We all have things we want to change about ourselves: lose a few pounds, quit smoking, get fit, repair our relationships, improve our finances, and so on. But all too often the end goal seems too far away from where we are, so we get on the "try and fail" roundabout. Why? Because change is hard, even painful. We instinctively avoid pain. And our old ways of behaving are so ingrained, so wired in, that we drift back to them without even realizing it.

What we need - and what Terry Hawkins provides in this inspiring how-to book - is a simple, straightforward way to understand what it is that keeps us stuck and a simple process for breaking old patterns and substituting new ones so we can move forward.

Hawkins takes profound philosophical and neuropsychological concepts and renders them in a universally appealing and accessible way. She introduces us to two characters who symbolize two ways of being. We can be Pitman, trapped in the Pit of Misery, chained to our past, a helpless victim of circumstance. Or we can be the superhero Flipman - powerful, courageous, loved, and successful. Why Wait to Be Great? explains in plain, simple, and often humorous language precisely what feelings, thoughts, and behaviors send us to the pit. And it offers an action plan for getting out - concrete steps we can take that will actually make us perceive and react to the world in a more positive way.

Hawkins certainly isn't promising anyone a trouble-free life - as she shares here, she herself had to rise above abuse, poverty, and serious health issues to become the successful entrepreneur and mother she is today. In fact she wants to help people "do pain well" - to use difficulties and setbacks as sources of growth, not reasons to give up. This wonderfully human and honest book will help you create the life you want once and for all.