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A review by labyrinth_witch
You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth by Jen Sincero
1.0
This book was marketed as a "practical guide" to get rich, tackle challenges, and help accumulate wealth. However, there was nothing "guiding" or "practical" about this book. In fact, I didn't learn a single thing about finances from this book. Nothing about how mutual funds work, trusts, compounded interest, insurance, stock exchange...nothing. What it turned out to be was a huge advertisement for her life or "success" coaching services. Every other chapter included in her many bullet-point lists "And HIRE A PERSONAL COACH." If her coaching services are anything like this book, you're basically hiring a personal cheerleader (which is something only rich white Americans are going to waste money on). In addition, I should go into debt to prove that I'm "not kidding around" about being successful. A sentiment she repeated countless times.
Furthermore, this book has absolutely no substance or depth. It's as if she googled "Top 10 Principles of Positive Psychology" and then connected them to trivial memories of hers and slopped it into a book. She obviously has no understanding of the last decade of research on emotional intelligence as she devotes an entire chapter to resentment with the motif of "Just Forgive and let it go." A sentiment that is so far behind the more evolved understanding of emotions as useful tools. Such as "If you're feeling resentful, it probably means you've assumed responsibility that isn't yours and you should check your boundaries." She also basically uses the tenements of "sympathetic magic" without any understanding of that universal principle and the repercussions.
Her language was underdeveloped. In several places she would cite various thought leaders, as if to appeal to the "intellectuals." Then she would turn around and use "Whatev" or "obv" as if to appeal to an imaginary youth audience (At least I'm hoping youth do not use this kind of language). Her advice was hallow- at one point, she actually said "I don't support writing a business plan because they can be too overwhelming BUT I do support writing out your expenses, revenue, market research, audience, promotional plan...." etc. I don't think she is aware that THAT IS A BUSINESS PLAN!
At the end of the book, her message basically boils down to "If you feel that you are already working yourself to death and daily facing challenges, then the reason you're not wealthy is because you didn't want it badly enough." This blatantly ignores systematic oppressions, how the accumulation of and access to wealth has a long history of sexism and racism, how education on the accumulation of wealth is restricted, and how opportunity is a privilege. For example, she completely glosses over the fact that she had the opportunity to travel to Europe several times (spending most of her time drinking, btw), how she apparently had the support and/or resources to move across the country several times, or how she had the access to "LA parties" where she just happened to meet the right people who offered to publish her drivel. She completely ignores the fact that she could be even more wealthy if she had decided to be serious and appreciative about the opportunities in her life much sooner than the age of 40.
Overall, this book was a colossal waste of my time and getting to the end excruciatingly painful. I do not recommend this book to anyone- not for self-help, and absolutely and under no circumstance for financial advice.
Furthermore, this book has absolutely no substance or depth. It's as if she googled "Top 10 Principles of Positive Psychology" and then connected them to trivial memories of hers and slopped it into a book. She obviously has no understanding of the last decade of research on emotional intelligence as she devotes an entire chapter to resentment with the motif of "Just Forgive and let it go." A sentiment that is so far behind the more evolved understanding of emotions as useful tools. Such as "If you're feeling resentful, it probably means you've assumed responsibility that isn't yours and you should check your boundaries." She also basically uses the tenements of "sympathetic magic" without any understanding of that universal principle and the repercussions.
Her language was underdeveloped. In several places she would cite various thought leaders, as if to appeal to the "intellectuals." Then she would turn around and use "Whatev" or "obv" as if to appeal to an imaginary youth audience (At least I'm hoping youth do not use this kind of language). Her advice was hallow- at one point, she actually said "I don't support writing a business plan because they can be too overwhelming BUT I do support writing out your expenses, revenue, market research, audience, promotional plan...." etc. I don't think she is aware that THAT IS A BUSINESS PLAN!
At the end of the book, her message basically boils down to "If you feel that you are already working yourself to death and daily facing challenges, then the reason you're not wealthy is because you didn't want it badly enough." This blatantly ignores systematic oppressions, how the accumulation of and access to wealth has a long history of sexism and racism, how education on the accumulation of wealth is restricted, and how opportunity is a privilege. For example, she completely glosses over the fact that she had the opportunity to travel to Europe several times (spending most of her time drinking, btw), how she apparently had the support and/or resources to move across the country several times, or how she had the access to "LA parties" where she just happened to meet the right people who offered to publish her drivel. She completely ignores the fact that she could be even more wealthy if she had decided to be serious and appreciative about the opportunities in her life much sooner than the age of 40.
Overall, this book was a colossal waste of my time and getting to the end excruciatingly painful. I do not recommend this book to anyone- not for self-help, and absolutely and under no circumstance for financial advice.