Going Right: A Logical Justification for Pursuing Your Dreams

by Logan Gelbrich

Going A Logical Justification for Pursuing Your Dreams is a world-view shattering model of decision-making. In this book, we are offered liberation from our socialized, detached, and unsustainable methods of making life’s most meaningful choices. This is a fresh invitation to integrate our emotional passions, using our rational brain, while remaining grounded in real-world experiences. Gelbrich builds on leading academic theories and exceptional practical illustrations to support his proposed decision-making model. Surprisingly, most adults today, who are privileged enough not to worry about their basic survival needs, operate as if pursuing the loftiest version of themselves poses a threat to their safety and an offense to the social norms of their lives. Many point to the risks of losing their own happiness, the possibility to not providing for themselves and dependents, and the social consequences of chasing down their ideal self-expression to fuel their logic against reaching for something higher. But basing the most meaningful of our choices, our dreams, on assumptions, and predicting the effects of our decisions on our most important obligations is robbing us and our communities of the happiness, our ability to provide for self and others, and social benefits that we find ourselves instinctively protecting in the first place. Going Right explores the essentially grand, utilitarian advantages of an alternative logic and unlocks universal modern truths of pursuing our peak expression. The enduring stoic path of significance presented here leads us to hold greater commitments, practice deep work, remain resilient to adversity, experience moments of creative flow, and curate transferable skills. Whether in the context of relationships, work, or lifestyle, Going Right presents a solid case that braving your evolutionary resistances to continually pursue your dreams is truly the most logical choice you can make.

Genres: Nonfiction

226 pages, Paperback

Published February 18, 2019

Reviews

[Herbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a light pep talk along the lines of “if you can dream it, you can do it; 5 easy steps to get there,” I would brace yourself, because that’s not what this is. It can be a bit uncomfortable. Logan Gelbrich’s explanation of what it means to “go right” motivates you to follow your dreams, insisting and proving that doing what you want most to do IS the “reasonable” thing to do. BUT, it does so with the emphasis that it’s not an easy endeavor; true mastery of your chosen craft does not come easily, and you won’t just get lucky. You will be called to be vulnerable and get real with yourself, and then to commit. And in this pursuit, you should be prepared and eager to encounter adversity, because that is what will strengthen you, help you experience creative flow, and will ultimately lead to reaching your peak expression.

Interspersed among the strategies laid out in the book are numerous stories and insights from notable names in all industries; i.e., you don’t have to identify as an “athlete” to learn and grow from the concepts in this book. The concepts and strategies are universally transferable. From hat makers to stand-up comedians, from elementary school teachers to elite athletes, there are bursts of inspiration that can relate to everyone and that show you how you can make a huge difference in the world doing what you love, no matter what that is.

I just completed my first run-though of this through the audiobook. While it is great to listen to the author explain everything himself, I do not recommend the audiobook as your sole resource for this. It is a great component to have because you can access the information hands-free, but there is too much packed into each chapter to really get a full grasp of it in one go. Perhaps it’s the perpetual student in me, but these are strategies that lend themselves to underlining, annotations, and marking for future and continual reference. I feel like I’ve only skimmed the surface, but I hope to delve deeper upon receiving my hard copy.

You make the greatest contribution and impact when you reach your peak expression. I highly recommend this book as an invaluable tool in figuring out exactly what that means for you. If it’s in your heart, you CAN do it; just be prepared to level up.

[A.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first several chapters of the book argue a logical explanation for pursuing your dreams. That part was good. I liked how the author explained how we have evolved to be risk averse in this society (i.e. take the safe career path) and that if we want to pursue our full happiness then we need to pursue our dreams--realistically. The second half of the book is more about identifying your purpose and using that purpose to justify pursuing your dreams. Commitment, a large body of deep work, resilience to adversity, peak human performance, and highly transferable skills will produce lifelong preparation toward mastery in your craft. You have to be intrinsically motivated because extrinsic motivation leads to burnout.

For what it's worth, I think Peak Performance is a better book about identifying your purpose and tuning yourself toward it.

[Brad · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ha ha ha, seriously? What was that conceited/cocky bullshit covered in a thinly veiled mask of nonsensical intelligent seeming word salad? The book impossibly/unbelievably never once details what "going right" is, what it means, or how to do it. I honestly don't know if "going right" is doing things correctly or literally turning to the right.

The lone thing I liked about it was that it was 70% book report where he read and discussed many of the best books I've read.

If I had to guess this gym with the most motivated athletes in all walks of life is social media based marketing scheme. Good luck man, but next time if you are going to write a memoir or a book report, call it that. I hate getting dupped into reading advertisements for bullshit.

[Josh Billups · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book reads a bit like a final draft and needs 1 final round of edits. The structure is a bit jarring at times and reads kind of like parallel books within a single chapter.

The book overall is really good. it combines a lot of other work on mastery, deep work, and flow and is a very good entry point to those topics.

[Melissa Mangano · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cool blend of story telling and psychological and scientific principle. I may be a bit biased, being familiar with the author through a second degree connection, but I found the whole thing easy to get sucked into from start to finish. It's an easy read full of little nuggets of inspiration and motivation. Makes ya feel good.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of anecdotal stories strung together with vague references to “going right” in between. More of a memoir than actual steps on “going right”

[David McCauley · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent book... solid overview on mindset

[Taylor Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable but nothing new here.

[Jake Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good book. My inner grammar nerd had some problems with some obvious copy-editor-needed stuff, but the point was pretty well made. Book's essence boils down to pretty much what it says on the cover. Find something you care about and go hard at it - the results can't be much worse than settling for a life of working for someone else, on something that, at the end, probably doesn't matter all that much.

[Marcus Leydecker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad writing