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Reflections from Our Bookshelf: Musings on how we view reading a bit differently

You are a Badass

By: Jen Sincero

Reflection By: Sarah Mansbach

Why I read it? I had seen this book EVERYWHERE, so it had to be good, right?  I had never read a self-help book, and the title of this book made it seem more approachable somehow. 

What is it all about? Jen Sincero explains how you need to look at yourself, your life, and really examine it.  Are you doing what you want, or are you just constantly planning what you are going to do eventually?  Are you making decisions because you think that’s what you should be doing, what your family expects you to do, or is it something you really want?  She breaks down how you need to get out of your own head in order to live the life you want.   

What caused me to pause? The main things I learned from reading this book are that nothing is ever going to be perfect, that living in the moment is important, and perseverance is a quality that all truly successful people have.

1. I have a terrible habit of saying I will do something, but only after I complete a laundry list of other things. I’m waiting for perfection that is never going to come.  Sincero reminds you that, “done is better than perfect.”  If you just take the leap, you’ve got the process going and that makes finishing whatever you are trying to accomplish possible.  Most likely, no one will know that the project you completed isn’t perfect.  Waiting for perfection is procrastination. 

2. My mother has always told me to live in the now.  That sounds so easy, but oh man, can I make it so hard!  Most of the time, it’s because I feel like I can’t take a minute to slow down.  My mind is always running through what’s next on my to-do list.  Since finishing this book, I have caught myself about to tell my husband that I can’t talk right then because I need to do laundry or finish an email.  That is when I pull back and realize that the laundry and the email will both be there after I have a conversation with a person that I care about.  Laundry does not love me – my husband does.  It can wait. 

3. One of my favorite chapters includes the line, “The only failure is quitting.  Everything else is just gathering information.”  Steven Spielberg was rejected from film school three times after dropping out of high school.  Beethoven’s music teacher told him he had no talent.  Henry Ford went bankrupt when he first started in the automobile world.  If you’re going to really rock your goals and your life, you must have the perseverance and gumption to get back up after a setback.  Failure is not useless.  It is possibly the most important steppingstone to success.

Add this to your reading list if… you need to dip your toe into the self-help world.  Sincero is charming and straight forward, and the chapters are bite sized to keep you from being overwhelmed.

Pickle Rating 3.5/5   

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