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Start With What If: Weekly Questions to Spark Immediate Change and Growth
Most self-help books leave you thinking. Start With What If gets you moving—this week.
Through 52 weekly What If questions and the simple three-step What If Rule (Pause. Question. Go.), you'll learn to create better perspectives and options in real time. Not someday. Not after you finish the whole book. Starting with Week One.
This isn't about massive life overhauls or complicated systems. It's about asking one powerful question each week that shifts how you see a situation—then taking one meaningful action that changes what happens next.
What if this week, you let go of comparing yourself to others?
What if you said no to something you'd usually say yes to?
What if you caught yourself blaming and let it go?
Each question meets you where you are. Some will challenge you. Some will surprise you. A few might annoy you (those are usually the ones worth sitting with). But each one gives you something you can act on immediately.
You'll discover how to turn everyday moments into momentum. How to break patterns that have held you back for years. How to build the kind of trust with yourself that makes future changes easier.
Whether you're leading a team, raising a family, navigating a career shift, or ready to live with more clarity and confidence, this book shows you how small, intentional questions create lasting change—one week at a time.
Doug Fleener, author of The Day Makes the Year (Makes a Life), helps people create better perspectives and options that lead to immediate and lasting growth. His approach is grounded in decades of coaching, speaking, and his own journey from rock bottom to building a life worth living.
One question. One week. One action. Real change starts now.
Through 52 weekly What If questions and the simple three-step What If Rule (Pause. Question. Go.), you'll learn to create better perspectives and options in real time. Not someday. Not after you finish the whole book. Starting with Week One.
This isn't about massive life overhauls or complicated systems. It's about asking one powerful question each week that shifts how you see a situation—then taking one meaningful action that changes what happens next.
What if this week, you let go of comparing yourself to others?
What if you said no to something you'd usually say yes to?
What if you caught yourself blaming and let it go?
Each question meets you where you are. Some will challenge you. Some will surprise you. A few might annoy you (those are usually the ones worth sitting with). But each one gives you something you can act on immediately.
You'll discover how to turn everyday moments into momentum. How to break patterns that have held you back for years. How to build the kind of trust with yourself that makes future changes easier.
Whether you're leading a team, raising a family, navigating a career shift, or ready to live with more clarity and confidence, this book shows you how small, intentional questions create lasting change—one week at a time.
Doug Fleener, author of The Day Makes the Year (Makes a Life), helps people create better perspectives and options that lead to immediate and lasting growth. His approach is grounded in decades of coaching, speaking, and his own journey from rock bottom to building a life worth living.
One question. One week. One action. Real change starts now.
- GenresSelf HelpNonfiction
302 pages, Paperback
Published January 6, 2026
5 people are currently reading
3812 people want to read
About the author
Doug Fleener
3 books16 followersDoug Fleener is the author of Start With What If: Weekly Questions to Spark Immediate Change and Growth and The Day Makes the Year (Makes a Life).
After rebuilding his life from addiction, Doug discovered how small, intentional shifts can create lasting change—in your career, relationships, and everyday life.
His simple approach—Pause. Question. Go.—helps people see new perspectives and act on what truly matters.
Known as The What If Coach, Doug’s work and writing remind us that real growth often begins in ordinary moments. You’re one action away. Starting today.
After rebuilding his life from addiction, Doug discovered how small, intentional shifts can create lasting change—in your career, relationships, and everyday life.
His simple approach—Pause. Question. Go.—helps people see new perspectives and act on what truly matters.
Known as The What If Coach, Doug’s work and writing remind us that real growth often begins in ordinary moments. You’re one action away. Starting today.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 31, 2025
A terrific approach to making lasting change in life. I love self-help books that give practical tips you can use right away. Recommended!
December 30, 2025
Start With What If is an easy but powerful read that I ended up finishing in one sitting, simply to see what questions would spark something new for me. I love the core concept of reframing “what if” questions, especially the shift from imagining what could go wrong to asking what could go right. That reframing genuinely stopped me in my tracks and opened up a more generous, curious way of thinking about change and possibility.
What lingered with me most is how often I thought about the book after I finished it. Over the next few days, I found myself wondering about applying some of the “what ifs” to my own life, both personally and professionally, which is a strong signal that the material is doing its job. This is an excellent read for the start of a new year, though it’s just as useful anytime you’re ready to shift your mindset, set goals, or reset how you approach challenges at home or at work.
I’d especially recommend it to anyone focused on professional growth or looking for practical, low-friction ways to change how they think and plan. I received an advance reader copy.
What lingered with me most is how often I thought about the book after I finished it. Over the next few days, I found myself wondering about applying some of the “what ifs” to my own life, both personally and professionally, which is a strong signal that the material is doing its job. This is an excellent read for the start of a new year, though it’s just as useful anytime you’re ready to shift your mindset, set goals, or reset how you approach challenges at home or at work.
I’d especially recommend it to anyone focused on professional growth or looking for practical, low-friction ways to change how they think and plan. I received an advance reader copy.
November 13, 2025
Pause. Question. Go.
What should be simple steps to help change or create a habit.
I love the concept of this book. I love the "What If This Week...."!
I received this book from NetGalley and Five Leaf Clover Publishing, LLC in exchange for my honest review, which I am very grateful for!
The downside to receiving this as an ARC is I want to put these weekly questions into play! So I will be going back and looking at the prompts each week, working on myself!
The inflection chapters are powerful. Very hard realities with life. Blackouts. Addiction. Quitting school/work. Not everything is going to go perfect! Small steps can be big changes!
I think this is a great journal prompt, self-help, reflection book! A full year of prompts to keep you working on yourself!
What should be simple steps to help change or create a habit.
I love the concept of this book. I love the "What If This Week...."!
I received this book from NetGalley and Five Leaf Clover Publishing, LLC in exchange for my honest review, which I am very grateful for!
The downside to receiving this as an ARC is I want to put these weekly questions into play! So I will be going back and looking at the prompts each week, working on myself!
The inflection chapters are powerful. Very hard realities with life. Blackouts. Addiction. Quitting school/work. Not everything is going to go perfect! Small steps can be big changes!
I think this is a great journal prompt, self-help, reflection book! A full year of prompts to keep you working on yourself!
January 27, 2026
I am recommending this book to everyone! I'm hoping to get friends or my husband to go through the book with me. Given the current state of the world, each chapter provides encouragement and a small, doable challenge so that we recognize that we still have agency to affect things.
I love the structure of the book. After a basic explanation of the "What If" rule and how to use the book, you'll find 53 short chapters divided into groups of four, with a "Change & Growth Inflection chapter that can act as a summary of thoughts. This matches one What If question per week (with a bonus week) and a summary at the end of the month.
Then, in each of the chapters, which can be read in under 10 minutes, you're presented with a scenario, often enhanced with a story to further clarify the point and opportunity, along with a gentle nudge to do something. There's a bit of psychology mixed in, too. Then at the end of the chapter, the tiny challenge is broken into 4 steps that follow the What If rule - pause, think/question What If, take action, and reflect. Lastly, there's a short paragraph that wraps up the chapter neatly.
To give an example of the first chapter, "What if this week, you did one thing that you've been putting off?" Fleener gives an example of how he'd avoid doing his expense reports until they were such a monumental task that he would continue to procrastinate doing them. He explains how procrastination is really avoidance, and it helps to identify what you're telling yourself that is so scary that you want to avoid it. Is it unclear what you're supposed to do? Do you believe it will be unpleasant? Then he talks about how to fix your avoidance challenge by shrinking the task. The 4 steps are to identify one thing you've been putting off, understand why, schedule a time to attack at least a part of it, and then notice how you feel once it is done.
Besides the structure, I like that the effort required is small and spread over a week. Even reading the chapter doesn't take long. It all seems very doable, regardless of what else is already on my plate and challenging me. Over time, I believe all these small steps will show great results. It would be a book that could be done annually until such a time that you're implementing the "What If" rule automatically.
I read through the whole book so I could write this review. I have ordered a physical copy for myself and am looking forward to implementing these challenges one week at a time.
I was granted early access to it via Netgalley and Five Leaf Clover Publishing in exchange for this honest review.
I love the structure of the book. After a basic explanation of the "What If" rule and how to use the book, you'll find 53 short chapters divided into groups of four, with a "Change & Growth Inflection chapter that can act as a summary of thoughts. This matches one What If question per week (with a bonus week) and a summary at the end of the month.
Then, in each of the chapters, which can be read in under 10 minutes, you're presented with a scenario, often enhanced with a story to further clarify the point and opportunity, along with a gentle nudge to do something. There's a bit of psychology mixed in, too. Then at the end of the chapter, the tiny challenge is broken into 4 steps that follow the What If rule - pause, think/question What If, take action, and reflect. Lastly, there's a short paragraph that wraps up the chapter neatly.
To give an example of the first chapter, "What if this week, you did one thing that you've been putting off?" Fleener gives an example of how he'd avoid doing his expense reports until they were such a monumental task that he would continue to procrastinate doing them. He explains how procrastination is really avoidance, and it helps to identify what you're telling yourself that is so scary that you want to avoid it. Is it unclear what you're supposed to do? Do you believe it will be unpleasant? Then he talks about how to fix your avoidance challenge by shrinking the task. The 4 steps are to identify one thing you've been putting off, understand why, schedule a time to attack at least a part of it, and then notice how you feel once it is done.
Besides the structure, I like that the effort required is small and spread over a week. Even reading the chapter doesn't take long. It all seems very doable, regardless of what else is already on my plate and challenging me. Over time, I believe all these small steps will show great results. It would be a book that could be done annually until such a time that you're implementing the "What If" rule automatically.
I read through the whole book so I could write this review. I have ordered a physical copy for myself and am looking forward to implementing these challenges one week at a time.
I was granted early access to it via Netgalley and Five Leaf Clover Publishing in exchange for this honest review.
January 31, 2026
This self-help book revolves around one simple yet surprisingly powerful question: “What if…?” What if you stopped doing something today that could affect your tomorrow? What if you started small and made a change for just a day, a week, or maybe even longer?
The author writes like a gentle coach rather than a drill sergeant, guiding us through moments of reflection and inviting us to pause and question our habits. Some moments felt repetitive, but others landed exactly when I needed them, especially the reminder that change doesn’t have to be dramatic to be effective.
What I appreciate is that this book didn’t ask me to reinvent myself. Instead, it asked me to slow down and sit with small questions: the ones I don’t usually give much space to. I found myself thinking about the things I could stop doing just as much as the things I could start. That quiet shift in perspective felt more meaningful than any big call to action.
What stayed with me most was the idea that small, intentional choices add up. The book made me rethink my daily habits, not in a stressful way, but in a “what if I tried this differently tomorrow?” kind of way. It felt approachable, not overwhelming.
The author writes like a gentle coach rather than a drill sergeant, guiding us through moments of reflection and inviting us to pause and question our habits. Some moments felt repetitive, but others landed exactly when I needed them, especially the reminder that change doesn’t have to be dramatic to be effective.
What I appreciate is that this book didn’t ask me to reinvent myself. Instead, it asked me to slow down and sit with small questions: the ones I don’t usually give much space to. I found myself thinking about the things I could stop doing just as much as the things I could start. That quiet shift in perspective felt more meaningful than any big call to action.
What stayed with me most was the idea that small, intentional choices add up. The book made me rethink my daily habits, not in a stressful way, but in a “what if I tried this differently tomorrow?” kind of way. It felt approachable, not overwhelming.
January 31, 2026
***GOODREADS GIVEAWAY WIN***
One sentence summary: A self-help book/workbook that gives you 52 weeks and 52 ways to challenge yourself.
Vibes: self-help; behavioral
Review: I normally dislike to self-help. Don't get me wrong I can use all the help I can get but most self-help books could be an email. This book is more of a workbook. I love a work book. It written to urge to act. I know what my problems are but I need help acting to fix them. Here's how I know this is a good self-help guide - it's hard. I read the book, that was easy. Now I need to take action to actually implement what Doug Fleener suggests. I'll be honest, I don't know if I'm ready to start on all of them. Again, they're difficult. So here's what I DID do. I wrote down all 52 weeks "what if" prompts in a journal (Fleener said to start a journal). From here, I'm going to attempt to gain momentum by starting with the easier "what if's" then slowly make my way through each one. This may take longer than 52 weeks or I may tackle several "what ifs" in a week. I like that Doug Fleener has given me the prompts. If anything it just might be fun.
One sentence summary: A self-help book/workbook that gives you 52 weeks and 52 ways to challenge yourself.
Vibes: self-help; behavioral
Review: I normally dislike to self-help. Don't get me wrong I can use all the help I can get but most self-help books could be an email. This book is more of a workbook. I love a work book. It written to urge to act. I know what my problems are but I need help acting to fix them. Here's how I know this is a good self-help guide - it's hard. I read the book, that was easy. Now I need to take action to actually implement what Doug Fleener suggests. I'll be honest, I don't know if I'm ready to start on all of them. Again, they're difficult. So here's what I DID do. I wrote down all 52 weeks "what if" prompts in a journal (Fleener said to start a journal). From here, I'm going to attempt to gain momentum by starting with the easier "what if's" then slowly make my way through each one. This may take longer than 52 weeks or I may tackle several "what ifs" in a week. I like that Doug Fleener has given me the prompts. If anything it just might be fun.
January 7, 2026
Thank you @netgalley for the arc. This one came out on Tuesday, January 6 so you can get your hands on it now and it would be a great one to buy and refer to throughout the year! There’s still time for those New Years Resolutions!
The big “what if” we are all faced with on a regular basis. The one question that we will spiral from if we aren’t careful.
Have you ever had a what if moment that shifted your life in a way for the better?
“Youre one action away. Starting today. That’s one of my favorite sayings. Growth starts with change. Change begins with action. Every good thing starts with action. And all of that happens when you start today.”
#arc #review #netgally #selfhelp #whatif
The big “what if” we are all faced with on a regular basis. The one question that we will spiral from if we aren’t careful.
Have you ever had a what if moment that shifted your life in a way for the better?
“Youre one action away. Starting today. That’s one of my favorite sayings. Growth starts with change. Change begins with action. Every good thing starts with action. And all of that happens when you start today.”
#arc #review #netgally #selfhelp #whatif
January 4, 2026
Ho dato 5 stelle a questo libro. Parla di come sia possibile “cambiare” la propria vita applicando la regola del “What if”, e lo fa in modo molto pratico: offre esempi concreti ed elenchi chiari (che io adoro!) su come mettere davvero in pratica questo metodo. Credo che non potessi iniziare meglio il 2026: è un libro che aiuta a lavorare su noi stessi in modo reale e tangibile, andando oltre le semplici parole.
January 30, 2026
I received an electronic ARC from Five Leaf Clover Publishing, LLC through NetGalley.
Fleener breaks down challenging areas into fifty-three "what if" questions and offers readers the opportunity to learn and then apply what was said. Each scenario can be done in order or sorted for individual needs. He also provides further information for various life areas at the end. I appreciated taking my time with some of the chapters and will revisit this one to use as a weekly process.
Fleener breaks down challenging areas into fifty-three "what if" questions and offers readers the opportunity to learn and then apply what was said. Each scenario can be done in order or sorted for individual needs. He also provides further information for various life areas at the end. I appreciated taking my time with some of the chapters and will revisit this one to use as a weekly process.
February 1, 2026
A simple, insightful book that helps shift a pessimistic mindset toward a more constructive one. It teaches how to ask better questions and intentionally focus on positive outcomes and possibilities. The weekly lessons and practical exercises make it easier to build the habit and keep the approach in your everyday life.
I’d especially recommend it to anyone who struggles with rumination or pessimistic thinking, but many of the ideas are useful for everyone.
I’d especially recommend it to anyone who struggles with rumination or pessimistic thinking, but many of the ideas are useful for everyone.
January 2, 2026
Don’t sleep on this self help book. It’s practical and easily applicable! I’m definitely going to be utilizing it throughout 2026!
January 17, 2026
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I found “Start With What If” to be a really helpful and practical read.
I’m very familiar with the concept of wondering “what if…?!” from a negative point of view as I’ve got severe anxiety so I enjoyed this being reframed into a more positive and therapeutic action for many scenarios we’ll likely face in our lives and how we can approach them for a better outcome. I appreciated the prompts & tips provided as well as the guidance and it made me reflect a lot.
I also felt too that I would likely benefit from the physical copy when it’s released, as reading the Kindle version meant I couldn’t highlight pages and make notes.
Recommend!
I found “Start With What If” to be a really helpful and practical read.
I’m very familiar with the concept of wondering “what if…?!” from a negative point of view as I’ve got severe anxiety so I enjoyed this being reframed into a more positive and therapeutic action for many scenarios we’ll likely face in our lives and how we can approach them for a better outcome. I appreciated the prompts & tips provided as well as the guidance and it made me reflect a lot.
I also felt too that I would likely benefit from the physical copy when it’s released, as reading the Kindle version meant I couldn’t highlight pages and make notes.
Recommend!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews