and to a lesser extent, patriotism—which are interwoven throughout the SAL Textbook—including my explicit and intentional use of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution as academic models and templates for relevant life leadership projects (homework assignments)—the timing of this publication does seem rather ideal, and perhaps even Providential.

A few years ago, I attended a Sunday morning church service at Christ Fellowship—a large, evangelical, nondenominational church—located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, just down the road-a-ways from where I live with my wife and three kids. 

I was there to see the world-renowned leadership expert—John C. Maxwell—address his home church congregation. 

It was not the first time I had heard this legendary speaker and wise septuagenarian speak, and John was his usual masterful self—cheerful, confident, eloquent, inspiring, and vivid—a consummate orator in every sense of the word, in possession of a stage presence and self-confidence like few others on the planet.  

Maxwell has written over one hundred (100) books—including many bestsellers—over the course of his highly productive and storied life and career. He is one of the most prolific and successful leadership experts and authors the world has ever seen.

John shared something that day with his home church congregation which I shall never forget. 

Said he: 

2-Volume, SIXTH Edition
of the SAL Textbook
Cambridge Scholars Publishing (2019)

"The first book I wrote wasn't very good. 

But, I did it again; and then I did it again; and then I did it again... and by about the seventh time, I got really good at it; and my life and career started to take off from there."

          —John C. Maxwell  

NOW...

I do not claim any clairvoyance as to whether the SEVENTH edition of the SAL Textbook will be significantly more successful than any of its predecessor editions in terms of its resonance with external audiences. I figured out a long time ago that such details are largely out of my hands and safely ensconced in the providential purview of Serendipity.

And THANK and PRAISE God for it!

Abe Lincoln manning the store.

After all, what a terrible mess I would most assuredly make of everything were I left to my own devices as a business builder!

Indeed, it would be (and often has been) a disaster... something akin to Lincoln manning he and his inebriated partner's country store prior to Abe's fated foray into the law and politics.

Honest Abe and I both spent a long time paying off our debts for our failed business ventures.     

Experience has taught me that my job is not to focus primarily on booking seminars or selling books. I learned from a long string of abject failures and other, unmet expectations along the way that I was never destined to be a salesman, or even a businessman for that matter—at least not in the traditional or colloquial sense of those two words.

Just as importantly, I discovered that I did not have to be everyone and do everything.

Rather, my job is simply to be the best JJ I can be and let Serendipity take care of the rest. 

As I have continued diligent, faithful, consistent, and persistent in following this relatively (and often surprisingly) narrow and simple pathway that has been laid out for me as an individual self-action leader, teacher, writer, and artist, I have been blessed with all of the necessary ways and means to continually follow the subtle—yet paradoxically certain—clues and signposts of Serendipity all along the way. 

Those familiar with my professional journey are aware of my many, varied, and energetic—albeit ultimately failed—forays into the realms of business, sales, and entrepreneurship.

I do not regret any of those failed efforts because they all played an important role in expanding my practical education and increasing my professional experience. It was also Providence's way of assuring that I "paid my dues" in preparation for what is to come—in addition to exacting further payment for the cornucopia of blessings, favors, and opportunities I have been so richly favored with all along the way.

A Freedom Focused FOX,
outside his den (hiding place).

At this point in my journey, it is clear that Serendipity simply wants me to keep my efforts as simple, pure, and focused as possible. My destiny lies in continuing to be the best imperfect stay-at-home Dad I can be while continuing to think, teach, organize, write, explore, and create on a part-time basis until my work is finally worthy of my Muse's consummate, expansive, and timely expression and use.    

Thankfully, after plying my trade as a professional writer for 30 years now—I got my first professional writing job as a stringer for a local, small-town newspaper when I was a sophomore in high school back in 1996 in my hometown out West—there are no longer any doubts in my own mind that I possess the "chops"—and then some—to get the job done from a content, literary, organizational, and substantive standpoint. 

FIRST Edition of the SAL Textbook
Self-published by BookSurge
2006

To wit: about a decade ago, I'll never forget a cousin of mine remarking to me how far my writing had come since my first book—the First Edition of the SAL Textbook—was published in 2006. 

Said she: "Jordan: your writing is like 10,000 times better than it used to be." 

Good grief... was my first book really that bad? 

Answer: Yes; it was unquestionably the work of an amateur... a very ambitious, determined, and relentless amateur; but an amateur nonetheless!  

My cousin awarded me with this semi-backhanded compliment back in 2014, not long after the publication of the 4th Edition of the SAL Textbook. 

Well, it is now 2026 and a dozen years later the THRICE revised, improved, updated, and completely reformatted 7th Edition is finally complete. 

And who knows... with my gradually graying late-40s coiffure and my girth and girlish figure looking more like 50 than 30, I may just finally look old enough to be taken seriously by an external audience. (laughing)

But if not, I'm no longer concerned because after all these years I finally and fully comprehend a most reassuring reality, which is this...

Other people were never holding back my progress, as I often erroneously assumed. 

My progress was always appropriately and perfectly dammed by Serendipity Itself; and I predict my work will continue to be kept hidden—laying patiently in wait, ever ready to spring forth enthusiastically—until that magical moment when my Muse moves to proceed, at which point the dam will finally come down and the floodwaters, which have been in hiding for the full balance of this century to-date will come crashing forth through its circuitous downstream canyons and ravines and plains and meadows and farmland until they fill the full measure of their creation and service by finally emptying themselves into the ocean of the ages, even that ever-expanding sea of mankind's collective wisdom.  

So...

WHO exactly is the SAL Life Leadership textbook written for? 

    ANSWER: It is for everyone. 

          I wrote it—SEVEN (7) times over—for the entire human race. 

The SAL Textbook is for anybody and everybody
who seeks to better lead their own self and life.

If you are a human being with an authentic desire to more effectively LEAD your own LIFE, career, and relationships, then... this... book... is... for... YOU. 

More specifically, it was tailor-made for the following audiences: 

• EDUCATORS: Commissioners, Boards of Education, Superintendents, Principals, Teachers, Coaches, and Parents.

• STUDENTS: both inside and outside of formal educational settings.

• LEADERS, MANAGERS, ADMINISTRATORS, and SUPERVISORS of all kinds.

• EMPLOYEES and WORKERS of all shapes, sizes, colors, cultures, and backgrounds.

• FAMILIES everywhere.

• EVERYONE else everywhere... just as soon as the time is right for each individual, team, group, home, classroom, school, organization, state, nation, et cetera to dive on in and begin their own life-changing transformations through SAL and Serendipity.  

I will send out another email announcement this SUMMER when this groundbreaking Life Leadership textbook is available for SALE online. 

In the meantime, I invite you to review the stats, endorsement quotes, and Foreword & Afterword to this monumental and unprecedented work of nonfiction. 

The data below will give you a taste of its substance and thematics—providing you with a sense of whether or not you might be interested in eventually picking up a copy for yourself or someone you care about once the book goes on sale this SUMMER.     

 

THE  STATS...

Here are the numbers for this behemoth, this heavyweight, this leviathan, this tome, this secular bible, this Bohemian Rhapsody—in both length and originality (not to be confused with content)—of self-help / educational works.

Characters (with spaces)............................................3,200,000

Characters (without spaces).......................................2,750,000

Words..........................................................................510,000

And speaking of word count, here are some FUN FACTs about the SAL Textbook's length in relation to other loquacious literary classics from World History...

58% the length of Will's...............................................Complete Works of Shakespeare
65% the length of Prophets'.........................................Holy Bible
73% the length of Dickens'..........................................David Copperfield and Bleak House (combined)
76% the length of Hugo's.............................................Les Misérables (unabridged version)
84% the length of Prophets'.........................................Old Testament
87% the length of Tolstoy's..........................................War and Peace
1.5 x the length of Cervantes'.......................................Don Quixote

1.7 x the length of Homer's..........................................Iliad and Odyssey (combined) 
1.8 x the length of Prophets'.........................................Book of Mormon

2.8 x the length of Prophets'.........................................New Testament

3.4 x the length of Chaucer's........................................Canterbury Tales

Length does not, of course, automatically translate into substance. Thus, I have striven diligently to trim the fat without lacerating the muscle of this newest literary "TOME." 

Readers may judge for themselves the efficacy of my extended effort.   

Lines.............................................................................66,500

Paragraphs...................................................................22,100

Manuscript Pages........................................................1,680

Published Text Pages......................................................800

Reference Citations........................................................787

SAL Quotes.....................................................................250

Textual Images................................................................175

Chapters..........................................................................121

Orignal SAL Mantras.......................................................40

SAL Master Challenge Homework Assignments...........25

Appendices (A-N)..............................................................14

Endorsement Quotes.........................................................14

Books within the Textbook.................................................8

Volumes within the Textbook.............................................2

Foreword..............................................................................1

Afterword.............................................................................1

Postscript..............................................................................1

PRAISE from the Professionals...

Colonel Lee Ellis
U.S. Air Force, Retired
Business Owner and Leadership Expert

"In the SAL Textbook, Dr. Jordan Jensen has assembled a leadership masterpiece anchored steadfastly in true principles of philosophy and human behavior.

"In wonderfully written prose, Jordan reminds us of who we are and what it takes to live and lead with honor. Moreover, he challenges us to live up to the high calling of being human beings with a special mission on this Earth. To accomplish our mission, we must do two major things: grow in our sense of personal responsibility, and in turn, care for others and help them to do the same.

"I grappled with these two areas in a primal way during more than five years as a POW in Vietnam. Now I'm thrilled to see how Dr. Jensen has laid out SAL by using the vehicle of story to illuminate his own unique journey of transcending adversity. In so doing, he has inspired us all to become who we are capable of becoming. 

"Bravo!"

— Colonel Lee Ellis
U.S. Air Force (retired)
Founder & President of Leading with Honor, 

Leadership Freedom LLC, and FreedomStar Media.
Author of Leading with Honor: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton

"There is no more important contributor to your own effectiveness than how you lead yourself. If you want to learn a great deal about the latest thinking on self-leadership, read this comprehensive work."

— Charles C. Manz, Ph.D.
Nirenberg Chaired Professor of Business Leadership, University of Massachusetts
Father of the self-leadership field in academe
Co-author of Self-Leadership: The Definitive Guide to Personal Excellence

Dr. Chris Neck

"Jordan 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, administrators, business professionals and workers of all kinds, educators, students, parents, and students—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."

— Christopher P. Neck, Ph.D.
Professor of Management, Arizona State University
Co-author of Self-Leadership: The Definitive Guide to Personal Excellence

David G. Anthony, Ed.D.

"Reading this book may be the most valuable thing you do this year. I hope the message of SAL makes its way into the minds and hearts of students, parents, and business professionals everywhere. Its presence in the literature is a service to our nation and world."

— David G. Anthony, Ed.D.
Former CEO, Raise Your Hand Texas
Former Superintendent, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Houston, TX)

Elizabeth & Bradley Chappell

"Jordan Jensen's empowering book shares candid personal insights into the challenges of living with OCD and the broadly applicable process he has been using to continually overcome it. We have read about several different mental health challenges, but never as a first-hand account written in such a detailed and self-disclosing fashion. The compelling narrative chapters make this self-help guide read like a page-turner novel that is coupled with a powerful process of improving one's ability to self-lead. Jordan's explanation of Self-Action Leadership is applicable to all. 

"Thanks, Jordan!" 

— Brad and Elizabeth Chappell
Husband, Father, Award-Winning Financial Advisor, and Business Owner (Brad) and Wife, Mother, Writer, and Entrepreneur (Elizabeth); Spring, Texas, USA

Dr. Bruce Jackson
Business Owner & Flow Expert

"Most of us have challenges that we seek to explain through our genetic predispositions. It is the select few who consider their internal resources and make the choice to master those challenges. Dr. Jensen, through his own experiences and research, has taken the latter path—The Road Less Traveled. Anyone who seeks greater insight into their inner struggles, and desires the tools to overcome those struggles—to master self—will find this work a must read!"  

— Bruce H. Jackson, Ph.D., MBA, MPA, Ed.M., MA 
Founder & CEO of the Attentional Leadership Institute
Author of Finding Your Flow

"Since I was crowned Miss America in 1984, I have had the opportunity to travel all over the world to meet with countless leaders, educators, and families. In doing so, I have noticed that the attributes that factor most greatly in the long-term success of individuals and groups—like personal character and the ability to lead and influence others in positive and productive ways—are not taught in homes to the same degree that they were when I was growing up.

 
"If students don't learn these things in their homes, schools become the "Next Defense" and maybe even their "Last Best Hope" to obtain them before entering the professional workforce. Unfortunately, schools these days often shirk their duty in this regard as well. As such, I am thrilled to see that Jordan has dedicated his career to bridging this glaring pedagogical gap and meeting this much-needed character component in schools, universities, and organizations. I heartily endorse Dr. Jensen's work and encourage leaders, administrators, and educators everywhere to embrace Self-Action Leadership in their states, districts, schools, and organizations."

— Sharlene Wells Hawkes

Business Executive, Community Leader, and former Miss America (1985)

SAL has never been short of PRAISE
from EXPERTS and others
who have read the work.

"While a number of books and articles have been written on the topic of self-leadership, Jordan Jensen's Self-Action Leadership textbook goes deep below the surface of basic self-leading strategies and their accompanying examples. It provides an in-depth examination of how self-leadership processes can be woven effectively into the fabric of one's life. A deeply personal and richly emotive narrative, SAL takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery, providing one of the most detailed and applied treatments of self-leadership concepts currently available." 

— Jeffery D. Houghton, Ph.D. 
Associate Professor of Management, West Virginia University and leading self-leadership scholar in academe

"Jordan Jensen has written a thorough, intense, and illuminating autobiographical volume about how to lead oneself. His story, compounded by OCD and a determination to improve, will help others reflect on how they might best lead themselves—given whatever genetic endowment or mimetic inheritance they may have received. Jordan's depth of analysis and self-insight will inspire others to take a similarly in-depth review of who they are and who they want to be—at least once before they die—a journey well worth the effort." 

— James G.S. Clawson, Ph.D. 
Emeritus Professor of Management, Darden Graduate School of Business at The University of Virginia
Author of Level 3 Leadership: Getting Below the Surface

 

Dr. JJ's Bachelor's Degree in English from UVU
signed by President Matthew S. Holland

"The model of SAL is a thought-provoking read of a topic vital for our day. While Dr. Jensen draws upon multiple disciplines, he manages to produce a broadly accessible book that shows how this type of leadership is attainable for anyone willing to accept responsibility and work at it."

— Matthew S. Holland, Ph.D.
Former President, Utah Valley University 

"As a high school English teacher who also facilitates a student leadership class, I was thrilled to learn about this insightful guide to self-leadership that can be used as a resource in classes just like mine. As an educator, it is encouraging to know that there are people out there like Dr. Jensen who are working hard to support administrators, teachers, parents, and students alike. I am confident the message of Self-Action Leadership will help to provide the guidance our youth so desperately need to become effective self-leaders and productive members of society.

"Thank you, Jordan!" 

— Shannon Lindholm
High School Teacher, Texas, USA

Josh Rohatinsky
Healthcare Administrator
and Champion Distance Runner

"Dr. Jensen shares insightful stories and powerful principles to create an incredibly solid foundation of self-leadership knowledge, but he doesn't stop there. The reader is also guided through the same process of self-discovery Dr. Jensen himself went through to become an effective self-action leader. The combination of sound philosophy and guided self-exploration make this work a truly unique and powerful tool in creating principle-centered self-leaders." 

— Josh Rohatinsky, MPA 
Administrative Director, Utah Valley Hospital
NCAA Division-1 men's cross-country champion (2006)
Former professional runner (Nike)

"Dr. Jensen, through his experience teaching, brings to light the importance of teaching leadership and character inside the classroom. Teachers will feel empowered to impact outside of prescribed curriculum through an understanding of Self-Action Leadership." 

— James Fraser
High School Teacher and Coach, Texas, USA

"If you find yourself in Hell, you might be lucky enough to come across this book. Psychotherapists like myself can show you a pathway to healing, but Jordan outlines individual footsteps you can follow to personal freedom.

"Jordan approached his OCD and depression with unusual determination and proactivity. His story offers an inspiring model of a patient's full acceptance of responsibility for one's own condition and treatment, which is paramount to a successful outcome.

"His Self-Action Leadership Theory and Model—the result of keen self-awareness, reflection, and study—offer hope for those who struggle with mental illness and other life challenges. He has demonstrated the courage to take the first steps, as well as the commitment to keep going." 

— Irene Tobis, Ph.D. 
Retired Professional Counselor and former President of OCD Texas, an affiliate of the International Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Foundation (IOCDF)

 

Dr. Chris Neck

Foreword

By

Christopher P. Neck, Ph.D.

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.  

AFTERWORD

By: David G. Anthony, Ed.D. 

Former Superintendent of Cypress-Fairbanks (Cy-Fair) Independent School District (ISD)

Former CEO of Raise Your Hand Texas

When Jordan originally invited me to review an 802-page manuscript of a previous version of the SAL Life Leadership textbook, I balked a bit, wondering when I would possibly have time to review such a tome. It is interesting to note how some of life's most important, rewarding, and ultimately enjoyable tasks initially appear so uninviting. 

In the end, I opted to set myself to the task, and I am so glad that I did. 

As I poured through the pages, my mind soon became flooded with memories, thoughts, and experiences from my 40-plus year career as a teacher, principal, superintendent, and CEO. From then on, there was no way to put the work aside. As I reflected further on Jordan's Pedagogy of Personal Leadership and Character Development, I found myself wishing I had enjoyed access to the book when I was a 21-year-old teacher working with high school seniors, and when I was a 25-year-old principal working with teachers and students. 

As I continued to read, clichés like, Leaders are born, not made, were removed from my gray matter and discarded. Instead, I thought of Shakespeare's To thine own self be true and discretion is the greater part of valor.

Shakespeare got it. 

Furthermore, my mother's admonition of: How do you ever expect to be loved by others if you don't love yourself, could just have easily been: How can you expect to lead others if you can't even lead yourself?

In short, Jordan has eloquently articulated the need for, and importance of, leadership, character, and life-skill education in schools, businesses, and homes. More importantly, he has outlined an explicit theory, model, and pedagogy to provide leaders, educators, parents, and individuals with a realistic roadmap and tangible toolbox for immediate application. 

As I delved deeper into Jordan's book, the passages called up a memory of an interview where I was asked, "What are the most important things you hope your students learn?" I was Principal of a school at the time, and I said: "My hope is that all of our students are highly literate and numerate and understand the importance of self-discipline, responsibilities, and consequences. Then, no matter what goals they set, they will have the recipe for success." 

I was under 30 years of age at the time and my comments were crude compared to Dr. Jensen's polished presentation, but not considerably off target.  

If Jordan's career had preceded mine and I could have used this textbook as a teacher, principal, and superintendent, I would have positively impacted more students and teachers during my 37-year career in education by providing them with a key to potential success and significance. 

It is highly encouraging to see that this book has now been written for a new generation of leaders, educators, professionals, parents, and students to use as a guide to their personal leadership and character development. It is even more encouraging to know that its author exemplifies the principles he promotes.  

I thank Jordan for inviting me to read this work. He has earned my endorsement. Reading this textbook may be the most worthwhile thing you do this year. I hope the message of Self-Action Leadership makes its way into the minds and hearts of students, parents, and business professionals everywhere.

Its presence in the literature is a service to our country—and world.  

—Dr. David G. Anthony

Click HERE to review the Online Version of the SAL Life Leadership Textbook, 7th Edition and/or to begin reading this landmark Life Leadership textbook virtually.  

—Dr. JJ

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 511th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 295th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

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Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS   

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

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