Unlimited was an extremely digestible guide to how to get more out of life. The whole book was very personable, with lots of anecdotes and honest commentary. Of course many people who pick up the book know Jillian Michaels from her work on television (Losing It, which admittedly I’ve never seen), and while she does share some stories from the show, this is definitely not a book about weight loss. What this is is a step-by-step plan to get your life on track and keep it that way. So she breaks things down into three big parts, Imagine, Believe and Achieve. Imagine is where you sit down and figure out what you want to do, figuring out what’s important to you, setting clear goals and the like. In Believe, you get your attitude in gear — taking responsibility, giving forgiveness, believing in your own abilities. Once you’ve laid the groundwork through Imagine and Believe, you’re ready for the Achieve section — taking control of your environment and getting organized, constantly seeking out new sources of learning, mastering communication skills, and so on. I definitely got a lot out of this book, and it was laid out in a very logical progression.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants to achieve their highest potential. The lessons that Michaels chooses to string together for her narrative are well-chosen, and each one is developed well with a good mix of narrative and instruction. The Working It Out sections have specific, concrete steps you can take to apply the advice immediately, always sage suggestions, but in most cases the main text is already plenty clear in its aims. While I did at times wish the book spent more time on the Achieve section, the overall sweep of the book provided very effective counsel. Indeed, I was so impressed with Michaels that I went out and got another one of her books. Much of the key advice in the book centers on changing your mindset — stopping being so hard on yourself, breaking free from limitations, improving your own self-image. They’re important topics to take to heart, because without them it’s hard to make progress in the more concrete aspects the book advises you on. But the whole book is a really great walk through to becoming the person you always wanted to be.
In summary, pick it up now! It’s a very easy to read work, and full of extremely solid advice. The book leaves you inspired and motivated every time you set it down, and considering how actionable much of its contents are, it’s a perfect combination.
