A Guide to Thriving: The Science Behind Breaking Old Patterns, Reclaiming Your Agency, and Finding Meaning

by Jon Rosemberg

272 pages, Hardcover

Published November 25, 2025

About the author

Jon Rosemberg empowers leaders and organizations to shift from survival mode into thriving. With 20+ years of expertise in leadership development, executive coaching, organizational transformation, and workplace culture, Jon combines real-world business insight with cutting-edge psychology research to help people reclaim their agency, build resilience, and find meaning.

Jon has successfully led high-impact initiatives at Walmart, Procter & Gamble, Indigo, and GoBolt. He holds an MBA from Cornell University, a Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and advanced certifications in leadership, coaching, and complex negotiations.

As CEO of Strongpoint Group and co-founder of Anther, Jon guides accomplished individuals through powerful personal transformation with clarity and confidence. Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Jon’s journey to thriving has taken him from New York and Montreal to Toronto, where he lives with his wife Adriana and their two sons.

Learn more at jonrosemberg.com

Reviews

[Sangeetha P · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Guide to Thriving," written by Jon Rosemberg, explores the difference between living in survival mode and thriving mode, offering ideas to help readers navigate life by shifting to thriving mode.

This book also contains a map with nine interconnected elements: beliefs, thoughts, emotions, actions, past, present, future, environment, and one other element described in the book. These elements define us and how we respond to situations in the world, helping us shift from survival to thriving mode.

Each element offers AIR (Awareness, Inquiry, and Reframing) questions as a tool to help us pause, reflect on ourselves, create space and ideas for improvement, and explore new paths toward thriving mode.

The advantage of this book is that it explains clearly the psychological concepts of thriving mode and survival mode and the ways we can reframe ourselves to become better people.

After reading some of the real-life stories in the book, I realised how life can be this easy and what stops us all in survival mode.

I give this book five stars because it introduces us to a new way of thinking about our lives in a psychological aspect (thriving mode and survival mode) and also offers us steps to change ourselves in a better way. We can check whether we are in thriving mode or in survival mode, and can improve ourselves with the framework questions provided in this book. I recommend this book to readers who are stuck in their lives and want improvement in their lives.

[Lee Whitmore]

I recently had the pleasure of speaking to Jon Rosemberg on my podcast, and our conversation about his new book, A Guide to Thriving, left a lasting impression.

I was keen to read the full text to understand the deeper science behind the concepts we discussed, and it delivered on every front.

Rosemberg identifies a state many of us recognise but struggle to name: 'survival mode'. He explains how we often get stuck in a cycle of reactivity, merely enduring our days rather than engaging with them. What makes this book stand out is that it doesn't just diagnose the problem; it offers a concrete solution.

I particularly valued his 'AIR' method (Awareness, Inquiry, Reframing). It provides a practical toolkit for reclaiming agency and shifting from a defensive mindset to one of intentional growth.

For any leader or professional who feels they are constantly fighting fires, this book offers a clear, science-backed path to a more meaningful way of working.

[Laura Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers a thoughtful and grounded exploration of what it really means to move beyond survival mode and into a more intentional, meaningful life. Rather than promising quick fixes, it provides a clear framework rooted in psychological science and real human experience.

What works particularly well is the balance between personal storytelling and practical insight. The concepts are accessible without being simplistic, and the recurring emphasis on awareness, agency, and reframing helps readers reflect on patterns that quietly shape their daily lives.

This is not a book about forcing positivity or chasing happiness. It is about understanding how we respond to challenge, stress, and change—and learning how small, conscious shifts can create lasting impact over time. A solid and reassuring guide for anyone feeling stuck in survival mode and looking for a more grounded way forward.

[Felicia Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Guide to Thriving is fantastic and I’m so glad this is the first book I read this year!! It’s written perfectly in a simple and easy to digest manner. I loved all the stories from different people and the things they were going through. By hearing their experiences, it really makes you feel like you’re not alone in your feelings, emotions, and worries. I feel the ideas and applications Jon Rosemberg described will be easy to apply to my life. I received this book from NetGalley as an ALC, and I’ve already ordered a physical copy so I can go back and revisit as needed. I also want to lend this to my friends and family. I highly recommend this book!! I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job. ☀️

I would like to thank RBmedia and NetGalley for giving me an ALC (which did not sway my opinions or review).

[Kathryn Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

In A Guide for Thriving, Jon Rosemberg shares habits of thought and behaviors that lead from merely surviving to thriving. The book is both wise and humble. He does not claim to know what will work in the reader’s life, but he has experienced, coached, and witnessed many transformations from just getting by to living with zest and joy. With questions, exercises, and stories, the book invites you to find your own particular path to thriving. I plan to come back to it periodically to review where I am right now and choose next best steps.

[Sharon Danzger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon Rosemberg’s A Guide to Thriving offers a grounded, humane take on what it really means to live and work well.

Rather than relying on slogans or quick fixes, the book provides clear, practical insights that feel realistic and sustainable. Jon brings clarity to the idea of thriving - emphasizing awareness, resilience, and meaning in everyday life . And he does so with a tone that is thoughtful, generous, and refreshingly honest.

This is the kind of book you’ll return to, not just for inspiration, but for guidance you can actually use. Highly recommended.

[Donnell Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book fulfills a need that most don't even know exists. So many are in a near-constant state of survival mode, unaware of how much stress and pressure is being put on their mind and body.
There is a science behind transitioning from surviving to thriving, behind moving from post-traumatic stress to post-traumatic growth.

This book is for you. Even if you think it isn't, it is. Even if you are living your best life, let this book give you the language necessary to help someone else that isn't.

[Emma Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a fab way to start the year. It makes you look at the way you think and see things. To go from surviving to Thriving. A fab book to take notes from. Very inspirational and informative. I enjoyed listening to this (thanks to netgally gor the arc). I found the narrator calming yet powerful. He made you want to listen and take note of what he was saying. A good book for people who want you make a change in their life! 🙏❤️

[Christopher Cagle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well thought out framework stemming mostly from CBT and positive psychology. For me this lands as a fair-to-midlin’ self-help book. If you have never been exposed to the ideas of positive psychology, then the less than 200 pages are worth reading. The notes/references in the back provide a wealth of sources for further exploration.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very helpful and useful read about getting into a much better place by using different techniques. There are many different methods to change your situation and make it much better. Give it a try
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and full of great information

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite reads of the year!! So happy I picked this book up. It was a truly uplifting and heartfelt read. It felt like sitting down with a wise, caring friend who really gets it. Jon’s insights are practical, grounded, and full of real-life experience, yet never pushy or overwhelming. I came away feeling inspired, lighter, and more intentional about life. It’s the kind of book you want to return to again and again — I loved every page!