Katie Couric's Words to Live By

I seem to be reading a lot of inspirational books lately. I guess I need them. The most recent one is The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons From Extraordinary Lives by Katie Couric, and I read it straight through without stopping. The book is a compilation of essays by the author and many celebrities on what they have learned in the course of their lives. The contributors, who make up the Who's Who of Everything, include:

• Authors (Gail Collins, Anna Quindlen, Arianna Huffington, Gloria Steinem)
• Comedians (Chelsea Handler, Steve Martin, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Cosby)
• Actors (Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, Meryl Streep)
• Politicians (Michael Bloomberg, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Condoleezza Rice)
• TV personalities (Ellen DeGeneres, Larry King, Dr. Phil McGraw, Dr. Mehmet Oz)
• Athletes (Apolo Ohno, Chris Evert, Michelle Kwan)
• Musicians (Wynton Marsalis)
• Military professionals (Colin Powell, General Ray Odierno)
• Journalists (Christiane Amanpour, Barbara Walters, Thomas Friedman, Maria Shriver)

That list doesn't begin to cover the people who shared their experiences with Ms. Couric, and thus with us. Some entries were pages long; others, mere paragraphs. But the advice these people gave was amazing—so amazing, I found myself taking notes. I knew I would forget, and I didn't want these snippets of wisdom to slip away. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Courage is the ultimate career move.
• Sometimes, hard work and good timing intersect. Be ready.
• Honor your soul by listening to its clean, clear voice.
• Possess absolute, unbending, unimpeachable integrity.
• Try to recognize opportunities in disguise. Be lucky.
• Life is not so much about what you accomplish as what you overcome.
• This is not a dress rehearsal. This is your life—your one shot.
• As human beings, we are all works in progress.
• You have the power to change your world.
• Live your life focusing on what you can do rather than what you can't do.
• If you don't like the path you're on, get off.
• Avoid people who are not genuine and whose energy is toxic.
• Life is made up of moments. Live them. Find the joy.
• Dare to be happy.

This little book is a treasure. Just the few bullet points above are worth their weight in gold. Thank you, Katie Couric, for giving all of us these words to live by.