Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway [Paperback]

I see mixed reviews for this book but I credit the author for helping reshape my thinking. I read it at the age of 23. I had just quit a job in PR that had completely dominated my life for 2 years. I had a significant amount of cash in the bank, lived at home, was single and was essentially free from any responsibility. Family suggested I take some time off to date or travel, try living in another city, or buy a home here. Everyone kept telling me how I had the world in the palm of my hand, but I was completely frozen, depressed, and terrified to make any decision. My confidence was at a low, I felt like a failure and my friends had all but disappeared after years of choosing my job over them.

Then I read this book, suggested to me by one of my few remaining friends. It was a quick, simple read but you get the real impact by reading it a second, or third time. So many areas helped me reshape my thinking. Her question of "do you know someone in your life who think of as fearless?" resonated with me. Helping me understand that everyone feels fear and it's a person's interpretation of fear that makes all the difference, really hit home. Also encouraging me to view my life from a third person's point of view - like reading a book - really sprung me in to action. Taking away the expectation of a specific outcome to 'read on' motivated me to start dating... a lot! I detached myself from the outcome and just put things in to action. It was liberating, and I met an amazing guy (several actually, but one stuck:).

I'm now 31 and I use the lessons from this book, and Susan's book Embracing Uncertainty, everyday. I public speak regularly, I'm bolder in my dealings with people, I take financial and career risks, all with the confidence that I can handle whatever result may come of my actions. How do I know I can handle what comes my way? Because I've handled everything that's ever come my way in life. This book helped me realize that.

If you can take one or two lessons from a counselling book, it's worth a read. I promise, this one will give you many more than that!

This book set me free from false, self-imprisoning beliefs I didn't even know I had!

Dr. Jeffers talks about no-lose decisions. Either way you go, you win. You get "goodies," meaning the experience of life, either way. I had always thought that one had to agonize, think, pray, talk to people, get advice and finally make the absolutely right decision or else all would be lost. How freeing it is to realize I can't go wrong. I get to experience life in all it's fullness either way.

Another section of the book teaches us to make connections in at least nine areas of our life. So many of us connect with just our work, or with our mate, or with a child. When we lose our one and only connection, we are devastated. She teaches us to have and nurture connections in several areas. That way when we lose one, we are hurt, but we can still move on.

Finally, I always thought that when I felt fear it was a sign that perhaps I should back off. Dr. Jeffers teaches that if you're not feeling fear, you're not growing. Fear is just part of life. We all have an internal "chatterbox" that talks at us constantly and tells us all the reasons why we can't do something. Our job is to overcome the chatterbox and she effectively teaches us how to do so.

I have just read " Feel the fear and do it anyway " and honestly speaking I regretted the time I wasted on it. The book is written in a very poor language and has nothing but stunning titles. I can't believe that such linguistic garbage made it to print.