This book combats a destructive mindset that we all sometimes fall into : I can't change. I am the victim of my circumstances and confined by my personal limitations. This philosophy, intangible though it is, destroys more dreams and limits more lives than any actual, physical obstacle. It is a philosophy of stagnation and damnation.

Drawing on literature, history, and his personal experiences with chronic depression, as well as on encounters with remarkable "ordinary" people who've beaten the odds, Smith inspires us to see that no matter how dire our circumstances there is always some positive step you can take, however small it might be. He doesn't sugarcoat the difficulties or offer promises of overnight success. But he does promise that if you continue to see yourself as a victim you'll remain frozen and fearful. Nobody wants that. We may not be able to control what happens to us, but we can always control how we react. We all have the power to lift ourselves out of the abyss and into the light.