Bergen Man Gives Lessons On Success In New Book

MAHWAH, NJ — John Engeman believes in people. He want to see people succeed in life, both at and away from their jobs.

In his new book, "12 Lessons for Success In Business And Beyond," Engeman tries to impart practical, real-world knowledge he has gained from years of experience working in the financial sector. Each lesson contains real-life examples to complement the knowledge Engeman imparts to the reader.

One of those lessons is being uncomfortable.

"Getting out of our comfort zone, facing our fears, challenging ourselves to be uncomfortable, that's important," said Engeman, a corporate treasurer for National General Insurance in New York City. "Whether it be working with others or something else, we don't want to fear failure and have that fear keep us from an opportunity."

Creating opportunities for one's self is another one of the lessons.

"Take advantage of what the world has to offer. Making quality connections with people, that's important too," Engeman said. "We can all say that we have so many friends on Facebook, but do we have a network of people we can connect with, share information, and ask questions and continue learning? Having a support them where we can help them, and they can help us, that's important."

Engeman wants to see people succeed at work and in their personal lives. Facing one's fears and overcoming them is important part of being successful.

One way people can do that is through public speaking, Engeman said. He been speaking at Toastmasters meetings for more than 10 years has helped Engeman grow. A member of the Ridgewood Toastmasters chapter, Engeman has given more than 60 speeches during his tenure, including in Amsterdam to a Dutch speaking club.

"The whole idea is that there are actions you can take and opportunities available that can lead you to career and personal success," Engeman said. "These kinds of things can make you feel inspired and motivated to get out, do things, expand your world, and change things for the better."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com