“Twice Over a Man is a raw, emotional, brave, and unfiltered memoir. For those who believe there is no hope, Orvin’s life story demonstrates that it is possible to overcome insurmountable odds and live a life of purpose, success, and healing. Twice Over a Man is a once in a generation book. It is not an exaggeration to say that this book will change and save lives.”

Miller W. Boyd, III, PhD.
Historian

My first book, Twice Over a Man: A Fierce Memoir of an Orphan Boy Who Doggedly Determined a Finer Life, has nine chapters. I distinctly remember that when I finished writing the ninth chapter, my publisher said, "You are finished." I thought to myself, "Hmm, I don’t think I’m finished." I wrote this book to answer the question I am most frequently asked by those who know anything about my life: “How did you make it?” The book attempts to answer that question by exploring my journey, challenges, and the mindset that helped me push through.

Throughout my career, I have taught leadership and other courses at Washington University in St. Louis, alongside Dr. Jill Stratton, and independently. I have also been a guest lecturer, and what’s amazing to reflect on is how these leadership courses and engagements always focus on addressing the next questions I’m often asked: “Do you have any tips for me? Do you have a simple roadmap? And increasingly, can you mentor or coach me? Because I feel stuck and weighed down.”

Feeling stuck and weighed down happens to all of us at some point in our lives. It doesn’t matter what level of success we’ve achieved or the size of the business or organization we lead. There are many reasons for it. Sometimes, we’re simply not clear about what we want to do. Sometimes, it’s the weight of our past that throws up mental roadblocks. And sometimes, we give other people too much power over our lives, allowing them to dictate our scorecard and determine our destiny.

I cover these topics and more in the book. I’ll be diving deeper into these themes on my website, where I will be releasing content exclusive to the site, not available on social media. You can find more at orvinkimbrough.com.

One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned, growing up and in a professional career that spans three decades across multiple industries and interests—is this: You can’t expect other people to see what you see or believe what you believe. Be careful not to give your time and energy to things that don’t align with who you are becoming and what you are trying to achieve. Be mindful of who you let speak into your life. There are only two kinds of words we speak—words of life and words of death. Words of life are encouraging; they are growth-oriented and stretch you purposefully, not just for the sake of busyness to distract you.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to live life the way others have done it. Learn from their journeys, but live life on your terms. When your time is up and you’re looking back, you don’t want to say, "I didn’t do it my way because of fear of judgment, criticism, or the isolation that comes from a lack of conformity." You want to say, "I was purposeful in my vision." Don’t be discouraged by people who don’t see the vision you see.

To all of you who believe in the vision, who have purchased the book. shared it with your network, and written a review on Amazon, thank you!