"None of us knows what the future holds. But once you've learned how to confront and overcome the unexpected, this lack of knowledge will cease to make you anxious. Tomorrow will no longer be something to fear. And believe me, that's a great feeling"

As a professional, you want to be ready for anything. You'll spend hours, days, even years, perfecting your technique, studying the competition and stepping up to challenges in order to make yourself an all-star.

But at some point in your life, regardless of what you do or how far up the ladder you've climbed, you will be thrown a curveball-an unexpected challenge that comes at you quickly and without warning. The kind that forces you to rethink, well, everything.

Whether it's the loss of a job, a newly assigned responsibility at work, or a global recession that threatens your entire company or industry, an unanticipated charge can knock even the most experienced among us off guard. So if you want to succeed in business-and in life-it's not enough to be the smartest in the room or even the hardest working; you have to be a great curveball hitter.

Investment banker Scott R. Singer learned this lesson the hard way. But after a series of career challenges and personal setbacks, he started to develop a new approach to dealing with unforeseen problems by adopting a new attitude toward life. He realized that curveballs are a part of the game and the greatest players know how to knock them out of the park.

Singer shares his personal story and insights as well as those of some prominent curveball hitters he interviewed, such as Leslie Moonves of CBS, Alan Schwartz of Bear Stearns, and actor Michael J. Fox. Singer's rules for surviving and thriving when faced with uncertainty include:

• Step up to the plate: Accept what's happened; don't fight it. Tell others right away, and let them help.
• Be the batter, not the ball: Don't let your imagination get the best of you. Be a realist, not a pessimist.
• Keep your eye on the ball: Focus on what you can do instead of worrying about what might happen or what's beyond your control.

This fun yet practical audio book is full of valuable advice and anecdotes that can help anyone avoid striking out at work (or at home) and maybe even turn those surprising challenges into tremendous opportunities.