What do you think?
Rate this book
Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness
A beautifully designed book full of inspiring quotes and tried-and-tested wisdom on using positivity to create a life you love.
How can you learn to truly love yourself? How can you transform negative emotions into positive ones? Is it possible to find lasting happiness?
In this book, Instagram guru Vex King answers all of these questions and more. Vex overcame adversity to become a source of hope for thousands of young people, and now draws from his personal experience and his intuitive wisdom to inspire you to:
* practice self-care, overcome toxic energy and prioritize your wellbeing
* cultivate positive lifestyle habits, including mindfulness and meditation
* change your beliefs to invite great opportunities into your life
* manifest your goals using tried-and-tested techniques
* overcome fear and flow with the Universe
* find your higher purpose and become a shining light for others
With this book, Vex will show you that when you change the way you think, feel, speak and act, you begin to change the world.
How can you learn to truly love yourself? How can you transform negative emotions into positive ones? Is it possible to find lasting happiness?
In this book, Instagram guru Vex King answers all of these questions and more. Vex overcame adversity to become a source of hope for thousands of young people, and now draws from his personal experience and his intuitive wisdom to inspire you to:
* practice self-care, overcome toxic energy and prioritize your wellbeing
* cultivate positive lifestyle habits, including mindfulness and meditation
* change your beliefs to invite great opportunities into your life
* manifest your goals using tried-and-tested techniques
* overcome fear and flow with the Universe
* find your higher purpose and become a shining light for others
With this book, Vex will show you that when you change the way you think, feel, speak and act, you begin to change the world.
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2019
About the author
Vex King
38 books708 followersVex King is the Number 1 Sunday Times Bestselling author of Good Vibes, Good Life, and Healing is the New High. He is also a social media content creator and mind coach. He experienced many challenges when he was growing up: his father died when Vex was just a baby, his family were often homeless and he grew up in troubled neighbourhoods where he regularly experienced violence and racism. Despite this, Vex successfully turned his whole life around and is now leading a revolution for the next generation of spiritual seekers.
As a major voice in the world of personal development, Vex shares deep spiritual knowledge in a way that's easy to understand, with stories from his own life, great inspirational quotes and practical solutions.
For more inspiration from Vex, follow his popular social media platforms (all @vexking) and sign up to his mailing list at: www.vexking.com
As a major voice in the world of personal development, Vex shares deep spiritual knowledge in a way that's easy to understand, with stories from his own life, great inspirational quotes and practical solutions.
For more inspiration from Vex, follow his popular social media platforms (all @vexking) and sign up to his mailing list at: www.vexking.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,499 reviews
May 6, 2019
Pretty shallow book, some would say that i could have expected that, but still I was expecting more, much more. The book is an easy read, but misses some deeper explanations, it is overly simplified where the author has some utopistic claims.
Not sure why I completed this book, probably because I was hoping that there will be something great in the following pages. There wasn’t 😜
Not sure why I completed this book, probably because I was hoping that there will be something great in the following pages. There wasn’t 😜
July 10, 2024
In search of a book that could inspire and empower, I found that and more in Vex King's transformative audiobook. From the first chapter until the last, King's empowering message and practical wisdom fully captivated me.
The audio book is a journey to understanding the power of self-love and how it affects personal growth and happiness. King's narration is not only educational, but deeply motivating, and he encourages listeners to practice self-compassion so they can reach their own potential.
The main idea of this book is that self-love is not an act of selfishness; rather, it is necessary for living a fulfilled life. King's information is insightful and accessible. He breaks things down into practical guidance for cultivating a positive mindset and living a resilient life with grace through life's obstacles.
King uses real-life examples and transformative practices that anyone can put into practice. His storytelling was compelling - he weaves both personal anecdotes and is telling us a universal narrative based on the principles of attracting positivity. The book's title, "Good Vibes, Good Life," is not just a self-help book but a path to self-empowerment and emotional well-being. King's ability to blend spiritual wisdom with practical advice makes this book of high value.uffle any content.
The audio book is a journey to understanding the power of self-love and how it affects personal growth and happiness. King's narration is not only educational, but deeply motivating, and he encourages listeners to practice self-compassion so they can reach their own potential.
The main idea of this book is that self-love is not an act of selfishness; rather, it is necessary for living a fulfilled life. King's information is insightful and accessible. He breaks things down into practical guidance for cultivating a positive mindset and living a resilient life with grace through life's obstacles.
King uses real-life examples and transformative practices that anyone can put into practice. His storytelling was compelling - he weaves both personal anecdotes and is telling us a universal narrative based on the principles of attracting positivity. The book's title, "Good Vibes, Good Life," is not just a self-help book but a path to self-empowerment and emotional well-being. King's ability to blend spiritual wisdom with practical advice makes this book of high value.uffle any content.
June 23, 2019
No deeper than an Instagram caption. A mixture of woo and canned sayings.
March 8, 2020
I'll condense the whole book to a simple line for you. According to the author,
"Think positive things about you achieving your goals and the Universe will bend over backwards to make sure it falls into your lap". Unfortunately that is not how the world works. The world is bleak and chaotic and the author needs to understand not everyone is as lucky as some of his self stories portray him to be. I am sorry, every page made me roll my eyes and be done with this Instagram post of a book. I hope nobody has to go through this.
Don't get me wrong, it's cool for teenagers who just want to get inspired but for people who are grown up and have seen a little world in it's chaotic ways, it provides nothing to them.
"Think positive things about you achieving your goals and the Universe will bend over backwards to make sure it falls into your lap". Unfortunately that is not how the world works. The world is bleak and chaotic and the author needs to understand not everyone is as lucky as some of his self stories portray him to be. I am sorry, every page made me roll my eyes and be done with this Instagram post of a book. I hope nobody has to go through this.
Don't get me wrong, it's cool for teenagers who just want to get inspired but for people who are grown up and have seen a little world in it's chaotic ways, it provides nothing to them.
December 17, 2018
Vex King's masterpiece is incredible! The book is equal parts a personal growth book and a personal disruption book. It disrupts the way you see and accept the world by providing real and relatable stories, examples and situations. All while equipping you with the tools you need in order to better your current reality and in turn your life. This book is perfect whether you are new to personal development or if you’ve been doing it for years. I loved this book so much I bought a second copy to let my friends borrow!
June 16, 2022
É legal ler palavras motivadoras, mas o livro não trouxe nada de novo ou muito aprofundado.
February 8, 2019
I’ll start off by saying I love the message, and there are a few good lines in here that make you stop and think, and it’s a quick read. However, the book is clearly written to be instagramable (which I’ll admit I did at one point) but the big quotes often break up the narrative, and it almost feels like YA level writing.
October 10, 2020
Good vibes, good life. If you have read any self help book before then don't bother with this one. It adds nothing new and you will have heard it all before, well the good bits.
The book tries to arrange the same old self help advice around 'the law of vibration' and 'the law of attraction'. Firstly the law of vibration is all well and good, we are all vibrating. Nothing in the universe is ever still, I'm on board with that. However, Vex King goes on to say how our own vibrations our thoughts, our mood and even the food we eat can impact the universe around us. Which brings us onto 'the law of attraction' which states that if you want something, then by focusing on it and visualising it the "universe will rearrange itself for you" and "the universe will always support you". She goes on to use the example of a new car. Want a new car? Then focus on it and visualise it really carefully and you will get the new car! Of course there is something in the fact that if you spend enough time thinking and wanting something eventually your behaviours will change and align to your goal and this will of course help in achieving it. But that is very different from the view that the universe is bending to your desires. What happens if you dont achieve your goal? you can't afford a new car say. Does that mean then the unvierse is ignoring you? The universe and cosmic powers have decided you are unfit or not worthy of the car? That's sad. Derren Brown's book 'Happy' goes into the damage that these views can have.
Furthermore some of the advice is just so patronising. Vex says if your goal is have £10,000 why not start by making £100 to start with. Seriously? What a deep and powerful insight into how to make and save money.
Speaking of money, the book ends with an awful chapter. "Money is simply energy" states King. "money flows to those who deserve it"
"Money is readily available to everyone and the distance between you and money is determined only by your attitudes towards it"
Well there we go! Are you struggling with money? Are you poor? Then you simply don't deserve it or you aren't wishing hard enough to the vibrational powers of the universe! Basically TRY HARDER!
The book tries to arrange the same old self help advice around 'the law of vibration' and 'the law of attraction'. Firstly the law of vibration is all well and good, we are all vibrating. Nothing in the universe is ever still, I'm on board with that. However, Vex King goes on to say how our own vibrations our thoughts, our mood and even the food we eat can impact the universe around us. Which brings us onto 'the law of attraction' which states that if you want something, then by focusing on it and visualising it the "universe will rearrange itself for you" and "the universe will always support you". She goes on to use the example of a new car. Want a new car? Then focus on it and visualise it really carefully and you will get the new car! Of course there is something in the fact that if you spend enough time thinking and wanting something eventually your behaviours will change and align to your goal and this will of course help in achieving it. But that is very different from the view that the universe is bending to your desires. What happens if you dont achieve your goal? you can't afford a new car say. Does that mean then the unvierse is ignoring you? The universe and cosmic powers have decided you are unfit or not worthy of the car? That's sad. Derren Brown's book 'Happy' goes into the damage that these views can have.
Furthermore some of the advice is just so patronising. Vex says if your goal is have £10,000 why not start by making £100 to start with. Seriously? What a deep and powerful insight into how to make and save money.
Speaking of money, the book ends with an awful chapter. "Money is simply energy" states King. "money flows to those who deserve it"
"Money is readily available to everyone and the distance between you and money is determined only by your attitudes towards it"
Well there we go! Are you struggling with money? Are you poor? Then you simply don't deserve it or you aren't wishing hard enough to the vibrational powers of the universe! Basically TRY HARDER!
January 25, 2023
Why this book matters:
💯Will make you see you from your own perspective as well as those who matter the most to the ones who does not
💯Will reveal to you what lies you are telling yourself and what the actual truths are
💯Will make you see clearly what exactly matters and what you think matters but which actually do not
💯Who and what toxic is and what we can do about it
💯Will make you see how your life will be for the long term (what your past and your future have to do with it; why the present moment actually matters the most)
💯The meaning of vibes; how positive energy influence you and how the law of attraction actually works
There’s so much more we can get from this book. Now I know why I needed this book so much!
💯Will make you see you from your own perspective as well as those who matter the most to the ones who does not
💯Will reveal to you what lies you are telling yourself and what the actual truths are
💯Will make you see clearly what exactly matters and what you think matters but which actually do not
💯Who and what toxic is and what we can do about it
💯Will make you see how your life will be for the long term (what your past and your future have to do with it; why the present moment actually matters the most)
💯The meaning of vibes; how positive energy influence you and how the law of attraction actually works
There’s so much more we can get from this book. Now I know why I needed this book so much!
January 26, 2021
“Sometimes you have to unplug
yourself from the world for a
moment, so you can reset yourself.”
yourself from the world for a
moment, so you can reset yourself.”
June 26, 2019
I found this book from scrolling through my list of recommendations on goodreads and triggered by the synopsis. I was very excited when I started reading it. At first I thought there would be a lot of personal inspirational stories but as I dig deeper into each page, I feel like it's just full of quotes that I can find on social media. To sum up it's light and quite shallow. The author, Vex King's purpose for writing this book is very noble but I think my expectations were too high.
February 15, 2019
This book is written in such a way that anyone can understand it.
Vex King has a great writing method and I didn't want to stop reading, I also looked forward to the next opportunity I had to read.
It's easy to read and flows, the message is loud and clear meaning anyone can feel inspired by this book to make a change in their own lives.
I really enjoyed it and will be recommending it to several friends and clients.
Very well done Vex, a triumph of a book.
Vex King has a great writing method and I didn't want to stop reading, I also looked forward to the next opportunity I had to read.
It's easy to read and flows, the message is loud and clear meaning anyone can feel inspired by this book to make a change in their own lives.
I really enjoyed it and will be recommending it to several friends and clients.
Very well done Vex, a triumph of a book.
April 8, 2021
I don't know why SHBs are so hard to read and process. And why do all the SHBs speak in the same language. This book is all about keeping your vibrations elevated regardless of the circumstances you are dealing with. How and why manifesting and visualizing matters and how you should trust the universe.
How grateful you should be for the good and the bad.
My problem, however, is that these things are easier said than done. It is very difficult to remain positive if the situation is not favourable to you. It's hard to have high hopes when you're dealing with something you don't like.
How grateful you should be for the good and the bad.
My problem, however, is that these things are easier said than done. It is very difficult to remain positive if the situation is not favourable to you. It's hard to have high hopes when you're dealing with something you don't like.
May 19, 2024
4.75 ⭐
GENRE - SELF HELP / NON FICTION
PAGES - 275
" Stop trying to impress people. Impress yourself. Stretch yourself. Test yourself. Be the best version of you that you can be. "
Vex king a life coach from The UK has written this marvelous self help book which is full of anecdotes, stories and quotes that will motivate you.
Like most of the self help books there are topics that are repeated but every writer has his own experience and perspectives on a certain topic. Vex King is a natural gifted writer and he keeps you focused and engaged throughout the book. One of the top 5 self help books I have read so far.
Although this book can be read by people of all generations but I highly recommend this book to young adults.
Thank You.❤️👍😎
GENRE - SELF HELP / NON FICTION
PAGES - 275
" Stop trying to impress people. Impress yourself. Stretch yourself. Test yourself. Be the best version of you that you can be. "
Vex king a life coach from The UK has written this marvelous self help book which is full of anecdotes, stories and quotes that will motivate you.
Like most of the self help books there are topics that are repeated but every writer has his own experience and perspectives on a certain topic. Vex King is a natural gifted writer and he keeps you focused and engaged throughout the book. One of the top 5 self help books I have read so far.
Although this book can be read by people of all generations but I highly recommend this book to young adults.
Thank You.❤️👍😎
February 2, 2023
✔️ قانون جذب و قانون ارتعاشات رو به خوبی و با ذکر مثال معرفی می کنه .
✔️ خیلی از گفته های نویسنده رو قبول دارم و شاید کلیشه به نظر بیان اما هنوز اصل و ناب هستن !
✔️ اواخر کتاب یکم ضعیف شد سطح مطالب و نمره ی کتاب رو کم کرد . ( از دید من البته)
✔️ تاکید زیادی روی بالا نگه داشتن ارتعاشات داره . حتی در زمان های ناراحتی و ناخوشی! خیلی سخته به نظرم ...
✔️ یکی از مفاهیمی که منتقل میکنه اینه که به جهان و امورش اعتماد داشته باشید . هر چیزی که اتفاق میوفته در نهایت براتون حس خوب و موفقیت همراه خواهد آورد !! این باور هم خیلی سخته و شاید فقط در حرف ساده باشه ...
✔️ اینکه در مورد چیزای ناراحت کننده و سختی که باهاشون ارتباط داریم مثبت بمونی�� و خوب بنگریم هم راحت نیست .
📝 بریده ای از کتاب :
حقیقت این است که هر جور باشید و هر جور زندگی کنید، چه بر اساس ارزشهای خودتان و چه بر اساس ارزشهای دیگران، به هر حال عده ای شما را قضاوت خواهند کرد.
🗯 پ. ن : این کتاب رو یه کتاب خوب میدونم و فکر می کنم ارزش خوندن و وقت گذاشتن رو داره 👍 هایلایت های زیادی ازش برداشتم و مرورشون خواهم کرد 👌 یه سری مطالب در کتاب هست که با کتابهای مشابه خودش تکراری هستن اما خوندنشون به نظرم همچنان مفیده .
🗓 01/11/14
✔️ خیلی از گفته های نویسنده رو قبول دارم و شاید کلیشه به نظر بیان اما هنوز اصل و ناب هستن !
✔️ اواخر کتاب یکم ضعیف شد سطح مطالب و نمره ی کتاب رو کم کرد . ( از دید من البته)
✔️ تاکید زیادی روی بالا نگه داشتن ارتعاشات داره . حتی در زمان های ناراحتی و ناخوشی! خیلی سخته به نظرم ...
✔️ یکی از مفاهیمی که منتقل میکنه اینه که به جهان و امورش اعتماد داشته باشید . هر چیزی که اتفاق میوفته در نهایت براتون حس خوب و موفقیت همراه خواهد آورد !! این باور هم خیلی سخته و شاید فقط در حرف ساده باشه ...
✔️ اینکه در مورد چیزای ناراحت کننده و سختی که باهاشون ارتباط داریم مثبت بمونی�� و خوب بنگریم هم راحت نیست .
📝 بریده ای از کتاب :
حقیقت این است که هر جور باشید و هر جور زندگی کنید، چه بر اساس ارزشهای خودتان و چه بر اساس ارزشهای دیگران، به هر حال عده ای شما را قضاوت خواهند کرد.
🗯 پ. ن : این کتاب رو یه کتاب خوب میدونم و فکر می کنم ارزش خوندن و وقت گذاشتن رو داره 👍 هایلایت های زیادی ازش برداشتم و مرورشون خواهم کرد 👌 یه سری مطالب در کتاب هست که با کتابهای مشابه خودش تکراری هستن اما خوندنشون به نظرم همچنان مفیده .
🗓 01/11/14
March 10, 2019
Inspiring
This is the greatest book I have ever read. I'm struggling in chasing happiness but when I read this book I just realized that it's just within me. I won't forget everything written in this book because it's an eye opener for me. It all starts from within.
This is the greatest book I have ever read. I'm struggling in chasing happiness but when I read this book I just realized that it's just within me. I won't forget everything written in this book because it's an eye opener for me. It all starts from within.
May 24, 2021
rating: 2,5/5
the first 150-or-so pages were great and I agreed with a lot of things the author talks about.
but from part 5 to 7, it got silly - like veery silly. I caught rolling my eyes more and more.
one (luckily short) chapter I thought was just hideous was "part 5: the power of words". Vex King talks about a ground-breaking experiment from the 1900s (yep) where someone put positive and negative words on a container with water and then froze them. the ones with positive words formed more beautiful crystals than the negative ones.
damn, didn't knew water can understand english or even read!! /j
after this chapter it didn't really get better.
the first was good enough to save it from 1 star
the first 150-or-so pages were great and I agreed with a lot of things the author talks about.
but from part 5 to 7, it got silly - like veery silly. I caught rolling my eyes more and more.
one (luckily short) chapter I thought was just hideous was "part 5: the power of words". Vex King talks about a ground-breaking experiment from the 1900s (yep) where someone put positive and negative words on a container with water and then froze them. the ones with positive words formed more beautiful crystals than the negative ones.
damn, didn't knew water can understand english or even read!! /j
after this chapter it didn't really get better.
the first was good enough to save it from 1 star
January 13, 2019
The best book I’ve read in a long time. Very inspiring and gives you a complete different outlook on life.
July 28, 2022
If this is your first ever book on "self love" and manifestation, than you might find it so uplifting and refreshing that you will recommend it all your close ones. But unfortunately that is not a case with me. Its a very surface level boring book that have nothing new to offer other than some self made laws. Okay, the notion of the "law of vibration" is nothing new but can be a major factor when interacting with people. seems like Author is highly influenced by the law of attraction which is controversial-imho. It's just another book on the topic of self love.
"Think positively and take actions". There you go. I just summarized the whole book so you don't have to read the whole book unless you really wanted.
Peace.✌
"Think positively and take actions". There you go. I just summarized the whole book so you don't have to read the whole book unless you really wanted.
Peace.✌
February 6, 2019
Amazing from start to finish. This is a book that everyone can relate to and is a brilliant guide to raising your vibration and self-love. Vex has taken a very practical and realistic approach in this book and I love how easy this was to read. A lot of the quotes are ones that I will always remember and this is the sort of book that you cannot read just once, I'll always come back to different sections of the book. Everyone should read this book. I was sad to finish it but excited about what I have gained from it. Thank you Vex King!
November 20, 2019
just a book full of instagram and pinterest quotes.
Want to read
August 20, 2022So excited to finally read this book 🥰
July 10, 2020
As a personal trainer I find myself in a constant battle trying to STOP my clients from following the ideas in this book. The premise ‘self-love is the key to unleashing your greatness’ has been proven by psychologists such as Roy Baumeister and Jean M. Twenge to have disastrous consequences for those who adhere to it.
Self-esteem is not a bad thing in general, but it is by no means a prerequisite for initial success. The reality is that the opposite is true. Self-esteem is acquired as a RESULT of success, and we know this to be true from a wide array of data, one example being that Asian-American children have very low self-esteem yet achieve the highest grades in the USA.
Vex King’s advice for ‘unlocking greatness’ backfires on his readers in two ways:
The first is that it leaves the reader in a continuous loop of failure and procrastination. If Vex asserts that self-esteem needs to be present during the journey to success then his followers will logically, consciously or unconsciously, come to the conclusion that there’s no point pursuing success without first acquiring self-esteem. With this reasoning it can seem like self-esteem is as crucial as taking a passport to the airport, which is why it makes sense to prioritise acquiring self-esteem above all else, even the journey towards success itself.
We can see this mentality manifest in unsuccessful people who spend much of their time consuming motivational material (like this book) in hopes of boosting their sense of self-worth, yet never seem to progress towards their goals because they never do the work that’s actually required to excel in their endeavour.
As a result, they never actually gain a true foundation self-esteem (because it comes after the work) but instead become hooked on short-term feel-good highs that Instagram gurus and the wider self-help industry are more than willing to provide in constant supply.
The second way Vex’s advice backfires on his readers is by helping to foster a closed-minded mentality. If you manage convince yourself that you have high self-esteem without actually having anything to prove such status then this can be considered a ‘delusion’. Delusional people tend to get very defensive about things because their conception of reality is very carefully constructed and, therefore, fragile.
A delusional person will see any information that counters their poorly manufactured sense of self-esteem as a threat and will defend it, both internally and externally, because their entire understanding of their worth relies on it staying intact. Inwardly this manifests as denial of character flaws, avoidance of taking risks, and giving up with tasks quickly with a ready excuse to rationalise failure. Outwardly, it manifests as aggression towards behaviour deemed offensive, however the very reason it’s considered offensive is because they’re avoiding a reality that can shatter the delusion. All of this, once again, prevents a person from actually taking the risks and emotional feedback needed for success.
Not only is the fundamental message of this book flawed it also serves as a recipe for entitlement, the type of thinking that leads someone to think they are owed something without having earned it. It is true that, on occasion, Vex advocates the necessity for hard work and gratitude, however the book is full of contradictions that negate this message every time. The most striking example of this is as follows:
“Self-love is the balance between accepting yourself as you are while knowing you deserve better, and then working towards it.”
This sounds nice on paper however when you really think about the message conveyed the advice quickly falls apart. Human beings are naturally lazy creatures. Unless we feel a sense of danger we tend to conserve our energy. If you are dangerously overweight and convince yourself to ‘accept yourself as you are’, then you rationalise yourself out of the motivation to actually lose that weight. Combine this with the message of ‘deserving better’ and ‘unconditional love towards yourself’ you end up with the likes of the ‘fat acceptance’ movement – essentially people who have deluded themselves into self-love and inaction but feel victimised by naturally negative social feedback to their appearance.
The entitlement mentality is reinforced by the fact that throughout the book Vex frequently shows disdain for the idea of ‘settling for mediocrity’. Again, there lie two problems in this message:
The first is that mediocrity is subjective, and so not only does the notion vary from person to person but can also change in meaning for the individual themselves. A BMW 3 Series may seem like a luxury for a 17-year-old yet mediocre for a 60-year-old. The vague advice of telling somebody not to settle for mediocrity leaves them in a continuous state of dissatisfaction and ingratitude as the standard for mediocrity is never declared.
In the book “The Paradox of Choice” by psychologist Barry Schwartz, he makes the case that ‘settling’ for ‘good enough’ is actually far more satisfying than constantly searching for ‘best’. For some people, working a nine to five job and coming home to a family may be ‘mediocre’ on a grand scale - yet still extremely satisfying by their own standards.
Vex also preaches a message that is a poison spreading through our culture. What he, knowingly or unknowingly, advocates is ‘hedonism’. This is the philosophy of living a life characterised by the pursuit of pleasure and minimisation of pain, and he admits this early in the book where he states his intention is to release people ‘from undesirable feelings and increase feelings of joy.’ It’s also plainly evident in title of his book ‘Good Vibes, Good Life’.
Telling people ‘if it feels good do it’ sounds liberating on the surface, but what it also implies is ‘if it doesn’t feel good, don’t do it.’ This advice also only seems relevant if you assume that most people today are unhappy due to excessive self-constraint. We all know, however, that this isn’t the case. In the 21st century the problem that plagues most people is that they seriously lack discipline and it’s specifically because they keep engaging in ‘feel good’ behaviours in the short term while sacrificing their long-term potential.
The fact is that if you want to ‘unleash your greatness’ you need to consistently work hard and make sacrifices, and unfortunately this doesn’t always feel good. Nobody is motivated to go for their scheduled run every single time, and even during the runs that they are motived for, it’s still not a ‘feel good’ experience. Most of the time you’re trying to convince yourself why you should keep enduring the pain and you do it for the satisfaction and progress towards your goals.
Instead of living by the self-defeating and weak-minded mantra of ‘good vibes good life’, it would be better to adhere to the wisdom of former US Navy SEAL commander Jocko Willink that ‘discipline equals freedom’ because it is the ability to overcome your lack of motivation and to do the task regardless that separates the winners and losers.
Fans of Vex King may wonder that if his theory is destructive then how come it’s sold so many copies and has so many good reviews? The popularity and enjoyment of a book does not grant validity to its ideas. Hitler’s Mein Kampf sold well in the 1930s, and had Amazon/Goodreads existed it would have undoubtedly been flooded with 5 star reviews, but that, of course, does not validate its theories.
Self-esteem is not a bad thing in general, but it is by no means a prerequisite for initial success. The reality is that the opposite is true. Self-esteem is acquired as a RESULT of success, and we know this to be true from a wide array of data, one example being that Asian-American children have very low self-esteem yet achieve the highest grades in the USA.
Vex King’s advice for ‘unlocking greatness’ backfires on his readers in two ways:
The first is that it leaves the reader in a continuous loop of failure and procrastination. If Vex asserts that self-esteem needs to be present during the journey to success then his followers will logically, consciously or unconsciously, come to the conclusion that there’s no point pursuing success without first acquiring self-esteem. With this reasoning it can seem like self-esteem is as crucial as taking a passport to the airport, which is why it makes sense to prioritise acquiring self-esteem above all else, even the journey towards success itself.
We can see this mentality manifest in unsuccessful people who spend much of their time consuming motivational material (like this book) in hopes of boosting their sense of self-worth, yet never seem to progress towards their goals because they never do the work that’s actually required to excel in their endeavour.
As a result, they never actually gain a true foundation self-esteem (because it comes after the work) but instead become hooked on short-term feel-good highs that Instagram gurus and the wider self-help industry are more than willing to provide in constant supply.
The second way Vex’s advice backfires on his readers is by helping to foster a closed-minded mentality. If you manage convince yourself that you have high self-esteem without actually having anything to prove such status then this can be considered a ‘delusion’. Delusional people tend to get very defensive about things because their conception of reality is very carefully constructed and, therefore, fragile.
A delusional person will see any information that counters their poorly manufactured sense of self-esteem as a threat and will defend it, both internally and externally, because their entire understanding of their worth relies on it staying intact. Inwardly this manifests as denial of character flaws, avoidance of taking risks, and giving up with tasks quickly with a ready excuse to rationalise failure. Outwardly, it manifests as aggression towards behaviour deemed offensive, however the very reason it’s considered offensive is because they’re avoiding a reality that can shatter the delusion. All of this, once again, prevents a person from actually taking the risks and emotional feedback needed for success.
Not only is the fundamental message of this book flawed it also serves as a recipe for entitlement, the type of thinking that leads someone to think they are owed something without having earned it. It is true that, on occasion, Vex advocates the necessity for hard work and gratitude, however the book is full of contradictions that negate this message every time. The most striking example of this is as follows:
“Self-love is the balance between accepting yourself as you are while knowing you deserve better, and then working towards it.”
This sounds nice on paper however when you really think about the message conveyed the advice quickly falls apart. Human beings are naturally lazy creatures. Unless we feel a sense of danger we tend to conserve our energy. If you are dangerously overweight and convince yourself to ‘accept yourself as you are’, then you rationalise yourself out of the motivation to actually lose that weight. Combine this with the message of ‘deserving better’ and ‘unconditional love towards yourself’ you end up with the likes of the ‘fat acceptance’ movement – essentially people who have deluded themselves into self-love and inaction but feel victimised by naturally negative social feedback to their appearance.
The entitlement mentality is reinforced by the fact that throughout the book Vex frequently shows disdain for the idea of ‘settling for mediocrity’. Again, there lie two problems in this message:
The first is that mediocrity is subjective, and so not only does the notion vary from person to person but can also change in meaning for the individual themselves. A BMW 3 Series may seem like a luxury for a 17-year-old yet mediocre for a 60-year-old. The vague advice of telling somebody not to settle for mediocrity leaves them in a continuous state of dissatisfaction and ingratitude as the standard for mediocrity is never declared.
In the book “The Paradox of Choice” by psychologist Barry Schwartz, he makes the case that ‘settling’ for ‘good enough’ is actually far more satisfying than constantly searching for ‘best’. For some people, working a nine to five job and coming home to a family may be ‘mediocre’ on a grand scale - yet still extremely satisfying by their own standards.
Vex also preaches a message that is a poison spreading through our culture. What he, knowingly or unknowingly, advocates is ‘hedonism’. This is the philosophy of living a life characterised by the pursuit of pleasure and minimisation of pain, and he admits this early in the book where he states his intention is to release people ‘from undesirable feelings and increase feelings of joy.’ It’s also plainly evident in title of his book ‘Good Vibes, Good Life’.
Telling people ‘if it feels good do it’ sounds liberating on the surface, but what it also implies is ‘if it doesn’t feel good, don’t do it.’ This advice also only seems relevant if you assume that most people today are unhappy due to excessive self-constraint. We all know, however, that this isn’t the case. In the 21st century the problem that plagues most people is that they seriously lack discipline and it’s specifically because they keep engaging in ‘feel good’ behaviours in the short term while sacrificing their long-term potential.
The fact is that if you want to ‘unleash your greatness’ you need to consistently work hard and make sacrifices, and unfortunately this doesn’t always feel good. Nobody is motivated to go for their scheduled run every single time, and even during the runs that they are motived for, it’s still not a ‘feel good’ experience. Most of the time you’re trying to convince yourself why you should keep enduring the pain and you do it for the satisfaction and progress towards your goals.
Instead of living by the self-defeating and weak-minded mantra of ‘good vibes good life’, it would be better to adhere to the wisdom of former US Navy SEAL commander Jocko Willink that ‘discipline equals freedom’ because it is the ability to overcome your lack of motivation and to do the task regardless that separates the winners and losers.
Fans of Vex King may wonder that if his theory is destructive then how come it’s sold so many copies and has so many good reviews? The popularity and enjoyment of a book does not grant validity to its ideas. Hitler’s Mein Kampf sold well in the 1930s, and had Amazon/Goodreads existed it would have undoubtedly been flooded with 5 star reviews, but that, of course, does not validate its theories.
May 31, 2019
Loved this book so much I read it within two days.
It’s so easy to read and he writes in such a way that it’s easy to understand. I would also suggest you follow his Instagram for a daily does of vex king they are priceless and always feels like he is speaking to you!
Off to start reading it for a second time 😊
It’s so easy to read and he writes in such a way that it’s easy to understand. I would also suggest you follow his Instagram for a daily does of vex king they are priceless and always feels like he is speaking to you!
Off to start reading it for a second time 😊
February 12, 2019
Happy New Year ✨
Well, mine begins today with this super motivational and inspirational book by Vex King! I’ve been following him on social media since last year after I came to know him through Divya (Henna By Divya) and have heard his podcasts infinite times. I’m glad to finally have his book.
Well, mine begins today with this super motivational and inspirational book by Vex King! I’ve been following him on social media since last year after I came to know him through Divya (Henna By Divya) and have heard his podcasts infinite times. I’m glad to finally have his book.
June 1, 2019
This book was given to me as a present and it’s one of my best presents ever. It’s helped get me out of a very dark place and it’s literally like a bible for me. I refer back to the parts that I need and it immediately lifts my mood and spirits. It’s taught me a lot and continues to do so. I recommend this book to everyone. I keep it in my bag as any chance I get, I turn to it for guidance, motivation or support. I can’t thank you enough for releasing this book. I mean it when I say it’s a lifesaver 💫
October 25, 2021
This book lacked any depth of explanation and I felt like it was spouting toxic positivity on every page. I wanted to love this book as it was recommended by a friend but this book was just a series of cliches.
August 24, 2023
เป็นหนังสือแนวพัฒนาตนเอง อ่านง่าย ๆ เพลิน ๆ ฟีลกู๊ด ฟีลใจ เหมาะสำหรับการเริ่มต้นอ่านแนวนี้
เนื้อหาหลัก ๆ ในเล่มเป็นวิธีคิด วิธีมองโลกเพื่อเพิ่ม self-esteem เน้นการตระหนักคุณค่าของตนเอง พึงพอใจในตนเอง ให้อภัยตนเอง วิธีคิดบวก การยอมรับความผิดพลาดและเริ่มต้นใหม่
ซึ่ง self-esteem เป็นสิ่งที่ต้องมีแต่พอดี สูงไปก็ไม่เห็นคุณค่าคนอื่น ต่ำไปก็ไม่เห็นคุณค่าตนเอง หาทางสายกลางของตัวเองให้เจอ 🙂🙂
เนื้อหาหลัก ๆ ในเล่มเป็นวิธีคิด วิธีมองโลกเพื่อเพิ่ม self-esteem เน้นการตระหนักคุณค่าของตนเอง พึงพอใจในตนเอง ให้อภัยตนเอง วิธีคิดบวก การยอมรับความผิดพลาดและเริ่มต้นใหม่
ซึ่ง self-esteem เป็นสิ่งที่ต้องมีแต่พอดี สูงไปก็ไม่เห็นคุณค่าคนอื่น ต่ำไปก็ไม่เห็นคุณค่าตนเอง หาทางสายกลางของตัวเองให้เจอ 🙂🙂
March 13, 2019
This book is a really good self-help book. Book has divided into a different section. And each section is explained very well. The quote with the picture makes it different and nice. Love how the author has written out this book with the proper example which makes it more understandable.
August 18, 2022
Strength of this "motivational" book about "positive vibes" and "self-love": can be finished in several shit-dumping sessions.
Weakness: I am pretty sure the accumulation of shits dumped during those sessions are still more valuable than the "insights" from this book.
Weakness: I am pretty sure the accumulation of shits dumped during those sessions are still more valuable than the "insights" from this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,499 reviews