Sam Delaney

In this rallying cry for a phlegmatic and fun brand of masculinity, Sam Delaney makes the case for a happier way of living. He proves you don't have to be a wanker to be a winner; and you don't need to be a hippy to be at peace. Understand why consistency is just another word for 'boring'; how process is the enemy of beauty; that rest is a fundamental human right; why male friendships in particular should be rooted in fun, not competitiveness; and that self-acceptance always trumps self-improvement.

Sam Delaney overdid it for many years. Work, ambition, competitiveness, booze and drugs defined his life until he started to realise that he was burnt out and exhausted by daft fantasies of being a 'better man.' He had always put himself under pressure to be everything at once: fun but intelligent, tough but sensitive, a dedicated father but an ambitious careerist. But what if there was another way? What if trying to be the perfect version of himself was doing him more harm than good? In Stop Sh*tting Yourself, Sam dissects our obsession around hyper-productivity and high-performance living and - with his trademark straight-talking charm - offers a much-needed alternative perspective. Drawing on funny stories from his own life, he argues for the importance of sitting around in your pants doing nothing, taking working life with a pinch of salt, putting those impossible standards for yourself in the bin and focussing on the day-to-day things that make you content. Learn why consistency isn't what it's built up to be; how process is a recipe for boredom; that male friendships in particular should be rooted in fun, not competitiveness; and why self-acceptance always trumps self-improvement. After all, there's no point sh*tting yourself over nothing.