This review was transcribed from a video so please pardon grammatical errors and bad writing. You can view the video here.

This is my fourth attempt to review The Courage to be Disliked. This is a self-help, psychology, and philosophy book all wrapped into one. There are so many lessons in this book, but I’ll leave you with the two that mattered to me most and why I’m recommending it as one of your top ten must-reads this year.

There is a political consultant I’ve been trying to get in touch with. He’s not returning my calls, texts, or emails, which I find a little odd. It sucks because I start thinking, “Why doesn’t this person like me?”

The key to avoiding this spiral of self-doubt-fueled anxiety is recognizing the separation of tasks. He has a job and I have a job. The only way to be happy is for me to focus on my job and ignore his job. I can’t worry that he doesn’t like me or that he doesn’t respect me enough to call me back.

That’s the first lesson. You must have the courage to be disliked. You have to have the courage to do your thing without worrying about anybody else’s task.

 The second is that happiness isn’t found in the competition. It’s found through contributing to something bigger, and I truly believe that. I’m the happiest when I’m doing work to get someone elected. It’s not the recognition. It’s about contributing to something bigger.

You shouldn’t be worrying about what anybody else thinks about you. It’s your job to create and, it’s their job to think something about you. You can’t base what you’re doing on their task. That’s their task. Ignore their task, and focus on your task, and that’s how you’ll find happiness.

I highly recommend this book, and I hope you guys have a phenomenal day full of positive vibes.