Jackie Beere - GROW: Change your mindset, change your life--a practical guide to thinking on purpose

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Grow it is easy-to-read, very clear and personal, and peppered with inspirational quotes, research and case studies. The practical ideas are super. It is an inspirational book to help us think about how we can develop a healthy, flexible, engaging and kind response to relationships in our every changing world, within the core settings of the work place, our homes, communities and our schools. It will be such a useful resource for anyone!

Caro Strover, Chartered Educational Psychologist

Reading Grow is like chatting with a friend. Deceptively straightforward and upbeat, Jackies narrative demystifies the scientific, philosophical and psychological theories that she believes underpin human happiness, linking ideas, telling stories and ultimately offering readers their own powerful path to positivity: thinking on purpose. Really accessible, fun and thought-provoking, this book is definitely a life changer.

Lisa Stone, Head of Coaching, Professional Tutor and Teacher of English, Akeley Wood School

Jackie Beere sets out to write a really practical book, full of gentle advice and free from jargon or technical terms: this is exactly what she has done. The most useful research and writing from over the last two decades from the worlds of education, neuroscience, positive and cognitive psychology have been woven together in an easy-to-read, down-to-earth book that will appeal to anybody interested in personal change.

Jackie makes an important case for growth becoming the natural extension of learning to learn; that if we understand how our brains work, we can become much more purposeful with our understanding and unlock our true potential. Mindset, emotional intelligence and behavioural science are used to create a simple, yet powerful framework for change. Very compelling is the way, Jackie reframes learning into growth; a minor shift in some respects, but a major paradigm shift for educators in particular. Imagine an education system where personal growth is the main driver all of a sudden, knowledge acquisition is no longer enough and young peoples mental health matters as much as anything else. Hurray! However, this book is certainly not for educators alone. Aspiring to be happier, healthier and more productive in our relationships is something most of us strive for. This book shines a light on our current behaviours and offers us the choice of a possible new reality that we have the power to shape. Without judgement, and often using personal stories, Jackie offers alternative ways of dealing with very familiar situations, ways which ensure that we learn and grow stronger and more resilient. She also offers us the opportunity not only to affect change in ourselves but to support change in others by using coaching techniques.

Jackie does not pretend to offer anything radically new, but what she does do, with great humility, is offer a much needed, straightforward reminder of some incredibly powerful approaches that all parents, teachers, employees and employers cannot do without. I wish I could give this book to everyone I know!

Manjit Shellis, Director of Learning, University of the First Age

Inspiring and upbeat felt the positive practical coaching throughout. Full of useful exercises and practical tips that help develop insight into behaviour. The most awesome element is discovering that real change is actually achievable even I am convinced. I can do this!

Maureen Floyd, Childrens Social Work Manager

Reading Grow was a turning point for me when I was going through a crisis of meaning in my life. In terms of conventional success a well-paid professional job, a very happy family, a good social network, fulfilling hobbies I seemed to have it all. But somehow I felt deeply, profoundly unfulfilled. I struggled with this feeling for many years as I travelled in trains, planes and cars from client to client. I felt ungrateful for the bountiful existence fate had chanced to serve me and that I didnt seem to want. I tried to knuckle down and make lemonade from the lemons. Then it all got too much, and I got to thinking seriously about my life. I realised I was judging success the wrong way. I was using someone elses definition of success, not my own. I sat down and wrote out what success really meant to me, and what it did not mean. I created my own success manifesto which helped me see that I was judging myself on totally the wrong benchmarks.

Over time I started to reset my life to fit in with my ideas of success, not anyone elses. It was not and still is not an easy journey, because we are all hard-wired by society, consumerism and education to define success as certain attributes. We think of success in very specific, limited terms such as our profession, looks, wealth and possessions. We dont stop to think of success in terms of wisdom gained, friendships made or moments experienced. Gradually I have started to loosen the tethers that bind me to one idea of success and align my whole life with another better idea, one that fits with how I feel deep inside. There is no way that I can tell anyone what success really means to them personally, but I do hope you can use Grow to help you find your own specific definition of success and, with the help of Jackies guidance throughout the book, move towards it with confidence and bravery.

Robert Beere, a more contented individual

We all seek happiness, but the question many people never ask themselves is what does happiness look like for me? I found the happiness manifesto in Jackie Beeres Grow very insightful in helping me to identify what happiness looks like to me. I was able to see the areas in my life which were incongruent and then look to make the changes I needed. It sounds so simple but it has been by far the most effective tool in my personal growth journey.

Sangeeta Sami, Digital Marketing Consultant

This is a great book which offers a practical and realistic approach to self-development. It proves an inspiring, insightful and intelligent approach to personal learning, which explains what holds us back and how to get on with the journey. Well worth a read.

Steph Coleman, IT and Customer Experience Director, Microlease

A well-judged balance between the academic, the informative and the anecdotal makes this an engaging, absorbing and accessible read. A book that brings together a plethora of current thinking and delivers a strong central message about our ability to grow as people full of practical advice, tools for self-testing, excellent summaries and a clever device to answer the sceptics questions. A book to make you think, but so full of optimism and positivity its hard not to smile as well!

Rhona MacDonald, Accountant and Management Consultant

Grow is a treasure-trove of ideas and insights into why we think, react and interpret the world in the ways we do. This fantastic book unpacks findings from the fields of cognitive psychology, personal development and self-help and gives us immediate and practical ways to use them in our own lives. With Grow, everything is gathered in one place, drawing together great ideas and valuable lessons from leading thinkers, scientists and business gurus, all focused on helping the reader set their own path and fulfil their goals.

With helpful self-reflection questionnaires, real-life stories and practical advice, Grow is a book for everyone with an interest in learning more about themselves, their colleagues, family, partners and society. Grow will help any interested reader to take their next steps, set their next goals and face their next challenges.

Zo Elder, Executive Director, Clevedon Learning Hub, Independent Education Consultant and author of Full On Learning

This book is dedicated to my dad,