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Fearless passion: find the courage to do what you love
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to do what you love every single day?
Many of us graduate from college and plunge ourselves into the working world, only to realize that our job is not a good fit for us. We feel stuck, not knowing whether to change our career or not. Thoughts and fears run through our mind:
“I have already invested so much in my previous education. I can’t possibly give it up now.”
“What if I pick a wrong career path again? Wouldn’t I waste more money and time?”
“What if I don’t have the talent to pursue what I love?”
Do you feel trapped in your current job and don’t know what to do about it?
Fearless Passion aims to release you from the fears that are holding you back and inspire you to take action on your passion. The biggest mistake is not choosing the wrong career — it’s sticking with a career that makes you unhappy.
Based on the author's own personal story and many others, Fearless Passion shows you how you can expose your hidden fears and harness them, identify your current passions and discover new ones, use your passions to build the skills you wanted, find time to pursue multiple passions and make a smooth career transition.
Fearless Passion isn't just a book on career change. It's a book to inspire everyone to love themselves more by doing what they love.
Fearless Passion includes successful stories from:
Yong Kang Chan (the author) - An accountant who left his job to pursue his passion for animation.
Simon Gudgeon - A world-renowned sculptor who only discovered his passion for sculpting when he was forty years old.
Larry Jacobson - An entrepreneur who gave his successful travel business to sail around the world and later became an award-winning bestseller author.
Peter Yang - A senior manager who left his job to set up a social enterprise that helps nonprofit and social organizations.
Dan Conway - A jobless youth-worker who created a viral marketing campaign that got him the advertising job he always wanted.
TaJuan "TeeJ" Mercer - An award-winning Hollywood TV editor who later became an International Bestselling Author and a reality TV coach.
Leanne Spencer - An account director who left her job to be a personal trainer and fitness entrepreneur.
Anne Rupert - A manager in the real estate industry who left her job for a six month career break to reconnect her passion for the Arts.
Dr Siew Tuck Wah - An aesthetic doctor who used to be afraid of dogs but now heads a nonprofit group to save stray dogs.
Many of us graduate from college and plunge ourselves into the working world, only to realize that our job is not a good fit for us. We feel stuck, not knowing whether to change our career or not. Thoughts and fears run through our mind:
“I have already invested so much in my previous education. I can’t possibly give it up now.”
“What if I pick a wrong career path again? Wouldn’t I waste more money and time?”
“What if I don’t have the talent to pursue what I love?”
Do you feel trapped in your current job and don’t know what to do about it?
Fearless Passion aims to release you from the fears that are holding you back and inspire you to take action on your passion. The biggest mistake is not choosing the wrong career — it’s sticking with a career that makes you unhappy.
Based on the author's own personal story and many others, Fearless Passion shows you how you can expose your hidden fears and harness them, identify your current passions and discover new ones, use your passions to build the skills you wanted, find time to pursue multiple passions and make a smooth career transition.
Fearless Passion isn't just a book on career change. It's a book to inspire everyone to love themselves more by doing what they love.
Fearless Passion includes successful stories from:
Yong Kang Chan (the author) - An accountant who left his job to pursue his passion for animation.
Simon Gudgeon - A world-renowned sculptor who only discovered his passion for sculpting when he was forty years old.
Larry Jacobson - An entrepreneur who gave his successful travel business to sail around the world and later became an award-winning bestseller author.
Peter Yang - A senior manager who left his job to set up a social enterprise that helps nonprofit and social organizations.
Dan Conway - A jobless youth-worker who created a viral marketing campaign that got him the advertising job he always wanted.
TaJuan "TeeJ" Mercer - An award-winning Hollywood TV editor who later became an International Bestselling Author and a reality TV coach.
Leanne Spencer - An account director who left her job to be a personal trainer and fitness entrepreneur.
Anne Rupert - A manager in the real estate industry who left her job for a six month career break to reconnect her passion for the Arts.
Dr Siew Tuck Wah - An aesthetic doctor who used to be afraid of dogs but now heads a nonprofit group to save stray dogs.
- GenresSelf HelpNonfiction
274 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2014
42 people are currently reading
1281 people want to read
About the author
Yong Kang Chan
8 books96 followers"Being Peaceful when the Mind is Noisy"
Doing more and achieving more don’t always make you happy. When you have low self-esteem and a critical voice in your head, it’s tough to enjoy your life in peace. Reaching your goals is important, but you have to enjoy the process too.
In his books, Yong Kang provides insights on self-compassion and mindfulness to help you be kinder to yourself and transcend your suffering. Unlike other psychology and spiritual books, his content is easy to understand. He uses simple, modern examples in life to explain complex concepts and ideas. You can learn the teachings in his books without any technical or scientific knowledge.
Best known as “Nerdy Creator” online, Yong Kang is both analytical and creative. If someone like him can overcome depression and his noisy mind, you can do it too.
Learn how you can live a peaceful life by checking out his books below.
Connect with him via these social media platforms:
Website: http://www.nerdycreator.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NerdyCreator
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nerdycreator/
Doing more and achieving more don’t always make you happy. When you have low self-esteem and a critical voice in your head, it’s tough to enjoy your life in peace. Reaching your goals is important, but you have to enjoy the process too.
In his books, Yong Kang provides insights on self-compassion and mindfulness to help you be kinder to yourself and transcend your suffering. Unlike other psychology and spiritual books, his content is easy to understand. He uses simple, modern examples in life to explain complex concepts and ideas. You can learn the teachings in his books without any technical or scientific knowledge.
Best known as “Nerdy Creator” online, Yong Kang is both analytical and creative. If someone like him can overcome depression and his noisy mind, you can do it too.
Learn how you can live a peaceful life by checking out his books below.
Connect with him via these social media platforms:
Website: http://www.nerdycreator.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NerdyCreator
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nerdycreator/
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 25, 2019
An excellent book for self reflection and goal setting. Chan presents effective exercises to identify the reader's passions, and provides direction in developing the courage to work past fears and live
the fulfilling life we we see for ourselves.
the fulfilling life we we see for ourselves.
January 26, 2015
Just to let you know, I received a free review ecopy of this book in return for an honest review.
Fearless Passion is a book where the author, Yong Kang Chan, draws on his own life experiences to help you with your own passion. He takes you through the various stages of leaving his own career, finding temporary employment with HBO Asia and the various bits about learning of his passion, animation. Not only that, but the author has collected all sorts of stories from varying people and what they did in order to overcome the obstacles and find their own path to passion.
The first thing I like is how the author draws from his own experiences. In many other books I've read in this fashion, it seems like it's easy for those authors to become conceited. However, this author does a particularly good job of using scenerios that we can all draw some experience from. He talks, in varying chapters, about things many people experience during childhood. Many of these examples are things like classroom and school related, learning new things like riding a bike, bullying, and other things many people will have experience of. Likewise, other examples can be very general and he references movies, books and famous people.
While the book gives you support on following your passion, it also gives you tips on how to do it even if you haven't got a passion. It encourages you to look at yourself and find what you truly enjoy. Once you've found your passion and determined what you want to do, it then gives you a bunch of information on what you might want to do. It questions whether you'd like to do it full/part time, what kind of goals you'd like to acheive and even how it might affect your friends and family. I think the most valuable piece of advice in the book is the way of subtley transitioning into your passion. That, for example, you might not want/ be able to leave your job, so it gives you tips on how to stay focused with your passion while giving you the time to leave your job appropriately.
It's pretty well written and gives you a lot of information and ideas towards what you could do to follow your dreams. My only thought is that some of the text might not be entirely relevant to everyone. In that respect, you don't need to follow everything the book says. It's essentially just a guide. One person might use various things from the book, taking whichever portions they find inspiring or helpful, while another might use different bits entirely. I did like the way that the author scouted experiences from other people as well, drawing from their different experiences to illustrate his points.
Overall, I think it's worth five stars. As above, I've mentioned that it's written well and the author has a lot of good points, arguments and examples as to the situations you might encounter once you've decided to follow your passion.
Fearless Passion is a book where the author, Yong Kang Chan, draws on his own life experiences to help you with your own passion. He takes you through the various stages of leaving his own career, finding temporary employment with HBO Asia and the various bits about learning of his passion, animation. Not only that, but the author has collected all sorts of stories from varying people and what they did in order to overcome the obstacles and find their own path to passion.
The first thing I like is how the author draws from his own experiences. In many other books I've read in this fashion, it seems like it's easy for those authors to become conceited. However, this author does a particularly good job of using scenerios that we can all draw some experience from. He talks, in varying chapters, about things many people experience during childhood. Many of these examples are things like classroom and school related, learning new things like riding a bike, bullying, and other things many people will have experience of. Likewise, other examples can be very general and he references movies, books and famous people.
While the book gives you support on following your passion, it also gives you tips on how to do it even if you haven't got a passion. It encourages you to look at yourself and find what you truly enjoy. Once you've found your passion and determined what you want to do, it then gives you a bunch of information on what you might want to do. It questions whether you'd like to do it full/part time, what kind of goals you'd like to acheive and even how it might affect your friends and family. I think the most valuable piece of advice in the book is the way of subtley transitioning into your passion. That, for example, you might not want/ be able to leave your job, so it gives you tips on how to stay focused with your passion while giving you the time to leave your job appropriately.
It's pretty well written and gives you a lot of information and ideas towards what you could do to follow your dreams. My only thought is that some of the text might not be entirely relevant to everyone. In that respect, you don't need to follow everything the book says. It's essentially just a guide. One person might use various things from the book, taking whichever portions they find inspiring or helpful, while another might use different bits entirely. I did like the way that the author scouted experiences from other people as well, drawing from their different experiences to illustrate his points.
Overall, I think it's worth five stars. As above, I've mentioned that it's written well and the author has a lot of good points, arguments and examples as to the situations you might encounter once you've decided to follow your passion.
February 14, 2016
I've read quite a few books in the genre of personal development and I can say that Fearless Passion by Yong Kang Chan is definitely one of the good ones!
I found Fearless Passion to be a wonderful read. Other self-help books I've read in the past can feel a bit like hard work to get through, but this one was really enjoyable. The vibe of the book is positive, upbeat and motivating. I felt like I was talking with a friend who was giving me an inspiring pep talk!
The writing:
The writing style is simple, clear, has a good flow and is easy to digest. Gripping opening sentences in each chapter enticed you to keep reading. I enjoyed the format of the book with its easy-to-follow, well-organized subheadings that help highlight key points in the discussion, and the frequent use of summary lists that show you the main take-away lessons in clear bullet-point fashion.
Use of Real-life examples:
I really liked how Fearless Passion included real-life examples of how real people dealt with finding their passions and pursuing them. I find it's much more inspiring reading such real-life stories than just reading impersonal advice dictating "what you should do". I also enjoyed the inspiring snippets of insight into famous people's success stories like Walt Disney, Julia Child and Grandma Moses.
Practical Applicability:
Unlike other books that are more theoretical than practical, Fearless Passion includes lot of great applicable tips and exercises on how to unearth what your passion is. And this book not only addresses how to find your passion, it also addresses how to let go of any fears that may be holding you back, and how to go about finding and applying for the job of your dreams, even to the extent of how to deal with unsupportive friends and family. Thorough!
Given that I'm at a stage in my life where I'm feeling a bit stagnant and am looking to uncover undiscovered passions, this book left me feeling motivated to sign up for some fun classes and courses I've been thinking of taking up. As the book says: "Starting is as simple as picking what feels right to you and just doing it. If it's not your passion you will know it. In that case, pick another one and just start again." Thank you Yong Kang!
I found Fearless Passion to be a wonderful read. Other self-help books I've read in the past can feel a bit like hard work to get through, but this one was really enjoyable. The vibe of the book is positive, upbeat and motivating. I felt like I was talking with a friend who was giving me an inspiring pep talk!
The writing:
The writing style is simple, clear, has a good flow and is easy to digest. Gripping opening sentences in each chapter enticed you to keep reading. I enjoyed the format of the book with its easy-to-follow, well-organized subheadings that help highlight key points in the discussion, and the frequent use of summary lists that show you the main take-away lessons in clear bullet-point fashion.
Use of Real-life examples:
I really liked how Fearless Passion included real-life examples of how real people dealt with finding their passions and pursuing them. I find it's much more inspiring reading such real-life stories than just reading impersonal advice dictating "what you should do". I also enjoyed the inspiring snippets of insight into famous people's success stories like Walt Disney, Julia Child and Grandma Moses.
Practical Applicability:
Unlike other books that are more theoretical than practical, Fearless Passion includes lot of great applicable tips and exercises on how to unearth what your passion is. And this book not only addresses how to find your passion, it also addresses how to let go of any fears that may be holding you back, and how to go about finding and applying for the job of your dreams, even to the extent of how to deal with unsupportive friends and family. Thorough!
Given that I'm at a stage in my life where I'm feeling a bit stagnant and am looking to uncover undiscovered passions, this book left me feeling motivated to sign up for some fun classes and courses I've been thinking of taking up. As the book says: "Starting is as simple as picking what feels right to you and just doing it. If it's not your passion you will know it. In that case, pick another one and just start again." Thank you Yong Kang!
September 27, 2014
Many times I haven't found the courage to do want I wanted, to say what I was really thinking, but at least I can read about someone who had the courage to change his life.
March 25, 2015
I received a free ebook copy of this book from its author in exchange for an honest review on Amazon.
I am somewhat torn by this book. On one hand, I can definitely see why and how this could be an useful book to some people, even if I didn't personally find it so. (I did, however, really enjoy the author's definition of passion - how it's something that you still feel the drive to do even after the initial "crush" you felt towards it has run out.) On the other, the book is very basic and doesn't exactly provide anything new or particularly profound about the human nature, recycling sentiments that could be found pretty much in any other self-help book that even scratches the whole notion of motivation, doubt or fear in the human experience.
I was rather fond of the fact Yong Kang Chan added exercises to his book. It's one thing to advice people on what they ought to do, and another to actually make them practice doing it. Exercises like the ones presented in this book are helpful, in terms of identifying the actual problems in your thinking, as they force you to recognize and reflect on them. Even when you have already thought over the same things, as I had, it won't hurt to go through the subject matters once more and see if there is something more to reflect on, or to see if your previous self-reflection has taken you anywhere.
The overall tone of the book is very upbeat. Sometimes I felt it was motivating, thinking it just might be what someone somewhere needs to get that one last push to stop attending one's personal pity parties and start doing something to achieve a life that feels a little more fulfilling and meaningful. Unfortunately, sometimes the constant positiveness did feel almost juvenile, and as such, off-putting. But, I'm more an advocate of maintaining a middle-ground mindset, and believe going into either extreme end of the negative-positive spectrum will prove to be just as much of a hindrance. Negativeness, for sure, is the worse extreme end, but being overly positive may blind you to the realities of your current situation, thus preventing you from finding the proper course of action. (That said, you can probably start guessing quite nicely why, exactly, the whole dualistic view on "following your heart versus following your mind" was most enraging for me during this read.)
As mentioned before, the sentiments in this book can be found in a plethora of other self-help books or mere blog posts from writer's dealing with every day psychology. Many of these books are much better written than Fearless Passion. I understand the author isn't a native speaker (and neither am I, hence one can feel free to take this bit with an entire spoonful of salt), but that is all the more of a reason for him to get a good editor for his next book, should he write one. The problem with his language wasn't exactly that it'd be hard to comprehend - on the contrary, the language was quite understandable, the thought processes easy to follow. There were some minor grammar mistakes, but I hardly had an issue with those. What became a problem for me was how little variation there was in the sentence structures. If you write short phrases only, the overall text becomes terse and boring to read. Likewise, using only long sentences is a no-go as well, as they can make the book feel laborious to read. Yong Kang Chan's language is very reader friendly in a way, but he could do so much better with a proper language editor. Good language equals better credibility!
If you just need that one upbeat, encouraging pat on your shoulder to start pursuing something that is of interest to you, this book just might be for you.
(Note: On Amazon I gave the book 3 stars, as on said site an ok read is apparently indicated by three stars, while on Goodreads an ok read is indicated by a two star rating.)
I am somewhat torn by this book. On one hand, I can definitely see why and how this could be an useful book to some people, even if I didn't personally find it so. (I did, however, really enjoy the author's definition of passion - how it's something that you still feel the drive to do even after the initial "crush" you felt towards it has run out.) On the other, the book is very basic and doesn't exactly provide anything new or particularly profound about the human nature, recycling sentiments that could be found pretty much in any other self-help book that even scratches the whole notion of motivation, doubt or fear in the human experience.
I was rather fond of the fact Yong Kang Chan added exercises to his book. It's one thing to advice people on what they ought to do, and another to actually make them practice doing it. Exercises like the ones presented in this book are helpful, in terms of identifying the actual problems in your thinking, as they force you to recognize and reflect on them. Even when you have already thought over the same things, as I had, it won't hurt to go through the subject matters once more and see if there is something more to reflect on, or to see if your previous self-reflection has taken you anywhere.
The overall tone of the book is very upbeat. Sometimes I felt it was motivating, thinking it just might be what someone somewhere needs to get that one last push to stop attending one's personal pity parties and start doing something to achieve a life that feels a little more fulfilling and meaningful. Unfortunately, sometimes the constant positiveness did feel almost juvenile, and as such, off-putting. But, I'm more an advocate of maintaining a middle-ground mindset, and believe going into either extreme end of the negative-positive spectrum will prove to be just as much of a hindrance. Negativeness, for sure, is the worse extreme end, but being overly positive may blind you to the realities of your current situation, thus preventing you from finding the proper course of action. (That said, you can probably start guessing quite nicely why, exactly, the whole dualistic view on "following your heart versus following your mind" was most enraging for me during this read.)
As mentioned before, the sentiments in this book can be found in a plethora of other self-help books or mere blog posts from writer's dealing with every day psychology. Many of these books are much better written than Fearless Passion. I understand the author isn't a native speaker (and neither am I, hence one can feel free to take this bit with an entire spoonful of salt), but that is all the more of a reason for him to get a good editor for his next book, should he write one. The problem with his language wasn't exactly that it'd be hard to comprehend - on the contrary, the language was quite understandable, the thought processes easy to follow. There were some minor grammar mistakes, but I hardly had an issue with those. What became a problem for me was how little variation there was in the sentence structures. If you write short phrases only, the overall text becomes terse and boring to read. Likewise, using only long sentences is a no-go as well, as they can make the book feel laborious to read. Yong Kang Chan's language is very reader friendly in a way, but he could do so much better with a proper language editor. Good language equals better credibility!
If you just need that one upbeat, encouraging pat on your shoulder to start pursuing something that is of interest to you, this book just might be for you.
(Note: On Amazon I gave the book 3 stars, as on said site an ok read is apparently indicated by three stars, while on Goodreads an ok read is indicated by a two star rating.)
August 26, 2015
Here writes a guy who believes -and seemingly lives- what he says. The book is about following your passion and I think it's a good book. It is truely motivating, and it tries to help overcome barriers that are blocking the way (or at least seem to do). Partially the book widens its scope to offer some time management, general live or even budget advice. I think the author has made his homework and delivered a pretty complete picture of how to effectively be successful in following your passion.
The writing is consistent and feels easy; I can imaging YKC talking in pretty much the same style.
But there's a downside (and a reason for not giving 5 stars): I think the book overstates the word passion (I was close to puting the book aside because I didn't want to read the word one more time... ;-) ) and is presumes a somewhat loose definition of what a passion is (a too wide one IMHO). At least for me there is a definite difference between "a passion" and something I enjoy doing. Not everyting I am enthusiastic about is already a passion.
A chapter about "how to manage you multiple passions" is kind of over the top (=a luxury problem) as most people will have difficulty finding one (although the book tries to help there, too).
Partly the book emphasizes more on pursuing a happy life (by follwing... you get it); which is ok, but not really the topic.
Finally I think that some of the sample stories are too weak (I get what he's trying to show, but still one or the other story feels a litte "so what"), things are a little naive in places and there was dry phase about 2/3rds into the book where it turns a little slow. But it gets back...
3.5 stars actually...
>Note: I received a free evaluation copy from the author<
The writing is consistent and feels easy; I can imaging YKC talking in pretty much the same style.
But there's a downside (and a reason for not giving 5 stars): I think the book overstates the word passion (I was close to puting the book aside because I didn't want to read the word one more time... ;-) ) and is presumes a somewhat loose definition of what a passion is (a too wide one IMHO). At least for me there is a definite difference between "a passion" and something I enjoy doing. Not everyting I am enthusiastic about is already a passion.
A chapter about "how to manage you multiple passions" is kind of over the top (=a luxury problem) as most people will have difficulty finding one (although the book tries to help there, too).
Partly the book emphasizes more on pursuing a happy life (by follwing... you get it); which is ok, but not really the topic.
Finally I think that some of the sample stories are too weak (I get what he's trying to show, but still one or the other story feels a litte "so what"), things are a little naive in places and there was dry phase about 2/3rds into the book where it turns a little slow. But it gets back...
3.5 stars actually...
>Note: I received a free evaluation copy from the author<
July 13, 2015
Admittedly I am a geeky self help reader.
I have read all the classics from Napoleon Hill and W Clement Stone and Earl Nightingale,
and enjoyed the more recent gurus including Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Wayne Dyer and others.
So I know the information presented in many newly published books is taken from those classic ideas.
What Yong Kang Chan brings to the field is not only a fresh approach but also new examples of others who have succeeded, including himself.
I appreciated his anecdotes reinforcing the principles he shared.
The exercises included were simple enough but succeeded in getting me to think deeper about WHY I want what I want.
He reminds us that we have to do more than THINK positively. We have to attach emotion and take action.
No matter what result you get from your action, positive or negative, to use it as a learning experience and a new starting point.
Some may feel they have no passion; others can not decide from many passions.
This book is a wonderful start point to choosing a passion to follow.
Yong Kang Chan also tells us, it is OK to change your mind and your direction during your journey.
So if you can not fail, what is holding you back? What are you afraid of?
I did get a free copy of the book from the author, but I read it completely and this review is my own opinion.
Yong Kang Chan also offers free chapters on his website if you want to see more.
http://www.nerdycreator.com/
I have read all the classics from Napoleon Hill and W Clement Stone and Earl Nightingale,
and enjoyed the more recent gurus including Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Wayne Dyer and others.
So I know the information presented in many newly published books is taken from those classic ideas.
What Yong Kang Chan brings to the field is not only a fresh approach but also new examples of others who have succeeded, including himself.
I appreciated his anecdotes reinforcing the principles he shared.
The exercises included were simple enough but succeeded in getting me to think deeper about WHY I want what I want.
He reminds us that we have to do more than THINK positively. We have to attach emotion and take action.
No matter what result you get from your action, positive or negative, to use it as a learning experience and a new starting point.
Some may feel they have no passion; others can not decide from many passions.
This book is a wonderful start point to choosing a passion to follow.
Yong Kang Chan also tells us, it is OK to change your mind and your direction during your journey.
So if you can not fail, what is holding you back? What are you afraid of?
I did get a free copy of the book from the author, but I read it completely and this review is my own opinion.
Yong Kang Chan also offers free chapters on his website if you want to see more.
http://www.nerdycreator.com/
August 24, 2019
Great
May 27, 2020
Best book to set goal
January 25, 2015
/I received a free e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review/
I have some mixed feelings about this book: on one hand there are moments when it makes the reader quite enthusiastic about the possible changes, on the other hand, most of the statements are quite bold and adequate only when it comes to certain type of people. Wouldn't it be great, if we all could just do what we love? Sure it would. But honestly, do you REALLY think we all can afford it?
I've spent years doing things I truly hated, because I needed money, not for pleasure, but to eat and pay the flat. All that time I was still trying to find something better, but if you spent 10 hours at work and 1 hour commuting, there is hardly any time left to improve your situation. Yes, I've done it. I like my current job and I have time for my passions and hopefully one day I will earn enough money just on doing what I love, but I cannot imagine giving this book to some of the people I've had the opportunity to meet on my way: they have families they are responsible for, they may be living in 3rd world countries or really poor conditions (crisis, remember?), they fight to survive.
Conclusion: the book is great for those who have enough money to survive even without job. Chapter number 4, that focuses on money and how to afford it is still addressed only to these people. "If you keep buying things that are unnecessary, you believe that money can buy you happiness". How could I show that to a family where buying bread every day is a luxury??
The book is full of bold statement like this one, some of them very general. If you just need a bit of motivation to improve your life, you should read it. But if you are looking to solve your problems, that's not the way, sorry.
Also there are some language problems. I know the author is not a native speaker (neither am I), so I believe the best would be to give the whole text to a professional editor.
I have some mixed feelings about this book: on one hand there are moments when it makes the reader quite enthusiastic about the possible changes, on the other hand, most of the statements are quite bold and adequate only when it comes to certain type of people. Wouldn't it be great, if we all could just do what we love? Sure it would. But honestly, do you REALLY think we all can afford it?
I've spent years doing things I truly hated, because I needed money, not for pleasure, but to eat and pay the flat. All that time I was still trying to find something better, but if you spent 10 hours at work and 1 hour commuting, there is hardly any time left to improve your situation. Yes, I've done it. I like my current job and I have time for my passions and hopefully one day I will earn enough money just on doing what I love, but I cannot imagine giving this book to some of the people I've had the opportunity to meet on my way: they have families they are responsible for, they may be living in 3rd world countries or really poor conditions (crisis, remember?), they fight to survive.
Conclusion: the book is great for those who have enough money to survive even without job. Chapter number 4, that focuses on money and how to afford it is still addressed only to these people. "If you keep buying things that are unnecessary, you believe that money can buy you happiness". How could I show that to a family where buying bread every day is a luxury??
The book is full of bold statement like this one, some of them very general. If you just need a bit of motivation to improve your life, you should read it. But if you are looking to solve your problems, that's not the way, sorry.
Also there are some language problems. I know the author is not a native speaker (neither am I), so I believe the best would be to give the whole text to a professional editor.
January 19, 2015
I read this book through Goodreads First Reads, and I couldn't get past page 50. Oversimplified metaphors and empty statements ("Just do what you love! Don't give up!") that can be found in any plethora of self-help books resulted in a read of zero originality. Most of the stories came from the author's own life, making this mainly an autobiography.
I was particularly amused by the statement you don't need discipline if you have passion. There's literally a heading in the book entitled, "No need for discipline anymore." I don't think there's a single person advanced in their field who got there without the help of discipline.
The one good point in this book was the author's argument you need to market yourself. This he is certainly doing: the largely-positive reviews on Amazon about this book may result from the 100 people he chose from Goodreads giveaway to send a free PDF to in exchange for said Amazon review.
Overall, vague, feel-good sentences decided to trump up enthusiasm while the book is in your hands, but that will do little afterward.
I was particularly amused by the statement you don't need discipline if you have passion. There's literally a heading in the book entitled, "No need for discipline anymore." I don't think there's a single person advanced in their field who got there without the help of discipline.
The one good point in this book was the author's argument you need to market yourself. This he is certainly doing: the largely-positive reviews on Amazon about this book may result from the 100 people he chose from Goodreads giveaway to send a free PDF to in exchange for said Amazon review.
Overall, vague, feel-good sentences decided to trump up enthusiasm while the book is in your hands, but that will do little afterward.
February 25, 2015
Amazing book for finding your passion! I enjoyed reading all the personal stories about how the author left a career as an accountant to pursue his passion in animation. He gives some good illustrations in his life as he goes through the process of discovery. The book gives some great advice for learning what you want to do in life. I gained plenty of insight and ideas just reading the different parts of the book and further examples from other people's lives. There are good questions to guide your quest in figuring out your passion. And there is some in depth help for understanding the differences between things you're interested in and things you are passionate about. I highly recommend this book. It's an amazing guide for helping change careers and find what you are meant to do.
January 25, 2015
This book missed its mark for me. The author makes some good points and is on the right track. I believe he is fearlessly pursuing his passions.
I believe he loves writing and I believe he wants to help people. I just didn't feel the passion for writing or helping people pursue their own passions come out. It felt rushed, like, "I have to write a book so here it is." I didn't get inspired or motivated, or even like I could go out there and do it myself (even though I am, so maybe I needed this book a few years ago and am beyond this point of overcoming my initial fears and discovering my passion).
I gave this book three stars because I believe Yong Kang Chan is onto something and he's definitely a guy to keep an eye on. I just don't know that he's there yet.
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I believe he loves writing and I believe he wants to help people. I just didn't feel the passion for writing or helping people pursue their own passions come out. It felt rushed, like, "I have to write a book so here it is." I didn't get inspired or motivated, or even like I could go out there and do it myself (even though I am, so maybe I needed this book a few years ago and am beyond this point of overcoming my initial fears and discovering my passion).
I gave this book three stars because I believe Yong Kang Chan is onto something and he's definitely a guy to keep an eye on. I just don't know that he's there yet.
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2015
This is a book you want to read to get excited and develop a plan about your future. It made me think about what I wanted for fulfillment in work instead of just receiving a paycheck. While no book is a one size fits all for everyone this one attempts to be. It attempts to get the reader to plan for everything and start on the path. The only place I feel it falls short is for those who can't throw caution to the wind and live dramatically. Be it because of money, responsible for others, or physical limitation. It's not always this easy. The book gets a person thinking on how to over these challenges and even starting out slow is beginning. This is a book I wish I read years ago before I began college. I think you will enjoy it as I did.
This is a good read.
Mr Joe
This is a good read.
Mr Joe
Read
February 12, 2015This book practically mirrors my life. The only difference is that I didn't pursue accounting rather shifted at my second year in college. This makes me reflect and wonder what would have happened if I chose to finish my previous course. Would I hate it as much? This makes me basically anxious and scared— the truth that the creative industry is a jungle. It can eat you alive. In theory, the effectivity of the book is affected by the reader's experiences. On the downside, the book sounds somewhat monotonous. Maybe because it's my lack of enthusiasm for guide books.
January 25, 2015
This is a great book for people who feel trapped in their current jobs, as I do. There isn't really a 'how to' book for every person or situation, but the author combines all of his experience, together with tips, suggestions, and exercises that anyone who is considering leaving their job or industry will benefit from. I don't yet have the fearless passion to quit my job, but this has certainly given me some direction.
December 23, 2015
Chan is one of the few people who has followed their passion as a career. It this book he gives a comprehensive list of how to follow your passion with real examples of how systematically analyze your passion and see if you could legitimately turn it into a job. Another great point he had was how to find and utilize a mentor.
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