Business is a frustrating endeavour. Most of it is hard work that gets little recognition punctuated by mistakes that everyone sees. Everyone once in a while there is a bright spot and it keeps us going.

In From Frustrated to Frickin’ Awesome, Alissa Daire Nelson is trying to help us remove some of that frustration so that we can get more bright spots.

By the end of this (intentionally) short, actionable book, you will have an amazing breakthrough about what your unique selling proposition really is, give up Impostor Syndrome, spend more of your time in tasks and areas that give you energy instead of sucking it out of you, and put wishful thinking away for good. You will have a four-step process that you can repeat with better results each time.

She begins by acknowledging that it’s hard to work for yourself. That roadblocks come up, and that business owners have huge hurdles to jump.

It is normal to get stuck when you hit a roadblock or crossroads. It’s normal to find yourself exhausted sometimes. The question is how long will you stay there?

Nelson covers a wealth of topics from sales

Here’s a baseline fact about selling: People buy from people they like. You will never have tho opportunity to pitch your products or services if you’re not first authentically connecting to your potential client.

To the fear of failure.

You can save yourself the pain of failing by…Never. Doing. Anything.

To how accomplishment, or lack of impacts our self-worth.

Many of us were taught that our self-worth is based on our accomplishments and production.

To trying to get ahead by shortchanging ourselves on sleep

We try to cut sleep on a routine basis, thinking this is the area where we can strategically find more hours in the day. But that simply doesn’t work in the long-term. Might you shout yourself every now and again and continue to thrive? Sure. But this is not the way to get “one up” on your competition.

Throughout the discussions on these topics, she provides us with homework to do. Specifically, there are a number of great journalling exercises that you should engage with if you want to get the most from the book.

Nelson walks us through how to great good goals, though I feel she misses the mark as she sticks with time periods that are far to long to serve as a motivating factor in sticking with actions. In fact, she mostly just tells us what SMART goals are, and then moves on1.

Not all the goal advice is generic though. Specifically she talks about taking a project task list and highlighting everything that doesn’t have to be done by you. Maybe you can’t outsource it all right now, but find something that you can either automate or get someone else to do and start there. Getting to a point where not everything has to be done by you is crucial in having a business instead of a hobby.

Recommendation

As always the final question is, should you read this book. I’m of two minds here. I didn’t find it very life-changing, but I already do (and have done for months or years) pretty much everything in the book.

For me it wasn’t a big amazing book, but that doesn’t mean it’s not for you.

If you’re totally overwhelmed and having trouble prioritizing tasks. If you don’t know where to turn, then get From Frustrated to Frickin’ Awesome. It’s a quick read that will get you on better footing, if you do the work.

Get From Frustrated To Frickn’ Awesome on Amazon

photo credit: kndynt2099 cc


  1. If you want to set better goals and then accomplish them, a much better book is The 12 Week Year, which I reviewed as well