How does a man become truly great? What makes him different than most other men who live and die and are soon forgotten? This question has gnawed at men for thousands of years. 

It has also plagued me for nearly two decades. At first I thought I would find the answer by joining the Marine Corps, thinking that the path to heroism was one and the same, but at the last minute decided to become a monk instead. For 11 years, I studied some of history's greatest spiritual and philosophical masters and tried to implement what I had learned.

But this search almost led me to my death, and I had a chance to stare evil, suffering, darkness, loneliness and failure in the face. The answer slowly revealed itself amidst the rubble of my own life. And the secret was also the key to becoming a man fully alive, to living a life of true success, purpose and lasting impact.