<p>How long does it take to read Coming Alive?</p>

<p>The reading time for Coming Alive varies depending on the reader's speed. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.</p>

Productivity

Coming Alive Book Summary - Coming Alive Book explained in key points

Listen to the Intro

00:00

Coming Alive summary

Name: Coming Alive
Rating: 3.2 (54 reviews)
Author: Barry Michels and Phil Stutz

Barry Michels and Phil Stutz

4 Tools to Defeat Your Inner Enemy, Ignite Creative Expression & Unleash Your Soul's Potential

3.2 (54 ratings)

16 mins

Brief summary

Coming Alive by Barry Michels and Phil Stutz is a self-help book that guides readers to overcome their fears and create a more fulfilling life. It offers practical tools to address challenges, transform negative patterns, and awaken the potential for personal growth.

Topics

Focus Skills Effectiveness Routines & Habits Success

Table of Contents

Coming Alive
Summary of 5 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 5

What’s in it for me? Unlock more energy and defeat your inner demons to transform your life.

As children, we effortlessly ride waves of boundless energy. However, as we grow older, this once-endless source of vitality starts to dwindle and stagnate. Emotional barriers form, stifling our progress and robbing us of happiness. Fortunately, the energy we need to overcome these obstacles is still present. Authors Barry Michels and Phil Stutz call it our Life Force.

Don’t worry if you feel skeptical – that’s what they call Part X. Part X is a dynamic opponent with its own agenda. It is negative energy that prevents us from being and doing our best. It can even convince us that we have no control over our actions.

In this Blink to Coming Alive, you’ll learn how to reclaim your Life Force and defeat Part X through four powerful psychological tools that target the negative habits, attitudes, and behaviors hindering your personal growth. By integrating these methods into your daily routine, you will be able to break free from the cycle of self-sabotage and create a more fulfilling and positive life.

Fight Part X to increase your Life Force.

Sarah had struggled emotionally for some time. Though she hadn’t named them, she was mindful of two opposing forces and their impact on her well-being. But she was determined to stay in control today. With each step she took on her run, Sarah drew strength from within. As the cool breeze gently caressed her skin and birdsong filled the air around her, she felt a sense of calm and inner peace. Rather than letting thoughts about her daily challenges bring her down, she confidently tackled them head-on.

Part X, the dangerous and disruptive power, greeted Sarah when she returned home. Tempted to slump onto her sofa and dive into social media, Sarah recognized the slippery slope of distraction. She turned off her phone, resisting its pull, and picked up a book instead.

So, what’s the problem with giving in to our cravings? Nothing in and of itself. Except that Part X isn’t just passing through. It is a constant force that preys on complacency and thirsts for unhappiness. Sarah chose to exercise. While resting, she decided to read something nourishing.

Sarah recognizes Part X's influence and prefers to feed the Life Force, embracing hope and possibility. She realizes that to grow and thrive in life, she must consistently work to improve her physical and mental health. So how can you do the same?

First, you need to figure out what your Part X is. Is it a feeling of loneliness? Or the fear of trying new things? Maybe you’re scared of starting a relationship. Part X is a formidable foe. It will always push its worldview and go to any length to get you to give up. It excels at deception. And there’s more bad news: permanently defeating Part X is impossible. Every goal has an obstacle, so this is a lifelong battle.

But the good news is, once you’ve identified Part X by name, you can fight it. And you can break its hold through the specific tools laid out in this Blink.

If you want to increase your Life Force, you must develop a level of energy you never imagined possible. And your strength will come from the choices you make. This starts with self-control, which we’ll discuss next.

Use the Black Sun technique to control your impulses.

After a long day at work, Chris arrives home feeling stressed and restless. All he can think of is going to the local bar. But Chris has been trying to cut back on his boozing as it’s been affecting his health and relationships. He uses the Black Sun tool to help him resist the urge to drink.

First, Chris sits on his couch, closes his eyes, and takes deep breaths. Next, he focuses on the feeling of denial. He feels the urge to quit this feeling, but he resists and stays still. Finally, seeing nothing, he accepts this emptiness.

Tap into unlimited energy with the Vortex tool.

Now that you have a better grip on self-control, it’s time to focus on rediscovering your energy levels. Have you ever woken up feeling like you can’t catch a break? Despite a whole night’s sleep, you feel like an old, dusty car with a dying battery. Why is that? Put simply, inertia.

Inertia is an object’s resistance to changing its state of motion. In other words, it’s easier for us to keep doing what we’re doing. Inertia can hinder personal and professional progress. If we stop entirely and hide from the world, our problems get worse. So to overcome inertia, we need energy. You might feel like you can’t work any harder, which may be true regarding physical energy. However, there is also spiritual energy, which is infinite.

Use the Mother tool to overcome demoralization.

It’s the worst day of Steven’s life. One month ago, his girlfriend broke up with him, and now he’s just lost his job. Sitting on the curb, he feels hopelessness creeping in. Steve is usually upbeat and optimistic, but now he can’t see a way out of this dark place. At 36 years old, he’s never felt so empty.

So how can Steve improve his situation? First, he needs to accept a brutal truth.

Transform pain into strength with the Tower method.

Are you feeling paralyzed by painful memories? Imagine if there were a way to transform that pain into strength and face life's challenges with renewed vigor. That is where the Tower method comes in.

Think about a time when someone really hurt your feelings. Let the pain surface and intensify. Now imagine the pain breaking your heart and killing you. You are frozen. But this is not the end of the story.

Want to see all full key ideas from Coming Alive?

Key ideas in Coming Alive

More knowledge in less time

Read or listen

Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.

Find your next read

Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.

Shortcasts ^New

We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

What is Coming Alive about?

Coming Alive (2017) offers readers a practical approach to overcoming their inner demons and realizing their full potential. Using four psychological tools, this groundbreaking self-help book provides a roadmap to happiness, fulfillment, and a life free of negative thoughts and influences.

Coming Alive Review

Coming Alive (2016) by Barry Michels and Phil Stutz is a book that explores the transformative power of connecting with our unconscious minds. Here's why this book is worth reading:

It offers a practical toolkit of exercises and techniques that allow readers to tap into their inner resources and overcome self-limiting beliefs.
Combining psychological insights with real-life stories, the book provides a relatable and engaging journey towards personal growth and self-discovery.
With its fresh perspective on unlocking creativity and finding purpose, Coming Alive presents a captivating approach to leading a more fulfilling life.

Who should read Coming Alive?

Negative self-talkers
Demoralized adults seeking personal growth
Impulsive, overwhelmed, burned-out professionals

About the Author

Phil Stutz and Barry Michels are psychotherapists who work with high-profile Hollywood clients and share their techniques with the public through books and public events. They also cowrote the New York Times best-selling book The Tools.

Categories with Coming Alive

Productivity Motivation & Inspiration Personal Development Psychology

Book summaries like Coming Alive

The Tools

Phil Stutz & Barry Michels

5 Tools to Help You Find Courage, Creativity, and Willpower--and Inspire You to Live Life in Forward Motion

How to Thrive, Survive, and Feel Alive

What Only Adversity Can Teach You

How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior

How Our Unconscious Minds Elect Presidents, Control Markets, Wage Wars, and Save Our Lives

A New Technique for Using Your Subconscious Power

19 min

4.4

The Paradox of Choice

The Little Book of Stoicism

Jonas Salzgeber

Timeless Wisdom to Gain Resilience, Confidence, and Calmness

An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life

20 min

4.5

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do

Amy Morin

Take Back Your Power, Embrace Change, Face Your Fears and Train Your Brain for Happiness and Success

40 min

4.6

7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness

Jim Rohn

Power Ideas from America's Foremost Business Philosopher

An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson

15 min

4.4

Do Breathe

Michael Townsend Williams

Calm Your Mind. Find Focus. Get Stuff Done.

23 min

4.5

Super Thinking

Gabriel Weinberg with Lauren McCann

The Big Book of Mental Models

The Idea Is the Easy Part

Brian Dovey

Myths and Realities of the Startup World

The Only Difference Between Success and Failure

14 min

3.9

Why Motivating People Doesn't Work ... and What Does

Susan Fowler

More Breakthroughs for Leading, Energizing, and Engaging

14 min

4.0

Nudge

Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein

Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness

The Science of Achieving Greater Things

The secrets of 40 millionaires' wealth, revealed

The Science of Succeeding with People

How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down

21 min

4.5

Getting Past Your Past

Francine Shapiro

Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy

The classic text that proves the power of positive thinking

End Self-Sabotage and Demand Your Life Back

A Radical New Way to Make a Difference

Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life

31 min

4.6

21 Days to a Big Idea

Bryan Mattimore

Creating Breakthrough Business Concepts

15 min

4.2

How to be F*cking Awesome

Dan Meredith

Sticking a finger up to the law of attraction and a thumb up to action

The Bulletproof Plan to Age Backward and Maybe Even Live Forever

Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success

19 min

4.2

Million Dollar Weekend

Noah Kagan

The Surprisingly Simple Way to Launch a 7-Figure Business in 48 Hours

The Winning Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life

21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time

13 min

4.4

The Success Principles

Jack Canfield

How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

19 min

4.4

Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve

Stanley Rosenberg

Self-Help Exercises for Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Autism

How to Release Your Trapped Emotions for Abundant Health, Love, and Happiness

The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

23 min

4.6

All-in On AI

Tom Davenport & Nitin Mittal

How Smart Companies Win Big with Artificial Intelligence

5 min

3.2

The Person You Mean to Be

Dolly Chugh

How Good People Fight Bias

Exploring Christianity's Deepest Questions

Cleaning Your Way to a Calm and Happy Home

15 min

3.7

Good Habits, Bad Habits

Wendy Wood

The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick

A Brief History of Humankind

Work Less, Worry Less, Succeed More, Enjoy More

How We Change Our Minds

5 min

3.2

Happy Sexy Millionaire

Steven Bartlett

Unexpected Truths about Fulfillment, Love, and Success

17 min

4.4

Zero to One

Peter Thiel with Blake Masters

Notes on Startups, or How to Build The Future

26 min

4.6

People ❤️ Blinkist

Sven O.

It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

Thi Viet Quynh N.

Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

Jonathan A.

Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

Renee D.

Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.