***BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS 2022 SHORTLISTED TITLE******THE PEOPLE’ BOOK PRIZE 2022/23 SHORTLISTED TITLE***

Struggling? You’re in the right place.

In a world that’s obsessed with fast hacks, quick wins, and Instagram-perfection (cue “Everything is Awesome”) struggle has become a taboo. A sign that something’s gone horribly wrong. But what if we’ve got it all wrong about getting it wrong?

What if struggle isn’t a battle to fight, a trap to avoid, or a sign of weakness? What if struggle is precisely where the magic happens – where we do our best, most important work?

Whether you’re wading in treacle, waiting for the storm to pass or just damn tired of the hustle, this thought-provoking exploration will shine a surprising new light on the truth, beauty and opportunity hidden in life’s shittier moments.

Author of the award-winning ‘How to be Really Productive’, Grace Marshall is known for her “refreshingly human” approach to productivity. Featured in The Guardian, Forbes, Huffpost and BBC Radio, her work as a Productivity Ninja has taken her from Norway to New York, helping thousands of people – from startup founders to corporate managers, artists to engineers, students and CEOs – to replace stress, overwhelm and frustration with success, sanity and satisfaction.

This is a powerful book written in a brilliantly accessible way. It felt like a conversation with the author, who was honest about her mistakes and struggles and learning from them. I read something recently about “mining for the gold” in tough situations, and this entire book has helped me think about how to do that and be more at peace with the fact that I struggle at times (even when I don’t understand why I’m struggling!)

Amazon

Uplifting and inspiring! Written in short bite size chunks which makes this a really easy read. You’ll find yourself underlining, circling & highlighting nuggets as you read & probably want to reread it.
Grace’s vulnerability shines through which makes this really accessible and real!

Amazon

I have a hard work story; for most of my life I have felt that if something was easy, I’d be looking for the catch. I’d over complicate and my brain would shift into multi-layer thinking … when actually the simplest option was often the most effective. This is why I was drawn to the title of Struggle. I love how the author embraces the process of struggle and it’s made me see that my over-complication tendencies are actually helpful. I don’t have to get frustrated because it’s important part of my creative process. Without this, I’d be unsatisfied that I’ve come up with the best outcome.

I love how the book has been written in short, easy to read chapters and this will be one that I will come back to time and time again, just to open up on a page and read for a moment or two. Inspiration dripping from every chapter, and the references to personal stories just makes it so relatable.

Amazon

Great bite sized book to dip in and out of when in need of some help with struggle.

Amazon

I was lucky enough to get a early read of ‘Struggle’ and absolutely love it. Written with wisdom and humour Grace Marshall provides perspective on the value of life’s toughest lessons. A book to return to again and again.

Amazon

So much great stuff in this book, I read this at a time when I’d taken on a new role in the place where I work, and when I started, things didn’t work out how I wanted, I struggled to make it work. But through that struggle I learned how to move forward and make it happen. The struggle wasn’t a nice place to be particularly, but it was a catalyst for getting it right and, as she says in the book ‘Just because you’re struggling doesn’t mean you’re failing.’ Grace has written some incredibly wise words here, you could literally turn to any page and find something that would inspire you and help change the way you deal with struggle and how you approach it and use it to your advantage.

Amazon

The full content of the book is still evolving, so below are some initial chapter examples within a three part structure.

Part 1: Smarter

What if we stopped seeing struggle as a battle to fight or a problem to fix? We see opportunity, not obstacle. Stop squeezing and our world expands.

Oh shit.

What is this shit?

Wrong turn, right where the magic is

The guy who gets all the complaints

That thing that’s irritating you

Fight, Flight, or…

Unlocking chaos

Things we miss when we rage

The meaning we make

Pay attention

Find the treasure

Beyond binaries

Life, interrupted

Small victories

Someone else’s shit

What about the dog?

Objects in the mirror

Part 2: Braver

What if we stopped seeing struggle as a wrong turn or a trap to avoid? We know we’re right where the magic is created. We trust the process. We discover what’s beyond the boundaries.

The end of the world as we know it

Into the unknown

Feeling lost

Divergent thinking

Dead ends, new beginnings

Success is not a straight line (heck it’s not even one line)

The messy middle

Hot water

Doldrums

The morning after

Seasons and cycles

A beautiful life

The cave you fear

The truth about courage

Part 3: Stronger

What if we stopped seeing struggle as a sign of weakness or failure? We stretch. We grow. We become stronger.

We can do hard things

Stretch and grow

The butterfly’s cocoon

Resilience, not immunity

I get knocked down

Struggle reveals

Unintended superpowers

The beauty of not quite fitting in

Growth and maturity

Who we become

New rules outside the comfort zone

Lamentations and joy

Comrades and co-conspirators

Alternatives to being the fixer

Sorry, not sorry

Joy of not being able to do it all

What makes you strong doesn’t make me weak

The world of the generous

FORMAT / ISBN / PUBLICATION DATE / RRP

Audiobook / 9781788603263 / May 31, 2022 / £9.99

Paperback / 9781788601979 / April 13, 2021 / £9.99

Ebook / 9781788601962 / April 12, 2021 / £4.99

Paperback and eBook Bundle / £11.24

Grace Marshall

Author of the award-winning How to be Really Productive, Grace Marshall is known for her ‘refreshingly human’ approach to productivity. Featured in The Guardian, Forbes and Huffpost, her work as a Productivity Ninja has helped thousands of people to replace stress, overwhelm and frustration with success, sanity and satisfaction.