This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "Everything Is Figureoutable" by Marie Forleo. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
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What is Marie Forleo’s book Everything Is Figureoutable about? What are the main takeaways of the book?
In Everything Is Figureoutable, Marie Forleo contends that the secret to transforming your mindset is to live by the philosophy that anything is possible and has a solution. She shares what “everything is figureoutable” means, why it works, and how she used this philosophy to transform her own path.
Read below for a brief overview of Everything Is Figureoutable.
Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
What’s the secret to achieving your dreams, overcoming life’s challenges, and living the most fulfilling life possible? In Everything is Figureoutable, Marie Forleo contends that no problem is unfixable and living by this philosophy leads to a healthy lifestyle.
Forleo garnered worldwide attention due to her work teaching aspiring entrepreneurs how to build a successful business. In addition to selling online courses on that topic, Forleo shares her own life and business advice and that of other experts on her weekly web show, MarieTV.
Understanding the “Everything is Figureoutable” Philosophy
Before you can apply the “everything is figureoutable” philosophy to your life, you must first understand what it is. In this section, we’ll explain the philosophy and address some common criticisms.
Forleo explains that “everything is figureoutable” is a mindset with which you can approach every issue in your life. When you believe that things are figureoutable, you believe that you’re capable of solving any problem you face—although you may actively choose not to solve an issue if it isn’t a priority.
You can apply this mindset to all problems in life, even big ones like solving climate change: Even if you don’t solve the full issue in your lifetime, you can make huge progress—the same way that Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t solve racism but made huge strides. Forleo says she learned this philosophy from her mother, who had a fix-it attitude toward everything despite having just a high school education and lacking access to the internet. For example, when Forleo’s mother’s beloved radio broke, she took it upon herself to fix it—and succeeded.
Forleo clarifies that this philosophy holds true both when you don’t know what to do (like how to fix a radio) and when you face setbacks that seemingly prevent you from achieving your goal. For example, if you’re laid off during a recession, don’t resign yourself to not making any money because you’re convinced nobody is hiring full-time workers. Follow Forleo’s philosophy and look for other ways to make money—such as by searching for freelance opportunities.
Forleo addresses two common negative reactions to her philosophy. First, you might protest that you can’t solve some issues. But Forleo counters that if something isn’t solvable, it’s not really an issue but a fact—for example, the reality that you can’t lose 100 pounds in one day.
Second, you might refuse to engage with the philosophy, either because you believe it won’t help you or because you’ve already heard it before. To counter this refusal, Forleo recommends that you reframe your objections as questions: Instead of saying, “I’ve heard this before,” or “This can’t help me,” ask yourself, “How can this help me?” Doing so will put you in a more positive, growth-oriented mindset because your brain naturally tries to answer questions.
Why Forleo’s Philosophy Works
You’ve now learned what Forleo’s philosophy is, but why does it work? Forleo explores why beliefs matter, how you developed your current beliefs, and how they can harm you. Then, she examines how believing that all issues are solvable can mitigate the harm of what you believe and transform your life.
How to Live Forleo’s Philosophy
Now that you know what “everything is figureoutable” means and why it works because of beliefs, how can you live it? Forleo contends that the first step is to select a single goal to focus on. Forleo discusses why you should select a single goal and how to do so by just singling out what’s the most important goal for you to achieve by the end of the year.
How to Overcome What’s Holding You Back
Even if you select a goal, you still might not do anything to pursue it. Forleo writes that there are three reasons for this: You deny your agency, you don’t see the point, or you’re afraid. Forleo also contends that there are many fears you’ll have to conquer in order to move forward in life: a fear of pursuing your goals, a fear of not being good enough, and a fear of being an imposter.
How to Deal With People Around You
Finally, Forleo discusses how to handle the outer influences on living like all issues are solvable. She explains how to deal with critics by ignoring them or laughing them off. Then, she discusses how you can adjust your environment to make sure it’s as supportive as possible.
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Here's what you'll find in our full Everything Is Figureoutable summary:
- How to apply the "everything is figureoutable" philosophy to your life
- How you can achieve your dreams and overcome all obstacles
- How to respond when you encounter criticism
