Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
I always fall into a self-help book kick at the beginning of every year. So when I read this book’s summary on NetGalley, I knew I had to request it. In Shatterproof: How to Thrive in a World of Constant Chaos (And Why Resilience Alone Isn’t Enough), Tasha Eurich explores how we can transform stress into progress. Eurich argues that relying on our capacity to survive leaves us burnt out and stagnant. If we want to thrive, we have to actively learn from our setbacks and stress. She directly tackles the myth that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” refuting it with evidence that this mentality often makes us weaker and more susceptible to stress later down the road.
In 2016, Angela Duckworth published Grit: The Power of Passion of Perseverance. This was when I was still in high school, and it definitely made an impact; I still remember watching her TedTalk and reading sections of her book in high school and college classes. And since then, I think the cracks have started to show on the weakness of just relying on perseverance. This book was such a refreshing take on this idea that I think is changing the narrative around resilience.
So, how do we do this? A “shatterproof mindset” involves harnessing our setbacks and stress. This involves noticing difficult emotions and mapping these patterns, learning from the past, and proactively preparing for the future. The author highlights the three Cs we need to flourish: confidence, choice, and connection. To thrive, we need to meet all these needs, and Eurich offers thoughtful practices for cultivating these elements in our life.
My only real issue with this book was that the anecdotes that Eurich shared often felt fake and vague. I understand that that might have been to protect identities, but these too-good-to-be-true anecdotes distracted me from the message she was trying to share.
Overall, this was a solid read. I really appreciated the author’s bold stance and combatting the narrative of “fake it till you make it,” as well as providing concrete steps for achieving this shatterproof mindset. If you have read lots of self-help books in the past, none of her tips and advice will be that surprising, but she synthesized everything very well in a way that was easy and enjoyable to read.
Shatterproof is scheduled to publish on April 1, 2025.
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