The 4 Essentials

A Misfit's Journey to Mindset, Strategies, Values & Purpose (With Over 100 Famous Mentors and Entrepreneurs)

By: Cliff Michaels

Narrated by: Cliff Michaels

#1 Amazon • NY Times Bestseller • Wall Street Journal • USA Today

Launched in 2012 as The 4 Essentials of Entrepreneurial Thinking

Taking listeners on a street-smart journey through life, mentors, and business, Cliff proposes a radical shift in global education and career training. He also provides thought-provoking stories on The 4 Essentials (mindset, strategies, values, purpose) that dispel myths on how we define and create success. Through trials and triumphs, Cliff shares lessons from the edge as a dyslexic student who challenged the status quo in college, dropped out of USC at 19, and went on to launch companies in real estate, finance, education, and technology (all before age 30). Drawing on over 100 famous mentors, from Socrates, Edison, and da Vinci to Oprah, Malala, Branson, and Mycoskie, Cliff empowers each of us to earn a real-world MBA (master's in basic abilities). This is a fun, fast-paced listen for anyone in search of passion, purpose, and results!

About the Author

Cliff Michaels has been a strategic coach, an angel investor, an education activist, and a social entrepreneur for over 25 years. His e-learning programs and live training provide essentials for life, careers, and entrepreneurs (CliffMichaels.com). Cliff was president of the Young Entrepreneurs' Organization Los Angeles (known today as EO). He also launched EO's first student mentor programs and philanthropy events. Cliff Michaels & Associates (real estate and investments) has closed $1 billion in transactions since 1992. Cliff was also cofounder of First Use (1999), a pioneering online platform that featured the world's first digital-notary technology. A Southern California native, Cliff's passions include movies, music, yoga, helping kids at risk, and raising the bar for global education.

Giving Back Mission

With each sale, books and courses are donated to students and schools worldwide.

©2012 Cliff Michaels (P)2013 Cliff Michaels

Critic reviews

''Cliff's writing is full of creativity, inspiration, and practical lessons. I highly recommend The 4 Essentials.'' (Blake Mycoskie, founder, TOMS Shoes)

''Cliff Michaels delivers a powerful path to profits, passion, and purpose.'' (Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos)

"Cliff provides entrepreneurial conditioning with an achiever's mindset." (Darren Hardy, publisher, Success magazine)

Learn about success from historic figures

What made the experience of listening to The 4 Essentials of Entrepreneurial Thinking the most enjoyable?

There are so many great mentors in this book! Lincoln, Da Vinci, Oprah, etc... he shares their stories and provides lessons for how to learn from their successes

What about Cliff Michaels’s performance did you like?

Because Cliff reads his own book it feels very relaxed and conversational. I felt like he was talking and sharing his advice directly with me!

Engaging and Inspirational!

Any additional comments?

As a student this book really hit home! The stories were engaging and gave helpful, practical advise. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to be successful in any field!

A very good listen!

What made the experience of listening to The 4 Essentials of Entrepreneurial Thinking the most enjoyable?

The author story line is very real and down to earth. Everyone makes mistakes, fails at doing something, and succeeds at doing what they dream about.

What did you like best about this story?

He uses inspirational quotes, comedy, and he is really goofy at times. It really brings the book alive as your listening to it. I have started laughing and smiling at work while I am listening to this book, people ask, "What are you smiling about?" My response, "I am listening to book that reminded me of a mistake I made in my professional career".

What does Cliff Michaels bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Cliff brings a comedy aspect along with a couple of bad jokes of course.

Inspirational and Motivational

Would you listen to The 4 Essentials of Entrepreneurial Thinking again? Why?

As a recent college graduate, this book seems to speak directly to me. Hearing about Cliff from several of my friends who had seen him speak at UCLA, I knew that I had to try out his book. They mentioned how he stressed the importance of how to eliminate non-essentials from my life so i can pursue my passion. I was not disappointed as he did an incredible job of explaining how to be successful and yet lead a happy lifestyle through his own personal stories.

Captivating and Informative

Any additional comments?

After reading this I held a meeting with some of my coworkers and we had a really great discussion about how to improve work flow based off of Cliff's essentials

A Manifesto for True Success!

What did you love best about The 4 Essentials of Entrepreneurial Thinking?

When I picked up this audiobook, I expected a few cutting-edge entrepreneurial secrets, but- WOW! -what I got was SO MUCH MORE! It was a compelling, laugh-out loud, tear-jerking, and transformational journey from "How to be successful in business" to "How to have a better life" and then "How your success can help improve the world". Truly uplifting and inspiring!

Drawing from personal experience and the creme de la creme of success icons, Cliff Michaels ties together innovative entrepreneurial principles, quick but powerful exercises, and a comprehensive overview of what it takes to be successful on all levels. This is a MUST READ for anyone in high school or older. There's so much wisdom and practical help condensed in this masterpiece.Thank you, Cliff!

Wow, this is life-changing.

As a recent grad it can be hard finding your way. I've been through many struggles and this book really connects the dots from college to the real world. I feel much more confident to pursue my passion now. I listened it everyday on my way to work and started the day inspired to make a change. I've already recommended it to all my friends and family!

Valuable book, enaging audiobook

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book The 4 Essentials. But what makes the audiobook unique is that Cliff narrates his book himself. While some authors should stick to just writing, Cliff's authentic enthusiasm comes alive during the narration. It's a more-engaging experience because it's as if Cliff is in the room telling his story and sharing his observations of other dynamic leaders and entrepreneurs.

A MISSION to INSPIRE, GIVE BACK & RAISE the BAR

Where does The 4 Essentials rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Hi friends! This is Cliff Michaels, author & narrator of The 4 Essentials. My goal was to not only inspire and give back to the education world, but provide real-world experience, famous lessons from historical mentors, and listening entertainment with fun sound effects to accent stories in this book. From your feedback so far, my team and I are thrilled to hear we exceeded expectations (and perhaps raised the bar for future audio books).

What did you like best about this story?

In The 4 Essentials, I got to share my personal memoir and stories many people relate to. Through audio, it was easier to have a relationship with a new audience, while offering a unique experience to fans who supported the first edition that launched #1 on Amazon in 2012.

What about Cliff Michaels’s performance did you like?

As an author and narrator, I'm always looking to improve. If you enjoyed the audio, please let me know what you liked best or what could be better :).

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but my favorite lessons came during humorous travels and moments of failure where I had a transition of passion and purpose.

Any additional comments?

To the misfits, rebels, and game changers, here's to your amazing journey! Thank you for listening to The 4 Essentials!

Spectacular for Life, Careers & Entrepreneurs

If you could sum up The 4 Essentials of Entrepreneurial Thinking in three words, what would they be?

Essentials for personal & professional growth

What does Cliff Michaels bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It brings a thought out thesis that suggests a game changer in education - we're handing out half-complete degrees and need to teach more real-world essentials!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Lots of laughing!