Synopses & Reviews
This provocative, entertaining, often laugh-out-loud story follows Yogis as he attempts to surf bigger and more difficult waves, culminating in northern Californias Mavericks—huge, crushing (and sometimes deadly) waves in the dead of winter. In The Fear Project, surfing serves as a metaphor for fears of all sorts: fear of loss, fear of not being good enough, fear of being alone, fear of being trapped in the wrong job, fear of not being able to realize your dreams, fear of pain, and ultimately, fear of death. Yogis takes readers on a memorable journey beyond the surf and shows them how, by identifying and understanding their fears, they can shift their perspective and live a more rewarding life.
The Fear Project is a captivating look at the age-old teaching that by recognizing our fears and turning into them—instead of running away—we can harness fears powerful energy to find true happiness and fulfillment.
Review
"There is a hell of a lot of fun packed between these two covers. Wonderfully reported, unflinchingly honest and definitely big-balled. If Jaimal Yogis deep dive into fear doesn't make you want to go out and push your limits — well, you're probably already dead." Steven Kotler, author of West of Jesus
Review
"Nothing holds us back more in life than fear. Jaimal Yogis explores this primal emotion in depth from an evolutionary, neuropsychological, and philosophical perspective, all wrapped up in a highly engaging personal narrative. The Fear Project offers the keys to overcoming excuses and anxiety, and stepping into the life you've always dreamed of having." MeiMei Fox, co-author of the New York Times bestseller, Fortytude
Review
"The Fear Project is an enchanting autobiographical journey. Yogis deftly explores our current scientific, religious and philosophical views on our most fundamental emotion, and the reward is as significant as it is palpable. I absolutely loved this book and will share it with everyone — in particular, high performance athletes." Michael Lardon, author of Finding Your Zone
Review
"Jaimal Yogis weaves together neuroscience, dramatic true stories, and practical wisdom in a fascinating, important book that moves with the page-turning verve of a thriller." Rick Hanson, author of The Buddha's Brain
Review
"Like a mammoth wave moving across the ocean, The Fear Project takes us on a wild ride into the heart of our deepest primordial fears and onto the shores of light." Stuart Coleman, author of Eddie Would Go and Fierce Heart
Review
"From the first chapter about his swimming in the dark, shark-infested waters surrounding Alcatraz to stories of surfing 80-foot waves at Mavericks, this book is alive and pumping with adrenaline! It brings you to the edge of fear over and over again with a lasting lesson on confronting fear in ways that are healthy and powerful." David Romanelli, author of Yeah Dave's Guide to Livin' the Moment
Review
"This book is worth the price of admission for the Mavericks chapter alone: the first and, as far as I know, only literary first-person account of riding one of the greatest big-wave breaks on Earth. Yogis is a man on an authentic mission — to face down his deepest fears and interrogate the deepest sources of meaning in every aspect of human life. From his Alcatraz swim to surfing Mavericks to that biggest challenge of all — fatherhood — Yogis writes with confidence, clarity, and brio. This is a heartfelt, hard-won, and utterly worthwhile book." Dan Duane, author of How to Cook Like a Man
Synopsis
This provocative, entertaining, often laugh-out-loud story follows Yogis as he attempts to surf bigger and more difficult waves, culminating in northern California's Mavericks — huge, crushing (and sometimes deadly) waves in the dead of winter. In
The Fear Project, surfing serves as a metaphor for fears of all sorts: fear of loss, fear of not being good enough, fear of being alone, fear of being trapped in the wrong job, fear of not being able to realize your dreams, fear of pain, and ultimately, fear of death. Yogis takes readers on a memorable journey beyond the surf and shows them how, by identifying and understanding their fears, they can shift their perspective and live a more rewarding life.
The Fear Project is a captivating look at the age-old teaching that by recognizing our fears and turning into them — instead of running away — we can harness fears powerful energy to find true happiness and fulfillment.
Synopsis
An epic adventure full of incredible characters, death-defying athletic achievement, and bleeding edge science, THE FEAR PROJECT began with one question: how can we overcome our fears to reach our full potential?
Who among us has not been paralyzed by fear? In The Fear Project, award-winning journalist and surfer Jaimal Yogis sets out to better understand fear-why does it so often dominate our lives, what makes it tick, and is there even a way to use it to our advantage? In the process, he plunges readers into great white shark-infested waters, brings them along to surf 40+ foot waves in the dead of winter, and gives them access to some of the world's best neuroscience labs, psychologists, and extreme athletes. In this entertaining, often laugh-out-loud narrative, Yogis also treats himself like a guinea pig for all of his research, pushing his own fears repeatedly to the limits-in his sport, in his life, and in love. Ultimately, Yogis shares with his readers the best strategies to emerge triumphant from even the most paralyzing of fears.
THE FEAR PROJECT gives readers insight into the following:
- How fear evolved in the human brain
- How to tell the difference between "good fear" and "bad fear"
- How to use the latest neuroscience to transform fear memories
- Why fear spreads between us and how to counteract fearful "group think"
- How to turn fear into a performance enhancer - athletically and at work
In pursuing this terrifying-and often thrilling-journey with Yogis, we learn how to move through fear and unlock a sense of renewed possibility and a more rewarding life.
About the Author
JAIMAL YOGIS is an award-winning journalist and photographer. His first book, Saltwater Buddha, has been internationally praised and is the subject of a forthcoming PBS documentary. He lives in San Francisco.