THE MAVERICK EFFECT by George Verdolaga, a step-by-step motivational guide

Have you ever wondered what makes you different from others? Why you’ve always had the urge to “go against the herd”? Why the “popular” kids who snubbed you in school seem to go nowhere after graduation, while you still have an urge to accomplish something great, no matter what it takes? It may be the Maverick Effect, an intriguing theory conceived by entrepreneur and self-styled maverick George Verdolaga.  

Verdolaga makes an important distinction between “mavericks” and “hipsters.” Hipsters look cool, revel in their popularity, but fade out fast—because they are really only followers, chasing the latest trends in fashion or tech. Mavericks are the ones who actually establish those trends.

People with maverick personalities may have a hard time at first, driven by weird artistic and intellectual interests that set them uncomfortably apart. However, they are the real winners, Verdolaga asserts, once they realize their true potential, “finding their way over, around or under” the barriers that society has put in their path.

The author gives many pertinent examples of the maverick effect among unusual people throughout history: Pythagoras, Caravaggio, even Jesus, were ahead of the curve, misunderstood and scorned by the conventional thinkers of their day. J. K. Rowling was a divorced single mom living on welfare when she conceptualized Harry Potter and his magical universe. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg, all were considered nerds when they were young. People destined for maverick greatness never say, “I give up,” “It’s too hard,” or “I’m too busy.” They aren’t distracted by what the crowd wants, but rather, “fearlessly embrace challenges and become the catalysts that spearhead the new initiative for change.”

This motivational guide is organized with business-like competence by someone who has “walked the walk”—Verdolaga left the family business his parents had built for him, choosing instead to carve out his own highly lucrative path through the corporate world.

He offers sound, step-by-step advice for those willing to break out of their comfort zone every single day to promote their groundbreaking ideas. He sets forth, with numerous case studies and a lengthy bibliography, the skills needed to manifest the maverick effect: “overnight success” can take years, so persistence is essential, along with training in public speaking to convince others of the feasibility of one’s projects.
Words of wisdom from a successful pacesetter, The Maverick Effect will inspire the hidden innovators among us to invent, initiate, and innovate.