Doing things you hate is a skill. And it's a skill that is always in high demand.Look, you can teach hard skills. You can teach a monkey to do lots of things that humans can do. But you can't force them to work without a monkey revolt on your hands.All growth comes from discomfort and the ability to push through.How To Do Things You Hate is a primer on how you can embody the self-discipline to live the life you want. It's not easy; otherwise everyone would be there. It requires surmounting boulders, crossing oceans, and not a small amount of pain. It's always worth it, but are you able to get there? Are you tough enough? Can you find the motivation inside you somewhere? Are you able to taking it on the chin?After this book, you will be able to resoundingly say YES!Self-discipline and willpower are the best habits, because everything can stack on them.Peter Hollins has studied psychology and peak human performance for over a dozen years and is a bestselling author. He has worked with a multitude of individuals to unlock their potential and path towards success. His writing draws on his academic, coaching, and research experience.Not just more productivity, but you'll start to notice that your to-do list will always be DONE.-Diagnose and understand the exact type of laziness problem you have and why your butt is always glued to the couch-The value of discomfort and how to love it with daily exercises and practices that make you absolutely monk-like-The incredibly valuable 90-second rule of emotional volatility and self-mastery-The doom loop of procrastination and how you are probably caught in it right now, every day.-How you should approach your daily tasks like a pro athlete with daily routines, and activation modes
Peter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a student of the human condition. He possesses a BS in psychology and a graduate degree.
There is some good advice in this little book, but none of it is anything that you haven't heard before. The author pulls from many well-known sources and traditions and, as far as I could tell, doesn't add much of his own. It doesn't go into enough depth for my taste, and some of the advice is VERY hard to follow in real life. But I love the Lego guy on the cover!
Interesting book that can make us very easily relate to any of the examples described. Good for taking a moment to analyze some of our behaviors and identify reasons why we might not want to do things. I say it was useful.
I struggle with executive dysfunction. It sucks. This book was not only validating (because I love to think poorly of myself during bad episodes) but also helpful. I feel like reading this allowed me to reframe the way I view “doing things”. This was a quick & easy read. Definitely recommend!
This book was a realistic look into sustainable ways to improve discipline and “self-mastery”. Many true root causes of laziness were tackled, and consequent fixes were explored as well. I appreciated the many different philosophies covered throughout the text ranging from Eastern wisdom to Ancient Greek strategies and modern high-achieving individuals.
I felt that the author really made a point to show a lot of compassion towards the reader and emphasize that motivation, discipline and energy can wax and wane even when one has achieved so-called self-mastery but it is important to have sustainable systems in place to take advantage of our highs and sustain through our lows. Overall, a good non-judgmental read on improving discipline and
I didn't think that this book this much inspiring💓 It helped me to free myself out from Stress and think out of the box, i liked how smooth he wrote this book and how wisely it described < how we do things we don't love > I highly recommend it and for sure it will help you somehow💓💘💖💕🦋
I found the part about procrastination reasons and analysis to be most interesting for me, but the rest was more or less repetition of material already known. It’s nothing bad, but mostly my personal impression, the book per se is good.
I don’t want to say there is bad advice in this book, because there isn’t. But it’s a hodge-podge of self-improvement techniques that, if you’re reading this book, you’ve probably read up on elsewhere. Like I said, it’s not a bad book and you could do a lot worse in life if you did the opposite of the recommendations in it, but it’s just not a good book.
The book was interesting to read. I got a lot of good insights I hadn’t thought about before, and I’m now incorporating them into my daily routine. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend.
How to Do Things You Hate is one of those quietly motivating books that makes you rethink your attitude toward discomfort, discipline, and procrastination. It’s not preachy or filled with clichés — instead, it’s honest, relatable, and packed with small mindset shifts that actually stick.
I liked how the author talks about doing things even when you don’t “feel like it,” not with guilt, but with compassion. It’s about building emotional resilience, accepting resistance, and learning that self-growth often looks unglamorous. The tone feels more like a wise friend than a lecture, which made it an easy, comforting read.
Some parts repeat the same core message, but the simplicity is what makes it powerful. It’s a great reminder that motivation follows action — not the other way around.
Short, practical, and thought-provoking — perfect for anyone trying to break out of laziness, overthinking, or fear of failure. 🌱
Picked this up hoping to get a bit of inspiration for helping the students I work with increase motivation. Was drawn in by the subtitle because "embrace the suck" is a phrase I already use pretty frequently with kids when we're working on increasing their ability tolerate boredom, frustration, or anything non-preferred.
There was a lot I agreed with in this little book, but a lot that rubbed me the wrong way too. I didn't like the way the author framed a lot of his points through the lens of "laziness" in the beginning, and I especially didn't appreciate the suggestion that you play pretend at poverty for a while in order to increase your mental fortitude or whatever. Many more thoughts are in my notes and highlights.
I didn't get anything out of this book that would help me to tackle projects I'm avoiding doing because the tasks are monumental. The book starts by describing the different kinds of laziness (how to criticize your reader and offend them) and the book didn't improve from there. I'm not lazy. I'm overwhelmed. TYVM!
I would love to give this 5 stars, but the fact that it is split into 4 chapters is what makes it difficult to read. If the chapters were parts and the sections split into near chapters it would be more accessible. Plenty of great advice, but just getting through this read makes me wonder how much of it I actually needed...
I have read several books like this but this one was a quick read and I have already used some of the tricks in it. Don't let the Lego man fool you - it's well worth the read.
How To Do Things You Hate by Peter Hollins was a wake-up call for me. I’ve always struggled with procrastination, especially when it comes to doing tasks I dread, and this book made me realize how much avoiding those tasks holds me back. Hollins’ focus on self-discipline and “embracing the suck” really hit home because he doesn’t sugarcoat it—he acknowledges that some things just aren’t fun, but they’re necessary for achieving long-term goals.
I appreciated the practical strategies Hollins offered, like breaking tasks down into smaller steps and shifting my mindset toward seeing discomfort as a pathway to growth. His approach felt relatable and realistic, and I’ve already started applying some of his techniques to tackle the things I usually avoid. It’s not easy, but his advice has helped me build a bit more resilience and focus.
This book gave me a clearer understanding of why I procrastinate and how I can train myself to push through those tough moments. While it’s not a magic fix, How To Do Things You Hate helped me develop better habits and a more disciplined mindset. It’s a great read for anyone looking to stop avoiding difficult tasks and start getting things done, even when they don’t want to.