Success Equations: A Path to Living an Emotionally Wealthy Life by Sherrie Campbell

Success Equations: A Path to Living an Emotionally Wealthy Life Reviews

• 
  Momilani Awana

  This is one of many self-help books that offers great advice, but ultimately blames people for their own lack of success. It focuses on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, but I don’t have the impression the author did a good amount of research on Maslow’s later work. I’d recommend Transcend by Scott Barry Kaufman for a more comprehensive breakdown and dialogue on Maslow. Likewise, Brene Brown conveys the importance of empathy in leadership in a more… empathetic manner.
  
  I was going through and absolutely terrible time when I started reading it in 2021. I had been through a series of absolutely soul-crushing events. I wanted this book to help me, but some of the banalities seemed absolutely cruel at the time. Skimming through again — yup. Still cruel. As in I can’t believe someone who studied psychology wrote it.
  
  Page 196:
  
  “We grow the most when we suffer” — NOPE. Suffering causes damage can can take years, decades, or a lifetime to repair, if it is repaired at all.
  
  “We must come to trust we wouldn’t be in the situation we are in if we couldn’t handle it.” — I assume this comes from her faith, as she is heavy-handed in the references to God. But seriously, go tell this to a child living in a war zone, or to a parent who lost their child, or to a homeless person. I don’t expect every line to be universally applicable, but who are we trusting here? God? Entropy? The hegemony? I understand that some may find this sort of trite nonsense comforting. Good for them. I found it cruel.
  
  “When we suffer, we grow in confidence and strengthen our levels of self-respect.” — NOPE. It would be one thing to say this about moving beyond suffering, but she says it about actual suffering — not once, but several times. Again, having suffered significantly shortly before reading this book, lines like this made me feel angry — at her and at myself, for not having developed enough inner strength to move forward yet, and for knowing my brain chemistry and shape would make this process nearly impossible for months or even years. Replace “suffering” with “overcoming challenges” and this works fine. As written, I wonder who on earth she considers “suffering.” Someone else getting promoted? Missing your train before a job interview? Stubbing your toe?
  
  It would be one thing if she said this in just this one section, but it is reiterated throughout. Honestly, the book should be a pamphlet.
  
  Page 208:
  
  “We can all survive the scarier times in life.” — Nope. Not all of us survive scary times, and many don’t have the option to survive. What an absolutely insane generalization.
  
  “Without suffering, you cannot develop wisdom. Heartbreaks sustain and define the depth and richness of your character.” — This is a mixed bag. I know people who endured suffering and became insufferable. Looking at the aftermath of COVID, I see a lot of fractured relationships and a lot of people who have incorporated moronic conspiracy theories into their very identity. She focuses on “you should do this” and doesn’t really spell out the consequences of what can happen if you don’t. She doesn’t validate fear or acknowledge logistical or mental difficulties in overcoming suffering.
  
  Page 210:
  
  “… making more money is an effective strategy for inspiring us to work hard … it is not wrong to work for money or to have making more money as a priority and important goal in our lives. We must remove the ‘guilt’ around money. It’s not bad to have it and have a lot of it.” —This is just such an infuriating combination of the prosperity gospel and hustle culture. Who the feels guilty about having money? Once I started making money, I enjoyed the hell out of it, partly because I can actually donate to causes I care about. But I have a job where this is possible. A lot of people work harder than I do in jobs that really don’t reward hard work. I’d love to meet the rich people who feel guilty about having money. Are they the ones who “donate” to their own charities?
  
  I can’t believe I wrote this much. Anyway, other authors have covered the same material in far more depth. This book is all Instagram buzzwords:
  
  Set goals! Work hard! Make money! Be generous! Meditate! Exercise! Be humble.! Be empathetic! Be giving! Suffering is good! You can rise above your suffering! You can be happy! In so doing, you will find God, God, God (not necessarily the Christian God but also definitely the Christian God) within and without.
  
  Skip it. Or if you want to read it, message me and I’ll mail it to you.