***BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS 2022 SHORTLISTED TITLE******THE PEOPLE' BOOK PRIZE 2022/23 SHORTLISTED TITLE***
Struggling? You're in the right place.
In a world that's obsessed with fast hacks, quick wins, and Instagram-perfection (cue "Everything is Awesome") struggle has become a taboo. A sign that something's gone horribly wrong. But what if we've got it all wrong about getting it wrong?
What if struggle isn't a battle to fight, a trap to avoid, or a sign of weakness? What if struggle is precisely where the magic happens - where we do our best, most important work?
Whether you're wading in treacle, waiting for the storm to pass or just damn tired of the hustle, this thought-provoking exploration will shine a surprising new light on the truth, beauty and opportunity hidden in life's shittier moments.
Author of the award-winning 'How to be Really Productive', Grace Marshall is known for her "refreshingly human" approach to productivity. Featured in The Guardian, Forbes, Huffpost and BBC Radio, her work as a Productivity Ninja has taken her from Norway to New York, helping thousands of people - from startup founders to corporate managers, artists to engineers, students and CEOs - to replace stress, overwhelm and frustration with success, sanity and satisfaction.
The full content of the book is still evolving, so below are some initial chapter examples within a three part structure.
Part 1: Smarter
What if we stopped seeing struggle as a battle to fight or a problem to fix? We see opportunity, not obstacle. Stop squeezing and our world expands.
Oh shit.
What is this shit?
Wrong turn, right where the magic is
The guy who gets all the complaints
That thing that's irritating you
Fight, Flight, or...
Unlocking chaos
Things we miss when we rage
The meaning we make
Pay attention
Find the treasure
Beyond binaries
Life, interrupted
Small victories
Someone else's shit
What about the dog?
Objects in the mirror
Part 2: Braver
What if we stopped seeing struggle as a wrong turn or a trap to avoid? We know we're right where the magic is created. We trust the process. We discover what's beyond the boundaries.
The end of the world as we know it
Into the unknown
Feeling lost
Divergent thinking
Dead ends, new beginnings
Success is not a straight line (heck it's not even one line)
The messy middle
Hot water
Doldrums
The morning after
Seasons and cycles
A beautiful life
The cave you fear
The truth about courage
Part 3: Stronger
What if we stopped seeing struggle as a sign of weakness or failure? We stretch. We grow. We become stronger.
We can do hard things
Stretch and grow
The butterfly's cocoon
Resilience, not immunity
I get knocked down
Struggle reveals
Unintended superpowers
The beauty of not quite fitting in
Growth and maturity
Who we become
New rules outside the comfort zone
Lamentations and joy
Comrades and co-conspirators
Alternatives to being the fixer
Sorry, not sorry
Joy of not being able to do it all
What makes you strong doesn't make me weak
The world of the generous
