Clarity: Clear Mind, Better Performance, Bigger Results: 2nd Edition

When I came across the principles behind Clarity, as Jamie Smart likes to call them, back in 2015, I had already travelled the world, interviewed people, written and published a book about ‘Happiness, how the world keeps smiling’. My husband and I talked to many happy-looking people from the poorest countries to the most affluent societies on our travels and asked for their secret. Every single one attributed their happiness to something quite specific from the waves in the ocean that meant everything to the surfer dude in Hawaii; to family, traditions and honour for the elephant keeper in a Temple in India; the pride to be able to feed her family for the mum of 5 in Bangkok; to the buzz of New York City that makes anything possible. What I couldn’t find back then was a common denominator. It was not education or wealth, health, level of fitness, free time or security. So, we concluded kind of puzzled and said it must be a personal thing, to find your happiness.But that never sat right with me, as the definition of happiness was universally the same. Everyone described their experience of it in almost identical words. How could this be a personal thing?Learning about these principles solved this puzzle for me. I had just looked in the wrong direction to find the common denominator. Happiness (wellbeing, resilience, creativity and yes, clarity - to use other words) is in fact a human thing and available to everyone! How, is nicely spelled out in this book. Please don't expect a 5 step plan to 'achieve' clarity but it can help you get eyes for your own and how to make better use of it.There are many great books about this understanding around, but Clarity really stands out for me. For one, it is written with so much clarity and precision. There is not a word too many in this book. And for two, it is talking about a highly spiritual discovery in such worldly, practical terms, relevant for business as well as personal relationships, habits, behaviour and mental health. There is no doubt for me that “the discovery of these principles is to psychology what the discovery of germs was to medicine.”That big a puzzle we are talking about. A great book! Check it out!

I read the first edition of Clarity back in 2015 which blew my mind and it was the catalyst to my own journey of transformation that led me to exploring more about Jamie Smarts work and the principles behind Clarity. That journey brought me from my burnout working in the NHS to rapid recovery and from mental health challenges at that time to a significant exponential improvement in living my life. On reading this second edition I was intrigued to see what I would see or discover with Jamie’s second edition. There are two main things that I have discovered on reading this book, firstly the deep gratitude on reading and seeing what I now see true for myself and recognising the journey that I have travelled since I first read the first edition. Jamie’s simple language and use of metaphors have allowed me to soak up this understanding and see this at a deeper level of understanding. I have loved the blend of reading and the QR codes that have taken me to other research or information that support each chapter.Secondly as I have read through the pages of this book the realisation that as well as reading the many examples and peoples personal stories that Jamie refers to I have reflected on how the understanding of the principles behind Clarity that Jamie articulates so well has permeated beyond me through both my work and family life. I not only have been able to hear through the reading of this book the massive impact that this has had for me but also the ripple effect that is has had across my networks and those that are closest to me. A gem of an investment that one can’t put a price on given the wealth of improved experience that you can gain from reading this book. Highly recommended.

I just started to read this edition of Clarity and see how well it has been updated to make it even more precise and impactful. I read the first edition of this book 3 years ago and it set me on the most wonderful life journey - in a completely new direction. It simplified everything I thought I knew about who we are and how life works. As a result I can focus on what is important to me rather than letting unconscious programs run my life. I spent the last ten years of my career (now retired) as a member of the senior leadership team in a large company. I can see how the contents of this book could have improved communication and productivity ten fold in the company. Whether you want to transform a team/company or enhance your own experience of life this book has some amazing and surprising answers. Jamie refers to this way of thinking as subtractive psychology, and that’s what most appeals to me. There is nothing to do, nothing to remember, nothing to practice. Who needs that when everyone’s to-do list is already creating problems for them. This book creates a shift in understanding that does all the work. Suddenly I found myself saying and doing things I didn’t think I was capable of, and letting go time wasting things I thought I needed. No effort required!

I have lived much of my life blessed with a sense of there being a deeper truth underlying our human experience . I stumbled across the three principles and the teachings of Sydney Banks about two years ago and then I attended a Clarity Live event with Jamie in November 2021.This book does what it says on the tin, helping to bring clarity to my everyday life. I have found it helpful pointing me in the direction of where to look in my life for answers, looking inside of myself not outside. Can it stop my human mind from overthinking? Of course not. What it can do however is help me drop back in to an insight friendly space. With a quiet mind comes a beautiful feeling and that is the best place I know to live my life from.I love the research component of this book. It helps bring together a robust scientific evidence base with a deep understanding of what it is to be a spiritual being having a human experience and that is what makes life so much richer.

(end of story...) READ it and reap...want a WAY out?read, baby read... and STOP your whining

I'm already on my second read through of the book and I'm finding meaningful and impactful content on every page. In my opinion this isn't a book to read and put on the shelf. This is a book to read, and re-read often and to go back to time and again. Its a powerful tool for growth and personal transformation. I really get a lot out of the thought experiments at the end of each chapter and the bonus materials available online. "Clarity is your mind's natural state." This first sentence of the Preface points to the power and freedom that we already have within us. The remainder of the book is a guide for how to rediscover and live in clarity.

The understanding Jamie talks about so masterfully is so simple, it's easy to underestimate its impact. We're talking about our true nature and how our experience of life is created - Jamie goes deep but not in an airy, theoretical way. Full of real life examples and thought provocations, Jamie once again manages to crack open the shell of the innocent misunderstanding that's at the heart of all suffering, letting in a ray of sunshine that you won't be able to unsee!

A powerful, and thought-provoking book which contains a simple understanding that many people with a lot on their minds will find life-changing. This second edition is also packed with case studies and research that I found very useful in my work as a leadership coach.

---🇮🇹 Questo libro è disponibile solo in lingua originale, per questo ho scritto la recensione in Inglese.---🇬🇧I just finished reading it yesterday, and I really liked it. A very well-rounded book that touches uponvarious topics we might find ourselves being stuck with, both in our personal and professional life.For example, talks about the sense of direction and purpose in life, resilience, creativity, feelingconnected to others and ourselves, being authentic, and following intuition.What had the biggest impact on me personally was the part where it talks about non-duality in avery down-to-earth, practical way. That hit me just in the right spot.I recommend it to people that are open to the possibility that the solution for even the mostcomplex problems can be simple.If you want to read it just for tricks and tips on “how to fix yourself,” you won’t like it.Because the thing is, there is nothing wrong with you.Don’t take my word for it; read and see the book yourself.