'BIG GOALS...Short Deadlines': Illinois Mayor with Pa. Roots Shares Success Secrets From His Trip to 50 Capitols in 50 Days

In 2012, when he set out to show his love of country by visiting all 50 U.S. capitols in a 50-day span in the spirit of Abraham Lincoln, Pennsylvania native Mickey Straub called it a “patriotic pilgrimage.”

Remarkably, he accomplished the grueling feat in only 44 days and he became the only person in history to do so. It took him about 25 times longer to encapsulate the experience in a recently published book, “BIG GOALS…Short Deadlines: Success Strategies Inspired by One Man’s Trip to 50 Capitols in 50 Days.”

But he couldn’t have done it, he says, without his sister Jolly, a 30-year resident of Easton. She is one of five siblings he grew up with in Wilkes-Barre and during his trip she spoke with her younger brother nearly every night.

“I doubt that I could have gotten through it without her daily encouragement and caring spirit,” says Straub. “This book is dedicated to her because Jolly really epitomizes all the unsung heroes and selfless mentors out there who help guide others despite their own personal challenges.”

The 14,900-mile road trip—augmented by flights to Hawaii and Alaska—is the vehicle for the 100-page book, which offers a road map for others looking to achieve greater personal and professional success through more effective goal-setting.

It also includes an actual map of the country that illustrates his meticulously planned path that launched on September 4th. On that day, before heading to the capitol in Harrisburg, Straub recited the Gettysburg Address outside the David Wills House in Gettysburg where Lincoln finished writing the historic speech and slept the night before delivering it.

A little more than six weeks later, Straub wrapped up his journey in Springfield, Illinois.

Front and center throughout his odyssey was the nation’s 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, long a personal hero of Straub’s. He drove a Lincoln Town Car and at each capitol recited the Gettysburg Address while searching for references to Lincoln (along with references to God and liberty).

At each capitol, Straub spent about two hours—snapping over 7,000 photographs overall and chancing across a cross-section of people he dubbed “Capitol Angels” who lent support and insight that enriched his experience.

The intense undertaking, which Straub had pondered attempting for years, was filled with obstacles that Straub details in the book—starting with himself.

“It was day two in Vermont when it hit me that if I was not extremely disciplined and organized, more disciplined than I had been in years or perhaps in my lifetime, then I was going to fail!” Straub recounts in the preface. “Then came the realization, the honest reflection of my recent past, that I had been undisciplined for a long time.”

Straub emphasizes the vital supporting roles that family members, friends and others played throughout his effort. Distilling his trip was an arduous journey in its own right, as Straub zeroed in on the five core points that provide the book’s structure—focus, plan, execute, measure and what he calls “the fifth habit”: “accept responsibility…for all outcomes in your life.”

He also needed to balance the writing amidst his many other roles. Since 1995, he has owned Sales Activity Management, Inc., a custom business management tools and services firm. In May 2013 the married father of one grown daughter began serving as mayor of Burr Ridge, a suburb about 20 minutes west of Chicago.

“Since completing the trip, I have wanted to write a book to inspire others to pursue their dreams, goals or `bucket list’ items,” Straub says. “My motivation for this book is to really impact someone’s life and career, to emphasize personal responsibility and activity management, and to promote love of God and country.”

As with an increasing number of authors, particularly first-time authors, Straub has opted to self-publish. The book will become available on Amazon.com on January 11th. Already, “BIG GOALS…Short Deadlines” has sparked strong support from a variety of leaders and leading personalities, including Grammy-winning songwriter Jim Peterik, North Star Resource Group CEO Edward Deutschlander and former professional football and baseball star Bo Jackson.

Jackson, whose accolades include winning college football’s Heisman Trophy in 1985, calls Straub “a good friend and my mayor…he is honest, kind, caring and on track to do more great things.”

“Mickey has done things that a lot of us have only dreamed of and has outlined his strategy for success for you in BIG GOALS…Short Deadlines,” Jackson states.

To learn more about Straub’s 50 Capitols journey, visit www.50capitols.com. To order “BIG GOALS…Short Deadlines,” visit www.amazon.com and type “Big Goals Short Deadlines” in the search box.