Fearless At Work by Michael Carroll - Book review

Fearless at Work

Timeless Teachings for Awakening Confidence, Resilience, and Creativity in the Face of Life's Demands

By: Michael Carroll

Published: November 13, 2012
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1590309146
ISBN-13: 978-1590309148
Publisher: Shambhala







"But somehow, for so many of us, such workplace confidence seems elusive, and instead of feeling resourceful and resilient, we too often find ourselves hoping for success, chasing happiness, craving rewards, and fearing the worst", writes human resources professional and founding director of AAW, Michael Michael Carroll, in his inspirational and deeply personal book Fearless at Work: Timeless Teachings for Awakening Confidence, Resilience, and Creativity in the Face of Life's Demands. The author describes how employees all too often feel overwhelmed by the obstacles, problems, and challenges they face in the workplace, and offers an alternative approach to meeting those challenges by becoming fearless at work.

Michael Carroll understands that people often feel fear in the workplace, as they meet challenges of all kinds, face unexpected change, and an uncertain future. At such times, when an individual wants to be at their most resilient and most creative, they find themselves immobilized by fear and a sense of being lost due to the uncertain footing. The author acknowledges that he has experienced the same fears and sense of helplessness himself. To regain control of his own life and future, Michael Carroll rediscovered his own natural fearlessness. To regain mindfulness, and to live fearlessly as a human being, the author called upon the principles of Buddhist philosophy, and incorporated its teachings into his own life and thoughts.

Michael Carroll (photo left) recognizes the personal calmness established through adopting the practices of mindfulness. Through a deeper and richer understanding and awareness of the events large and small in our daily lives, people can become more resilient and creative in how they meet those life challenges. Far from recommending the complete expulsion of fear, or becoming aggressive or stoic in the face of those fears, Michael Carroll presents the concept of fearlessness as a confidence to sit and be still, and meeting the challenge.

Michael Carroll shares the five primary slogans for achieving fearlessness at work through the timeless teaching of the Buddhist tradition. The five slogans that form the core of fearlessness are as follows:

* Face the fierce facts of life
* No delight; no courage
* Recognize fear
* Discover the jewel of fearless abundance
* Command gracefully

For me, the power of the book is how Michael Carroll combines the timeless teachings of Buddhism, with the practical techniques and exercises to develop your own fearlessness. The author presents five primary slogans to develop fearlessness, and a total of thirty-eight slogans in all. Michael Carroll explains each set of slogans and principles through the medium of story and personal experience. The author takes a very personal and hands on approach to the wisdom shares in the book. The author encourages the reader to read, contemplate, and practice the principles to develop each person's inherent personal fearlessness.

The very observation that being fearless is a natural human condition is empowering for the individual who experience a temporary failure of confidence. The teachings help guide the individual on the journey from fear to recognizing and embracing personal courage and fearlessness. Instead of fear and doubt ruling the workplace, the author describes practices that can transform the entire culture of the work environment to one of fearlessness. This fundamental change in company culture establishes the conditions of personal growth, creativity, and the confidence to overcome any obstacle/.

I highly recommend the engaging and empowering book Fearless at Work: Timeless Teachings for Awakening Confidence, Resilience, and Creativity in the Face of Life's Demands by Michael Carroll, to anyone seeking a personal loss of grounding and courage at work or in their personal lives. This book offers the wisdom to recapture your inherent human fearlessness, and provide the guidance to live a life of mindfulness and confidence.