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The Achiever Fever Cure: How I Learned to Stop Striving Myself Crazy
Claire Booth was a successful but stressed-out market research entrepreneur and executive suffering from what she calls "achiever fever"—constant striving coupled with chronic feelings of inadequacy. Sick and tired of feeling miserable, self-help skeptic Booth decides to try anything that might bring relief, from mindfulness to martial arts, from spending ten days in silence to "smiling" at her spleen. At first, Booth is fearful that slowing down and softening up will mean losing her professional edge. Instead, she discovers a more joyful and purposeful life, one that also turns out to be good for business. Bolstered by her own survey of other high-achieving professionals, The Achiever Fever Cure is a frank, funny, and inspiring story of Booth's road to recovery.
Recognize any of these symptoms? This book offers inspiration to help you put your own achiever fever on ice.
Recognize any of these symptoms? This book offers inspiration to help you put your own achiever fever on ice.
224 pages, Paperback
Published January 22, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 11, 2019
Think back to the last time something good happened to you – that you had something accepted to a literary magazine, or your scuba diving team made it to the semi-finals.
How long did that good feeling sit with you before you started thinking “What next?” Or doubting whether you’d ever achieve that high again?
If you struggle with the need for constant accomplishment and feelings of inadequacy, you might have “achiever fever.” No sooner have we achieved one victory than we’re hunting the next. In Claire Booth’s new self-help book, The Achiever Fever, Cure, she describes her own “fever” and offers practical suggestions to counter it.
Despite starting her own successful business, Booth felt like a failure. When she’s invited to join a group for start-up leads, she feels like a fraud, since her company is so much smaller than others in the group. Even though her business was doing well over all, she found herself struggling with the ups and downs of daily business – losing a single client felt like a personal failing.
The realization that all of this “achiever fever” was sabataging her happiness led her on a yearlong “mesearch” project of self improvement, which she catalogues in the book.
Read the rest of the review at https://thefuriousgazelle.com/2019/01...
How long did that good feeling sit with you before you started thinking “What next?” Or doubting whether you’d ever achieve that high again?
If you struggle with the need for constant accomplishment and feelings of inadequacy, you might have “achiever fever.” No sooner have we achieved one victory than we’re hunting the next. In Claire Booth’s new self-help book, The Achiever Fever, Cure, she describes her own “fever” and offers practical suggestions to counter it.
Despite starting her own successful business, Booth felt like a failure. When she’s invited to join a group for start-up leads, she feels like a fraud, since her company is so much smaller than others in the group. Even though her business was doing well over all, she found herself struggling with the ups and downs of daily business – losing a single client felt like a personal failing.
The realization that all of this “achiever fever” was sabataging her happiness led her on a yearlong “mesearch” project of self improvement, which she catalogues in the book.
Read the rest of the review at https://thefuriousgazelle.com/2019/01...
December 26, 2020
This book really resonated with me. I felt that Claire's description of what she calls the "achiever fever" was a very accurate description of my constant internal dialogue and train of thoughts. I wouldn't recommend this book to absolutely everyone, but I would recommend it to anyone who has a constant need to "achieve" and who worries incessantly about the future. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to begin working on being kinder to themselves, slowing down their thoughts and appreciating the present moment.
I would definitely read this book again. I would love to go through a similar journey to Claire's, and begin applying the things she learned to my own life, including mindfulness and the power of meditation.
I would definitely read this book again. I would love to go through a similar journey to Claire's, and begin applying the things she learned to my own life, including mindfulness and the power of meditation.
April 16, 2020
Would give this a 4.5!
I like the way it was written - it felt personal yet at the same time her thoughts are clear and easy to understand. Usage of metaphors and examples were great in explaining how the abstract concepts work.
When I first starting reading the book, I thought the description fits me well - needing to feel productive and terrified of wasting time, future-focused, fearing that you won't live up to your potential. I was excited to read it to see if I needed a solution to these, which the book also provided.
As I continue reading and noticed how bad a state Claire was at the age of 41, I realised that I am not in such a state, though I might be if I allow myself to make the same mistakes she did. From this point onwards, it became more of reading an autobiography instead of something that I can relate.
A good and easy read - recommend to anyone whom you think are mindlessly striving for achievements and validation. Might be enlightening for them.
Some of my learning points:
1. Just like how you practice the skills you want to hone, you need to practice who you want to be.
2. Practice is not "trying harder", sometimes it is just about being present. For instance, showing up at your yoga session is already commendable.
3. Watch the thinker.
Your thoughts are not you. In fact, there can be multiple thought types in your head such as
- A thinker: someone who loves reading, writing and contemplating
- A wanderer: someone who follows their curiousity without needing a destination
- A comedian: someone who brings delight and laughter to themselves and others
- A coach: someone who passionately supports others in their endeavours
- A creator: someone who gives themselves the freedom to engage with the depths of their creative spirit
There is no hierarchy between these types of thought, but you should be aware that they are just thoughts. There could be assumptions and untruths that will shift your foundations of understanding. Sometimes you might have to dial down this inner voice so that life can be conducted intuitively. Especially negative thoughts from your harshest critic, what Claire identified as "The Judge", you have to remove its power over you.
4. The Work by Byron Katie
This is a tool to teach you how to think rationally and clearly
a) is it true?
b) can you absolutely know it is true?
c) how do you react, what happens when you believe the thought
d) who would you be without the thought?
This is followed up by "turnarounds" where you take the original statement and turn it around to its opposite, to the self and to the other. For each turnaround, you look for at least 3 examples that are as true, if not truer, than the original statement.
For example,
Original Statement: My financial advisor is ripping me off.
Turnaround 1 (the opposite): My financial advisor is not ripping me off.
Turnaround 2 (to the other): I am ripping my financial advisor off.
Turnaround 3 (to the self): I am ripping myself off.
Once you work through this, you realised that it is no longer black and white, but full of grey areas. It helps you to examine this from several different angles, and also provide a prescription for action: you can tell your advisor how you feel now. This forces you to deconstruct your beliefs and work through your biases.
5. Replace expectation with curiousity.
Instead of saying "I hope that...", say "I am curious what...". Also avoid words such as "I always" or "I never"
6. To be truly confident..
..is when you start to live your life based on who you really are rather than basing it on external validation. As you learn who you are, you will be more connected to yourself. When what you do and say is aligned with who you really are, not what you think you should be, that is when you are displaying true confidence.
7. The Hallmark of a Growth Mindset
The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (& especially) when it is not going well, is the hallmark of a growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive.
8. Go with the flow
Nothing is ever in your control. Control is just an illusion. Life is in constant motion and nothing is ever stable. A night of binge watching or a bad hangover proves that even yourself is not within control. To find peace, we need to let go of the thought that is causing the craving or aversion. Also, letting go is sometimes a process. Sometimes, you must question them so that you can let them go.
9. Pleasure and pain are two sides of the same coin.
Cravings can only bring pain because cravings never ends, so it can never be satisfied. The craving and striving and struggling and coercing bolster the illusion that we are in control of the process. Buddhism says the same thing about pleasure, that pleasure is actually pain because we will always want more and we will never feel fulfilled. All attachments cause suffering and conflict and also narrows the mind. "Would you rather be right or be free?"
10. Learn to meditate.
I like the way it was written - it felt personal yet at the same time her thoughts are clear and easy to understand. Usage of metaphors and examples were great in explaining how the abstract concepts work.
When I first starting reading the book, I thought the description fits me well - needing to feel productive and terrified of wasting time, future-focused, fearing that you won't live up to your potential. I was excited to read it to see if I needed a solution to these, which the book also provided.
As I continue reading and noticed how bad a state Claire was at the age of 41, I realised that I am not in such a state, though I might be if I allow myself to make the same mistakes she did. From this point onwards, it became more of reading an autobiography instead of something that I can relate.
A good and easy read - recommend to anyone whom you think are mindlessly striving for achievements and validation. Might be enlightening for them.
Some of my learning points:
1. Just like how you practice the skills you want to hone, you need to practice who you want to be.
2. Practice is not "trying harder", sometimes it is just about being present. For instance, showing up at your yoga session is already commendable.
3. Watch the thinker.
Your thoughts are not you. In fact, there can be multiple thought types in your head such as
- A thinker: someone who loves reading, writing and contemplating
- A wanderer: someone who follows their curiousity without needing a destination
- A comedian: someone who brings delight and laughter to themselves and others
- A coach: someone who passionately supports others in their endeavours
- A creator: someone who gives themselves the freedom to engage with the depths of their creative spirit
There is no hierarchy between these types of thought, but you should be aware that they are just thoughts. There could be assumptions and untruths that will shift your foundations of understanding. Sometimes you might have to dial down this inner voice so that life can be conducted intuitively. Especially negative thoughts from your harshest critic, what Claire identified as "The Judge", you have to remove its power over you.
4. The Work by Byron Katie
This is a tool to teach you how to think rationally and clearly
a) is it true?
b) can you absolutely know it is true?
c) how do you react, what happens when you believe the thought
d) who would you be without the thought?
This is followed up by "turnarounds" where you take the original statement and turn it around to its opposite, to the self and to the other. For each turnaround, you look for at least 3 examples that are as true, if not truer, than the original statement.
For example,
Original Statement: My financial advisor is ripping me off.
Turnaround 1 (the opposite): My financial advisor is not ripping me off.
Turnaround 2 (to the other): I am ripping my financial advisor off.
Turnaround 3 (to the self): I am ripping myself off.
Once you work through this, you realised that it is no longer black and white, but full of grey areas. It helps you to examine this from several different angles, and also provide a prescription for action: you can tell your advisor how you feel now. This forces you to deconstruct your beliefs and work through your biases.
5. Replace expectation with curiousity.
Instead of saying "I hope that...", say "I am curious what...". Also avoid words such as "I always" or "I never"
6. To be truly confident..
..is when you start to live your life based on who you really are rather than basing it on external validation. As you learn who you are, you will be more connected to yourself. When what you do and say is aligned with who you really are, not what you think you should be, that is when you are displaying true confidence.
7. The Hallmark of a Growth Mindset
The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (& especially) when it is not going well, is the hallmark of a growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive.
8. Go with the flow
Nothing is ever in your control. Control is just an illusion. Life is in constant motion and nothing is ever stable. A night of binge watching or a bad hangover proves that even yourself is not within control. To find peace, we need to let go of the thought that is causing the craving or aversion. Also, letting go is sometimes a process. Sometimes, you must question them so that you can let them go.
9. Pleasure and pain are two sides of the same coin.
Cravings can only bring pain because cravings never ends, so it can never be satisfied. The craving and striving and struggling and coercing bolster the illusion that we are in control of the process. Buddhism says the same thing about pleasure, that pleasure is actually pain because we will always want more and we will never feel fulfilled. All attachments cause suffering and conflict and also narrows the mind. "Would you rather be right or be free?"
10. Learn to meditate.
February 3, 2020
I felt like this book was written about me, for me. There were so many of the author's experiences, thinking and frustrations that I could identify with. I appreciate the author's honesty and courage in sharing her journey. It's definitely got me thinking about things that I can do to improve my own mental well-being.
Read
January 31, 2019I've never been big on 'self-help' books, but Claire writes in such a delightful memoir-y way, that I enjoyed this one!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews