Live Free: Exceed Your Highest Expectations

Franklin (The Wait), a spiritual coach and film producer, delivers an insightful motivational guide to living a happier, more fulfilling life by evaluating and understanding one’s expectations. He opens by addressing personal assumptions to show readers how damaging unrealistic and unfitting demands of oneself can be and how to redirect one’s focus for greater success: “You should choose only those expectations that bring you joy. Release any expectations that cause you pain or discomfort.” He then delves into evaluating courage, faith, and disappointment within the context of cultural expectations, arguing one has the ability to change the world through living out one’s values and sharing hope with others. Turning to relationships, Franklin suggests the healthiest of them are approached through self-awareness and communication rather than social, romantic, or familial expectations. Finally, goal setting, commitment to process instead of results, and communication are recommended to foster career satisfaction and positive productivity in the workplace. Franklin’s certainty in his methods is effusive and convincing: “Once you do the work of setting your expectations properly, you set the stage for the life you always believed you could have.” Any self-help reader feeling overwhelmed will welcome these practical strategies. (May)