Gary John Bishop
Rating:
3 Stars
If you’re wanting a super simple, no-nonsense view on life then this could be the book for you. For me, this would have been better enjoyed if I hadn’t recently completed similar yet heavier books than this. That said, its a short read / Listen (2.5 hours – Audible)and so its a good pick me up for a flight / bus.
In essence the book has 7 chapters
- I am willing
- I am wired to win
- I got this
- I embrace uncertainty
- I am not my thoughts: I am what I do
- I am relentless
- I expect nothing and accept everything
And like many self-help books, there isn’t anything new here or overly deep. – as I said, its a 2.5 hours listen. I was however constantly reminded of the simple human truth that ‘life is simple’ and that ‘you are responsible for your own life.’
If you like the sound of that then let me know and I’ll send you my copy. – i mean “You have the life you’re willing to put up with.” so read your new life.
Editors Foreword:
Have you ever felt like a hamster on a wheel, furiously churning your way through life but somehow going nowhere? It seems like there’s a barrage of information surrounding us in our everyday lives with the keys to this thing or that thing, be it wealth, success, happiness or purpose. The truth is, most of it fails to capture what it truly takes to overcome our greatest barrier to a greater life…ourselves. What if everything you ever wanted resided in you like a well of potential, waiting to be expressed? Unfu*k Yourself is the handbook for the resigned and defeated, a manifesto for real life change and unleashing your own greatness.
Quotes and Personal Highlights
“am not my thoughts; I am what I do.”
“Circumstances don’t make the man; they only reveal him to himself.” – Epictetus”
“found that positive self-talk can dramatically improve mood, boost confidence, increase productivity, and more. Much more. In fact, as evidenced by Professor Hart and his studies, it can be one of the key components to a happy, successful life. The bad news is, the reverse is also true: Negative self-talk can not only put us in a bad mood, it can leave us feeling helpless. It can make small problems seem bigger – and even create problems where none existed before. Here’s the breaking news, your self-talk is fucking you over and in ways you can’t even begin to imagine.”
“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” – Epictetus”
“Here’s the coaching—CUT IT OUT! Let go of those expectations NOW!”
“Here’s the deal: true relentlessness comes when the only thing you have left is relentlessness. When it seems all is lost and all hope and evidence for success have long since vanished, relentlessness is the fuel that drives you through.”
“I expect nothing and accept everything.”
“If you can’t even stop watching TV long enough to get your life together, you obviously don’t want to change. That’s basic shit. It’s the bare minimum, to be honest.”
“If you took the time to be with what I’m saying, you’d realize that what causes most of your worry is trying to predict the future and then refusing to accept things when they don’t or aren’t going to go your way.”
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Theodore Roosevelt”
“In simple terms, the language you use to describe your circumstances determines how you see, experience, and participate in them and dramatically affects how you deal with your life and confront problems both big and small.”
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
“Life won’t stop for your pauses and procrastinations. It won’t stop for your confusion or fear. It will continue right along without you. Whether you play an active part or not, the show will go on.”
“Love the life you have, not the one you expected to have.”
“Most of the time, the task we’re actually facing is a lot simpler than we think it is. The problem is, we usually don’t take the time to really look at it.”
“Our biggest successes are born out of discomfort, uncertainty, and risk.”
“Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.” – Marcus Aurelius”
“Remember, everything is solve-able, and if you can’t see a solution, it only means you haven’t worked it out yet.”
“Sometimes our mind is like the equivalent of a funhouse mirror, distorting and contorting and blurring our lives and our potential.”
“That little mess can influence all areas of your life until your emotions surrounding that one area become the lens through which you see everything. You end up thinking… “Life is too hard”
“There aren’t any roadsigns when you’re trekking through uncharted territory. It’s all discovery and exploration.”
“There is no greater knowledge than the knowledge you have verified for yourself, in your own experience.”
“Think about this: your thoughts (and the resulting feelings) are not always aligned with what is in the best interests of your life, your health, your finances, or your potential.”
“We often view ourselves as procrastinators or lazy or unmotivated. When in reality, we’re simply unwilling. We put things off or avoid them completely because we tell ourselves we just don’t want to do it or that we can’t do it.”
“When you have set out the goals that you are claiming is yours in life and, more importantly, relentlessly taking the actions to produce, it’s only a matter of when. We are wired to win. You are wired to win. Define your game. Embrace the challenge. And strive to understand yourself in deeper and more meaningful ways. True understanding of yourself and your personal constraints allows for ever unfolding degrees of freedom and success. The more aware you become of your hard wiring, the more space and opportunity become available in those areas. Step out there. Trust yourself. Give yourself fully to your vast capacity for victory. Set the the challenge of winning in new and exciting ways. Demand your greatness of yourself and repeat after me: I am wired to win.”
“you are 100 percent responsible for what you do with your life”
“You change your life by doing, not by thinking about doing. In fact, when you become closely associated with the actions you are taking, something magical starts to become apparent. Thoughts without actions are just that, thoughts, and your negative thoughts about yourself, others, or your circumstances will have no impact on your success as long as you leave them where they lie.”
“you must first accept that while there are things that have happened in your life that you had no say in, you are 100 percent responsible for what you do with your life in the aftermath of those events. Always, every time, no excuses.”