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Once Upon a Climb: 5 Steps Every Dreamer Should Know

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An insightful and motivating book by New York Times best-selling author Jennifer A. Nielsen for anyone looking for guidance on how to reach the summit of their personal dreams.


Countless readers have been inspired by Jennifer Nielsen's best-selling novels and keynote speeches. She has compiled her hard-earned life lessons, advice, and insights for achieving individual success into five steps for all dreamers who want to reach their own personal summits.


Once Upon a Climb is like having a heart-to-heart with your personal life coach--someone who has been there, wants the best for you, and is cheering you on. Jennifer's motivating wisdom and thought-provoking insights can inspire every dreamer to put one step in front of the other, no matter where you are in your personal quest.

80 pages, Hardcover

Published January 2, 2024

7 people are currently reading
2264 people want to read

About the author

Jennifer A. Nielsen

52 books9,500 followers
Jennifer lives at the base of a very tall mountain in Northern Utah with her husband, three children, and a naughty puppy. She loves the smell of rainy days, hot chocolate, and old books, preferably all at once. She is a former speech teacher, theater director, and enjoyed a brief but disastrous career as a door-to-door pollster. In her spare time, Jennifer tends to panic, wondering what she has forgotten to do that has allowed her any spare time.

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5 stars
76 (56%)
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34 (25%)
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22 (16%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
Profile Image for Allyson Jamison.
334 reviews7 followers
May 14, 2024
This was definitely written for a lower reading level than I expected but it was still a very motivating and encouraging read all the same! We need more books like this in the world that encourage us to reach for our dreams and challenge us to not give up. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a dream! (Or even if you don't have a dream you're chasing... Maybe you should.)
Profile Image for Libby.
70 reviews
September 7, 2025
Such a great motivational book takes about 15 minutes to read. Really puts you in the mindset to move forward.
Profile Image for Tara Mickela.
980 reviews9 followers
January 5, 2024
Nothing earth shattering or new, but a nice analogy nonetheless.
Profile Image for Chrissy.
81 reviews
January 11, 2024
A very brief but inspirational read. Nielsen is full of so many insightful nuggets of wisdom, and I loved the mountain-climbing analogy she uses in this book. The perfect read for goal-setting in a new year.
Profile Image for Meg.
1,145 reviews1 follower
January 15, 2024
I have so much love for this book! It is a wonderful book to gift to anyone graduating, starting a new adventure, or anyone with a dream (but isn't that all of us?) It's got beautiful illustrations and is organized in a way that makes it accessible for young readers who are just starting out on their journeys!
Profile Image for Debbi (My Reading Spot).
187 reviews4 followers
January 2, 2024
“We are not meant to live in the crevices. We are meant to climb.”

What a great book to start out the year with! Once Upon a Climb by @nielsenwriter is such a short sweet inspirational read. If you have goals this year you want to accomplish this is a good place to start! In the book Nielsen covers 5 steps every dreamer should know…if that isn’t easy enough she even breaks down a lot of those five steps into easier pieces too!

I love the pictures and easiness of this book, I also think it would make a great gift for grads in the spring. I am going to need to stock up!

While this is totally different than Nielsen’s other books, I still find myself loving it and highly recommending it, just the same! 5 stars!

Thank you for @shadowmountainpub for an advanced copy to review.
Profile Image for Marinda (rindasreads).
509 reviews25 followers
December 14, 2023
Writing has been a struggle for me lately—finding the time, sitting down and having the words form coherent sentences, feeling like my manuscript will never actually come together.

So today, I sat down and read this book.

It was just the reminder I needed.

I’ve heard Jennifer A. Nielsen speak a few times now, and one of the things I loved about this little book was hearing her voice while reading the words. Encouraging, supportive, realistic, inclusive.

I couldn’t bring myself to sit this back on a shelf, so I decided to add it to the pile of research and writing books at my desk, to remind me that the summit is there waiting for me as long as I keep actively climbing toward it.
Profile Image for Heather.
1,209 reviews7 followers
July 13, 2024
This is a short little book of encouragement about going after your dreams, setting out on a climb, and realizing there is much to learn and opportunity to grow along the way. Here are some quotes I liked:

"Every year, there are people who stand on Everest's summit, and they breathe in the beautiful air, and they live. What makes the difference? It's the climb."

"The trek to base camp takes about ten days in each direction. Climbers remain there for three to six weeks while their bodies acclimate to the higher altitude, learning to generate more red blood cells capable of holding more oxygen. Even after the climbers begin the ascent, they spend time at each of the upper camps. Their bodies continue to change, day by day, until they can stand on top of the world, draw in a breath, and live."

"The climber does not change because they reached the summit. The climber reaches the summit because they changed. That change comes with the climb."

"Each of us is climbing to a summit of our own. The summit is your dream, your goal--whatever matters most to you."

"In Deuteronomy 2:3, the Lord says to Moses: 'Ye have compassed this mountain long enough. Turn you northward.'"

"It can be easy to spend your time and energy staying busy with tasks that have no real meaning for you. That is circling the mountain--staying in motion but never moving toward your dreams. Remember, action does not always equal altitude."

"For many people, north means up. So, consider this your call to get on the mountain. Begin your climb."

"The other climbers are not your competitors. They have their own summit to reach. Their successes and failures will not impact your journey. Maybe you share the trail now, but eventually the path will fork, and they'll turn in their own direction. Or maybe they won't."

"Step One: Gear up!... Here is your supply list: humility, confidence, twenty seconds of insane courage, mad-dog tenacity, patience."

"Remain grateful that you get to do this amazing climb at all."

"It only takes twenty seconds to hit send on your resume, or to make the phone call, or to say 'yes' to an opportunity... You don't need enough courage right now for an entire lifetime of possibilities. Sometimes all you need is the courage to get you through the next twenty seconds."

"The universe responds to people who refuse to give up. Keep climbing."

"There is a place on every climb to pause long enough to enjoy the view as you catch your breath. Travel at the right pace for you."

"Sometimes having the right team around you can make the difference between reaching your summit and only staring at it from below."

"Your climbing team should include four specific types of people... your guide, your sherpa, your trainer, your cheerleader."

"Let go of any advice, any voice, or any complaint that says you cannot succeed."

"Even if the trail seems to unfold in the direction you want to go, not all trails end at the same summit. Be sure that the route you choose is headed to your destination, not a cheap substitute."

"It can make you stronger, more determined, and more grateful for every step you achieve."

"There is another summit, higher on the mountain. You always vaguely knew it was there."

"If you stay in one place too long, with no new dreams or plans, then over time, the view will grow stagnant. Your muscles will soften."

"You need not worry if the summit you are seeking is narrow and already occupied by others. Before long, they'll resume their climb with new dreams of their own, and space on your summit will open up. There is always room for you to succeed."

"We all have our falls; we all experience failure. It's always painful... But what matters most isn't the fall; it's what we tell ourselves about the fall."

"There is always a way to move forward."

"Failure is not the end. Quitting is the end. Failure is simply your cue to find a way to reset, improve, and then try again."

"Some days, all you can do is put one foot in front of the other. That's okay. Do that."

"The climb may not be easy, it may take longer than you think, and you may have much to learn along the way. It may require sacrifices of your time and energy. But the summit is there and waiting for you."

"Gear up, assemble your team, and choose your route... Get on the mountain. Take a deep breath. Your summit is waiting."
Profile Image for Daphne Tatum.
Author 1 book8 followers
April 9, 2024
You need this book.
Have a goal? Yep, you need it.
Have a dream? You need it even more.

I could quit right there. Full stop, enough said. But let's get personal.

The day Once Upon a Climb showed up in my mailbox, I was asking myself a question: Should I stop pursuing a dream that I've been working towards for over 10 years? I was weary and struggling and not sure I could continue climbing my personal mountain. In the middle of my uncertainty, I began reading Once Upon a Climb.

Nielsen has created a visually appealing handbook perfect for anyone nurturing a dream. Motivational more than actionable, it packs wisdom (along with some practical advice) into a quick read (I finished it while watching my toddler play outside). For anyone who's on the fence about chasing a goal, this book is a call-to-action. But what about the experienced dream-seeker? Well...

Once Upon a Climb inspired THIS weary writer-mom to keep going. Nothing has changed-- I'm still looking for ways to scale my particular crevasses. But it did what the best motivational books do:
It made my heart SPARK.
And sometimes, a spark is really all we need.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thoughts & opinions are my own.
9 reviews1 follower
December 10, 2023
Once Upon A Climb by Jennifer Nielsen is a motivational book for middle grade students on how best to be successful in fulfilling your dreams. It provides an analogy of what it takes to reach the summit of Mount Everest and how those 5 steps apply to those trying to reach the summit of their own dreams. One quote that I enjoyed said, “the climber does not change, because they reached the summit. The climber reaches the summit, because they changed.“ Another great quote that Jennifer mentions towards the end states, “we will have our falls; we all experience failure.… But what matters most isn’t the fall; it’s what we tell ourselves about the fall.“
A lot of great advice in this book for both middle grade and adults to help motivate us to achieve the best out of ourselves, deal with the struggles and failures along the way, and to not lose sight of the summit above us, and beyond to reach our destiny and goals. Jennifer Nielsen is a great example of having accomplished her summit and achieving even beyond that level of success. This is a great book to motivate the dreamer and to help them work towards these 5 steps to reach their potential and success.
4 reviews
December 9, 2023
Do you need encouragement or inspiration? Do you know anyone who does? Then you need this book! I LOVE Jennifer Nielsen's books, especially The False Prince. All of her books have amazing themes that are woven into the stories and characters. While this little book is not fictional like her other books, it is just as powerful and intentional with its purpose. We all get stuck and discouraged in pursuing a dream. This book encourages you and steers you when you feel you are in those stuck moments. I helped open a school, and our mission is to help our students of all ages, find their God-given purpose. I cannot wait to use this book to inspire our students to run toward that dream! This would be a great gift for your children, grandchildren, graduates, and adults entering a new career or phase of their lives, and actually, we all need this book. :)
Profile Image for Abby.
284 reviews12 followers
December 16, 2023
I would say this little book is inspirational and feels deeply thoughtful. I think many authors endeavor to create self-help books, but those books often fall flat in some way, so I do not usually pick them up. However, I would say this book conversely delineates a creative path towards success and the attaining of one's dream. It initially begins to explain the requisite bodily constitution needed to stay on the summit of Mount Everest and then breaks down the significance of that metaphor. It was deeply engaging to me because of this presentation (I will get hooked with any premise that begins with a random fact; I love random facts). And the pictures were also a bonus; they really helped complement the content instead of obstructing it or making it confusing as some books may do.
I would recommend to any dreamer!
Profile Image for Diane Estrella.
341 reviews109 followers
December 26, 2023
Inspiring!

A beautiful hardcover book with thick pages and great artwork to accompany it. This would be ideal to gift to any 12 (and up) year old. It would be especially lovely to give as a graduation present for the high school or college graduate that you know.

I can see how the author turned one of her keynote speeches into this book. The illustration of climbing Mt. Everest and striving to achieve one's life's goals go perfectly hand in hand. Very encouraging with practical small steps to take, while also keeping your eyes on the big prize as well.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing/the author and was under no obligation to post a review.
6 reviews
January 2, 2024
I was lucky enough to attend the live keynote speech that inspired this, so I was thrilled to hear Jennifer Nielsen was making it into a book. This short, illustrated book can be read in one sitting, though you’ll want to read it more than once. Nielsen relates our pursuits and goals to “the climb,” and makes comparisons to the preparation needed and pitfalls we all face, whether on a literal climb or in climbing toward our dreams. This motivational book is perfect for kicking off a new year, embarking on something difficult, or for anyone who needs a pick-me-up. It would also make a great gift for someone starting a new chapter of life (graduation, new career, starting a business, etc.) or for anyone with big dreams.
Profile Image for Rubi.
2,610 reviews12 followers
March 27, 2024
Such a good metaphor for life/achieving our goals. Nielsen compares our goals to climbing Mount Everest and gives solid advice and steps to achieving them.
We also learn a little about actual mountain climbing as she does this, how climbers spend weeks acclimating in different spots to let their bodies get used to the elevation and to rest.
Loved learning new things and got a good perspective on maybe I'm my biggest barrier. Food for thought and a wake up call put in very very simple terms.
Really good little book. I'll probably reread it to remotivate myself and remember that even a few steps takes me closer to my goals and to not compare myself to others who are claiming towards their own goals 😊
Profile Image for Marilee .
1,432 reviews222 followers
December 14, 2023
This book may be small in size but its message is powerful and inspiring!

This beautifully illustrated book is destined to be a favorite for dreamers of any age. Using the analogy of climbing a mountain, Jennifer details everything a dreamer needs on their journey to reach their goals.

The ideas are presented in a way that motivates rather than overwhelms, and I finished the book determined to dust off a few of my dreams and make some plans.

A beautiful gift idea for the dreamers in your life as well as for yourself. "We are not meant to live in the crevasse. We are meant to climb."

I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.
Profile Image for Tinkerbell.
450 reviews4 followers
December 23, 2023
This came in the mail today, and since it is a short illustrated motivational book, I finished it fairly quickly.

I always love hearing Jennifer Nielsen speak, but I missed this keynote that she gave at a writers conference I usually attend. Everyone that listened to the keynote loved it though—I heard many times about the impact it had on everyone there. It was so popular in fact that the speech was turned into a book. I'm glad I got to experience the message at last.

The book is great for what it is. If you have a goal, this book will give you tools and help motivate you. I'm glad I own it.
Profile Image for Amanda Thomas.
158 reviews9 followers
December 26, 2023
Climbing Mt Everest is on some people’s bucket list - a dream that is felt by some and achieved by just a few. But what we all have is a dream, and this book can serve as a motivational guide to climbing that journey to achieve the dream.

This is a different genre from the typical Jennifer A Nielsen books I gush about, and yet, I love it just as much. I am already thinking of people to whom I want to gift this book. For me, it is coming at a perfect time, a time of great change. I think the words and messages of the book can be applied to anyone who reads it. It is simple enough for almost any age to get something out of it.
Profile Image for Cathy.
1,922 reviews68 followers
January 4, 2024
I loved this one so much that I read the whole thing to my family. Jennifer Nielsen has such a way with words. And the pictures in this one are fabulous!

I love the way the author used the idea of climbing Mt. Everest. What you'd need to do to prepare, how you'd start, and how you'd eventually get there. She took this idea and she related it to how we need to approach our goals.

This is such a great book. It's a quick read. And I guarantee you'll love the pictures that are used. Make sure to get your own copy!

I was sent a copy of Once Upon a Climb from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Faith Glover.
77 reviews
March 31, 2025
I wasn’t expecting much from this little book honestly, but wow! It proved me wrong! It’s a simple picture book for adults who want to feel motivated to shoot for their dreams. I have a lot, and more times than not, I tell myself that I can’t do it. That I’ll fail and disappoint myself, or everyone will make fun of me. How will you know if you don’t try? And even if it does happen, that doesn’t mean you quit. This book was a quick read and it made me feel this spark in me again. I highly recommend reading this book for a pick me up.
Profile Image for Bruce.
Author 31 books16 followers
December 18, 2023
This is a little book of BIG inspiration. The beauty lies both in the simplicity of the message and the authenticity of the author. I can say from firsthand experience that Jennifer Nielsen wrote you this message because she cares about your climb and helping you reach the summit. She has walked the same trail, climbed out of crevasses, and summited many peaks. Follow this advice and put in the work-- you'll get there (and so will I).
Profile Image for Christene.
Author 10 books43 followers
December 23, 2023
This was such an inspiring read!
Nielsen lays out the needs we have in accomplishing our big goals and making our dreams reality. We all need the dream, we need the proper gear, we need a team, and we need a route.
I love how Nielsen creates a workable path, outlining steps the reader can take to achieve their goals. I especially appreciated the section on failure and overcoming it.
This will become my go to for graduates, dreamers, and anyone with a mountain to climb!
Profile Image for Sharon the Librarian.
959 reviews
December 2, 2023
Powerful. Motivating. Inspiring. I need a copy for everyone I know. This book says so much in so little - it proves what I’ve always suspected, Jennifer Nielsen is a magician. A word magician. Even though this is a completely different style than her other amazing stories, she pulls it off beautifully.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
18 reviews
December 7, 2023
I've heard Jennifer speak in person, and her writing carries with it the same energy and passion: she believes what she writes! I love her fiction, but I truly enjoyed "Once Upon a Climb." I want to give it to every graduating senior I know! I felt so encouraged by her uplifting, positive tone. It was something like "Oh, the Places You'll Go!"...but for grown-ups!
Profile Image for Amey Zeigler.
Author 37 books177 followers
January 10, 2024
This book is a MUST READ for all creatives who are doing hard things. Are you circling the mountain or really climbing? Who is in your support group? Jennifer A. Neilson has an amazing way with words for encouraging authors and other creatives on their rocky way up the path. We have mountains to climb, but its worth the view.
Profile Image for Melanie.
1,184 reviews
April 19, 2024
Jennifer Nielsen is an inspiration. I’ve heard her present before and read several of her books and she coveys a powerful “You can do this” message. This book on following your dreams would be a great gift for someone embarking on new life adventures, or even for someone in a rut. It’s a quick, down-to-earth read in a “climb that mountain” sort of way.
Profile Image for Aaron N. Hall.
Author 9 books62 followers
February 8, 2025
What a lovely reprieve from the bloated self help books that stuff the marketplace.

This volume is concise and direct with a lot of beautiful photography. It's a parable, but it's easy to understand.

I'd highly recommend this to someone who is entering or leaving high school. It's got all the advice you need to pursue your goals, from humility to patience and tenacity.
Profile Image for Soquel.
Author 1 book30 followers
February 6, 2024
LOVE LOVE LOVE

Very giftable and lovely advice applicable to both youth and adults. Should be read and discussed by all creatives, dreamers, and others who need a pep talk to follow through on their goals.
Profile Image for Carter Fairweather.
4 reviews1 follower
March 6, 2024
I love this book! I think for someone who is struggling to reach them dreams I thinks this is a good book for them. This book talks about how to reach your dreams and push through the things blocking you from your dreams. I Recommend this book for people to read.
108 reviews2 followers
December 23, 2024
This is a short, but thought provoking little book. It caused me to stop and think about where I am on my journey, where I want to go, and if I'm even moving that way. She gives little steps and great little nuggets to help motivate or remotivate to move towards your dreams.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews

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