Book Review – Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

I’ve been a student of personal growth for more than 40 years and not only have I read hundreds of books on the subject, I’ve written a few myself as a ghostwriter/copyeditor. I’ve taken the courses, done the homework, and even taught a few classes. So I SHOULD know this stuff!

Knowing vs. Doing

However, knowing and doing are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Knowing just adds more garbage in, garbage out to our already overstuffed mental capacity. Doing what we’ve read or learned however, is life changing. And Marie points out in almost every word, that every moment of our life is our choice.

We are at choice

What I do in this moment is my choice. What you do is your choice, even when it doesn’t seem that way. How we react to life circumstances that WE DID NOT actually choose, is still our choice. I like being continually reminded that I AM NOT a victim; I am the chooser. As are you. So if we complain that we don’t have what we want, that we haven’t yet reached our goals, or that life sucks, we have nowhere to look but in the mirror.

Practical simplicity

I enjoyed this book so much in its direct approach and practical simplicity that I plan to re-read it on a regular basis until I give up ALL of my excuses as to why I sometimes bemoan that I don’t have the life I thought I desired. If and when I get to the point where I don’t “need” to read it anymore, I’ll just pass it on to another person who’ll gain great value as I have. Additionally, I can see that Marie’s style is something for me to model in the future books I plan to write. Lookout world here I come!

If you get value from books like this, you will get value from my book.

Although my book, Your Fabulous First Book, is not in the personal growth or business genre, it is educational. I’m a proponent of self-responsibility as is Marie, so I know aspiring authors will get that message from me in my books. After reading this book, I know I can add great value to my book coaching by encouraging my clients to always be at choice, and to take responsibility for their actions. If they are or are not writing at their designated times, if they are or are not sticking to their timeline—the results they do or do not get are the effect of the choices they make, moment by moment.