Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Girl, Stop Apologizing summary
A Shame-Free Plan For Embracing and Achieving Your Goals
22 mins
Brief summary
Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis is a motivational book that encourages women to embrace their ambitions, ignore societal expectations, and pursue their passions with confidence. Hollis shares her personal experiences and insights to help readers overcome fear and self-doubt and become their best selves.
Table of Contents
Girl, Stop Apologizing
Summary of 7 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 7
There are multiple reasons (and excuses) for why women end up neglecting their dreams.
Imagine what the world would be like if every woman pursued what she really wanted without worrying about getting judged or being plagued by self-doubts. Chances are, if just 5 percent of the women in the world were to fearlessly follow their desires, it would be an entirely different and altogether better world.
Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is, far too many women are neglecting what they want – and there’s a number of reasons why.
For starters, it’s human nature to crave attention and care about what other people think. If you’ve spent any time with children, you know that, as toddlers, they all begin to realize that certain behaviors result in adults paying attention to them. These attention-grabbing behaviors become habitual, and we carry them into adulthood in different ways.
Some children will realize that if they behave as though they’re feeling sick, adults will be kind and take care of them. This can easily turn into hypochondriacal behavior later in life. Likewise, many children realize that if they achieve certain things, they’ll get showered with praise. This can turn into an adult becoming a workaholic overachiever. So, whether we’re conscious of it or not, our actions are often predicated on how others will respond.
Compounding our already troublesome desire for attention and concern over what other people think is the fact that young girls are often raised to believe that their value is solely based on whether they’ll make a good wife or mom. As a result, women are developing behaviors that aren’t based on achieving personal goals, but on pleasing other people.
To put it another way: boys are being raised to pursue their dreams, while girls are raised to pursue what they believe is expected of them.
So, to break free of these deeply-rooted barriers that stop you from being true to yourself, you need to stop focusing on meeting someone else’s expectations. Recognize that it’s okay if one woman’s dream looks completely different than someone else’s, and stop making excuses for why you’re not going after what you really want in life.
As the author sees it, there are quite a few common excuses for why women are afraid to follow their heart’s desires. In the blinks ahead, we’ll tear down these excuses and replace them with empowering behaviors and skills that will get you on track to setting goals and fearlessly pursuing them.
Want to see all full key ideas from Girl, Stop Apologizing?
Key ideas in Girl, Stop Apologizing
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 Girl, Stop Apologizing about?
Girl, Stop Apologizing (2019) is a helpful and empowering guide for any woman who’s felt the need to apologize for pursuing their dreams and wanting more out of life. Author Rachel Hollis shares tips and advice that have helped her reach her personal goals – and that might help others realize their own dreams too.
Girl, Stop Apologizing Review
Girl, Stop Apologizing (2019) by Rachel Hollis is a motivational book that empowers women to embrace their ambitions and stop making excuses. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- Packed with practical advice, it provides actionable tips to help women overcome self-doubt and achieve their goals.
- Using personal anecdotes and relatable stories, the book inspires readers to break free from societal expectations and pursue their dreams unapologetically.
- Through its uplifting tone and empowering message, the book keeps readers engaged, making personal growth exciting and relatable.
Best quote from Girl, Stop Apologizing
You cannot control the circumstances of your life; you can only control your reaction to them.
—Rachel Hollis
Who should read Girl, Stop Apologizing?
- Women eager to be more productive
- Moms tired of being made to feel guilty for being ambitious
- Anyone interested in being more driven
Categories with Girl, Stop Apologizing
Book summaries like Girl, Stop Apologizing
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.
People also liked these summaries
4.8 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
35 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Girl, Stop Apologizing FAQs
What is the main message of Girl, Stop Apologizing?
The main message of Girl, Stop Apologizing is to empower women to embrace their ambitions and go after their goals unapologetically.
How long does it take to read Girl, Stop Apologizing?
The reading time for Girl, Stop Apologizing varies, but it typically takes several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Girl, Stop Apologizing a good book? Is it worth reading?
Girl, Stop Apologizing is a motivating and insightful read. It provides practical strategies and inspiration for women striving to achieve their goals.
Who is the author of Girl, Stop Apologizing?
The author of Girl, Stop Apologizing is Rachel Hollis.
What to read after Girl, Stop Apologizing?
If you're wondering what to read next after Girl, Stop Apologizing, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
- How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith
- Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office by Lois P. Frankel
- 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do by Amy Morin
- The First Minute by Chris Fenning
- I Know What to Do So Why Don't I Do It? by Nick Hall
- Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven
- Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss and Tahl Raz
- The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf
- #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso