Every once in a while, you come across a book that doesn’t just inspire you – it shakes you up, forces you to confront your own excuses, and makes you rethink the way you live your life. Stop Lying to Yourself: 101 Hard Truths to Help You Change Your Life by Simon Gilham is exactly that kind of book.
It’s not a feel-good, sugarcoated self-help guide. Instead, it’s brutally honest, direct, and packed with wisdom that you need to hear – even if you don’t want to. Oh, and I picked this up because I was heavily influenced by the gram!
What I loved about it
One of the best things about this book is its format.
It’s not structured like a typical self-improvement book with long-winded chapters that take forever to get to the point. Instead, it’s broken down into 101 short, sharp, and unfiltered truths – each one delivering a powerful insight in just a few sentences.
You can literally open to any page and find a thought-provoking piece of advice that challenges the way you think.
This makes it incredibly easy to read and revisit. You can read one truth per day as a daily reminder to stay on track, or power through multiple pages in one sitting when you need a serious dose of motivation. It’s the kind of book you’ll want to keep nearby, flipping through it whenever you feel stuck, unmotivated, or in need of a reality check.
But what really sets this book apart is Gilham’s no-BS approach. He doesn’t try to soften the truth or make things sound easy. Instead, he tells it like it is—often in a way that feels like a wake-up slap rather than a gentle nudge.
And honestly? That’s exactly what makes it so impactful – that’s probably the one reason I had liked The Mom Test too.
What you’ll learn
At its core, Stop Lying to Yourself is about radical self-honesty. It forces you to confront the lies you’ve been telling yourself—the little excuses, the self-imposed limitations, and the comfortable but false beliefs that keep you stuck.
You are 100% responsible for your life
No more blaming circumstances, people, or bad luck. If you’re unhappy with where you are, it’s up to you to change it. The moment you take full responsibility, you regain control.
Excuses are just lies
Every time you say “I don’t have time” or “I can’t do this,” you’re just creating an easy way out. The truth? If something really matters to you, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.
Action creates motivation, not the other way around
Most people wait for motivation to strike before they take action. But this book reminds you that doing comes first—motivation follows. The more you act, the more motivated you become.
Your comfort zone is holding you back
Growth only happens when you push yourself beyond what feels easy. If you stay in your comfort zone, you stay the same. The choice is yours: discomfort now or regret later.
And at the time I read this book, it was the discomfort that I was feeling as our company is scaling to a different level.
Most of your problems are self-inflicted
This one stings, but it’s true. Many of the obstacles we face are consequences of our own choices. Once you realize this, you stop feeling like a victim and start focusing on solutions.
I know you’ve heard this before; but sometimes you need to hear it another time.
Should You Read This Book?
Personally, I think we live in a time where it’s easy to get caught up in the noise – whether it’s endless advice on social media or the comfort of blaming external factors for our struggles. But sometimes, what we really need is a dose of truth that forces us to stop making excuses and start taking action.
If you’re looking for a quick, hard-hitting read that will challenge your mindset and push you to take full responsibility for your life, I highly recommend picking up Stop Lying to Yourself. Just be prepared – it’s not here to coddle you. It’s here to make you better.
Oh, and the good thing is that you can easily carry it around – pretty light weight too.
