Be Your Own #Goals

by Kristen Martin

We've all played the comparison game at one point or another. But instead of striving to be like everyone else, why not try to be your own #GOALS?

In this refreshing, yet straightforward, guide, bestselling author, writing coach, and personal development junkie, Kristen Martin, puts her personal and professional learning experiences on display for your benefit. Concise, witty, and relatable chapters and exercises make for an engaging and easy read, ultimately helping you to:

* Discover and defeat your fear-based thoughts, self-limiting beliefs, and self-sabotaging behaviors

* Overcome toxic energy, relationships, and situations that have been holding you back up until this point

* Evolve into the person you were destined to become and live the amazing life you've always dreamed of

If you're ready to get out of your own head, stop playing the comparison game, reclaim your self-worth, and walk in your truth every single day from this moment forward . . . this book was written for you.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction

202 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2018

About the author

KRISTEN MARTIN is the International Amazon Bestselling Indie Author of THE ALPHA DRIVE trilogy and SHADOW CROWN series, the standalone novel BEYOND THE STARS AND SHADOWS, as well as nonfiction works, SOULFLOW and BE YOUR OWN #GOALS. She is also a writing coach, a YouTuber, a podcaster, and a full-time creative entrepreneur. Living in Southeast Texas with her husband and their six kids, she loves all things young adult, science fiction, and fantasy.

Kristen prides herself on helping aspiring authors reach their dreams of publication through her coaching program, Valiance. She loves connecting with other writers and readers, so be sure to reach out!

Stay connected on:
Instagram @authorkristenmartin
YouTube /authorkristenmartinbooks
Facebook /authorkristenmartin
Pinterest @authorkristenm

Fanmail Address:
Kristen Martin
P.O. Box 1151
Fulshear, TX 77441

Reviews

[Jasonnnn Jasonnnn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I need to say I love Kristen Martin. I think she's a very kind woman and helpful to the author community. I hate to give bad reviews because I myself am an author (and a new one) so I know how much it could hurt to get a negative review.

I was really excited to pick up this book, but I was very disappointed with it.

Let's start with the positives.

-The book, is, inspiring. Kristen went from a state of having precancerous cells and now living a great life. However, that's all this book personally gave me. It might be different for you, so I encourage you to sample it.

First, 9.99 dollars for a self-published book, with a Wattpad cover made from Canva, that was self-edited???

Second, this book has tons of grammar issues. It feels as if she just gave it a quick read, said OKAY, and then clicked publish. I get, lot's of indie-authors don't have the money to hire editors, but considering she makes '5 figures a month' and EVEN made two videos about editing, I was disappointed.

Third, the advice was mediocre and exaggerated. You can find the same advice online for free, or in another eBook for less. It was almost like reading: 'Dr. Phil meets Louis XVI'. Why? Because the advice fell into a 'nice place'. But she constantly boasted her achievements in life. And her achievements are HIGHLY exaggerated. "I'm a best-selling author."
With all due respect, you aren't. Kristen hit a category of best-sellers. THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE A BESTSELLER. It only means your book is selling in a category (a list that is updated hourly). The only way you are an 'Amazon bestseller' is to either hit the Top 100 of kindle and/or hit #1 in a category (I confirmed this with a professional in the industry). She talks about writing as her career and how she's her own boss.
WRITING isn't her full-time career. Which makes no sense as she has a writing/publishing program where she charges 2,000 dollars (which leads me into...)

Fourth, this felt like a propaganda book. She bolded words like YOU, CHANGE etc. and that was alright. But, she constantly put herself above the reader, in a place where she isn't at. (SIDE NOTE: this is hilarious but she changed her Instagram profile to Public Figure??? I thought she was an author). All of this leads up to Valiance, (Her coaching program) and she encourages the reader to sign-up if they want to start their writing career. It seems as if she's only in it for the money and 'fame'. Saying you're a best-seller (which, coincidentally, author Lindsay Cummings became a #1 NY Times bestseller and it skyrocketed her channel, two months before Kristen said that she was bestseller and made a similar crying video), and saying writing is your career.

Fifth, I get the idea of the book but have no idea what she's trying to say. The author has nowhere near the experience she's saying she has. She even contradicts herself several times in the book and isn't qualified to write a self-help book when she hasn't achieved anything.

Don't buy this book. It's not worth the price. I recommend you check it out via Kindle Unlimited.

1/5, take more time Kristen.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve followed Kristen Martin for a while now and I do think she has a lot of inspiring advice and does get stuff done, however, this book was too riddled with typos and grammatical errors for it to warrant anything above 2.5 stars.

It was proofread by multiple people - other authors even! - and you still misspelled Gandhi???

[Kim Chance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I typically don't read personal development books, but I definitely wanted to read this one, and I am so glad I did! Kristen Martin has put so much of herself into this book and that kind of vulnerability takes a lot of courage and whole lot of heart!

The message of this book is beautiful: You don't have to spend you life wishing you could be someone else. You don't have to look at someone else's life and label it as #goals. You are enough, and you can be your own #goals! Each chapter is filled with a personal anecdote, advice/tips, and action steps that you can take. This book is perfect for people who are looking to grab their life by the reins and make some changes.

An empowering book for all! I thoroughly enjoyed! Thank you, Kristen, for being willing to share so much of your personal life to convey such a powerful message!

[Heather Nelson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I deeply WANTED to love this book. I’m a fan of Kristen’s YouTube channel and I adore her personality and energizing encouragement. I happily bought this book thinking it would be a new level of her same free-spirited insights. As a fellow female writer....I was hopeful to learn from this book.

Nope.

The sprinklings of platitudes and quotes that book-end each chapter could be boiled down to glorified Pinterest inspiration board ..... and the meat in the middle vacillated between inconsistent biopic moments and forced self-help-ish guidance without real direction. The entire book felt haphazard and unfinished. I kept waiting for the point..... the actionable end-game.... or at least the end of the story that tied it all up. But at the end of the day I honestly just couldn’t finish the book. I made it to chapter 14 and just had to walk away. The level of reckless advice on money management was so irresponsible that I could no longer ignore that this book felt like a long winded infomercial to sell Kristen’s OTHER services.

Truly. A disappointment. I expected better from someone proclaiming so loudly about her own successful writing career.

I still love her YouTube channel. I’ll still watch and subscribe. This one book doesn’t change that. But I would encourage aspiring dreamers and especially aspiring writers to seek advice elsewhere!

[Nita · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly hate to give bad reviews. I had really high hopes for this book because I have been following Kristen Martin on Instagram for a long time and she seemed to have it all. I was expecting a self-help book for authors that gives insider tips to becoming successful as an Amazon author. I was a little inspired by her belief in herself and the chances she took in order to live her best life.
However, I didn't feel like I received anything new from reading the book. I felt like she told me how she became successful in a way that felt like the exception to the rule and not because she worked especially hard to get to where she was. It felt more like reading a list of her accomplishments without any advice for new authors.

[E.K Earle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kristen had some pretty solid advice in her book. She incorporated a lot of mindfulness and good therapy tips into her advice, however I'm not really sold on 'the hustle' stuff in general (not a stab at Kristen, I just don't like the language? I associate it with MLM and dodgy marketing a lot tbh)

I only know her as YouTuber (I'm a guilty monster and this is the first book of hers I read). Based on her conversational writing voice, I am keen to read some fiction from her though!


Edit : somehow the reviews tell me I am going to be sorely disappointed if I read her fictional work
ADDED update: ok so a lot of her stuff comes off as promo-y and ad like, but I figured okay, girl gotta eat. Reading her latest twitter comments though adds a lot of context to the ickiness I felt reading this.

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do like KM's content and I think she has a lot of broadly applicable things to say. I'm just not sure writing is her calling.

Gal, you got presence and I love how you maximize it but writing is just not your forte. I can see what you're going for but it's like a pale comparison of the conceptual idea of good writing.

I genuinely wish I could give you a better rating because you're def trying to hustle.

[Holly Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew that Kristen Martin had a winner here with this book. I love her advice on her YouTube channel for aspiring authors, as well as her girlboss podcast, That Smart Hustle. When I found out she was writing a self help book, I was ready to dive right in!

This book turned out to be so much more than I thought it would be. After every chapter, Kristen provides exercises for us to journal and write about based on the topic presented, to make us actually think and apply the lessons to our lives. Please people, actually do the exercises. They were pivotal to me in figuring out what I wanted and needed to change in my life. I now have a clear path I want to take to turn things around and have already started taking steps to get there.

From how to get rid of negativity, to breaking free from money woes, to finding like-minded souls who have goals like you, this book helped me with SO MUCH. It helped me realize all the things I need to change in my life so that I can actually LIVE and be my own #goals. I'm so grateful to Kristen for this book and would recommend it to anyone who feels stuck in life. This will be a book I return to time and time again. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Amanda Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really excited when this book came out so of course I got it. I just finished it yesterday and I do find both good and bad with it.

Bad: There were some things I just don't agree with and I really don't think I ever will. The parts about money, instance. Now, I think her story was an extreme example (and I think she had her corporate job at that time?) but it kind of made it seem like she was encouraging people to spend the money they don't have and potentially go into debt. I don't know if that was her intent!! That's just the way it came off to me. And well, a lot of people just CAN'T do that. There are some thing people have to pay for that they just HAVE to pay for. Medication/health insurance/health care is an excellent example. Lots of times, these are things that people NEED to survive. I know because I'm one of those people. (And I'm not being dramatic, the medicine literally keeps me alive.) And I know there have been stories of people curing themselves of things seemingly just by positive thinking. Don't get me wrong, I think that is ABSOLUTELY an aspect, but I still don't believe you can cure yourself with just that. And there was one statement that just ticked me off. "Meaning if you're stuck in a shitty situation, I hate to break it to you, but you're the one who put yourself there." I'm sorry, I know this is not popular thinking these days, but no, some things aren't your fault. Now, some things have been in my life for sure. And probably in yours, too. But I still say some things just ARE. Seems not enlightened, maybe dismal but that's not the way I look at it. And maybe Kristen didn't mean it to outrage certain people and didn't even mean it to pertain to certain situations. But, being someone who cane right out of the womb with a chronic, life threatening disease, it's difficult not to be a little enraged at this statement. So that advice seemed to come from a place of privilege, if you ask me. Rant over. lol Also, some grammar things were hard to overlook and I think the use of bold and italic was bit overused.

Good: Now, that said, as strange as this will sound. I did really enjoy this book. It's going to stay on my shelf. I was even a little sad when I finished it yesterday. The book was easy to read and conversational. The only topic (chapter) I didn't find much value at all in was the one about money. Even the one where Kristen made the statement that made me want to cringe, I found value in. I feel I've always had a pretty positive mindset but this book helped to shift that even more and I do feel better than ever with my mindset. This I do believe to be true: the one thing you can always control is your mindset/attitude.

I also enjoyed (again, except the money ones) the BYOG Actions at the end of the chapters. These were actually a very nice surprise. I had no idea they were going to be in this book. I don't want to say they were "easy" to do because I would feel like that would under value them. But they weren't difficult to understand, do and implement.

I do feel like this book helped me to figure out what I want and help me start to lay out a clear plan and path. It was definitely an inspirational and motivational read. Even with the rant above, I still enjoyed this. Some chapters were more useful than others. There were even chapters and exercises I would read and do again. It is staying on my bookshelf. Even though there were those complaints I listed above, I think it's worth a try. Or try a Kindle sample or watch Kristen's YouTube channel or listen to her Podcast if you're on the fence before you decide. Or, if you have KU, I think it's on there...

I think.... 3.75 stars?

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

TL;DR Some privilege type stuff and the use of the word tribe made me cringe. I thought the action steps were useful and I enjoy Kristen Martin’s writing style. I related to many parts in this book, especially with my career going the way it’s going right now.

Disclaimer: I'm not a "self-help" or "personal development" book reader and tend to be cynical and roll my eyes at most inspirational quotes. And there are a lot of inspirational quotes.

The bad: There was this point where she mentions that if you're unhappy in your job, you can leave because it's your choice and I downright cringed. Seeing this sentiment through the lens of just having listened to “Waking up White” made me think "well there is A LOT of privilege in being able to just leave or switch jobs". I realize that her point was that working at a job you hate is something you can make steps towards changing but it felt too simplified to really apply to most people. Or, I guess, any people who aren't upper-middle class.

Tribe. I get it. I get why it’s popular and I understand what it means when women (mostly white women) talk about finding their “tribe”. But this is just a word we need to stop using in this way. You could debate endlessly about whether or not it's cultural appropriation or racist or offensive but I feel icky when I read it or see my peers talking about their “tribe”. Talking about your “spirit animal” also falls into this category.

The good: I thought the steps for reflecting on your priorities working on your negative thought patterns were valuable. I read nearly half of it in one day and have really looked at how I spend my time and where I can make changes. I need to stop looking at my phone first thing in the morning because I really have so many other things I love doing so why am I wasting an hour of my morning doing things I don’t like? If nothing else, reading this inspired me to not look at social media until I get done with my morning routine.

[M A Tuomala · Rating 1 out of 5]

After reading the free sample I didn't see any need to read further. I'm very interested in her personal story but I felt as if she was advertising her own writing programs. There were many errors and she rushed to publish it. After reading other reviews and spoilers I decided I didn't want to read her book anymore. I'm hoping Soul Flow will be more interesting.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book for a first time motivational author! Kristen offered stellar advice about starting you adventure as a girlboss. My favorite chapters were definitely Everything is a Choice and Set Your Soul Ablaze. The voice of the book sounded exactly like Kristen's videos - I could imagine her reading the book in her podcast. Overall great book and good advice! :)

[Mandi Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book couldn’t have had better timing. It’s was the peep talk I needed and I’m so happy I’ll always have this book to re-read when there’s so days of doubt. Kristen reminds you anything is possible if you believe in yourself.

[E. Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has possibly been life changing for me and I'll definitely be reading it again for inspiration and some notes. There's so many quotable tidbits, and motivating mantras I'm probably going to cling to in the years to come.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of Kristen Martin’s podcast, I was pretty excited to read this book. It’s very much an extension of that podcast, sharing many of the themes and ideas that Kristen talks about there. The style is casual and conversational, which makes it a fabulously easy read, and the message is both positive and empowering. It is very much aimed at creatives, with a gender lean towards women. Unsurprising, since that is the author’s main demographic for her social media. I’m not convinced that the advice here is all that practical and it certainly isn’t groundbreaking, and I don’t buy into all aspects of her message (you cannot and should not behave like you have pots of money if you don’t!), but I feel like that’s not what this is about: this is more an outpouring of Kirsten’s personal views and experience and I very much enjoyed this insight. I was a disappointed in the cover - the output quality is pretty low - and I feel the book would’ve benefitted from professional editing and typesetting, particularly since I found the repeated use of bold type to be distracting.

Overall I really enjoyed it and love the message. If you want something innovative and different, this isn’t for you, but if you already follow Kristen on her social media, or you just want a light, quick, motivational read, then check this out. Not sure if it’s for you? Go check out That Smart Hustle podcast to get a flavour of Kirsten’s style, outlook, and message.

[Edward Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

True happiness come from within.

If thats the only lesson that you take from this phenomenal book. You are already on your way to becoming your own #Goals.

Having an academic background in the field of Psychology, I’ve always been a big proponent on reading “self-help” books, and books that lead to greater satisfaction in life. The only way you crumble in life is to stop learning and to stop trying to grow.

The book “BYO#G” is written in such a away that allows you to stop, pause and reflect on your own internal struggles. Kristen provides “BYOG Action” steps in order for you to take the most from each chapter and truly evaluate your life, your fear stories and the actions needed in order to chase your dreams. I’ve read alot of books on self-improvement, self-satisfaction, life organization strategies and chasing your dreams. This book does not disappoint, and will easily remain in my TOP 5 for “self-help”.

This book is not just for “boss babes”, this book is great for anyone looking to improve their own lives, and stop their fear stories from impeding them. Don’t get me wrong, the “boss babe” movement is powerful, important and about damn time. I find strength in watching those dreams come true, the strength in overcoming fear stories, and get empowered seeing other people, women especially supporting each other, its a powerful thing. Find inspiration from everyone… anyone can teach you a valuable lesson in life.

I’ve followed Kristen’s journey on Youtube for the last 2.5 years and have been privileged to call her a friend. I’ve always respected Kristen’s attitude, her candidness and her warmth, but after reading this book I’m even more in “ah” of the beauty of her soul, and the realness of her defining her own worth in a world full of pressure put on women especially.

So, what are you waiting for? The knight in shining armour? A lottery win?

Don’t wait. You’ve got this. Find your strength, make the choice. The only person you need in your corner, is you.

Be you Own #Goals.

[Kirie-Lea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't finish this book. I tried every night to read it just before bed but I really struggled to get into it. I had high hopes for this book, I follow KM on various social media accounts and thought I would try one of her "Self-help" books to help inspire me as a writer. I didn't buy the book as Kindle offered to read it for free, I like the option to try before you buy. In this case, I wouldn't buy. I struggled to see past the grammar mistakes and the structure of how some sentences are written.

I appreciate KM for writing this, and good on her that she wrote another book. This book has not turned me off the author but I would probably stick to her fiction books. Personal preference in my review, I understand if people do not feel the same way.

[Anna Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristen Martin's highly-anticipated foray into the realm of self-help and development doesn't disappoint—vulnerable, energizing, and refreshingly unrefined, it effortlessly transcends expectations for the genre.

With a no-holds-barred approach to shedding self-limiting beliefs and behaviors, as well as a wealth of wisdom, storytelling, and step-by-step guides, Be Your Own #Goals is sure to be an excellent resource to those looking for tangible life change.

Regardless of whether you're a self-help veteran or novice, this book will leave you feeling stronger than ever, empowered, and ready to take on the world. Five out of five stars, but only because I'm not allowed to give more than that!

[Andrew Lamont · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a word, Be Your Own #Goals is life-changing. Everything in this Book screamed at me to change the way I’ve been thinking from self-deprecating to self-believing. But, not only that, Be Your Own #Goals helped me do it. I’m less stressed about just about everything now. The toxicity I’ve been keeping in my life has been cut out, and that is thanks to Kristen Martin. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who can read, and anyone who is in a self-deprecating cycle.

[Railee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admire Kristen Martin for the little self-publishing empire she's built and I LOVED how positive and upbeat her book was! That being said, a professional publisher would have given it the polish it deserves and MAYBE would have justified the inflated price tag.

I didn't agree with everything in the book, but I did really enjoy reading it and it DID make me feel motivated. At least the first half. If you follow Kristin Martin as a loving and devoted fan on her YouTube channel or her podcast, this book was written for you. If you are a teenaged girl struggling with your sense of self, this book was written for you. If you are an adult who's already been through the whole college-then-career thing on your own, this book might not be for you.

Heavily influenced by The Secret, Be Your Own #Goals is packed full of positivity and borderline-mystical talk dramatically presented. If you did not like The Secret, you will hate this book.

If you've been feeling like a human doormat and you're tired of doing whatever you feel like others expect of you, you will love this book.

Considering the intended audience, I think it was good. A professional publisher would have made it great. For the wrong audience, y'all just need to move on and find something that speaks to you. No need to attack the author personally.

[Amy Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, I want to say that I've been a huge fan of Kristen's via her YouTube channel for quite some time. Her videos always inspired me to be my greatest self and I feel like this book is a more personal extension of that. Throughout this entire book, I felt like I was being given advice by a friend and it was written in a very palatable way.

For 2019, I wanted my main goal to be to start showing up for my dreams, so I bought this book and boy, was that an awesome decision! Even during parts that shared advice that I thought I knew, it was shown to me in a way that really got my mind turning and forced me to ask myself "why am I not making my dreams come true?"

I HIGHLY recommend this book and I'll certainly be rereading it! Very nice job Kristen!

[Yasamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this. More than I thought I would. There were parts that definitely did not resonate with me and parts that almost brought my rating down to 3 stars, but it was honestly overall pretty damn inspiring.

Kristen is such a lovely person (I'm a recent subscriber on YouTube!) and her kindness and passion definitely come through in this book. I felt like I was reading words from a friend and although sometimes those words are hard to hear, they have to be said.

So, I liked this. I really liked this. I recommend if you're feeling stuck or frustrated or just need some momentary inspiration.

And remember; your journey will always be unique. :) <3

[Daphne (Signé Daphné) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It’s an easy and quick read filled with inspiring words. I’m a fan of Kristen’s podcast and YouTube channel and find her most interesting when she talks about mindset and productivity, so I was not disappointed by her foray into the personal development world.

If you’re a regular reader of self-help books, you won’t find any new and earth shattering information in this book, but I enjoyed Kristen’s take on many things that come up often in that genre: gratitude, law of attraction, personal stories, etc. The exercises are interesting and I can see myself referring to them again when needed.

[Mevia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited for this book because I really like Kristen Martin. However, it ended up being more of the inspirational stuff you see online everywhere. I was hoping it would be geared more towards writing than anything else, even though the cover blurb really didn’t say anything about writing. She’s an author; I was hoping for more “authorly” topics. It was nice, but not quite what I was hoping for. If anyone needs a kick in the pants to start living for his or her dreams, you might check this one out.

[earthshattering · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the questions at the end of each chapter are excellent ways to get you thinking about what motivates you and the things you really want, as well as pushing you in a positive direction. My main complaint is that the book is too colloquial, many of the real-life experiences are told with turns of phrase that are really odd. It makes it sound like a sassy hairdresser is reading the book to me and is distracting. The main idea of the book is very positive and encouraging though, so I am glad I read it.

[Brittany Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Kristen Martin through her YouTube channel, and I have been so thankful for that since then! This is an inspirational and relatable book that encouraged me to continue along my path as a writer. She gives action items for each chapter so you can take her advice and see your goals come to fruition. I encourage anyone needing a cheerleader or fresh perspective to check this book out!

[Intellectual Magpie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your looking for an inspirational pick me up, then Be your Own #goals is a good book to grab. Being reminded that YOU matter most in your life is something we need in today’s day and age... happiness is becoming more rare then we realize and this book helps to remind us of some simple ways to bring it back into our lives.

[Raquelle Stepney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was down to earth and real. Many things I knew, but a couple of things I didn't I really liked Kristen's fresh perspective at kicking butt and being your own goal to reach your goals and dreams you set for yourself.

[Author L.Dodson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read. The book helped me to realize I don't have a clear why for some of my goals. It was information in the book that related to the author that helped to tie in her bullet points and make her more reliable.

[Kaylee Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great #girlpower book and powerful wonderful inspiring message!!! LOVE IT and recommend it to girls of pretty much any age!