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Stop Trying!: The Life-Transforming Power of Trying Less and Doing More
“Lots of books promise change, but Stop Trying! is the change. Carla Ondrasik gives you one simple yet insanely powerful tool that’ll flip your life into high gear. If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and actually start living a life that feels meaningful and successful, this book shows you exactly how to do it.” —Mel Robbins, bestselling author and host of The Mel Robbins Podcast
“Carla’s book does a fantastic job of motivating anyone to stop making excuses so they can dance all the way to the finish line of their dreams. Stop Trying! is a call to action that encourages us all to get off our butts and do it.” —Paula Abdul, singer, choreographer, and actress
“Stop Trying! encourages us to separate our ambitions from our actions and to just go get it!” —Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine and podcast host
If you’re struggling to get things done or meet your goals, the problem isn’t that you’re not trying hard enough, it’s that you’re trying in the first place.
When it comes to getting stuff done, we fall short more often than we like to admit. This can leave us feeling frustrated and ashamed, because despite trying our very best we can’t seem to meet our goals. Why? The surprising answer is ingeniously outlined in Stop Trying!: The Life-Transforming Power of Trying Less and Doing More—an evolutionary guide that evokes the revelatory force of The Five-Second Rule and the sublime practicality of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Put simply, it turns out that trying is just an illusion for doing.
Stop Trying! illuminates the deception in a mindset built on trying, which can lead to anxiety, procrastination, perceived loss of control, fatigue, fear of failure, lack of follow-through, and overall life dissatisfaction. Importantly, this book offers a way out of the rut and into practical, progressive action. Stop Trying! reveals the compelling science behind our brain, behaviors, and beliefs when it comes to the notion of trying. Pulling from positive psychology, the science of habit formation, clinical studies, and more, motivational speaker Carla Ondrasik guides us to proven-effective strategies for better doing—and ultimately to goal achievement and a more fulfilling life.
Readers will learn techniques and tips, build skills through interactive activities, and hear sincere stories from everyday people who’ve made the transformative switch from trying to doing. Achievement is just one “do or do not” decision away, and it starts with eliminating “try” from our vocabulary. Stop Trying! shows us how to do that.
“Carla’s book does a fantastic job of motivating anyone to stop making excuses so they can dance all the way to the finish line of their dreams. Stop Trying! is a call to action that encourages us all to get off our butts and do it.” —Paula Abdul, singer, choreographer, and actress
“Stop Trying! encourages us to separate our ambitions from our actions and to just go get it!” —Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine and podcast host
If you’re struggling to get things done or meet your goals, the problem isn’t that you’re not trying hard enough, it’s that you’re trying in the first place.
When it comes to getting stuff done, we fall short more often than we like to admit. This can leave us feeling frustrated and ashamed, because despite trying our very best we can’t seem to meet our goals. Why? The surprising answer is ingeniously outlined in Stop Trying!: The Life-Transforming Power of Trying Less and Doing More—an evolutionary guide that evokes the revelatory force of The Five-Second Rule and the sublime practicality of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Put simply, it turns out that trying is just an illusion for doing.
Stop Trying! illuminates the deception in a mindset built on trying, which can lead to anxiety, procrastination, perceived loss of control, fatigue, fear of failure, lack of follow-through, and overall life dissatisfaction. Importantly, this book offers a way out of the rut and into practical, progressive action. Stop Trying! reveals the compelling science behind our brain, behaviors, and beliefs when it comes to the notion of trying. Pulling from positive psychology, the science of habit formation, clinical studies, and more, motivational speaker Carla Ondrasik guides us to proven-effective strategies for better doing—and ultimately to goal achievement and a more fulfilling life.
Readers will learn techniques and tips, build skills through interactive activities, and hear sincere stories from everyday people who’ve made the transformative switch from trying to doing. Achievement is just one “do or do not” decision away, and it starts with eliminating “try” from our vocabulary. Stop Trying! shows us how to do that.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 23, 2025
10 people are currently reading
778 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 4, 2025
"A trybaby will complain about a grueling job, annoying relationship, or not making enough money, yet never seem to progress past whatever is bothering them."
Stop Trying! by Carla Ondrasik is a motivational self-help book that encourages you to stop saying “I’m trying” and start taking real action. Yes, just that.
The main idea is that trying often becomes a mental trap. We think we’re making progress, but really, we’re just stuck in fear, procrastination, or overthinking. And Carla wants readers to shift to direct, focused doing.
The book is quite similar to self-help titles around productivity. The differentiation is the mindset. Carla asks you to eliminate the word "try" from your vocabulary entirely.
At some point, Stop Trying! felt so on-point that I felt seen. As if it wants to push me out of my comfort zone. The book includes many real-life stories to connect you well with the concepts. And it has simple exercises as well, at the end of each chapter, to help you apply the concepts.
The writing is energetic and easy to follow. The tone is encouraging. If you're looking for honest advice, this book does feel direct, no non-sense.
However, there also are moments when the tone can feel overly positive or a bit rigid. Kind of towards toxic positivity. So, that's one negative point from my side.
Also, I noticed that after one point, the book is quite repetitive. Seems intentional, though. After all, when you’re trying to shift your mindset, especially one that’s been shaped over years, repetition can actually help lock in this new way of thinking.
The core message is definitely powerful. The idea that “trying” is not the same as “doing” is something many people need to hear.
Absolutely recommended. It can be a great read for anyone who struggles with following through to goals. If you often find yourself stuck in planning (or trying) mode, Stop Trying! might give you the push to actually move forward.
Having said that... take every advice with a pinch of salt. While the book does offer real value, don't consider it a magic solution.
November 10, 2025
The art of coaching lies in distilling complex ideas into digestible pieces that the person you’re guiding can both understand and receive. It’s part summarizing, part marketing. When those two elements align, feedback isn’t just heard—it’s absorbed and applied. Carla Ondrasik’s Stop Trying captures this principle beautifully.
Ondrasik structures the book in a reader-friendly way: each core idea is followed by a personal story—either from her own experience as a mentor or as a learner. While I personally found some of the anecdotes less compelling (I tend to skim narrative sections in performance books), I recognize that many readers will find her stories uplifting and relatable. They add warmth and accessibility to the book’s lessons.
That said, my minor critique shouldn’t overshadow Ondrasik’s central message: doing always trumps trying. At its heart, Stop Trying is a call to action—a push to move from living in theory to living in motion. I found that message deeply inspiring and shared it with both the staff I lead and the students I oversee as a school administrator. The reminder that “trying” can drain energy while “doing” creates momentum is a universal lesson worth repeating. Even as I read, I noticed subtle shifts in my own mindset—tackling long-delayed tasks instead of merely listing them.
Ondrasik includes practical steps to help readers make this shift permanent. While those strategies weren’t particularly unique within the performance genre, they’re solid, actionable, and likely to resonate with many. I experimented with a few of the exercises, but eventually skipped them—more out of personal preference than because they lacked value. For readers who enjoy reflective prompts, these sections will add meaningful depth.
All things considered, Stop Trying is a worthwhile, motivating read. It didn’t reinvent the wheel, but it did exactly what a performance book should do: inspire reflection, spark action, and challenge complacency. It’s a book I’d confidently recommend to fellow leaders and to anyone ready to stop overthinking—and start doing.
Ondrasik structures the book in a reader-friendly way: each core idea is followed by a personal story—either from her own experience as a mentor or as a learner. While I personally found some of the anecdotes less compelling (I tend to skim narrative sections in performance books), I recognize that many readers will find her stories uplifting and relatable. They add warmth and accessibility to the book’s lessons.
That said, my minor critique shouldn’t overshadow Ondrasik’s central message: doing always trumps trying. At its heart, Stop Trying is a call to action—a push to move from living in theory to living in motion. I found that message deeply inspiring and shared it with both the staff I lead and the students I oversee as a school administrator. The reminder that “trying” can drain energy while “doing” creates momentum is a universal lesson worth repeating. Even as I read, I noticed subtle shifts in my own mindset—tackling long-delayed tasks instead of merely listing them.
Ondrasik includes practical steps to help readers make this shift permanent. While those strategies weren’t particularly unique within the performance genre, they’re solid, actionable, and likely to resonate with many. I experimented with a few of the exercises, but eventually skipped them—more out of personal preference than because they lacked value. For readers who enjoy reflective prompts, these sections will add meaningful depth.
All things considered, Stop Trying is a worthwhile, motivating read. It didn’t reinvent the wheel, but it did exactly what a performance book should do: inspire reflection, spark action, and challenge complacency. It’s a book I’d confidently recommend to fellow leaders and to anyone ready to stop overthinking—and start doing.
November 9, 2025
A Must-Read for Anyone Ready to Stop “Trying” and Start Truly Moving Forward!
How many times have you said, “Well…I tried,” when deep down you knew you were giving up before reaching the finish line? Stop Trying by Carla Ondrasik shines a bright light on the subtle ways “trying” can actually hold us back from achieving our goals and realizing our dreams.
Through short, easy-to-digest chapters, Ondrasik lays out a clear, accessible roadmap that takes you from ideas to real execution. This book is packed with thought-provoking insights and simple, powerful exercises that help you shift from passive effort to intentional action. I especially loved the “Do (Don’t Try) This!” sections—so practical and motivating that I found myself marking almost all of them.
What sets this book apart is the balance between encouragement and realism. The author acknowledges that challenges and setbacks are part of growth, and she provides strategies and tools to help you navigate them with confidence rather than frustration.
I read many business and personal development books each year, and Stop Trying easily lands in my Top 5. I’ve already started a list of friends, family, and colleagues I want to share it with. If you're looking for a fresh, actionable approach to goal setting and personal growth, this is absolutely the book to pick up next.
How many times have you said, “Well…I tried,” when deep down you knew you were giving up before reaching the finish line? Stop Trying by Carla Ondrasik shines a bright light on the subtle ways “trying” can actually hold us back from achieving our goals and realizing our dreams.
Through short, easy-to-digest chapters, Ondrasik lays out a clear, accessible roadmap that takes you from ideas to real execution. This book is packed with thought-provoking insights and simple, powerful exercises that help you shift from passive effort to intentional action. I especially loved the “Do (Don’t Try) This!” sections—so practical and motivating that I found myself marking almost all of them.
What sets this book apart is the balance between encouragement and realism. The author acknowledges that challenges and setbacks are part of growth, and she provides strategies and tools to help you navigate them with confidence rather than frustration.
I read many business and personal development books each year, and Stop Trying easily lands in my Top 5. I’ve already started a list of friends, family, and colleagues I want to share it with. If you're looking for a fresh, actionable approach to goal setting and personal growth, this is absolutely the book to pick up next.
November 4, 2025
The author does a very good job of giving the reader actionable, literal fill in the blank steps in order to allow them to put the learning into practice. The book builds on learning from earlier chapters, and flows in a very easy to follow and digestible manner. The author balances their personal experiences with some very well known and often cited research, helping set the stage for information from both the academic as well as "school of hard knocks" perspectives - which keeps the material fresh and engaging. I would suggest this book to anyone that feels a bit stuck or is having difficulty with making changes in their lives, and encourage those individuals to read it in a measured fashion, reflecting on each chapter and actually completing the exercises at the end of each section in order to maximize the return on this book. The concepts presented here are applicable across just about any arena of life's complications, and could be a benefit to anyone that feels they are struggling with the well known feeling of wanting things to be different but being unclear how to start.
December 23, 2025
Stop Trying invites readers to pause and reflect on how much effort, pressure, and self-judgment are tied to the idea of “trying.” Rather than stopping at mindset shifts, Carla Ondrasik offers concrete ways to translate intention into committed action, which gives the book a practical and accessible feel. This will likely resonate most with readers who are early in their mindset shift and curious about approaching goals with more clarity and decisiveness. I appreciated the way the book encourages attention to language, choice, and follow-through as tools for change. While this book may not account for trauma, neurodivergence, nervous system limits, or burnout, and may be best for motivated, well-resourced readers, Stop Trying opens a thoughtful conversation about effort, agency, and how we relate to our goals for all of us. For readers feeling stuck in cycles of wanting change without momentum, Stop Trying offers a gentle place to begin.
I was gifted a copy of this book by Wunderkind PR.
I was gifted a copy of this book by Wunderkind PR.
November 9, 2025
The title Stop Trying immediately grabbed me. I’ve always seen “trying” as a positive... My way to explore, learn, and experiment. Carla Ondrasik’s book flipped that idea on its head.
Her main point is simple but powerful: we use “trying” as an excuse for not doing. That realization hit me hard. I started noticing how often I say, “I’m trying to…” when I really mean “I might.”
The book explores how this mindset starts early, when parents and teachers encourage us to “just try.” What feels supportive in childhood can become an adult habit that keeps us stuck.
My favorite quote:
“When you eliminate the try and replace it with do, you instantly shift your mindset.”
If you’re someone who sets goals but can’t figure out why a few never seem to stick, this book might be the nudge you need. It’s short, clear, and surprisingly eye-opening.
Her main point is simple but powerful: we use “trying” as an excuse for not doing. That realization hit me hard. I started noticing how often I say, “I’m trying to…” when I really mean “I might.”
The book explores how this mindset starts early, when parents and teachers encourage us to “just try.” What feels supportive in childhood can become an adult habit that keeps us stuck.
My favorite quote:
“When you eliminate the try and replace it with do, you instantly shift your mindset.”
If you’re someone who sets goals but can’t figure out why a few never seem to stick, this book might be the nudge you need. It’s short, clear, and surprisingly eye-opening.
November 9, 2025
Don’t Confuse “Trying” with Actually Doing
The author makes a strong case for never using the word “try.” Trying isn’t at all the same as doing. And in a sense, trying can get in the way of doing. It builds in an acceptance of failure. “I tried my best, but I couldn’t quite do it.”
I saw a poster in the gym today that reinforced this message. It read: “Don’t Quit when you’re tired, quit when you’re done.” The author makes this point over and over again in a variety of ways, and the message is very clear. Don’t let trying get in the way go doing.
The book is an easy read because of the author’s easy, conversational style. The last half of the book is filled with advice on how to keep plugging away even when it stops being fun, or gets really hard.
The author makes a strong case for never using the word “try.” Trying isn’t at all the same as doing. And in a sense, trying can get in the way of doing. It builds in an acceptance of failure. “I tried my best, but I couldn’t quite do it.”
I saw a poster in the gym today that reinforced this message. It read: “Don’t Quit when you’re tired, quit when you’re done.” The author makes this point over and over again in a variety of ways, and the message is very clear. Don’t let trying get in the way go doing.
The book is an easy read because of the author’s easy, conversational style. The last half of the book is filled with advice on how to keep plugging away even when it stops being fun, or gets really hard.
November 9, 2025
This was a great book - inspiring and helpful - and came along at just the right time. I really appreciated this tidbit that spoke volumes to me: "Keep in mind that your helpful inner critic—the one that keeps you on your toes and fosters progress instead of hindering it—is always there. It’s just a matter of making sure that you don’t believe the negative and false things it tells you". If that speaks to you too, just imagine how compelling the rest of the book might be for you!
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August 26, 2025Tired of falling short on your goals? Carla Ondrasik, author, speaker, and former music industry executive, has made it her mission to challenge all the “tryers” in the world. Developed from hard-won experience, she quickly learned that to achieve success in her life and break the habit of excuses, she had to ditch the word “try.” Read on...https://loom.ly/MCfJjYo
November 5, 2025
This is an easy-to-read book about how we use "try" as an excuse for not achieving. Like "I'm trying to lose weight" or "I'll try to come to your party". The book goes through some reasons for not getting things done and includes brief exercises at the end of each chapter. There is also a brief "takeaway" for each chapter which is very effective. The bottom line here is becoming aware when we are making excuses for ourselves.
September 4, 2025
Devoured this book! Great advice and super motivating. Get busy living your dreams!
January 4, 2026
Helpful practical tips on how to improve the process of your decision making to eliminate the clouds that sometimes prevent efficient and concise movement from thinking to acting.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews