The Power to Think, The Power to Rise: Four men. Four arenas. One truth.
Different Arenas. Different Battles. One Truth Underneath All of It.
by David R. Ibarra
Four men. Four lives. Four completely different arenas. One truth underneath all of it. The power to think is the power to rise — and this book is the proof.
The power to think is the power to rise. This book is the proof.
Different Arenas. Different Languages. Different Battles. One Truth.
A boy who lived in several foster homes in Utah before he was old enough to remember his mother’s face — who would grow up to teach business leaders on three continents. His older brother, carrying the same silence, who would grow up to work one floor above the Oval Office.
A child in Acapulco learning homeopathic remedies from his grandmother at eight — who would grow up to heal cancer, chronic illness, and broken spirits. A sign painter in San Antonio making a dollar an hour — who would grow up to build the largest Hispanic advertising agency in the country and advise eight United States presidential campaigns.
All four men are in the fourth season of their careers — where legacy is built. Their arenas are different. Their languages are different. Their battles are different. But the truth underneath all of it is the same.
The power to think is the power to rise. This book is the proof.
What You'll Gain From This Book
These lessons were built in organizations that David R. Ibarra has led, coached, and owned — not written from a classroom.
The Universal Truth
Discover the single truth that connects every rise across every arena — no matter the background, language, or battle faced.
Stories That Prove It
Four real lives, four extraordinary journeys — each one proof that the power to think is the power to rise, in any arena.
Legacy in the Fourth Season
Understand what it means to lead in the fourth season of a career — where the work is no longer about achievement, but about what lasts.
Rise from Any Starting Point
Foster homes. A dollar an hour. A village in Acapulco. The starting point never determined the outcome — the thinking did.
Cross-Arena Wisdom
Lessons drawn from business, medicine, politics, and the arts — wisdom that transcends industry and applies to every leader.
Your Own Arena
Walk away with the clarity and conviction to apply this truth to your own arena — whatever battle you are currently in.
Four Lives. One Truth.
Different arenas, different battles, one truth underneath all of it — the power to think is the power to rise.
A boy from foster homes in Utah who would grow up to teach business leaders on three continents — and his brother, one floor above the Oval Office.
- Rising from silence
- The power of thought under pressure
- Two brothers, one truth
A child in Acapulco who learned to heal from his grandmother — and grew up to heal cancer, chronic illness, and broken spirits across the world.
- Healing as a philosophy
- Applying wisdom across arenas
- The grandmother’s lesson
A sign painter making a dollar an hour who built the largest Hispanic advertising agency in the country and advised eight presidential campaigns.
- Building from nothing
- Thought as a business tool
- Legacy beyond the campaign
All four men now in the season of legacy — where the work shifts from building to leaving something that lasts beyond them.
- What legacy demands
- The fourth season of a career
- Building what endures
The single truth that connects every story, every arena, every battle — and what it means for your own rise.
- The universal principle
- Applying it to your arena
- The power to think is the power to rise
“The power to think is the power to rise. This book is the proof.”
David R. Ibarra
Author
What Readers Are Saying
Amazon Customer
September 14, 2026 · Paperback
Success Through Intentional Living
A friend gave this book to me so I opened it to see what it was about. I was immediately drawn in when I realized how much a book I love, Think and Grow Rich, had influenced the men in this book, especially David and Lionel. The book is about four men who are great examples of hard work, positive thinking, and what can happen when you are intentional about the direction of your life. I liked reading how four men used the power they have inside themselves to do great things.
Amazon Customer
September 19, 2026 · Paperback
Inspiring
Stories of great Americans who show and teach through living examples that the dream is still alive. Boys who start life with disadvantage can overcome and excel through grit, perseverance and, of course, the kindness of others. In particular, the Ibarra brothers’ stories are inspirational. It was a privilege to have received an Advance Reader Copy.
Kindle Customer
September 14, 2026 · Paperback
What You Focus on Matters
I had the opportunity to read an Advance Reader Copy of this book. The stories were intriguing and the way they were told (in life phases) was interesting, too. Although the four men are very different, the pattern of life was the same. The emphasis on proper thinking — including staying focused, having a good mindset when things didn’t work out perfectly — was my favorite takeaway.
H. G
September 15, 2026 · Kindle
Read it!
Emotional. Inspirational. Uplifting. Wonderful read. Don’t hesitate to read this book.
KGB from SLC
September 14, 2026 · Kindle
You have everything you need to achieve everything you want
A great read with so many valuable lessons. I’m grateful these gentlemen chose to spend the “fourth quarter” of their lives sharing their journey with the rest of us.
David R. Ibarra
David R. Ibarra is the Chief Visionary Officer of the Lǐve Ready® Institute by eLeaderTech®, creator of the Lǐve Ready® Cycle of Success, and author of the Lǐve Ready® leadership doctrine.
His books include Stop Drifting, Lǐve Ready® — Beyond Think and Grow Rich, 28 Essential Lessons to Build an Extraordinary F&I Agency, Becoming the Modern-Day Dealership, and Creating HOW POWER.
His work centers on a singular mission: assisting organizations in building people and profit together — proven over more than forty years of real leadership.
“WHY is the vision. HOW is what the guest feels.”
— David R. Ibarra
Frequently Asked Questions
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Four lives. Four arenas. One truth. The power to think is the power to rise — and this book is the proof. Available now on Amazon.
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