The Compassionate Samurai – Book Review

This book by Brian Klemmer is one of the best books that I’ve ever read about character; I have often given copies of this book as a gift.

I was privileged to meet Brian when I took some of his personal development courses a few years ago; he is an extraordinary leader and teacher in his chosen field.

Being a former Army Ranger, I can identify with being a warrior, but a compassionate warrior seemed to be a contradiction…so what does this mean exactly?

The Samurai were members of a Japanese warrior caste that rose to power in the 12th century and dominated the government until 1868. The warriors lived according to a very strict code of values, later known as Bushido, literally means “the way of the warrior”. These were Warriors that emphasized bravery, honor, and loyalty. The word Samurai means “to serve”.

In other words, Brian has coined this phrase to mean a person with the strong values of a warrior, yet whose whole life is all about serving others with kindness.

What a perfect match of character traits! With this balance, you can achieve any goal that you set for yourself, including extraordinary relationships, career advancement, financial prosperity, and optimal health and wellness.

Use the Compassionate Samurai as a working guide to help you embrace the concept of living to help others win in life. Excitement may create temporary momentum, but character is the only thing that lasts.

In this book, there are ten codes (or character traits) that a Compassionate Samurai lives by: commitment, personal responsibility, contribution, focus, honesty, honor, trust, abundance, boldness, and knowledge. These are the traits that make a skilled warrior in battle as well as a compassionate fighter and creator. This book is not one to be taken lightly; glossed over, and checked off a list. This is a book for people who are serious about making change in their lives; it’s all about taking personal responsibility for your life and the way you treat others.

Each trait listed is elaborated on in great detail -to be practiced as a daily regimen until they become habitual.

Most books give information on how to do something and that’s not bad. But how-to’s lead only to incremental increases; these are small, progressive steps toward change. Much greater, lasting shifts or exponential alterations occur when you actually change your character; and each trait is inter-linked in becoming the best possible version of yourself.

Most people believe that they have to choose one over the other: financial success or spirituality, career or relationships, poverty or significance.
You don’t have to make this choice…you can be wealthy, spiritual, and giving. You can be a warrior in the marketplace as well as a strong-willed, compassionate friend and spouse.

If you’ve ever had a challenge on either end of the spectrum by demonstrating compassion toward others or by winning big battles in life (the true warrior within) this book will show the way to strategically combine the two, making you the victor that you were always destined to be.

I also highly recommend Klemmer and Associates seminars to anyone who wants to make the shift from being average to being a super achiever with insight and vision.

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