Fortitude: Unlocking the Secrets of Inner Strength

by Bruce Daisley

'This is a truly refreshing, captivating and important book that shifted my perception on a topic I thought I knew! A must read.' Steven Bartlett, entrepreneur and host of 'The Diary of a CEO''It hooked me right in . . . A fantastic book.' Chis Evans'Entertaining. Engaging. Educating.' Professor Damian Hughes, co-host of the 'High Performance' podcast____________________________________________Resilience is the buzzword of the moment. We're told that if we have it, our lives will be happy and successful ones. If we don't, we need to acquire it.But what if the version of resilience we've been peddled is a myth?Here, Sunday Times bestselling author Bruce Daisley demolishes a concept that has spawned a multi-million pound industry of books, workshops and courses, exposing the highly questionable science it rests on. In its place he outlines a very different approach to good mental health that embraces the latest science and research.Offering empirically tested advice, Fortitude sets out a practical path to greater self-confidence and courage for us all._____________________________________________'Something I never knew I needed to read but I'm so glad I did, its opened up a whole angle of thinking.' Nadiya Hussain'A fascinating and important pushback against the narrow, joy-eroding version of 'resilience' that would leave us to sink or swim alone, Fortitude is an indispensable guide to a more energising, human, and effective approach to working and thriving in a post-pandemic world.' Oliver Burkeman, author of 'Four Thousand Weeks'

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Business, Psychology

313 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 25, 2022

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

At work I was part of gathering community feedback on a corporate document and one of the things we heard quite a lot was issues with the word ‘resilient’. It’s the perfect example of one of those buzzy kinds of words that you know what it’s trying to say, while still finding it quite difficult to explain.

In this book author Bruce Daisley looks at what resilience is intended to mean and why it’s not as simple as just saying people bouncing back from or working through adversity. He points out that much of the discussions around resilience are about a perceived lack of it in other people and an implied criticism that individuals just need to dig deeper to be more resilient.

The book covers many questions. Whether trauma is necessary for resilience. Whether resilience itself is the right word (spoiler he doesn’t think it is, that’s why the book’s called Fortitude instead). What are the common factors which damage fortitude and which are the ones which allow people to access their inner strength?

I was particularly interested in the section which looks at the influence of control, having a sense that someone is in control of their own lives and decisions can make it easier to deal with adversity. Whereas having actions dictated to you or feeling that options have been limited by forces outwith your control disempowers people and makes it harder to access inner strength.

Together with the section on the importance of the feeling of belonging it’s not hard to see why the past few years as we’ve gone from crisis of trust in authority and ‘experts’ to health crisis to financial crisis have potentially left people feeling low on resilience. It also shows why teaching skills like how to embrace a growth mindset, reflective thinking and investing in wellbeing, while beneficial, may not substantially increase resilience in staff if they don’t also feel respected, listened to, and trusted to deliver or part of a shared effort to achieve a goal.

Well worth reading.

[Daryl Feehely · Rating 4 out of 5]

This interesting book lifts the cover on the resilience myth that we've all been sold, and shines a light on how and why resilience is not what we think it is, and not what we should aspire towards.

The book digs into the details of each role model, case study, and research experiment that, at a cursory glance, look to extol the advantages of being more resilient but are in fact tools to abdicate systemic responsibility to the individual for poor socio-economic & cultural landscapes.

Having identified resilience as the villain of the piece, the book finishes strong by introducing us to the hero, Fortitude. Described with ample evidence, the strength we take from being connected is shown as the true aspiration to work towards.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite heavy going at times but had some interesting points on how important support from others is when the going gets tough.

[Wiebke (1book1review) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting on the critical view and perspective of resilient literature or rather the myth we are fed about resilience these days. It was a lot of data but then I missed an alternative to resilience. There was a bit at the end but in comparison not that applicable and short to actually get a proper guidance out of it.
Of course this is only what I wanted at the end, probably not what the auhtor intended to be included at the end.
Overall interesting and reassuring to just not beat ourselves up if things are hard and we can't just resilient our way out of it.

[Isobelle Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this refreshing critique of the concept of 'resilience.' Bruce makes a powerful, research backed case that bouncing back from adversity is not the result of individual mindset and grit but identity, control, and community. We draw strength from feeling in close synchrony with those around us and feeling part of something meaningful that is bigger than us. Humans are complex social beings, and in our innate sociability lie many of the remedies for the problems we experience as individuals.

[Helena · Rating 5 out of 5]

refreshing. everyone should read this, I think it clearly articulates what we need for a healthy society in an actionable way, for both communities and individuals. I particularly like that the line between community and individual should be more blurred than it is now, from personal experience I know this to be beneficial, but also impressive to see how much academic research there is to back this up.

[SOPHIA GABRIEL · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started with a lot of promise. Although the subject matter was interesting and thoroughly researched I found it was longer than it needed to be.

I would recommend it if you have time to spare...

[Catherine Ritchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Currently idling my way through this book. I’ve really enjoyed it, especially how the chapters are organised and the storytelling element of each chapter, but I found it hard to read consistently. One I’ll be picking up again soon to finish.

[Paul Ince · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the thinking but I felt it meandered and it didn’t grab my attention as much as I would have hoped.

[Sinan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Incredibly boring with little to no insights

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some useful and interesting ideas but not ground-breaking. Also tricky to read - very long involved stories and takes a long time to get to the point.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a lot to this book. Having heard all the hype about 'grit' over the past few years, it was refreshing to read something that offered a different view about resilence.

This isn't one of those books you can easily dip in and out of – it requires you to think and consider, then possibly re-read sections. And it's all the better for that. Very much recommended.

[Vivian Maher · Rating 3 out of 5]

In "Fortitude," the author delivers a compelling narrative intertwined with a substantial amount of research. While the abundance of research adds depth to the book, it occasionally disrupts the flow of the storytelling, leaving me using the web for more clarity on the points being made. At times, the author's penchant for detail could have been tempered to maintain a more concise narrative.

However, amidst the dense prose lies a profound message about the importance of community and support. The book serves as a poignant reminder that we all need each other. Despite its shortcomings, "Fortitude" leaves readers with a sense of introspection, emphasising how amazing everyone is in navigating life's challenges.

Overall, "Fortitude" is a commendable read, albeit one that requires patience and perseverance. Its exploration of the human need to have resilience, it actually provides a connection and resonated with the importance of each other long after the final page is turned.