THE APPLE
AND THE STONE
12 Proven Success Strategies
Used by Steve Jobs & Goliath-Killer David
In The Apple and the Stone, strategic thinker and emerging coach Hartford G. Dawson, PhD delivers a compelling, research-informed framework for turning adversity into advantage.
What if your greatest setbacks were actually your greatest opportunities?
In The Apple and the Stone, educator and corporate trainer Hartford G. Dawson, PhD, reveals twelve transformative strategies for overcoming adversity—drawing inspiration from two unlikely icons: Steve Jobs, who resurrected Apple from near ruin, and David, the underestimated underdog who faced Goliath with boldness and resolve.
This book is a masterclass in resilience. Dawson fuses the visionary grit of Jobs with the fearless determination of David to offer readers a practical, empowering roadmap for turning setbacks into stepping stones. Whether you’re navigating personal storms, professional pivots, or moments of uncertainty, these strategies deliver the mindset, clarity, and courage to rise.
Perfect for:
- Readers seeking personal growth and reinvention
- Leaders facing change, challenge, or transition
- Anyone ready to build a legacy rooted in strength and purpose
Your transformation doesn’t begin with perfection—it begins with a decision to rise.
Praise for The Apple and The Stone
“While readers who choose The Apple and The Stone: 12 Proven Success Strategies Used by Steve Jobs and Goliath-Killer David may think this book will be about business success, in fact, the topic is much broader than monetary success strategies. Under this vision and approach, obstacles become prospects for growth that promise the richness of not just singular success, but a wider-reaching approach to life…
The Apple and The Stone is outstanding in its approach and specific in its tips.
Libraries seeking achievement-oriented guides that go beyond imparting advice and admonitions to outline the nuts and bolts of a program designed to propel self-help readers onto better paths of living will find The Apple and The Stone’s thought-provoking, actionable outline just the ticket for top recommendation to a wide range of patrons seeking change on different levels.”
— D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“Dawson…channeling Malcolm Gladwell in this business book…employs anecdotes from the lives of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and King David to inspire readers to meet present-day challenges. The author emphasizes the ways in which both men, one recent and one in biblical antiquity, found hidden opportunities amid obstacles…
His own experiences drive home the book’s key lessons—emphasizing the necessity of working decisively in pursuit of one’s goals…
He also writes of his own two-decade long odyssey to first complete a bachelor’s degree and then a doctorate, and he discusses how embracing one’s passions as an entrepreneur or creator can help to drive out self-doubt, which he sees as a silent, persistent enemy of progress.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“The Apple and the Stone” is a creative self‑help book that blends innovation and faith. Resilience, vision, courage, and turning setbacks into opportunities are woven throughout. The 12‑strategy framework, the symmetry between David and Jobs, and the rhythm of comparison make its structure compelling. Historical anecdotes, scriptural reimaginings, and personal reflections are interwoven to provide a framework for those facing daunting challenges. Defined takeaways and reflective questions at the end of each section reinforce the lessons and invite personal application. Personal stories humanize the advice, making extraordinary achievements feel within reach.
Its strength lies in making extraordinary achievements feel within reach, bridging the distance between historic greatness and personal perseverance.
Everyday struggles stand beside billion‑dollar turnarounds and legendary biblical battles, underscoring that resilience scales across contexts. The unusual pairing of Silicon Valley and scripture is thought‑provoking and empowering.”
— Foreword Reviews
“An analytical and informative guide with proven strategies to slay the everyday Goliaths… earns its place among the must-read books.”
— Reedsy Discovery
