Book Review : Fuck Being Humble

Fuck Being Humble cover from Amazon

I recently had the pleasure of reading Fuck Being Humble by Stefanie Sword-Williams. The book was recommended to me by a mentor of mine during a conversation about marketing myself. She highly recommended it, saying it helped her feel more confident about marketing herself and her illustration business. After having read the book myself I agree that this book is a useful tool for any create in the business world. 

What’s in the Book?

Stefanie explores the reasons why many of us shy away from actively sharing our successes and ‘Blagging’ about ourselves. She gives helpful tips on how to effectively talk about yourself and build a basic idea of how you want to present yourself professionally. The book covers the importance of putting yourself out there and how to be seen by potential clients. Stefanie also helps to break down the negative stigma of networking as well as giving tips to make your networking experiences more successful. A decent portion of the book covers how to learn your worth and gain confidence when it comes to conversations about money. She goes into detail about when and how you should advocate for yourself and when it's time to step away. The most surprising section of the book for me was the large section about emotional intelligence. Stefanie explains the importance of understanding other people's emotions and reactions while keeping your own in check. An important lesson not talked about enough.

How Easy is it to Read?

Stefanie’s writing style is easy to understand and full of her personality. Some of the references she makes highlight the fact that the book is from a female perspective but that doesn’t make any of the subjects she's talking about less impactful for a male audience.  She often makes relatable anecdotes about her own life and isn't afraid to laugh at herself. She often breaks down ideas into easily understood lists for easy referencing. The chapters are also broken up by interviews with industry professionals and their advice on learning to put yourself out there and get what you want. 

Do I Recommend it?

Overall, I’d say Fuck Being Humble is a must-read, especially for freelancers when it comes to learning to promote yourself and gaining the confidence to ask for what you want. Fuck Being Humble also has a website where Stefanie has blog posts and courses covering more aspects of professional personal development if you want to explore more of what she has to offer.