In Break the Curse, author, entrepreneur, and professor Steve Kelley, shares how to beat the odds and achieve extraordinary success. From a worldwide pandemic and protests in the streets, to long-ingrained beliefs from childhood, Break the Curse will help us handle the situations and conflicts in our daily lives in a positive and productive way.
Kelley believes successful people embrace conflict because they know that conflict, if handled well, produces great results and often offers the opportunity for self-improvement. “Each time we de-escalate conflict, halt or shorten needless arguments, we maintain our dignity, save precious time, and find hope,” Steve says. “Conflict is a golden opportunity to take responsibility for our actions and recognize the part we played in the situation.”
Readers of Break the Curse will be captivated as Kelley poignantly tells real-life stories that will inspire and compel us toward success. Steve packs 45 years of business experience and a 20-year college teaching career into this timeless personal growth book that readers will continue to return to again and again. From overcoming a childhood filled with anger and conflict, having his home burn down, to recovering from Cancer, Steve shares what he learned overcoming each obstacle with readers.
Based on his challenges, Steve developed 10 steps that serve as a template for change and help guide readers through life’s challenges.
“Break the Curse is all about seeing our blind spots,” Steve explains. “I define blind spots as the absence of knowledge, of what we are lacking. I want to shine a light on the blind spots in our lives and give you ways to navigate the roadblocks we put up.”
Break the Curse provides the tools for all of us to develop the determination to achieve the life we want and to feel happy and fulfilled. Steve’s inspirational success story and cancer recovery inspires all of us to have the confidence to fight our own demons. With Break the Curse we can see our hardships in one place only – the rear-view mirror.
I had a chance to interview him to learn more.
Why did you write this book?
I wrote this book because I experienced first-hand the trauma caused to families by depression, myopic thinking and the blind spots each of us have – especially me. I’ve keenly felt the pain of families like mine, who passed down generational depression and alcoholism. I still have the print out of my first attempt to write about these issues, which was done on a dot matrix printer. Now that’s and old copy – very telling of my age. I’ve tried for decades now to sharpen my message as I taught at Cambridge College – an historically black (and persons of color) college.
What are the benefits of conflict?
What a great question. In Chapter 5 of Break The Curse, entitled “Embrace Conflict”, I share how Conflict is pure gold. Conflict in its simplest form is “the release of stored energy”. We see conflict everywhere in society and culture today. Mining and uncovering conflict allows us discover the disparities in our lives. Sweeping conflict under the rug causes conflict to coil up like a jack in the box – and unsettle us when it pops. If you think about it, your best friends have something unusual in common; you’ve had a big fight with them. And it was worth it to put the effort into correcting the problems. We need to do that to the best of our abilities today to make things right for EVERYONE!
Why is physical health important when it comes to keeping goals?
In Chapter 4 of Break the Curse – “Take Great Care of Your Body” is share how important keeping your body in shape is to your best future. The byline for this chapter is “If you don’t take care of your body, where will you live?”
When I was stricken in June of 2018 with CNS Lymphoma, my recovery from both the cancer itself and the stem-cell transplant were entirely dependent on my conditioning. My doctors at Dana Farber Cancer Institute had never seen anyone recover so promptly. I attribute that recovery to great professional care, my own disciplined approach, and surely a little luck from above. My 2018 goals which are listed prominently in my book (page 161 & 162 (I think), can be balanced with a view toward physical stamina. Have a look in the book when you get a chance.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Steve Kelley is a graduate of Cambridge College and holds a master’s degree in Management. Professor Kelley teaches Entrepreneurship, Conflict Management, and Negotiation at his Alma Mater. He is a successful entrepreneur, a real estate developer, public speaker, personal coach and mentor. In addition to Break the Curse, Kelley is the co-author of The Fox Who Sneezed with his granddaughter, Elle.
Steve overcame a rare brain cancer in 2018 (CNS Lymphoma) and emerged stronger and more resolved to share his philosophy of re-framing our perspectives and positivity with the world. He lives his life to the fullest by bringing encouragement to all who know him. Steve is an active member of his community and resides in the Greater Boston Area with his wife Susan, and is a loving father and grandfather.
To learn more about Steve Kelley and Break the Curse, visit www.BreaktheCurseBook.com.
Jointly published by Freedom Press and SJK Publishing
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