The Life Brief: A Playbook for No-Regrets Living

by Bonnie Wan

Start living an astonishing life with this “practical and accessible, moving and deeply meaningful” (Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone ) guided program for identifying your core values and aligning every area of your life with them so you can feel fulfilled every day. “This book is a wonderful invitation. Take it” (Dave Evans, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Designing Your Life).We all have moments when we doubt the path we’re on. The Life Brief is an essential tool for aligning your life with your dreams—personally, professionally, culturally, and spiritually. Based on the business world’s most-used organizational tool, The Life Brief has three Get Messy , Get Clear , and Get Active . The first phase is a set of open-ended writing prompts that cut through limiting beliefs and false assumptions about what’s possible. Get Clear offers prompts for finding clarity around what you truly, deeply want. Finally, Get Active catapults you into the steps to making those desires a reality. Tried and tested by Bonnie herself as well as thousands of attendees of workshops and lectures, The Life Brief method is the most powerful tool for solving life’s biggest messes and creating a life of meaning.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Personal Development, Business, Mental Health, Audiobook

256 pages, Hardcover

Published January 16, 2024

Reviews

[Mary Gray Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find myself evangelizing about this book to a wide array of audiences. It’s been a game changer for me, and I believe that its application could be transformative for so many others.

Give yourself the gift of reading this book. You won’t regret it.

[Kristyn Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you ever feel like there is more you want to do with your life, but you aren’t sure what exactly it is? Or maybe you do know exactly what it is, but you don’t feel like you can make it happen? Or maybe you feel a vague (or not so vague) sense of dissatisfaction, but you don’t see a path to change? I have wrestled with all of these feelings over the years. Feeling like I have more to offer, feeling like my true desires are unachievable, feeling trapped by my circumstances.

Objectively, I am extremely fortunate. I have a loving family, a challenging and fulfilling job, and the ability to do most things I set my mind to. But even amid all this good fortune, life can be chaotic and I often feel overwhelmed.

The daily grind of trying to manage everything on my plate leaves me stressed far too often. There is never enough time. The struggle to balance all I need to do with all I want to do can leave me feeling perpetually not-quite-satisfied. No matter what great accomplishments I achieve, there is always a long list of other projects and passions I am not pursuing, and that list gnaws at me.

Enter, The Life Brief.

The Life Brief offers an antidote to all this mental chaos. In this incredible book, author Bonnie Wan guides readers through a process to figure out what it is they REALLY want. The first step is to Get Messy, to open your mind and let all those ideas, hopes, and dreams come out. The next step is to Get Clear, to filter and sort the mess and distill it to its essence. This will become your Brief. The last step is to Get Active, to let your Brief be your compass as you navigate your life.

I did my first pass at this process over the summer after. It has sharpened my focus and impacted every area of my life. My life brief has particularly impacted the way I show up at work. As a government employee in the public workforce system, I see the potential for these ideas to unlock new ways of inspiring customers on their career pathways.

I look forward to practicing this process again and again over time, and I know it will continue to be impactful as I target future briefs at different domains of my life.

[CSM · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was nothing in this self-help book that you cannot find in countless others. TLB did not add to the genre.

Books do not need to be universally relevant and I do not fault this one for appealing to a certain demographic. TLB is more geared toward left-leaning, university educated knowledge workers than right-leaning, working class people. I cannot imagine a welder crying during a Zoom meeting in front of his colleagues about his childhood decision to pretend to be an extrovert when at heart, he was really an introvert. This is not a book for people who live in Omaha, Nebraska. It is a book for people who, like the author, commute from their dream home in wine country to the Bay Area a few days a week for optional, in-office work days at a prestigious marketing firm.

My problem with the book is that its target demographic does not need help. The readers are “everywhere people,” who do not rely on public transportation and can easily pack up and leave for a similarly high paying job in another state if crime rates get so bad that even their exclusive neighborhoods can’t shield them. Why not write a book for the conservative welder from Middle America who has a statistically higher risk of dying by suicide, alcoholism or a drug overdose? I don’t see Simon and Schuster chomping at the bit to publish self-help books for people like him (see “Can’t Hurt Me,” by David Goggins - published by Lioncrest- for something more applicable to an audience with real problems).

[Laura C · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I find myself dog-earing pages, writing in their margins and returning to each annotation with more clarity regarding what I need and want in this life, I know I'm reading a book that will continue to inform the way I walk in this world.

At its essence, Bonnie Wan's The Life Brief is a courageous offering, one that calls upon its readers to think intentionally and aspirationally about what they are called to do, and more importantly, what they can do if they give the purity of their attention to this "no-regrets living" practice.

The stories peppered throughout the book demonstrate the Life Brief's capacity to invite authentic, meaningful change in a compelling, relevant and accessible manner. The author carefully balances her own, often painful, paradigm shifting experiences as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, confidant and award winning advertising executive with the narratives of those she's witnessed work the process and ultimately live fuller, more present lives. In addition to the relatable narratives that confirm the universal applicability of the Life Brief, there are also exercises peppered throughout the book designed to help readers navigate even the most uncomfortable, seemingly impossible questions.

The critical role that sustained, reflective writing plays in the Life Brief practice was an unexpected, affirming gift. As a public high school educator for nearly thirty-two years, I use the Life Brief's exercises as evidence of the "real-world," clarifying power of transcribing thoughts onto paper. From beginning to end, Bonnie Wan convinces her readers that they, too, can use writing to create an action plan for their lives.

[Alicia M · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you want? A deceptively simple question we somehow find a way to massively over complicate.

Bonnie Wan's, The Life Brief, does a masterful job at helping you unwind the complexity from that question and dig into figuring out what you truly want, then how to go and get it. And every step of the way, she's right there with you. Sharing her own personal stories and others that are so relatable, it makes you realize you're not in it alone.

Transformation never comes easy, but it is worth it and something within reach. I've written a Life Brief using Bonnie's methods and seen the tremendous impact in my life, so much so I've rewritten it four more times. It's a constant journey of discovery and discipline, forcing yourself to set aside the noise to focus on what you truly want. And once you do that, you can never go back.

[⚫㊐✨Heather Mc Erlean❦㈦㊏ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Life Brief: A Playbook for No-Regrets Living" by Bonnie Wan is not a novel but a memoir/textbook/workbook. Wan instructs you on finding out what you want and then shows you how to retrain your brain to achieve it.

The Life Brief is an instructional memoir. Wan recounts her experiences, as well as others. She teaches you the process that worked so well for her. Wan guides you on your path to accomplish the same goals. It also has multiple areas where you answer the questions for yourself and fill in the blanks. This book isn't a cookie-cutter, cardboard-cutout kind of workbook. It is more challenging than answering some questions. You will explore deeper than you have before.

I have consistently reiterated that we need to change our perspective to change our situation. Wan goes into great detail about how to look at things from a different perspective. What seems like a failure or something negative can be turned into something positive.

I love how Wan inspires you to do whatever it takes to achieve your desire. I recommend this book to anyone who feels stuck in their lives. If you don't feel you're living up to your potential, read this book and learn how to achieve the best version of yourself.

I forgot I was going to add my "T-shirt" slogan. It is a quote from Kyle Chandler, "Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door."

[Annie Morita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tried and tested by Bonnie herself as well as thousands of attendees of workshops and lectures, The Life Brief method is a powerful tool for solving life’s biggest messes and creating a life of meaning.

After her phenomenal keynote at last year’s Womentum Leadership Summit, the demand to put this practice into action and to have a guide in doing it was sky high. People loved the idea of the story and wanted to create a life brief for their own. The book has been written to be that guide.

Adam Grant; Malcolm Gladwell; Dan Pink; Susan Cain...in early November they announced The Life Brief: A Playbook for No-Regrets Living by Bonnie Wan is on the Next Big Idea’s “must read” list for 2024.

Women need other women in their lives who think they are a big deal. No competition, no backhanded comments, no jealousy, just “I love you, I support you and there is no one on Earth like you” kinda energy.

The kind of energy does not just happen. It is part of what matters most. And what matters most is achievable if you have a practice…a life practice…a life brief.

[Alura Mireault · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are feeling like your life has become stagnant or that you aren’t living to your full potential, The Life Brief will be your guide. It’s not a shortcut though. There will be homework involved, but it leaves you feeling inspired and ready to take steps for change. Wan is a great writer who gives powerful and sometimes poignant anecdotes of her own life that evoke strong emotion and self-reflection. There may be some exercises, where you might think "Am I doing this right?" The answer is yes, because it's about figuring out the way you think and what you truly want. You can't really go wrong as long as you are writing and discovering. If you like journaling and want to learn more about you, this book is definitely worth the read.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. Sharp, insightful, vulnerable, and bold with a bias for action. It pushes me to put thoughts on paper in a way that is focused and illuminating. The Life Brief is an action plan for addressing the poet Mary Oliver’s call - “What will you do with this one wild and precious life?”.

[Michelle Bellman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took the entire summer to read this book carefully while doing all of the work and reflections. It changed my life and got me to make drastic and necessary changes. I can’t recommend this book enough!!

[Emily Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did not finish but felt it was inspiring

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

checklist: the daily brain dump and small actionable items

[Agnieszka · Rating 1 out of 5]

Possibly one of the most unrelatable self help books I've read. Aimed at a very narrow demographic group. If what you want from life is career, money, marriage and kids perhaps this book will help you. The author initially dissmisses those are basic goals we were programmed to want by the society and then proceeds to use them as the only examples for the rest of the book.
I was hoping for some advice on unleashing the authentic self in a more creative way. What if I want to travel the world or live alone in a forest or sit at home and read books all the day? Introverts don't exist in the author's mind. I guess that's my fault for having certain expectations when starting this book while in reality it's just business oriented corporate gibberish.

[Shirin Etessam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Life Brief is a heartfelt manifesto that resonates deeply with the soul-searching journey many of us embark upon. Bonnie's approach invites readers to engage in profound introspection while maintaining a lightness of being. This book, with its unique blend of playfulness and practicality, echoes the importance of aligning one's life with genuine passions and values.

Bonnie doesn't just speak; she sings a song of liberation, encouraging readers to dance to the rhythm of their own truths. Her use of research and real-life examples acts as a mirror, reflecting the potential within each of us to live a life brimming with intention and joy. As someone who values authenticity and humor, I appreciate the way Bonnie weaves these elements into her writing, creating a narrative that is as influential as it is endearing.

In essence, "The Life Brief" is more than a book; it's a companion for those yearning to play the lead role in their life story. It's a compelling validation that a fulfilling life, full of intention and joy, is not just a hopeful aspiration—it's a distinctly reachable goal.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the glut of fluffy, self aggrandizing, magic bullet self-help books out there, it's so damn refreshing to read Bonnie Wan's The Life Brief. It's raw, honest, funny, and powerful. Bonnie has done something simple and brilliant. She helps us peel away the layers of what's in the way so that we can get to the "F*&$K YES" - this is what I want in my life! As an advertising wizard she knows what it takes to get right to the bone of what matters. She knows how to change peoples' minds in 30 seconds. She takes all this advertising strategy and invites us to examine our lives and go after the stuff that grabs us in the gut. She gives us clear, "heck yes I'm going to do this" practices to help us zero in on "that thing" and actually make big shifts in our lives. Guess what? It works!

I'm a coach, and I'm kind of amazed that in 2oo pages, Bonnie was able to do something akin to the nuance and depth of life changing coaching. The Life Brief is compelling. It's a gift. Go get a copy. Read it. More that read it, do the work. You WILL be changed.

[Kristen Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bonnie gives us three important voices as we journey through the process of creating our own Life Brief. She speaks from her years of experience as a successful strategist, guiding us through a framework to create our brief. Then, as we confront some difficult questions and feel a bit stuck, she speaks with the wisdom of a mentor, reminding us that these feelings arising are a sign we are on the right track. Finally, like a good friend sharing their deepest secrets with you, she opens up very candidly about her own life's struggles as a reminder that we are not alone and that people's lives are not what they appear on the surface. This admission is the step toward living your "memorial values" and not your "resume values", which is the path towards a meaningful life. The Life Brief is a paradigm shift for personal development, combining successful practices from the business world, the dynamics of human relationships, and the power of storytelling.

[lice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the digestible and actionable message on how to cut through noise in life and identify what you truly want that Bonnie brings in The Life Brief. While the step by step guidance is helpful, at times I find it a bit too specific. Each step builds up to the next steps, which makes it difficult to just read the book in a few sitting. It requires constant pausing and reflecting, then doing, in order to make productive use of the chapters. This at times made the book difficult to pick up and continue. I wish it can be a bit more flexible.

HOWEVER, the strategies are definitely effective in helping you reframe your limiting beliefs, negative self talks, and unblock you from getting clear with your truest thoughts and desires. I love the actionable steps still despite the difficulty with proceeding. I recommend it for those who may feel a bit lost and directionless in life, just with the awareness that it can be hard to follow at some points in the book.

[Charles Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

80%

While this is a fun book, it's not a great self-help book. It starts off reading like, yeah, live your life with intention, and here's the instructions to get there, and then she gives you like two steps and then forgets to give you instructions and starts going on a memoir about her life, which is fine. I like living intentionally and listening to people live intentionally, but it's like she forgot what the hell she was writing about and just started talking about her life, and I'm like, oh, wow, all right. I don't know that a lot of people were here for that since you started the book totally differently. I'm here for whatever. I'm just here for the experience, baby, but no. It gives me giggles. You got to set yourself up for success is what I'll tell you, but that doesn't stop it from being a great book. Just it does stop it from being a great self-help book since there are very few explicit instructions.

[Bethafterelisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge fan (!) and I'm not typically drawn to personal-growth books.

The author transforms the daunting task of identifying what you REALLY want in life (maybe what you haven't even admitted to yourself) into bite-sized, approachable pieces. Her process mirrors the proven model of her internationally-renowned advertising and branding agency.

Bonnie's vulnerability invites the readers to let down their guards, while building a plot line that drives the reader's curiosity forward. The Life Brief is a book that can be revisited often, as one can create multiple briefs, each for a different part of their lives. And, as change is the only constant, every brief can be reviewed and edited at any time. The Life Brief is far greater than just a book!

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty unique book in the self-help realm. Liked the action steps involved and made me do a lot of reflecting while reading.

Big emphasis on how in control of our lives we are. We literally can write our own moral compass, and we are allowed to outgrow and change it.

“You can author your life, or you can be passive to it. You can react to your circumstances, or you can create the conditions that set you up for aliveness. You can try to fit within someone else's program, or create a self-directed life guided by your own callings, propelled by personal agency. This choice is always available. The invitation is evergreen, yours for the taking.”

Did get a bit bored towards the end of it not gonna life lol.

[Scarlet Batchelor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bonnie Wan takes chaos and confusion and turns them into structure and joy in The Life Brief. The book entered my life at a time when I was questioning my career and life choices. It felt heavy and insurmountable,

I appreciated the snackable exercises in the book that allowed me to uncover my desires and path forward at a pace that suited my journey and opportunities. I emerged with clarity, conviction, and a relevant path. I reached for what I really wanted (with a little F*ck Yes as the cherry on top!).

I can't recommend this book enough. I already have a list of friends that I'll send it to when it releases in January!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good journaling prompt journey guide to help you focus on what matters to you. Bonnie Wan does a nice job of helping honing readers in on their life goals through careful narrative frames intended to encourage introspection and reflection. Through pointed focus and life-reframing questions, she guides readers to a clearer understanding of what they cherish and want most out of their lives. Personal, interpersonal, and professional goals can all be addressed through these activities. One of the better self-help books I’ve encountered that didn’t throw any extra self-promotion in readers faces.

[Luis Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me quite a bit longer to finish, but that’s also in part that every chapter (although short and only about 10 pages), challenges you to sit and dialogue with yourself, and spend time writing and refining your answers each day.

All that to say, I found this book to be really helpful. I’m usually wary of these types of books as my experience has been they’re like the LinkedIn “revelations” we see every day, but that was not the case. Bonnie does a fantastic job of keeping the information brief, while providing clear applications and considerations as you take a look at where and what you want to change.

Highly recommend.

[Cody Kaemmerlen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the last several years I’ve grappled with enough life that, with guidance of other self-help authors, I did a lot of this work already.

So, had I read this before all that, 4-stars, and that’s what I’m sticking with.

While I don’t feel the need to write a Life Brief now, as I sort of did over and over again…
and followed it over and over again…
and dissected truth and bravery and yadda yadda…
and need a break from it, I still did get a lot of good “thinking guides” from this read.

Long and short, if you need some life changes but aren’t sure what the heck even needs changing, I’ll bet good money this will help jump start that process.

[Nikita Chistyakov · Rating 5 out of 5]

While it’s true that hope is not a strategy, "The Life Brief" offers a methodical and strategic framework to uncover answers to profound questions, fostering hope for a fulfilling life. Drawing from her personal journey and vulnerabilities, the author shapes the narrative. This book showed me how to unearth the hope I needed during times of change (or stagnation) by engaging in introspection and posing critical questions. It inspired me to shift my current lifestyle and transcend limiting beliefs, guiding me towards the fulfilling life I aspire to.

[Katherine Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the perfect way to prepare for a new year! It honors that the wisdom for your life resides within. The exercises and prompts help you circle ever closer to truths that you rarely can access in today's loud, chaotic world. The author generously shares her own journey and struggles, and how her own life briefs have helped her get unstuck. Just knowing it's on my bookshelf for the next time I need to find my path forward again is so comforting. I highly recommend this book for people of all ages who are committed to living without regret.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think maybe this one just wasn't for me. I went through a rough time about a decade ago, had a lot of panic attacks, and at the time, I remember saying to multiple people, "I wish there were just some kind of worksheet I could do to make myself feel better and improve my mental health." and over time, I kind of realized... that's not really a good long-term solution for me. I actually have to do a different type of work, namely, mindfulness... and this book contains little to no mindfulness (in practice, tone, or style). I totally respect if anyone loves this book, but for me... nah.

[ONE BAD BANANA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is different from the rest. I read a lot of self help and self improvement, but this stands out to me because of the quality of the questions and the actionable content of each chapter.

If you feel unsettled, even if your life it outwardly good, chase answers for yourself. Use these questions to guide you. I am, and I feel better for it.

I know I’ll revisit it in the future as well!

4.8

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to run through the streets and give everyone Bonnie Wan's The Life Brief.

Reading the book felt like a heartfelt conversation with Bonnie. I finished it last week and yet my mind continues to work on my own life brief. As someone who usually avoids anything that seems self-help-y, this is so much better and different. I feel optimistic and a bit more motivated.

[Corey Leung · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Life Brief provided me with a blueprint and actionable steps to create a better life. Immersing myself in this book and doing all the activities gave me a clearer picture of what I really wanted and empowered me to actually go for it. I would recommend this book to anyone but especially to anyone feeling stuck in life.