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Book Review of I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It

Kayll avatar reviewed on + 16 more book reviews


I'm a huge fan of Barbara Sher and have met her in person at one of her workshops. This book addresses the various excuses you have for not picking a career path. This book really helped me because I found myself in many of the stories.

For example, you may be afraid to pick something because nothing interests you. From years of counseling others, Barbara explains why you may feel that nothing interests you. Then she gives you steps to take to awaken your interests again.

Another excuse people use is that they are afraid of failure. Another is that they are afraid of leaving those they love to pursue their heart's desire. That one is common to me. I sometimes worry that I'll become so consumed with my creative passions that I'll leave everyone behind. Again, Barbara gives exercises and examples of how to work through these issues.

Great book, highly recommend. I actually misplaced my copy, so may swap for a new one. :)

Also, please note that Barbara isn't a "go to college" kind of person. She feels that if you have a love for something, it means you have a special genius in that area. You need to do what you love now. Often times, people think they have to drop everything and go back to school to do what they love.

For example, one lady she was coaching always wanted to draw. Barbara said, "Okay, I'm going to give you five minutes. Draw my shoe." The woman was taken aback, but slowly started drawing. After the five minutes, the woman was refreshed and said, "Why have I deprived myself of this joy for so many years?"

Barbara is all about finding unique ways to do what you love. This book presents solutions to the obstacles have when trying to do what they love. I highly recommend it.