Everything Is Figureoutable

First of all, pretty much everything Marie Forleo offers is brilliant. Everything she teaches is useful if we apply it to our work and daily life. This book is loaded with heart, detail, directly applicable exercises that anyone can do to get unstuck, and practical information! It's technically a simple read, but if you do the "Insight To Action" exercises throughout the book, it'll take some time and focus. Totally worth it! The awesome thing is, this book can be re-read, and these exercises can be redone anytime a refresher is needed, but by reading this with focus and applying what's being taught that first time through, I've found myself more resilient and clear, and the practices laid out are becoming my second nature go-to behaviors. All the practices are presented clearly with easy to follow directions and memorable anecdotes. I don't have to refer back to the book every time I'm in a bind (though I'm happy to keep it on my bookshelf to remind myself and others what this book guides us to know). More often than before my mind is thinking critically from a solution-basis with an eye to a positive outcome, and in my heart I trust that I have what it takes to figure 'it' out. This book can apply to all walks of life, work and lifestyle. As a parent, I'm excited to be able to share these practices and positive mindset shifts with my daughter. She's 10 now and already finding abridged versions of the lessons useful. I know this will continue to serve her throughout her adolescence and adulthood.

Good book

Have you ever read a book that made you feel like it was written just for you to read at that specific moment in time? This book was that for me. I've been a fan of Marie’s for years now, so much so that I've recommended her work on my blog (WithCheryl.co) more than 10 times now. When I heard she had a new book coming out, I was SO excited and I knew I would likely love it, BUT what I didn’t expect was the shift it made in my life. You see, Everything is Figureoutable focuses around the idea that (as the title suggests) every problem can be solved … no matter what. And, right from the get-go, she calls the reader out on making excuses that this isn’t the case for their specific situation, which is one of the many things I loved about this book. While she is inspiring and encouraging throughout, she also (and sometimes more importantly) calls you out on your BS, doesn’t let you hide behind your excuses, and reminds you that there is only ONE thing that can truly get in your way … YOU. Marie helps you shift your mindset, thoughts, and beliefs from working against you to working for you, she teaches you how to embrace fear not run away from it, and (what wound up being the most impactful for me) she helps you define your dream and start on the path to actually achieve it. Now, I think I should explain that I didn’t go into this book expecting to set a NEW dream for myself, but by the end of this book, that’s exactly what happened. And, I think that shows you just how powerful Everything Is Figureaboutable is, as both a book and a philosophy. I mean, she helped me discover a dream I didn’t even know I had! How amazing is that?! It’s too early to share what exactly this book sparked for me because I’m taking things just one small step at a time, just like Marie told me too, BUT I will say this … Everything Is Figureoutable will be the reason for a big shift in my what my business, With Cheryl, offers sometime in 2020. In the meantime, I highly encourage you to pick up a copy of Everything Is Figureoutable for yourself now. And, as you work through the book, you MUST do all of of the exercises at the end of each chapter. I cannot encourage this enough. It might seem like a lot of work (and it is), but the work is necessary for you to get the most out of this book. Don’t cheat yourself. DO THE WORK. I’ll leave you with this … by the time I finished reading the last page of this book, I can honestly say my mindset has shifted about problems that come my way. I really do, deep down in my bones, believe that everything is figureoutable now—and because of that, I feel like I’m capable of so much more. AND, I know each of you are too.

I previously wrote this review right after reading the book. Today, February 15th, after applying James’s system for 100 days on a few tiny habits, I feel compelled to share updates with you because they have sincerely worked. I will divide the review into 5 parts. The first part is a summary of the book with short excerpts highlighted while taking notes. Next, I hope to share pieces of advice that have motivated me while building new habits. Following that, I will share how I implemented the first 3 habits throughout these months. Then, some thoughts to whom I would recommend reading the book. Last, there are 4 complementary readings. SUMMARY [Introduction] James starts by sharing personal strategies he implemented to recover from a serious accident in high school. That event forced him to improve the quality of his routine to get his life in order, coming to the conclusion that “we all deal with setbacks, but in the long run, the quality of our lives often depends on the quality of our habits. With the same habits, you will end up with the same results. But with better habits, anything is possible.” [Section I : The Fundamentals] [Chapter 1] Here we learn the power of compounding effect: changes that seem small and unimportant at any given day will compound into remarkable results if we are willing to stick with them for months and years. James explains that “breakthrough moments are often the result of many previous actions, which build up the potential required to unleash a major change.” Comparing to habits, he shows that bamboo can barely be seen during the first couple of years while the roots grow underground before exploding for almost 100 feet into the air in a few weeks. From that perspective, we come to understand the best outcomes are generally delayed. [Chapter 2] Based on a 3-layer concentric circle behavior change model—divided into outcome change, process change, and identity change—James explains that we should pay attention to our inner identity by focusing on beliefs, assumptions, and values. “Many people begin the process of changing their habits by focusing on what they want to achieve. This leads us to outcome-based habits. The alternative is to build identity-based habits. With this approach, we start by focusing on who we wish to become.” The strongest changes, then, happen from inside out, starting from our identity, passing through the process, and ultimately changing the outcome. [Chapter 3] In this chapter we are introduced to a 4-step framework, which is composed of cue, craving, response, and reward. James calls it 'The 4 Laws of Behavior Change'. He then explains that we can think of each law as a lever that influences our behavior—when the levers are in the right positions, they create good habits effortless whereas when they are in the wrong position, it is nearly impossible. Through examples, he explains that “the cue triggers a craving, which motivates a response, which provides a reward, which satisfies the craving and, ultimately, becomes associated with the cue.” Together they create a habit loop that, when repeated many times, habits become automatic. [Section II : Make It Obvious] [Chapter 4] A primer on how cues play a crucial role in predicting habit formation without consciously thinking about the outcomes. Once our habits become so common, the cues associated with them become essentially invisible because they are deeply encoded. If we want to create better habits, a good idea is to be aware of the cues. James finishes up by sharing a strategy called 'Habits Scorecard'—a simple exercise to become more aware of our behavior on a daily basis. We first write down a chronological list of our daily habits and, once we have a full list, we score each habit as an effective, ineffective, or neutral habit. Besides noticing what is actually going on, we can notice if certain behaviors help us become the type of person we wish to be. [Chapter 5] The cues that can trigger a habit come in a wide range of forms, and the 2 most common cues are time and location. When we make a specific plan for when and where we will perform a new habit, we are more likely to follow through. Stacking our habits by pairing a new habit with a current habit is a form to connect our behavior to our own advantage. An example when building a daily journaling habit would be: “after I pour my cup of coffee each morning, I will journal for 5 minutes.” [Chapter 6] This chapter shows how our environment plays a crucial role in defining habit behaviors. “Given that we are more dependent on vision than any other sense, it should come as no surprise that visual cues are the greatest catalyst of our behavior.” To build good habits, then, we should either make desirable cues obvious in our environment or build new habits in a new environment to avoid fighting against old ones. [Chapter 7] One of the most practical ways to break a bad habit is to reduce exposure to the cue that causes it. As James points out, “it is easier to avoid temptation than resist it.” [Section III : Make It Attractive] [Chapter 8] James explains how the modern food industry has created products that are more attractive and addictive to consumers, and by doing so he shows that the more attractive an opportunity is, the more likely it is to become habit-forming. Every behavior that is highly habit-forming tends to be associated with higher levels of dopamine. It is the anticipation of a reward that motivates us to take action. “Temptation bundling is one way to make your habits more attractive. The strategy is to pair an action you want to do with an action you need to do.” [Chapter 9] “We tend to adopt habits that are praised and approved of by our culture because we have a strong desire to fit in and belong to the tribe.” That said, it is common to pick up habits and behaviors from our parents, peers, and colleagues. There is also a tremendous internal pressure to comply with the norms of the tribe. And, finally, we try to copy the behavior of successful people because we desire success ourselves. One of the best strategies to build better habits is to join a culture where the desired behavior is the normal behavior. [Chapter 10] To avoid unnecessary and detrimental cravings, we should highlight the benefits of avoiding a bad habit by making it seem unattractive. “Habits are unattractive when we associate them with negative feelings.” [Section IV : Make It Easy] [Chapter 11] “All habits follow a similar trajectory from effortful practice to automatic behavior, a process known as automaticity. Automaticity is the ability to perform a behavior without thinking about each step, which occurs when the nonconscious mind takes over.” The key component is to pay close attention to the frequency we perform a habit, not much for how long we have been practicing it. [Chapter 12] Since every action requires a certain amount of energy, we are motivated to do what is easy. By contrast, the more energy required, the less likely it is to occur. “You don't actually want the habit itself. What you really want is the outcome the habit delivers. The greater the obstacle, the more friction there is between you and your desired end state.” That is why we should reduce the friction associated with our habits by creating a prosperous environment to make future actions easier. [Chapter 13] There are decisive moments that deliver an outsized impact every single day. As James puts, these decisive moments are a fork in the road, sending us in the direction of a productive path or an unproductive one. To avoid procrastination, the skill of 'Showing Up' says that we should start a new habit by taking baby steps, making it as easy as possible to take action. “A new habit should not feel like a challenge. The actions that follow can be challenging, but the first 2 minutes should be easy. What you want is a gateway habit that naturally leads you down a more productive path.” He calls it the 'Two-Minute Rule', meaning that new habits should take less than 2 minutes to do in the beginning. Once the habit is established we can improve and master the finer details. [Chapter 14] In order to keep bad habits away is to make them difficult in the first place. There are 2 interesting strategies to improve our future behavior. [1] Make good choices in advance before we can fall victim to temptation in the future. James gives a personal example by sharing that whenever he is looking to cut calories he will ask the waiter to split his meal and box half of it to go before the meal is served. If, however, he waits for the meal to be served and tries to eat just half, that would never happen. [2] Make onetime actions that can automate our future habits and deliver increasing returns over time such as buying a good water filter, unsubscribing from unwanted emails, moving to a friendlier neighborhood, buying a standing desk, or setting up automatic bill pay. [Section V : Make It Satisfying] [Chapter 15] We should make sure to feel immediately satisfied after performing a new habit to increase the odds that the behavior will be repeated next time. “The human brain has evolved to prioritize immediate rewards over delayed rewards.” For that, we can add a little bit of immediate pleasure to the habits that pay off in the long-run. [Chapter 16] Here we learn how to measure our progress by tracking our habits. The immediate satisfaction it delivers—as mentioned earlier in Chapter 15—is one of the many benefits that standout. Besides that, James says, “when we get a signal that we are moving forward, we become more motivated to continue down that path.” The most basic format to track our habits is to get a calendar and mark an X each time we stick with our routine. One of the most important passages of the entire book is as follows: “If you miss one day, try to get back into it as quickly as possible. The first mistake is never the one that ruins you. It is the spiral of repeated mistakes that follows. Missing once is an accident. Missing twice is the start of a new habit. This is a distinguishing feature between winners and losers. Anyone can have a bad performance, a bad workout, or a bad day at work. But when successful people fail, they rebound quickly.” [Chapter 17] In order to prevent bad habits and/or eliminate unhealthy behaviors, James says that we could either add an instant cost to the action or make it painful. A habit contract is also another strategy to hold our accountability: “It is a verbal or written agreement in which you state your commitment to a particular habit and the punishment that will occur if you don't follow through. Then you find one to two people to act as your accountability partners and sign off on the contract with you.” [Section VI : Advanced Techniques] [Chapter 18] We learn how to distinguish habits when genes may or may not influence our performance especially for competitive activities. “One of the best ways to ensure your habits remain satisfying over the long-run is to pick behaviors that align with your personality and skills.” James proposes us to set some time apart to explore new activities in the beginning, before shifting our focus to exploit them thoroughly. [Chapter 19] When we find the sweet spot of our ability we tend to learn best and fastest. The ‘Goldilocks Rule’ states that "humans experience peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities. Not too hard. Not too easy. Just right.” [Chapter 20] One downside of certain habits, James explains, is that we may stop paying attention to the little details and errors. To counterbalance that we should review and reflect on the process over time to remain conscious of our own performance. Using a simple chart to convey his message, we learn that “the process of mastery requires that you progressively layer improvements on top of one another, each habit building upon the last until a new level of performance has been reached and a higher range of skills has been internalized.” PERSONAL THOUGHTS Reading the book twice helped me take better notes and capture details. In the meantime, I thought about 3 simple strategies that could improve our adherence to new habits. Let me share these strategies here with you, and in the following section, I will describe how I managed to cultivate the first 3 new habits upon reading the book—following the system proposed by James together with these 3 strategies. [1] The first strategy is about determining a 'commitment time frame' to avoid excuses during this initial trial period. A 1-month time frame is a fair commitment, choosing to start on the first day of the month to practice it every single day for a full month. Just at the end of the period, I will take the time to reflect and evaluate the pros and cons. [2] The next one is to choose only 1 new habit each month. In doing so we become familiar with the practice intentionally while we develop a sense of purpose. [3] Last, during the first month of any new habit, I noticed that if I spend time exploring the details and the benefits, my motivation stays high. It doesn't only help us create better practices, but it is also inspiring to learn from others who have succeeded previously by adding the same habit into their lives. Podcasts, articles, videos, books, online courses, tutorials, and blog posts are all good sources. IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW HABITS [Nov 1, 2018] I had been wanting to journal on a daily basis for many years but that had never happened. Although I have carried a notebook with me for quite a while, it has never worked as a real journal—a daily routine, when we sit down and write personal thoughts, intentions, and reflections at around the same time. Instead, it has been mostly used to take notes during meetings, to write down ideas and thoughts, to express travel memories, and to doodle. Today, after 3+ months, I haven't looked back once, and still can't believe it took me that long to start this daily habit. During the first month, I read blog posts, watched videos, and even read a short and inexpensive book to foster my creativity. [Dec 1, 2018] I have been impressed by the physical capabilities we can develop through body movement. Although yoga has been a special part of my life since I was 18, I hadn't given proper attention to handstands. But now, after 2+ months practicing it every day, it is rewarding to see improvements on a weekly basis. Again, I definitely recommend watching videos and reading tutorials to find your favorite method. This is the perfect habit to stack at the end or in the middle of any physical movement practice you may enjoy. [Jan 1, 2019] By now we know the benefits of cold showers—ranging from healthier skin appearance all the way to a more resilient perspective of the world. I had previously taken cold showers for 3 months in 2017, but it was a “goal” mindset instead of a “habit” mindset. After that trial I set aside and, although I have kept taking cold showers once or twice a week since then, I wished cold showers was the default mode. Now, after 1+ month, I can't see myself taking warm showers. After all, it is about intention. Again, we can learn uncountable benefits of cold showers by reading success stories. One of my inspirations was Wim Hof. It isn't comfortable in the beginning of any chosen day, but after 3-4 minutes, both my breath and thoughts calm down. Putting them together, these 3 habits don't take more than 30 minutes of my day. While I spend about 10 minutes journaling and 10 more minutes practicing handstands, I save 5 minutes taking cold showers because I won't stay any longer than necessary. RECOMMENDATION [1] First, if you have watched videos, listened to podcasts, read articles and books on habit formation and, after all that, you feel satisfied, then, please, save your money and time. [2] However, if you are like me, that even after reading a few books on building habits and having successfully added good habits to your life, feel that there is still room for improvement, this book can be a terrific addition. [3] Last, if you haven't spent much time and energy discovering a good system to build lasting habits while breaking bad ones, please, read this book. COMPLEMENTARY READINGS [1] Game Changers, by Dave Asprey, exposed me to a wealth array of ideas/habits/tools that have helped me decide which new habit to build next. The book is divided into 46 laws. [2] Essentialism, by Greg McKeown, helped me focus on less but more important tasks, giving clarity to what matters most. This is especially interesting to break bad habits. [3] The Talent Code, by Daniel Coyle, brought more motivation when learning new skills based on the assumptions that we develop new talents through deep practices, finding our ignition identity, and having the right coach to guide us genuinely. I read it many years ago, then, a few years back, I read his following book called The Little Book of Talent—which is perhaps even more to the point. [4] The Systems View of Life, by Fritjof Capra, enlightened my perspectives on how nature and living beings are systematically integrated. It is a profound and slightly academic book that can complement Atomic Habits especially to tie together the 4-step framework into the feedback loop system. I sincerely hope you, too, have fun while building new habits. Take care, Haical

I'm getting to the end of EIF and I am seriously thinking....no! Please don't end. I loved this book. I also love the mantra, Everything Is Figureoutable, so much that I have this printed out in numerous spots in my house to remind me of this simple truth. What this book taught me is that no matter how tough a situation can be, with some grit and perseverance, you really can figure anything out. Marie's down-to-earth style, her ability to connect and write as if she is sitting down having a conversation with you, is what makes this book even better. It is written from her truth. And, she gets you. She's real and she's been down the same tough roads as most human beings, but she never let that stop her. My career changed when I took B-School and did the work and now with this book, it just adds to my respect for Marie. The inspirational stories she shares not just from her own life, but so many others, made me stop and think that whatever I may have gone through in my life was nothing compared to the challenges of others. For that perspective alone, I loved the book! There is such a freedom, a lifting of a burden, to know that everything IS figureoutable. This is not some whoo whoo idea that if you wish for something long and hard enough, it will happen. Everything in this book first, of course, starts with mindset and attitude, but the rest is up to you. You need to do the work and just not wish and hope for your dreams to come true. That is what I find so refreshing about this book. It is not five quick ways to have your dreams come true. Nope. Marie let's us know that there is so much more to it, BUT, we all have it inside of us to make those dreams come true. I remember from B-School several phrases that I still ascribe to today: Give away your best stuff for free and contribute your gifts to make change in the world. These have been my guiding phrases for the last two years and now I am adding, Everything Is Figureoutable!

Great reading from experience to real life scenarios where we can apply concepts learned. A practical way to see things in our daily lives.

This book is the perfect blend of positivity, creativity, real life examples (inspirational & the un-ideal) , practical application skill, relatable life moments, all rolled up with humor….. I Love this Book!!! I have read so many self help books and am some what of a entrepreneurial training junkie…I have done a quite a bit of coaching and business trainings (I'm embarrassed to actually say how much) and this book finally brought it all home! Marie provides really small simple steps that make it all accessible and possible. I can't believe how easy she has made what I have been over complicating for years. The book its self is so positive, really well written (it was hard to put down) and very relatable. Optimism meets really life. Marie is the real deal…she just is authentically herself. This book is such an inspiration as its all real life and offers an up close, inside look at her journey that is just real and unglamorous; and Marie is glamorous but its nice to see its not because she didn't ever make mistakes or have setbacks. This is amazing because the journey of building a business can be lonely and has left me feeling like a phony at times and it was amazing to know I not alone and Marie has been there too, and made it to something Amazing! I love her words "failure is an event" make it not so personal and the event is not a stopping point but a valuable lesson learned! …..so keep going! Marie is my new BFF! hehe

Wowza! This well-written book is bursting with wisdom for anyone who wants to be more productive, less self-critical, or to have more momentum in their business or life. Marie strikes the perfect balance of providing useful advice and roadmaps to follow for empowered success, without it feeling heavy or like a workbook. I especially love her focus on “Progress versus Perfection.” This important concept is key to keeping our focus on what’s important. Obsession with perfection = paralysis and pain and Marie provides an easy antidote which is to simply consider whether you are making progress. For me, one of the most beneficial messages of the book (beyond “everything is figureoutable” is that it doesn’t matter whether someone has already said something before. Instead of opting out of trying to reach people, Marie says we should remember that we all reach different people based on our frequency. While there may already be certain messages out there in the world, it may actually resonate with someone if you put it into your own words. This is an especially important message for writers, coaches, instructors, and artists. And it sure is true for this book. While it contains some messages I have heard before, Marie has a style that seems to permeate my cells, reaching me at a deeper level. The book is an enjoyable, easy read, packed with wisdom for today in Marie’s hip, sassy style. When I read that she, as well as others at the top of their industries that she has interviewed also suffer from comparing themselves to others, or thinking they will be found out as a fraud, I just sighed in relief. Yes, I know it, but to read it in Marie’s words is to really get it. We all can struggle with feelings of “not good enough” at times. The key is to simply keep making progress anyway, focusing on making a difference for even one person. I highly recommend this gem of a book, in which Marie has brilliantly synthesized useful strategies for being better versions of ourselves. Enjoy!

GOOD READ, INSPIRING.

I am a native Spanish speaker and I was afraid Marie's book was going to be difficult to read and I would not be able to experience same as other reviews shared but it was not the case. Marie's book was an awakening. Easy to read and with lessons to keep in mind. Reading the book was a great experience and I found her reflections very on point. I started following her on her podcast and social media ever since! One of those "influencer" that really influence. Highly recommended!

Dieses Buch von Marie ist auf ihre unnachahmliche Art mit viel Power geschrieben. Sie möchte den Leser einerseits begeistern und motivieren, aber andererseits auch wirklich zum konkreten Handeln auffordern. Denn lesen und lernen ist eins, aber die vielen Ideen in die Tat umzusetzen oft etwas anderes. Durch die praktischen Tipps, wirklich ins Handeln zu kommen, hebt sich dieses Buch durchaus von anderen klassischen Ratgebern ab. Bei ihr geht es um die Strategie der kleinen Schritte. Also lieber 1 konkrete Handlung heute, als eine lange To Do Liste, die auf dem Schreibtisch vergammelt und nur Angst einflösst. Marie schafft es auch, die eigenen, negativen Glaubenssätze zu adressieren und unterstützt dabei, an sich selbst zu glauben und den eigenen Traum konsequent weiterzuverfolgen. Es gibt im Buch viele Geschichten aus dem eigenen Leben von Marie, als auch Testimonials von Leuten, die mit der Everything is figureoutable Philosophie ihr Leben zum Positiven gewendet haben. Bonus: Wer das Buch gekauft hat, konnte diese Woche auch noch kostenlos an einem 5tägigen Online-Kurs zur EIF-Formel START (Say it out loud, Take a breath and touch your heart, Assign a powerful meaning, Reinforce yourself, Take the next best action), welche es auf anraten des Lektors nicht mehr ins Buch geschafft hatte. In diesem Kurs gab es eine Anleitung für eine tägliche Praxis, sog. Fun Sheets für jeden Buchstaben der Formel und tägliche Live Calls mit Marie für Fragen bei der Umsetzung. Das war natürlich ein toller Bonus für alle Buchkäufer, zumal das gesamte Material der pdf heruntergeladen werden konnte. Also ich kann das Buch wärmstens weiterempfehlen, finde es allerdings schade, dass die START-Formel nicht auch enthalten ist. Ich hatte jetzt das Glück, den Kurs machen zu können, aber was ist mit den zukünftigen Käufern? Ich hoffe sehr, Marie wiederholt das Angebot noch einmal.

This book gave me the inner power to stand up and start moving by myself - for myself in order to serve others and share my uniqueness. Forever Thank you!

The author is a force of nature and this shines through on every page yet always with humility. A key message is the insight to focus on progress not perfection. I love this book for its success stories and high practicality and the many doable actions recommended