Above All Else: A World Champion Skydiver's Story of Survival and What It Taught Him About Fear, Adversity, and Success

A truly mesmerizing Masterpiece! "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy", Martin Luther King, Jr. Although I have not had the pleasure of meeting the author in person, I've no doubt that there are few human beings in this world today that are as beloved, respected and treasured as Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld. This book is a journey, his journey; one man's quest to achieve his lifelong dream turns into a raging battle for survival as he finds himself in the fight of his life. A powerful, riveting story about faith, hope, courage, family and unconditional love. Passionately heartwarming and openly transformative, "Above All Else" provides nourishment for the soul. Against all odds, Dan B-C fought to keep his dream alive! Never giving up, he was able to turn his dream into a reality by setting goals for himself, and smashing those goals time and time again to win several national championships, world championships and world cups. Yet as Dan continues to win, he learns a lesson more valuable than then the actual victory itself. As quoted from the last page of his book when speaking out about competition and the 1997 world meet, "I had never felt more like a winner than I did at that moment. And we hadn't won yet! The experience of the actual "victory" was nothing in comparison to feeling this absolute certainty during the moments leading up to it. That was truly "feeling the force". This perspective, attitude, belief and determination are the qualities that defines what it means to be a winner. These are qualities you bring to the game. They aren't a result determined by the final outcome of the game. "It proved to me one more time that it wasn't about winning after all. It was about playing to win." What initially drew me in was my love and desire to lean everything about skydiving, a sport that I have arrived at later in life than sooner. I quickly realized how extraordinary and life changing are both the book and the man behind the book. I've read Dan's story three times in two months; it's just that great! What compels me to keep picking it up time and time again are the life lessons I've learned through the intimate and personal experiences shared by Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld. This book will lift you up, sing to your soul and leave you realizing that we are here on Earth for only the briefest of time. What we do with this time and how we inspire others to live life is our legacy. "Above All Else" is a must read; not just once, but over and over. I hope you will treasure this book as I do. Thank you Dan B-C for sharing your story with the world!

I happened on this book by accident from a "Customers Also Bought" link, and I'm so glad I did. It is one of the most inspiring and helpful books I've ever read. It is great reading--riveting, moving, inspiring. I underlined many sentences of this book, and I plan to reread it a few more times. There is a lot to absorb. The book is part memoir and part training guide. The memoir part tells the story of an average boy who eventually figures out what he loves, pursues it relentlessly, and grows up to be a world-champion skydiver. In his quest, Brodsky-Chenfeld overcomes many obstacles, including months in a coma after a plane crash. The author learns valuable lessons as he makes the decisions that will shape his life, and he shares this wisdom throughout the book. Part two of the book is a practical how-to guide to achieving your dreams--if you want them badly enough. Whereas many books tout the benefits of visualization or the magic that happens in the "flow" state, Brodsky-Chenfeld offers step-by-step instructions for visualizing and a 4-stage process for getting into flow. And those are just two examples in a carefully structured and sequenced plan of action for achieving your best performance. He also gives smart and insightful advice on teamwork. Brodsky-Chenfeld's training techniques have evolved to maximum effectiveness over the many years that he has coached sky-diving teams (again, world champions) and also businesses. This book would be the perfect choice for anyone who has a dream and wants to know how to "train" to achieve it. I think it would also be an excellent book for high-school or college-age readers who haven't quite found their path yet.

Above All Else has already helped me turn one of my lifelong dreams into a real goal and put in the work it will take to achieve it - this is a book for anyone looking for the inspiration to reach their dreams and beyond!! I had the pleasure of getting coaching from Dan when I was only 19, just over 10 years ago. It's obvious within minutes of meeting him how much he has to offer as a mentor, teacher and coach. Most of us learn from our own journeys but very few of us are able to articulate our experiences in such a thoughtful way and turn the lessons we have learned into such a dynamic toolkit for others to adapt and use in their own lives. In the fist half of the book, Dan treats viewers to a front row seat at the moments in his life that offered him the greatest opportunities for personal growth and learning. His openness, sense of humor and bravery in the face of greater tragedy than most people can imagine make his story a true page turner...and if that's all there was, it would be an inspiring and interesting read for all audiences. But that's not all...Dan not only tells a beautiful story, he provides a unique and effective framework for how to think about achievement. Though other books address the same topic, none feel as genuine or grounded in true life experience. If you are a person living in the shadow of things you want to do, but you don't know how to prioritize, where to start or what to do - READ THIS BOOK. I always said I would run a marathon someday...After reading Dan's book, I turned someday into April 16, 2012. His advice helped prepare me for the obstacles I would face and continues to inspire me, even on the toughest days. I'll be thinking of Dan when I cross the finish line, and I will always be grateful that he took the time to write this book.

Ich habe mir die Geschichte von Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld schon einmal im voraus kurz durch gelesen und hab mich nach ein paar Tagen aufraffen können, dieses Buch auch zu kaufen. Noch bin ich am Anfang aber dieses Buch liest sich wirklich sehr gut und so richtig fesselnd! Ich kanns ohne Probleme jedem Fallschirmspringer, ob Interessent oder selbst schon aktiver Springer empfehlen, da Dan in diesem Buch auch alles verständlich erklärt und auch von dem Gefühl, dass man vor seinem ersten Sprung hat und wie faszinierend fallschirmspringen danach sein kann, so bald man den ersten Sprung gewagt hat! Auf jedenfall lesenswert!

Dan Brodsky-Chenfield’s story is fun, tragic, heartwarming and inspirational. Written in a straightforward no nonsense style the reader is instantly sucked into the skydiving world sitting on a mutiple world champions shoulder and sharing his trials and hardships. Great read!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I receive this book from a friend after my skydiving accident. It is a great inspiration and motivation! I've learned from it that sometimes we do need to take a "leap of faith and step into the unknown". I overcame the injury, quit my job and went back to school, decisions that seemed to be crazy at that time, but the best decisions of my life. No, book wasn't THE reason for me to start pursuing my dreams, but it was one of the few peaces of the puzzle that came together and push me to move forward. I have learned that you can be a very usual person without special talents, but can become a great achiever in life by dreaming big, working hard, and yes, never giving up! We don't need to be naturally talented in science or sport or business or anything else, all we need is to have dreams and passion and willingness to move forward. Life is not easy and no mater what challenge you are facing right now, either participating in the world championship, building a business or even trying to live through the day after losing the loved one, this book is for you!

The book is two sections; Firstly Dan's story, secondly a much shorter section which is more along the lines of a management/self help book. The story is gripping. Dan tells his story in a simple unassuming style - but the events are quite extraordinary. When they make the movie, they'll struggle to make it seem credible. It kept me up to 3am turning the pages, wanting to know what happened next. The second section is more of a manual, it has some great insights into how to set yourself up for success, and how to help your team to help you. Many thanks to Dan for sharing this.

An amazing insight into an amazing life and story, very well written and truly inspiring. Not just for skydivers - its a manual for anyone who wants to live their life either well or the very best they can be.