‘It’s simply not human!’ a passenger proclaims loudly, aghast as to what she is witnessing.

Ryan Stramrood stands at the top of the gangway stairs that are lowered down the side of an ocean liner in one of the coldest, most hostile places on Earth – Antarctica. He wears only a small Speedo costume, goggles and a swim cap. Over a hundred passengers, wearing thick layers of insulation to protect from the bitter cold, are leaning over the ship’s railing on the upper decks, cheering and desperate to get a glimpse, in morbid fascination, of what is about to happen. What Ryan is about to attempt could potentially push boundaries beyond what humans can survive.

The water temperature a deadly -1° Celsius; the distance to swim an impossible one mile.

Only a few years earlier, Ryan was a self-proclaimed couch potato. A 30-year-old salesman and father, navigating life quite successfully, albeit neatly confined in his comfort zone. Today he is a multiple Guinness World Record holder, rated globally as one of the top 50 extreme swimming athletes in the world, and a sought-after international inspirational speaker.

This fascinating story tells the incredible tales of Ryan’s journey and spirit. The inspiration and learnings each and every one of us will take from this highly relatable book are simply invaluable. We can all learn to Push Past Impossible™.

Fully revised and updated, the definitive guide for leaders on how to create lasting organisational change. Do you remember the last major initiative you watched die in your organisation? Did it go down with a loud crash? Or was it slowly and quietly suffocated by other competing priorities? By the time it finally disappeared, it's quite likely noone even noticed. Almost every company struggles with making change happen. The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Revised and Updated is meant to help you reach the goals you've always dreamed of with a simple, repeatable, and proven formula. In this updated edition of the business bestseller, you'll learn the 4 Disciplines of Execution and how to make them work for your organisation. This proven set of practices have been tested and refined by hundreds of organisations and thousands of teams over many years. When a company or an individual adheres to these principles, they achieve superb results, regardless of the goal. These 4 Disciplines of Execution represent a new way to work and think that is essential to creating lasting organisational change and thriving in today's competitive climate. It's the one book that no leader can afford to miss.

The vast majority of singers with a degree in performance are un- or under-employed in their field. Despite the fact that talented singers are discovered every day, there are far too few jobs in the field of classical music to accommodate all of them, a problem evidenced by regular reports of opera companies and symphony orchestras closing their doors. Young classical singers, particularly recent graduates of music programs, need not only artistic ability, but also intelligence and an acute business sense to navigate the world of professional singing. In The 21st-Century Singer: Bridging the Gap Between the University and the World, author Susan Mohini Kane has created a user-friendly guide for these recent graduates. Kane combines the benefits of an instructional manual with those of a self-reflective workbook to provide emerging classical singers with both practical and inspirational advice. She begins with a section on self-evaluation, allowing readers to define what motivates their desire to sing professionally and reflect on their passions, before moving on to career advice. In the sections that follow, Kane presents a variety of career paths, such as singing, teaching, and consulting-realistic alternatives to the rise to stardom as an "overnight sensation" that so few will experience-and provides the reader with the tools to develop a concrete plan for whichever path they decide to pursue. Other sections offer instruction on how to develop support systems, train oneself holistically, and take advantage of the newest technological resources available for professional self-promotion. With its dual emphasis on artistic motivation and modern-day business sense, The 21st-Century Singer will prove an essential text for anyone pursuing a professional singing career.

Every one of us has hit rock bottom at some point - those moments when it feels as if the ground has vanished beneath you and the wheels have come clean off. Life doesn’t pause, and it certainly doesn’t wait for us to recover. We either get up, or we get left behind. Unscrew Yourself is a straighttalking, deeply practical guide to becoming “giving up” resistant or “neverfold” – the kind of person who refuses to stay down, no matter how hard life or work has knocked them.

This book shows you what it really takes to build the habits, mindsets, and resilience that keep you moving forward when everything in you wants to give up.

You’ll start by understanding the world of work as it is today – unpredictable, demanding, and often unforgiving. From there, you’ll learn how to navigate tough seasons with clarity, working through the Survival and Growth Pyramid and the Survival and Growth Trio. These frameworks are designed to equip you with the essential skills, attitudes, and behaviours needed not only to endure adversity, but to grow through it.

None of us is immune to hardship. The real question is whether you’re prepared. Unscrew Yourself takes you on a practical, honest journey toward becoming stronger, steadier, and more resilient every single day. Drawing on years of handson coaching, this book gives you the tools to take responsibility for your own rise.

No one is coming to save you – but you absolutely can save yourself.

In 2014, Marie Kondo became famous around the world, changed how we live, the relationship we have with the objects around us and taught us how to seek out the joy in our daily lives. Five years later, her Netflix TV show brought her teachings to an even wider audience and introduced to millions her captivating charm and serene presence. And now, another five years have passed and it's time for more surprises and more ground to be broken.

From the time Life-Changing Magic first launched and all through the years that followed, the most compelling questions and keenest interest, from media and readers alike all around the globe were grounded in one key reality: Marie Kondo's Japanese perspective. Readers and viewers were fascinated by what they learned of Marie's upbringing, her family, her early professional career and her experiences with Shintoism.

So much has changed in the world in the last decade but one constant is that the fascination with Japan is on the rise. The more people learn about Japanese culture the more entranced they become with how Japanese people often combine an ultra-modern lifestyle with a deep respect for ancient customs and traditions on every level. Finally, in Marie Kondo, we have an authentic, world-famous communicator and guide inviting us in, illuminating ancient ways of thinking and how they apply to modern lives around the globe.

Letter from Japan is an invitation to explore into customs and traditions, and how these ways of thinking have informed Marie's life and her famous life-changing tidying method.

African leadership is in crisis. The legacy of colonialism has prevailed, while novel challenges such as the pandemic and its aftermath, substantial developmental setbacks, the scourge of corruption and troughs in growth have challenged the ‘Africa Rising’ narrative that once dominated. In a deeply fragmented and uncertain world, one might ask, what is the source of inspiration for leadership?

As leaders are faced with the seemingly insurmountable task of rebuilding Africa’s economies, structures and systems, there is an argument to be made that leadership approaches should be uniquely and distinctly African.

Letlhokwa George Mpedi draws inspiration from African culture and African approaches to challenge the prevailing systems. By exploring selected proverbs and sayings, Letlhokwa identifies the tenets of successful and effective leadership. Traversing the ages, sourcing from indigenous practices, drawing from different regions and exploring diverse cultures on the continent, he finds common threads to rethink the practice of leadership.

From the Baobab to the Mosquito emphasises the value of collaboration and collective decision-making, reflecting the communal values that are at the heart of many African cultures. It offers a powerful reminder that leadership is not just about individual achievement, but about building strong relationships, fostering a sense of community, and making a positive difference in the lives of others.

Through this collection of African concepts in a contemporary context, Letlhokwa George Mpedi sounds the call for authentic African leaders.

Dad, I Want to Hear Your Story is the popular and cherished way for Fathers to share the memories and joys of their life while also creating a cherished legacy for you and the entire family.

Dad, I Want to Hear Your Story will guide your Father with prompts and questions, making it fun and easy for him to share the stories of his childhood, teens, and adult years. This will be the tales of his life, his victories, his challenges, and his lessons. You will give your Dad a gift he will cherish while also giving yourself the gift of knowing him a little bit better. Think of all you will learn about your Dad when you read the stories of his life experiences. What will he share? What will you discover? What will you learn?

Bestselling author Jeffrey Mason and Hear Your Story Books have expertly created this incredibly popular series of guided journals that have helped thousands share their story, chronicle their memories, and create a legacy for their families.

Newly Expanded and Upgraded. More Prompts, More Pages, and More Space for your Dad to Share His Life and His Story with You!

Communication is crucial to success in life and business. However, it is not just big speeches that matter: it is also those critical, spur-of-the-moment situations for which we cannot prepare.

A prospective client asking unexpected questions during a sales pitch, a teacher singling you out for an answer during a class, a high-pressure meeting with senior executives at work, or even a heartwarming toast to deliver on the spot. All are fraught scenarios that might cause you to freeze up. The pandemic has only boosted this fear, by stripping the spontaneity from communication during lockdown, and then changing the communication landscape.

In this invaluable guide, Matt Abrahams – Stanford University lecturer and creator of the hit podcast, Think Fast, Talk Smart – provides a six-point methodology that will enable you to manage these stressful, impromptu circumstances to create and deliver crisp, compelling and calm communication. Think Faster, Talk Smarter is an energetic, engaging resource for anyone who wants to speak out, spread their ideas, and ultimately share their story.

You know where you want to go. You know you have it within you. You just need the courage to do it.

As a former Google executive and top career coach – who chased an attractive stranger off the train and later married him – Jenny Wood knows her way around courage. In this book, Wood shatters conventional wisdom about achieving your goals. She gives you permission to ditch your fear and chase after what you want, unapologetically.

Wood reclaims nine traits from their negative shackles and teaches you how to apply them in a savvy and compassionate way to supercharge your success, whether you’re trying to snag a promotion, launch a company or land a life-changing deal.

Wild Courage will teach you how to be:

• Weird: Win as you or lose as ‘who?’.
• Selfish: Be your own champion.
• Shameless: Beat impostor syndrome and self-promote with ease.
• Obsessed: Push, persist and perform at your highest level.
• Nosy: Get curious to network confidently and learn from others.
• Manipulative: Build influence with empathy and manage up like a pro.
• Brutal: Draw lines and stick to them. Embrace the power of no.
• Reckless: Err on the side of action and take healthy risks.
• Bossy: Steer others to success, even if you’re not in charge yet.

Life can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

Today’s fast-paced world leaves many of us struggling with extreme emotional highs and lows caused by chemical imbalances in our brains, brought on by the pressures of modern life and constant digital connectivity.

In The DOSE Effect, Neuroscientist TJ Power shares how you can reset and balance your brain chemistry with simple, everyday habits to lead a happier, healthier, and more productive life.

Unlock your brain’s four key chemicals and discover the powers of:

• DOPAMINE to get motivated and stay driven
• OXYTOCIN to build deeper connections with others
• SEROTONIN to boost your energy and mood
• ENDORPHINS to destress and find calm

Beautifully packaged daily doses of Stoic wisdom, from the author of The Obstacle is the Way.

'No role is so well suited to philosophy as the one you happen to be in right now.' - Marcus Aurelius

The Stoics' unique blend of practicality and wisdom has been inspiring the most successful among us for centuries, from Roman Emperors to Barack Obama, and most recently via Ryan Holiday's bestselling The Obstacle is the Way. If that book introduced readers to the idea that what is in the way is the way, The Daily Stoic widens our view on the Stoic philosophy and shows that it can be applied to any problem.

From how to manage failure to getting what you want, the ideas of Seneca, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius and others continue to be vitally relevant to today's doers and thinkers. Here, in bold new translations of the ancient classics, language is stripped down to reveal powerful aphorisms that cut straight to the heart of our day-to-day challenges.

Presented in a page-per-day format, this daily resource of Stoic inspiration combines quotations with calls to further reflection - and action. Arranged topically, this guide features twelve principles for overcoming obstacles and achieving greater satisfaction. It introduces readers to a new daily ritual and new orientation that will bring them balanced action, insight, effectiveness, and serenity.

The heart of Mike Saunders’ exciting new book is how to build a successful business in the Fourth Industrial Revolution while focusing on human stakeholders.

Never before have we had so much information so readily available at our fingertips and there is no doubt that acceleration of innovation and the velocity of disruption underpinning the Fourth Industrial Revolution are having a major impact on businesses. Is it realistic to be at the forefront of these disruptive forces? Is it even necessary? It most certainly is. Knowledge of these disruptive forces – notably mobile, social, the Internet of Things, data and blockchain – equips us to build our businesses in the change that is enveloping us, but we need a framework to help us understand how to operate in a new revolution, how to organise the chaos into success.

It is this framework to which Mike has been applying his mind for the last ten years and in this book he presents just such a model to help us to navigate the digital world and build value in a humancentric way. The four concepts of his model are explore, ideate, intersect and create and he unpacks each of them in detail and with crystal-clear clarity, while never losing sight of the human element so essential to ensuring success in an ever-evolving world.

With his wide experience both locally and internationally, and his success in running the highly respected DigitLab, as well as his passion for sharing knowledge, Mike is uniquely positioned to share a complete framework for human-centred digital transformation.

When I Grow Up is the story of a young man who has always been told what to do, what the right thing to do is and when to do it, only to realise that he was being prepared for a path of mediocrity. In this book, Darius takes the reader through parts of his life journey, drawing on lessons from peers, entrepreneurs and people who have gone through some life challenges. He presents different perspectives and insights to enable the reader to explore ways to reshape their reality, and not wait until they have grown up to live the life they want. He presents an inspiring collection of life experiences, some adventures that young people go through in the process of self-discovery. Tabane also presents random acts of kindness and how these can feed the soul to fuel communities driven by kindness. Self-worth and self-belief is a consistent theme in the book. As a growing young man, he explores the power of parenting and how that influences a child's upbringing and their early-adult and adult life; and how it shapes the ideas of young people. The book also explores some highly contested issues such as life and death, faith, charity, accountability, and the choices we make, quick fixes and the influences that shape our destinies. Tabane says an important message presented in the book is that, in our journey of growth, money and/ or status should not be the priority but challenging ourselves to become the best person we can be should be what drives us, because this will subsequently enable us to generate the money, and / or the status. He argues that the way we think and feel about ourselves and our lives will either stifle our growth or challenge us to become better and push us to continue to grow. There are mindsets we must outgrow, and mediocrity is one of them, accepting that what has been presented as a norm is what is normal, when in fact, much more lies ahead. When we realise this, only then can we begin to truly reach our full potential.

We live in a world that demands perfection. Big data, analytics, trend lines and averages bind us to a set of norms and values that assign a numeric worth to who we are and what we are capable of. Should we not meet established milestones or targets, not conform to the appropriate curve, or fail to live up to pre-established societal expectations, we invariably experience a sense of personal failure, worthlessness and fears and anxiety about a tenuous future. Added to this is the struggle with growing poverty and widening gaps in inequality, fractured family units, chronic stress and mental health challenges overlaid with the uncertainty and complexity of a rapidly changing world.

Yet, in truth it doesn't matter where we come from and what our historic circumstances and achievements might be. We are all capable of extraordinary lives and should not be bound by limitations, whether self-imposed or from external sources. What can unlock our fullest potential is resilience, a consummate skill that can be developed and grown throughout our lives. This reality is echoed by the likes of Albert Einstein, Oprah Winfrey, JK Rowling, Billy Jean King and Siya Kolisi, who all struggled in some way or another and overcame the restraints of their circumstances through resilience in various forms.

In addition, many resilience 'lessons' and how these are applicable to everyday life are taken from a fusion of cutting-edge science and learnings from some of the most recognizable figures in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Michael Jordan, Martina Navratilova and Novak Djokovic.

Thrive is a resilience manual, a practical, step-by-step guide to help you realise your fullest potential.

Differentiate text for: Approaching-one grade below, On-Level-at grade level Beyond- one grade above, ELL-English Language Learners. Each reader features a main selection accompanied by a paired piece with the same theme. Nonfiction titles are differentiated in readability but identical in design. Excite students with myths, legends, folktales, informational texts, and many more genres.