I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was by Barbara Sher with Barbara Smith Summary
Overview of I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was
Feeling stuck in career limbo? Barbara Sher's revolutionary guide helps uncover your true desires through innovative exercises beloved by life coaches worldwide. Discover why "scanners" with multiple passions aren't flawed - they're gifted. Small, non-alarming steps lead to extraordinary fulfillment.
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Key takeaways
Discovering Your Hidden Desires: The Key to Authentic Direction
What if the reason you feel stuck isn't because you lack direction, but because something is actively blocking you from seeing what you truly want? This radical premise forms the foundation of Barbara Sher's transformative work. The confusion you feel about your life path isn't due to indecision - it's because powerful forces are preventing you from recognizing your authentic desires. "The good life," as Sher quotes, "is when you get up in the morning and can't wait to start all over again." If this doesn't describe your daily experience, something is interfering with your natural enthusiasm. We absorb expectations about what we're "supposed to be doing" from family, teachers, and society, creating an invisible script running in the background of our decisions. Some messages are obvious - "Be successful," "Get married," "Make money" - while others operate stealthily, affecting us without conscious awareness. Even when we rebel against these expectations, we're still being defined by them. The first step toward freedom is asking: "Who says?" When we examine where these expectations originated, we begin to see how arbitrary many of them are. Try creating a visual representation of the "perfect person" your family wanted you to be. This typically reveals an impossible ideal - like one client's collage showing a designer-dressed professional with a nun's face against an African village backdrop. The realization that what others wanted for you simply can't be done liberates you to pursue what YOU want instead.
Action and Clarity: Moving Forward When the Path Is Unclear
Exposing Blocks and Discovering True Desires
The Security Trap and Self-Sabotage
Navigating Multiple Passions: Understanding Your Pattern
Breaking Free from Golden Handcuffs
Embracing Your Authentic Self: The Path Forward
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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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