'Everyone can look shiny on the surface. But when we start to share our stories, we realise that doubts are part of all of us. No one has a straight line to success'
Gremlins. Common doubts that limit us and make us smaller: the failure gremlin, the not good enough gremlin, the conflict gremlin, the comparison gremlin, the age gremlin, the likability gremlin, the fear of being found out gremlin
How do we stop them getting in our way?
In this vital collection, careers experts and bestselling authors Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper uncover useful ways we can use creativity, honesty and conversation to master the beliefs that hold us back.
Featuring beautiful illustrations by artist Mark Conlan, the A6 books are in two parts and are packed with activities and advice:
Knowing: understanding your gremlins and how they impact your life
Caging: practical, tried & tested, ideas and tools to cage your gremlins|
Words on Gremlins
"Amazing If started from an idea that ‘the ladder’ as a way of framing our careers was becoming out-of-date. We believe that everyone’s career is now Squiggly: one where we prioritise possibilities, direction, skills and talents over plans, destinations, steps, and titles.
"Writing is a way for us to share our ideas and tools with people across the world. Our primary filter for everything we write is ‘usefulness’. We want our words to support readers in a practical way, and we hope their careers will be better because they’ve spent time with us.
"Everyone has gremlins that get in their way. The idea of this project is to support people to practically cage them. By caging our gremlins, we give ourselves the chance to learn more. To stretch our strengths and try out new directions. To say yes to things that might scare us.
"As humans doubts are part of our DNA. Some of the most common ones, that will feel familiar to many of us, are fear of failure, comparison and not feeling good or smart enough. When our gremlins roam free, they take control of what we think and how we act.
"We might be tempted to put ourselves forward for a new job but the gremlin in our head starts whispering, or even shouting, ‘What if you don’t succeed?’ or ‘What will other people say about you?’ Our goal for this book is not to ‘fix’ ourselves but to share some useful and simple caging strategies. We want every reader to know they can take charge of their gremlins rather than the other way around.
"Our gremlins have often got comfortable living in our heads, sometimes so much so that they become part of our identity and inseparable from how we see ourselves. To cage a gremlin we need to get it out of our heads and into the world, whether that’s by drawing, writing or talking about them.
"Everyone can look shiny on the surface and from a distance. But when we start to share our gremlin stories, we realise that fears and doubts are part of all of us. No one has a straight line to success."
Q&A
What is your favourite book?
Sarah
I find this almost impossible to answer as reading and books are such an important and essential part of my life. I love The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. It’s surprising, magical and imaginative (and is the first book I’ve owned with black edged pages). Anything by Maggie O’Farrell and Neil Gaiman also always gets a permanent place on my bookshelf.
Helen
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. A book from my childhood that has always stayed with me and unlocked a deep love and reading and learning from other people’s experiences.
What is your favourite quote?
Sarah
You may not be able to alter reality, but you can alter your attitude towards it, and this, paradoxically alters reality. Try it and see.
- Margaret Atwood.
Helen
It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you do not care who gets the credit’
- Harry Truman.
What's your favourite word?
Sarah
Not a word but love the phrase wouldn’t it be amazing if...... I heard it in a speech once and that’s where our company name was born from.
Helen
Effervescent. My mum uses this word to describe me and I like to think it reflects the energy I bring to people and situations.
