Cover Image: Brave, Not Perfect

Brave, Not Perfect

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Member Reviews

5 Stars ( I received an e-arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

I ended up getting the audiobook through my library and I highly recommend this format, since the author narrates her own book. I believe it’s under 6 hours so even if you listen on normal speed you can definitely finish this in a day. While talking about her life experiences and conducting research with other women, the aim is to figure out why as women we are determined to achieve perfection.
This is a powerhouse of a women who ran for office, created a start up company about coding when in fact she knew nothing about coding. As well as struggling through multiple miscarriages until she finally became mom. Through out the novel we get accounts from women on how aiming for perfection has affected their lives and showing how gender stereotypes really haven’t moved forward all that much. This book is here to encourage and empower women to step out of the box of perfection and be brave by taking risks.

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Many girls, teens, and women have lived their lives striving for perfection. While most people in today's society might not admit, or even internally acknowledge to themselves, it is expected that women should always present themselves as, and try to achieve, perfection. For males, however, society has created an environment that allows for falls and failure. This conscious, or unconscious, lack of equal allowances, training, treatment has lead to a world where many women are too anxious to do anything brave for fear of failure.
Reshma Saujani takes the reader through biases that they have unknowingly witnessed, endured and inflicted. She helps the reader realize the inequalities in their upbringing and environment that has led them to their feelings of guilt and inferiority. Using this, the author works to help the reader recognize the moments of self-sabotage and retrain their thought process. While, of course, not every woman has had the same experiences. This book is for the woman who is a people-pleaser to a fault, the woman who is stuck feeling unfulfilled because they are too frightened to take the leap, the woman that has taken that leap and fallen flat on their face. This book is for them.

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This book was fine. I had no problems with it per say, but I didn’t feel like it added anything to the conversation of women empowerment that isn’t already out there.

I did appreciate the strategies shown in the second half of the book, but again, I didn’t take away anything new from reading this.

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This was a wonderfully empowering book that everyone should read, especially women. It's the pretty standard "live your life/go for your dreams" book, but stands out with what's going on in the world today. Younger people especially need to be reminded of what they can do and be, and this book helps show how. It's going to upset people who want a feminist book without politics, but in this day and age I don't see how that's going to happen. I'll be recommending it to the people I know who would enjoy it.

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Brave, not perfect is a wonderful,, encouraging, inspiring book and I highly recommend it.
There are so many obstacles in life and it’s been hammered into women, from such a young age, to “be everything” all the time, that it was refreshing to read a book that allows us to take a break. To be honest with ourselves and the people around us.
I’ve always wanted to own and manage a business and I believe after reading this book, taking a chance, and making brave, smart decisions, that dream might come true. I told my business partner about this book and it encouraged her to deliver some unpleasant news, but she knew that taking that brave step and believing in herself, would help her feel better. This book has become the cornerstone of our company.
This book is well written and I love the background story on how Reshma arrived to this place in her life and what life events encouraged her to make big, scary decisions with unknown outcomes. Her story will inspire you to be brave and stand up for yourself, always.

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I didn't finish this book. I thought it would be really great but it had one too many political messages for my taste. I felt like it was more about third-wave feminism than I thought it would be. I was hoping for more of a classic feminist book.

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A great, very relatable self help book every woman should read! The absolute best thing about this book was it was very relatable and easy to read....for those of us who struggle with trying to be perfect, this is a must read!

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Review limited to Goodreads due to 1 star rating

I have to say this book really irked me.

The premise of this book is fantastic (in theory). The author's writing and layout...horrible. Like most Liberal female non-fiction writers, the author writes women as victims. The author omitted several facts regarding women leaders, entrepreneurs and even employees moving up the corporate ladder and/or starting their own business, which is supported by studies. The author also omitted the statistics of the rise of women as head of household or MBAs.

This author had an important book to write. She had a book to write that applauded the work we have done that also addressed work that needed to be done. As a STRONG Libertarian woman, I believe that we encourage others by a hand up. While I think this was the author's premise, she failed in delivery.

My general perception walking away from this book was it was a disappointing Ted Talk that I would have rolled my eyes at while I was walking out of it. Unfortunately for me, I signed up to review it, so I was in it for the long haul. Did I skim a majority of it? Yes, I did, but it was necessary because the book irked me to no end.

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Reshma Saujani wrote "Brave, Not Perfect" to help women and young girls be more courageous about pursuing their goals and dreams. Saujani believes that girls are taught from an early age to seek perfection and please other people. Boys are taught to fail early and often. They are praised for pursuing the process, while girls are only praised for the end result.
This different treatment causes girls to develop what Carol Dweck calls a "fixed mindset." They avoid goals where they can't naturally succeed or achieve a perfect outcome.

Saujani has first-hand experience in overcoming her own perfectionist mindset. She worked as an attorney who eventually landed a job on Wall Street. Although she was doing well, her job didn't make her happy. She wanted to pursue a career of public service in politics. Saujani decided to run for office. Although Saujani lost, she said the experience liberated her, helping her to become more courageous. Her time on the campaign trail inspired her to create a nonprofit called "Girls Who Code." Saujani had zero experience in coding, but she talked with experts and launched her company.

Saujani states that women believe they should know 100 percent of skills, before they pursue a goal. She can learn to be brave by not being afraid to follow their dreams, even if they are not perfect (or know everything). In the final part of her book, she provides tips to help women develop a more courageous mindset. I thank NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This book has something to offer women that struggle with trying to be perfect, saying no, and reaching for their goals. Unfortunately, I do think that many women fall into at least one of these categories. Many don't value themselves enough and are afraid of being judged harshly, embarrassed, or failing. Those are the women that this book attempts to reach.

I thought it was a decent book for someone that is looking for some support in moving forward out of this type of life cycle. Unfortunately, I did not find anything new in the book. Of course, my education is in mental health, so I may be more experienced in this area than some, but I also think that a lot of this just comes with time and life experience. Therefor, I also think it may be more useful to someone that is younger.

The last part of the book offers some helpful suggestions to people trying to break these habits, however some of it may be easier said than done and women should be aware that it will take not just bravery, but motivation and repetition of effort to effect the type of changes suggested.

I did have one issue with the book and that is that the author involves politics on several occasions. At times I could see how it applied to what she was trying to say, but other times she just added it in because it is an interest of hers. I feel that this might alienate women that have a different political view than she does. I would suggest that there are plenty of women with opposing political views that the author might be able to help who would be turned off by the political aspect.

In addition, I found the book to be a bit too repetitive for my taste and took longer to finish than it should have. I didn't think it was a bad book, but I didn't find it particularly interesting either. However, if the subject interests you, go ahead and give it a try. You may love it.

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Yes, yes, YES to this book. I've purchased copies for so many folks - Saujani is a necessary voice in our culture and I'm glad she graced us with it.

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In "Brave, Not Perfect," Reshma Saujani expands upon her excellent TED talk focused on ditching perfectionism in favor of living an authentic, meaningful life. She urges women to stop caring so much about what other people think and go after what they really want. I enjoyed the TED talk, but there's too little substance here to support a full book. Unlike in "Lean In," there's no quantitative research presented to support Saujani's ideas. Instead, she offers a series of anecdotes. The other serious problem with the book is that Saujani's worldview doesn't really seem to encompass aggressive women, lesbians, trans women or others who fall outside stereotypical ideas of what it means to be feminine. And although she's the daughter of immigrants and a woman of color, the book barely acknowledges the structural racism that makes implementing her advice far more difficult for black women in particular.

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BRAVE, NOT PERFECT by Reshma Saujani is subtitled "Fear Less, Fail More, and Live Bolder." Saujani, the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code stresses that "boys are taught to be brave, while girls are taught to be perfect" and that results in women who are afraid to fail. In this text, she shares events from her own life, like her 2010 unsuccessful run for Congress, to encourage others to take risks. Additional examples tend to be grounded in popular culture, such as one chapter which refers to Helen Mirren, Chelsea Manning and Taylor Swift. Saujani's advice is meant to be entertaining and memorable, with sections titled "In a World Full of Princesses, Dare to be a Hot Dog" or "Strategy: Start Before You’re Ready." However, she makes many serious points: "risky acts – like taking an unpopular stand – might be scary, but they often end up being the ones that are most appreciated and celebrated." You can read an excerpt here.

Link in live post for excerpt:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/561367/brave-not-perfect-by-reshma-saujani/9781524762339/

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As a GWC facilitator, I'm biased. This book was great! It's the kind of message girls need to read and there are actionable ideas that help to make it feel much more concrete.

Personally, I'd recommend watching the TedTalk first and then picking up this book.

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I loved this book. The message is perfect for younger girls and women of all ages. I found myself wanting to highlight passages on every page. It’s a quick easy read full of inspiration

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Brave, Not Perfect: Fear Less, Fail More, Live Bolder is a book every person needs in their life. Especially girls and women. The book discusses how you’ll never be able to do a thing without being courageous. It’s about taking chances, failing, and learning from those failures.

Reshma Saujani really did an impressive job in being an inspiration. Even myself, a guy, learned so much from a book that is marketed to empower women. I learn so much about the inequality of life even for our modern age. I felt the poignant reality of women being raised to be perfect and not brave. And most importantly, I saw that anything is possible if only we put our minds to it and find the right support.

Overall, Brave, Not Perfect is the perfect book to learn how to be brave. It is a timely and relevant collection of experiences and tips to conquer our fears.

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Honest, insightful and really, really relatable. I liked how Saujani included "exercises to build your bravery muscles" - little things we can do each day to start to break down our unrealistic perfectionist habits and start actually living.

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This is a lovely book with a powerful message. It's uplifting, interesting and I'm grateful that I was given the opportunity to read it.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Currency, and Reshma Saujani for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.

Like:
- A self help business book for woman without being overly technical or dry
- She launched Girls Who Code and ran for political office
- Gives a voice to all the things that so many women experience

Love:
- Incredibly relatable
- That bravery is a muscle: the more you use it, the stronger your bravery muscle will be
- The author’s voice/writing style: professional, authoritative, but relatable and kind
- The message that its okay to not be liked, because those just aren’t your people
- The quote “In a world full of princesses, dare to be a hot dog.”

Dislike: —

Wish that:
- There were a few more practical examples of how to be brave on a day to day basis
- The book was longer!

Overall, a very powerful, relatable book that every woman needs to read. Even if you think you’re brave, I think you will find many elements of value in here. A book I’m going to be referencing again and again.

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What a fantastic book! 4.5 stars.

Reshma Saujani's TED talk was recommended to me by several colleagues at work, so when I saw the book, I knew a little about its premise. I have two boys, and yet, I am a girl :) So it was quite interesting reading this book with both my mom filter on and as a woman myself. I've already recommended it to all the parents I know, because so much of this book is about highlighting behavior that exists in a way that feels indoctrinated. Things we don't do consciously maybe because we've done them this way such a long time. It's highlighting the invisible hidden in plain sight.

And like most truths, once you see it, you can't unsee it.

A few years ago, I picked "brave" as my word of the year so that I could become braver. And one of the biggest shifts that happened that year wasn't that I became brave but that I realized how brave I already was. The author talks about the positive cycle of how bravery begets bravery and that is very much the case. So does realizing how brave you are because it shifts the way you see yourself and now you're no longer "afraid" to be brave. It is imperative that we turn this cycle around for our girls. The subtle (and not so subtle) push towards perfection is one of the most damaging signals women receive (and then internalize.) I still see this people-pleasing, "looking perfect on the outside but falling apart on the inside" every single day. Not only does it curb our potential as women, it also keeps us disconnected from each other because it's not possible to have real connection/belonging without authenticity.

I've highlighted so much of this book and I will continue to recommend it to every parent (and woman) I know. We can only do better when we know better and this book is a solid step forward in that direction. And it also has tangible, specific next steps you can take to move into the practice of bravery.

Thank you Reshma Saujani for helping us all get less perfect and braver. (and thank you netgalley for the early preview of this awesome book!)

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