In the first part of the book, Bentley talks directly to his children about the mistakes that he made as it pertains to money, relationships, and education. He firmly believes that excellence in these three areas is the starting point for all fulfillment in life. He thoroughly describes all the instances where he failed in hopes that his children will not make the same mistakes. In the second part of the book, he delivers three speeches - Don't Kill the Messenger, Let's Get Real, and Even When Failures Make Speeches. Don't Kill the Messenger is a plea for individuals to listen to the message when someone is speaking, instead of trying to discredit the person speaking. Let's Get Real is a short speech about the dangers of blind optimism and pessimism versus the benefits of realism. Even When Failures Make Speeches is a short speech about the importance of listening to the man who knows what NOT TO DO.