Book Review: On Becoming Fearless

On Becoming Fearless by Arianna Huffington

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Having recently waxed enthusiastic about Sheryl Sandberg's book, Lean In, it seems only right that I should give a bit of a shout out to Arianna Huffington, who struck a very similar cord with this one in 2006.  While Sandberg's theme is a bit broader, speaking to a variety of internal and external factors that hold women back, On Becoming Fearless is focused on one of the biggest contributors: fear.  We women don't put ourselves forward (don't "lean in") as often as we might because of our fears.  Huffington, who demonstrates a remarkable degree of courage in her public life, provided us with advice on overcoming fear long before Sandberg put pen to paper.  (Er, went to her keyboard.)

Huffington's contribution is solid. By sharing personal examples she reminds us that we are all created equal.  While some people are more naturally fearless than others, Huffington herself has struggled with this enough to be a credible messenger on the value of putting in the effort to overcome.  She breaks down the various ways fear is expressed at work, home, with money, with facing illness, etc. and provides tried and true methods for tackling each.  I especially like it that she paints a picture of what a strong woman can accomplish when she lives fearlessly. Most of us will never find ourselves on the Sunday morning talk shows, but we can certainly increase our personal contribution in the world by choosing to move out of our self-imposed comfort zone.

So why do these two super-accomplished women care whether any of the rest of us lean in to our lives and accept the role of leadership?  Because it is lonely at the top! Huffington is especially keen to see increasing numbers of women becoming outspoken: when we all get a little more used to hearing assertive women speaking their minds, those who are doing so will stand out less.   And, she concludes, "The world needs the leadership of women now more than ever. We may lose friends in the process, but we can no longer afford to remain silent."

Amen, sister.  Thanks for caring enough to speak up!



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