Launch Fever

Tim Taylor is quite a character - author, entrepreneur, NASA rocket man, family man, venture capitalist, inspirational speaker; you name it. I had the good fortune to listen to him speak one time, and he was just as charismatic in person as in his writing. "Launch Fever" is about Tim's life, the journey he took to become the person he is today, and all the ups and downs life had to offer along the way. He has had an interesting life, to say the least. The book is adventurous, exciting, moving, and very educational. You can learn about a number of things, such as what does a NASA engineer do, and how to become a successful entrepreneur.

But beyond all the specifics, Tim makes a real connection with his readers. He speaks honestly and passionately about his life, and sometimes you can really get a sense of what he went through. I read this book six months ago and even today I can vividly remember many things from the book: the sensation he felt when he first walked on a beach; his relationship with his mentor at NASA; the frustration he felt when he decided to leave NASA; the day when his wife told him they were expecting their first baby. When I read these passages, I could almost feel what he was feeling, and it was powerful.

"Launch Fever" also offers some good insights into life in general. There are not many of them in the book, but every one is good. Tim has a way of making the sophisticated sound simple, and what he says never come across as lecturing, but more as sharing among friends. Tim, despite his success, is a very grounded individual with a set of deep-rooted internal principles. To me, he is a good example of someone who has what Covey calls "Private Victory."