LEWISBURG — The fourth and final book by Lewisburg author Michael Patterson couldn’t have come at a better time — when people are unsure about their futures and the choices they’ve made between their professional life and their personal life.
Patterson began writing the new book, “Fully Inflated,” while traveling the country speaking and training.
Although he is interested in inspirational and motivational speeches, “My training workshops are about people skills and realizing your best potential,” he said.
When he started training, his class size was usually 6-10 people.
Things started to change for him as he invested time in personal development and engaged with many people who would become positive influencers.
“I trained with one of the giants of leadership, John C. Maxwell,” he said. “It was a good time to relaunch my career. At first I was just writing thoughts and ideas, with no plans for it to become a book.
As his writing flourished, so did his training business, which has since taken him to about 22 states — and more.
“I’ve had the pleasure of attending many of Michael Patterson’s workshops,” said Michael Leone, director of employee experience, Widget Financial. “His style is engaging, insightful and direct in a way that gets the audience thinking about what they have to say and, more importantly, deciding to take action to elevate their level of commitment to their goals. manages to translate his voice onto the written page effortlessly (and often humorously).In his latest book, “Fully Inflated”, he challenges the reader to confront their preconceptions and up their game so that he can do more in all areas of life.
Some of the sections of “Fully Inflated” began with a thought or story that was originally part of a training course, Patterson explained.
“For example, one of my most popular presentations is called Everything I Needed to Know I Learned from Batman. The concept started with a line that I would use in class, telling participants that they had to continually develop new tools. I made the analogy that Batman didn’t just have one tool in his utility belt, he had several because different situations required different tools. This line sparked an entire chapter in my first book and became a 60 minute main presentation.
Another chapter, A Punch in the Face, describes his last six months at a previous job.
“When I traveled the country,” he said, “I discovered that many people were in similar positions, not living to their fullest potential, but either didn’t know what to do next or were afraid of what might happen if they failed. It took me a year to write most of the book.
“Fully inflated” is for everyone, he said. People in business or not in business. “I met a lot of people who just weren’t living their best. Whether it’s big cities like Philadelphia or small towns in Kentucky, people aren’t doing what they’re passionate about. Whatever their job. »
Patterson was born and raised in suburban Philadelphia. He and his family lived and worked in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A job opportunity brought them to north-central Pennsylvania and Lewisburg.
“I love this neighborhood,” he said. “It’s just a great environment in which to live and raise a child. In Lewisburg, we are not totally isolated. Downtown, near the college, there’s plenty to do in the neighborhood, and you’re not inundated with traffic like you are in larger cities.
