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The Success Myth

Letting go of having it all
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( 689 ratings, 61 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Success Myth explores the flawed traditional ideas of success and offers a fresh perspective on leading a fulfilling life. Emma Gannon draws from her own experiences and interviews with successful people to reveal how conventional pursuits often lead to burnout and dissatisfaction. The book provides practical lessons on setting ambitious yet manageable goals, understanding why milestone achievements may feel underwhelming, and escaping the cycle of comparison and relentless ambition. It serves as a guide to redefining success on personal terms and finding deeper fulfilment.
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Format: Hardback
$4000
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers interested in self-help and personal development, particularly those questioning societal pressures surrounding achievement and seeking a more meaningful approach to career and life.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Everything we've been led to believe about traditional success is a lie. It's time to stop climbing the endless ladder to nowhere, and uncover the path to a more fulfilling life.

"Highly comforting" - Alain de Botton, Founder of The School of Life

"This book changed how I think" - Annie Macmanus, author of The Mess We're In

"You will not be able to put this book down" - The Independent

Our obsession with achievement is a trap. This is how to break free.

Emma Gannon was thriving in her portfolio career, enjoying a happy personal life and to anyone looking in, she was undoubtedly a success... She was also burned out and confused at why she felt unhappy, yet was still striving for more.

After taking a deep look at her own journey, and interviewing many other successful people on her podcast Ctrl, Alt, Delete, she realised that our overly celebrated and traditional version of success is making us lonely, unfulfilled and dispirited. Now she has worked out a way to do things differently, and here Emma shares her hard-won lessons, including:

  • how to set goals that are ambitious but not overwhelming
  • why the 'tick-box' moments in life often feel anticlimactic
  • and how to break free from comparison and the endless pursuit of more

A manifesto to craft work (and life) on your own terms, The Success Myth will give you the belief and tools to walk away from 'having it all', uncovering your individual path to fulfilment.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781911709206

Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 18 May 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Torva

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 29.0mm

Width: 146.0mm

Height: 225.0mm

Weight: 439g

Pages: 336

About the Author

Emma Gannon is the Sunday Times bestselling author of nine books, including A Year of Nothing and OLIVE, which was nominated for the Dublin Literary Award. Her second novel, Table for One (2025), was selected as People magazine's 'Fiction of the Week.' Emma also writes one of the UK's most popular Substack newsletters, The Hyphen, which has thousands of paid subscribers. In addition to her writing, she hosts creativity retreats around the world and served as a judge for the 2025 Women's Prize for Non-Fiction.

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