What is the main message of The Big Leap?

The main message of The Big Leap is that we can overcome our personal barriers and achieve our full potential.

How long does it take to read The Big Leap?

The reading time for The Big Leap varies depending on the reader's speed. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

Who is the author of The Big Leap?

The author of The Big Leap is Gay Hendricks.

Career & Success

The Big Leap Book Summary - The Big Leap Book explained in key points

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The Big Leap summary

Name: The Big Leap
Rating: 4.2 (175 reviews)
Author: Gay Hendricks

Gay Hendricks

Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level

4.2 (175 ratings)

15 mins

Brief summary

"The Big Leap" by Gay Hendricks is a self-help book that explores how we limit ourselves and provides strategies to overcome our fears and achieve our full potential.

Topics

Success Inspiration

Table of Contents

The Big Leap
Summary of 7 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 7

What’s in it for me? Stop being your own worst enemy and start enjoying what life has to offer.

If you’ve ever watched a cliff diver plummet past a wall of jagged rock, pierce the surface of the sea and come up smiling, then you have a basic idea of what it’s like – quite literally – to take the big leap. You probably saw them and thought, no way I’ll ever do that! Yet people are taking similar leaps every day and making the most out of life, while those who give into fear remain stuck complaining about being in the same rut, day after day.

It’s time to take control of your life and be done with the excuses once and for all. And the great thing is, it doesn’t involve any death-defying plunges from a hundred-foot cliff. All it takes is some confidence and a willingness to put an end to bad habits.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

how some deep breaths can set you on the right path;
why worrying is a sign of self-sabotage; and
how you might need to put your workplace on a complaining diet.

People often resist happiness, but controlled breathing can help us overcome this fear.

No one said life would be easy, and sometimes it can really feel like an endless swamp of problems, but ask yourself this: Are you really prepared for a life of happiness? Can you even imagine an entire day without having something to complain about?

Everyone has their own inner resistance to happiness, an oddly human trait that deserves some close scrutiny.

Despite spending a lot of time and energy striving for happiness, human beings aren’t especially comfortable or skilled at feeling good or being at peace. School teaches us a lot of things, but there are no high school classes on how to deal with success and happiness.

If you were to take the time to look within and uncover why you resist happiness, the answer would likely be related to fear – a fear of achieving your full potential. Because here’s the thing: when you become the best you can be, that means there’s no more excuse for why you aren’t making your dreams come true.

This is a fear that must be conquered if you truly want success and happiness. Taking the big leap into a life of happiness requires a great deal of confidence.

So let’s explore the ways you can learn to overcome this fear and start taking the right kinds of risks.

The first technique for breaking the fear barrier is breathing.

Back in the mid-1900s, psychiatrist Fritz Perls developed Gestalt therapy, which recognized that fear is, essentially, a sort of breathless excitement. With some focused breathing, you can transform that fear into a positive and powerful excitement that can be used to make great things happen.

Let’s say you’re about to take the stage for a performance or to give a speech. The common reaction to a scary situation like this is for our breath to become constricted, which only makes the fear stronger. But if you take a moment to breathe deeply, you can take control and transform the fear into the powerful energy that lets you take the stage and captivate your audience.

Many believe they only deserve limited happiness, and they’ll sabotage themselves when times are “too” good.

You probably have some dreams that you keep to yourself because you think they’re impractical or out of reach.

This common feeling is called an upper-limit mindset, and it’s the next hurdle to overcome.

Improve your life by letting go of useless worries.

These days we have more than our fair share of distractions, which is why it’s perhaps more important than ever to pay attention to where we’re going. And this is about more than keeping our eyes on the road when we’re driving. As we move along the road of life, we need to be aware of how often we’re getting in our own way.

A great way to recognize when an upper-limit mindset is trying to sabotage your progress is to catch yourself when you start worrying – and then to question the source of the worry.

Success lies in the Zone of Genius, so find out what you love to do.

When was the last time that you got so immersed in something and were so “in the zone” that you lost track of time? However long ago it was, you’d probably like to spend more time enjoying that state of flow.

For this to happen, and for your big leap to really take off, you need to commit yourself to working in your Zone of Genius, otherwise known as the job you’re perfectly suited for.

Use a success mantra and the Enlightened No to stay on the right track.

No one enjoys the feeling of confinement. It’s much better to break free and start ascending a never-ending ladder of success.

When you find your Zone of Genius, this is closer to what life is like. And to keep you moving onward and upward, it helps to have a mantra for success.

To master time, stop complaining and don’t let problems grow.

Back at the start of the twentieth century, Albert Einstein made history with his theory of relativity, which explained how time and space relate to one another. Well, you don’t need to know all the details of Einstein’s laws in order to put them to use and become a master of time.

That’s right, rather than being at the mercy of time, you can take control of it. And it all starts with taking responsibility and acknowledging that you are in charge.

Success is often accompanied by relationship problems, especially when couples avoid responsibilities.

When you find yourself in a loving relationship, you may think to yourself, “This is too good to be true!” But some people will act as though it really is too good to be true and start doubting the value of their relationship and mess it up.

Whether you’re successful in other areas of your life or not, relationship challenges are common. Statistics show that financial success can put a major strain on love.

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What is The Big Leap about?

The Big Leap (2009) is a treasure trove of valuable insights on how to overcome the fears and tendencies that stand in the way of lasting success. Hendricks shows us the many ways we can self-sabotage our own dreams and offers practical ways of avoiding these all-too-common pitfalls.

The Big Leap Review

The Big Leap (2009) presents a powerful framework for overcoming our inner barriers and reaching our full potential. Here's why this book is worth reading:

It offers practical tools to help readers identify and overcome their self-limiting beliefs, allowing them to step into a bigger and more fulfilling life.
The book explores the concept of the "upper limit problem," providing insights into how we sabotage ourselves and offering strategies to break through these barriers.
With compelling stories and relatable examples, it keeps readers engaged, making personal growth an exciting journey rather than a dull chore.

Best quote from The Big Leap

If you say yes to the big leap, you have done the hardest part.

—Gay Hendricks

Who should read The Big Leap?

Husbands and wives struggling to balance their lives
Students of psychology and behavioral science
Ambitious people from all walks of life

About the Author

Gay Hendricks is a psychologist who has long specialized in couple’s therapy and promoting the use of conscious breathing as a tool to save relationships. He’s also the best-selling author of many self-help books, including Five Wishes and Conscious Living.

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Career & Success Motivation & Inspiration

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