You're Allowed To Try

by Lawrence "Jake" Sweeney

Every champion starts with a to show up, to work harder than expected, and to keep going when it hurts.

In You’re Allowed to Try, Coach Jake Sweeney shares the lessons that carried him from small-town Michigan to the Big House at the University of Michigan, into federal law enforcement, and back onto the field as a mentor to athletes and leaders. Along the way, he discovered timeless truths—discipline is a habit, adversity is a teacher, and gratitude changes everything.

Part memoir, part manual, this book blends powerful storytelling with practical takeaways. Each chapter leaves you with questions to challenge your thinking and steps you can act on today.

If you’re chasing a dream, leading a team, or simply trying to become the best version of yourself, these pages remind you of a simple truth worth holding success begins the moment you give yourself permission to try.

119 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 4, 2025

Reviews

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book as a gift but couldn't resist reading it myself. It is kind of a self help life coaching book. The author relays setbacks he has had in his life and how he learned from the adversity. He talks about all the mentors he had in his life, mostly sports coaches as he was a high school and college athlete. The book is very personal, he talks about his drinking problem, his son's heart defect and his journey to being a believer in God.

[Jake Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy to be able to call Jake a Coach and a friend. Very helpful self-aware advice that everyone could use.