Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
We want changes right away, but we have to think realistically. If you want to get in better shape, is working out for half an hour a day really impossible? This no-nonsense guide will help you shut up that hateful inner critic and get you feeling more positive about yourself and your life. Women’s Health
It’s not about psyching yourself up. Don’t wait for the mood to strike. Just do it. Your mind will remind you of all the other things you could be doing and bring out your doubts, but by taking action, you’ll shut down those other thoughts and start feeling empowered to change. If you’re not willing to take the actions to change your situation—in other words, if you’re will to put up with your situation—then whether you like it or not, that is the life you have chosen. You have to ask yourself: Am I willing?” Sometimes we all need a little help moving forward and often the most significant barrier to success is our minds.[Bishop] shares tools and advice you need to demolish the baggage weighing you down.”— Lexington Herald Leader
Like most self help books Gary John Bishop isn't reinventing the wheel but to me most self help books aren't informing you of anything you didn't already know, they are simply reminding you with gusto and enthusiasm that you are responsible for your own life. No one is going to help you get that better job, lose the weight, get your soul mate that is always in the end going to come down to you. It is all stuff we as human's are aware of at the bottom of our excuse ridden hearts, but sometimes you need that little reminder that it's time to make some actual change. At one point or another, we’ve all been guilty of getting too in-our-heads about something…. A no-frills look at overcoming anxiety… guides you through getting out of negative self-talk and into your best self.”— Refinery 29 Gary John Bishop began his life journey in Glasgow, Scotland. The grit and wit of his early life have contributed to his tough-love, in-your-face approach to coaching. Coupled with world-class training and development, Gary has created a potent brew of effectiveness and the ability to reach through the crust of people's lives and root out the deeper issues that consume them and tie them to their hurdles. His ability to elevate and expand people's greatness makes the kind of life-altering impact that is so rare in the industry. Gary's hyper-awareness and years of elite training allow him to assess each client and guide them to the path that best expresses their lives; with micro precision, he cuts straight to the heart of what is going to make a difference. I am so glad I didn’t buy this book and just borrowed it from the library instead. When I first started listening to the audio version of this book, I was excited and eager to learn something new. But this isn’t new. It’s completely recycled. And not only that, the messages Gary John Bishop is regurgitating are some of the most garbage personal improvement messages out there. As others have pointed out, Mr. Bishop has some seriously privileged blinders on and completely ignores marginalized populations. These are the messages as I heard them:
Gary John Bishop is one of the leading Personal Development experts in the industry with a global reputation that has impacted tens of thousands of people worldwide. His "urban philosophy" approach represents a new wave of personal empowerment and life mastery that has caused miraculous results for people in the quality and performance of their lives. He calls it like it is while being influenced by ontology, phenomenology and the philosophy of some of the world's greatest thinkers. You be inspired, unburdened and grounded. Working with Gary creates the space to be an altered version of you. The greatness you once imagined becomes a reality, only its bigger, better and more incredibly freeing than you dreamed it could be. His work life changing. This no-nonsense guide will help you shut up that hateful inner critic and get you feeling more positive about yourself and your life.”— Women’s Health Sometimes we all need a little help moving forward and often the most significant barrier to success is our minds.[Bishop] shares tools and advice you need to demolish the baggage weighing you down. Lexington Herald Leader At one point or another, we’ve all been guilty of getting too in-our-heads about something…. A no-frills look at overcoming anxiety… guides you through getting out of negative self-talk and into your best self. Refinery 29Am I willing to go to the gym? (During quarantine: Am I willing to sweat to the Insanity workout DVDs I already own once I dust them off?) Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” - Dale Carnegie. Putting Unfu*k Yourself in the self-help category is selling it short. Instead, it belongs in the self-help/motivation/comedy/ inspiration/oh-man-I-do-that-BS-all-the-time/personal-and-professional-development section of the bookstore. The Manual
He talks a lot about our self talk and how we can talk ourselves out of taking actions because we’ve decided whatever the goal is, we’re too stupid or the goal is too unrealistically hard. Positive self-talk can dramatically improve mood, boost confidence, and increase positivity. “The more you tell yourself how hard something is, the harder it will actually seem.” Even things like doing laundry or vacuuming can seem overwhelming.One of my biggest gripes with this text is that Gary seems to contradict himself throughout it and complicates his overall message. He is adamant that this is not another self-help book that focuses on positive thinking; however, it is one of the first concepts he introduces. In sum, he teaches that assertive language affects emotions, feelings, and ultimately decision making and that one should engage in healthy inner dialogue. He also later bashes the quote, "Change your thoughts, change your life," calling it bullsh*t. Where he is attempting to go with this is to say that actions speak louder than words and no matter what you think, unless you take action, your life will not change. The other cause for disappointment and giving up is our expectations. Expect the unexpected. The unhappiness lies in the gap between hidden expectations and reality. In marriages, the biggest cause of discord is unmet expectations. Don’t expect victory or defeat. Plan for victory, learn from defeat.
The main idea this book presents is that you can’t just sit around waiting for life to hand you things or for you to be ‘ready’ to face certain challenges that come with making positive changes. Although the message is a good one, the manner in which the author conveys it does come off as a little bit aggressive at times, and I could see how one could be turned off by that. Usually with these types of books, there is an ‘aha moment’ for me, and even though some of his insight was important and something I needed to hear, I just didn’t feel that. For this reason, I have given it a 2, however, if I really think about it, it was probably closer to a 3 as I did enjoy it for the most part – I just didn’t feel as strongly about it as I would have liked.Putting Unfu*k Yourself in the self-help category is selling it short. Instead, it belongs in the self-help/motivation/comedy/ inspiration/oh-man-I-do-that-BS-all-the-time/personal-and-professional-development section of the bookstore.”— The Manual Meet Gary John Bishop, the straight-talking Glaswegian taking the self-help world by storm.”— Sunday Herald
Great Deal 
New Comment