To truly heal, you are going to have to change the way you think. You are going to have to become very conscious of negative and false beliefs and start shifting to a mindset that actually serves you.
Brianna wiest
The Mountain is You is about breaking free from self-sabotage. Realizing that your thoughts are not a reality. And that the biggest obstacle you need to overcome is you. This book dives deep into why we hold ourselves back and why we are so scared to change.
I’ll be honest—I’m currently juggling a few too many books. I’m in the middle of Mistborn and The Flow, and somehow I ended up picking this one up too.
At first, The Mountain Is You didn’t quite grab me. It was a slow start, and I had a hard time getting into it. But once it clicked, it really clicked. I ended up finishing it in just a couple of nights. It’s the kind of book that finds you when you need it most.
Why I chose The Mountain Is You
At the end of 2024, I made a list of books I wanted to read and The Mountain Is You was one of them.
I promised myself that in 2025, I would finally break free from some of my worst habits and start building new ones that actually support the life I want to live.
I’ve always found self-help books deeply motivating. The 5AM Club inspired me to start waking up earlier, and here I am, writing this blog post at 7 a.m. with a quiet house and a clear mind.
The Power of Now shifted my mindset in a big way. It taught me to stop obsessing over the past or future and to start living in the now.
I picked up The Mountain Is You on Kindle because I’ve been working on overcoming negative thinking and the patterns of self-sabotage that quietly hold me back. I’ve come a long way, but I know I can go further.
If you ever feel stuck, like you’re spinning your wheels but not moving, this book might be exactly what you need.
Is it easy to read?
The Mountain Is You is an easy read. It has a straightforward style, without complex language. That made it a great evening book for me, especially since I often find it hard to focus on denser texts before bed.
That said, I did struggle a bit in the beginning. The first few chapters felt slow, and some of the points didn’t really land with me. But I’m glad I stuck with it, because once it picked up, I found myself fully engaged and finishing it within just a couple of nights.
Like many self-help books, it’s packed with insights you’ll want to remember—quotes, reflections, aha moments. I highly recommend keeping a reading journal nearby to jot down key takeaways. There’s a lot you’ll want to revisit.
One thing to note: the structure of the book is a bit unusual. It reads more like a long-form essay than a traditional book, with less emphasis on clear chapter breaks. That might feel a little disorienting to some, especially if you’re used to more structured formats.
Of course, how much you connect with it may depend on how many self-help books you’ve already read. If you’ve read a lot, some of the themes might feel familiar or even repetitive.
My 3 Key Takeaways from The Mountain is You
This books contans many good points and useful advice, but for this post I selected a few main takeaways that stayed with me after reading the book.
“The people you spend the most time with will shape your future irrevocably, and so you must choose them wisely.”
People who surround us affect and shape our lives. If you are surrounded by someone pulling you down, then it is very hard to move forward.
Think about the relationships in your life. Think about the people you surround yourself with.
The people you spend the most time with will shape your future irrevocably. Your habits, mindsets, and energy will leave a mark on you, whether you realize it or not. Over time, you unconsciously absorb their values, fears, and even limitations.
That’s why it’s essential to choose your circle wisely. Surround yourself with those who challenge you to grow, who believe in your potential even when you doubt yourself.
Sometimes you cannot completely avoid negative people, but at least you can reduce the time you spend with them. And start blocking their feedback and comments about your life.
Your environment is either lifting you higher or quietly pulling you under. In the end, the company you keep is not just part of your life—it becomes your life.
Comfort is the driving force of human behavior
Your new life is going to cost you your old one. It’s going to cost you your comfort zone… It will cost you being liked. And it will cost you your comfort.
Brianna wiest
We are wired to seek comfort, familiarity, and what we know. But it is often the comfort that keeps us stuck. It is easier to stay in a job you don’t like just because it’s familiar, you are too scared to leave it, and you are afraid to lose the things you have.
The same is true of relationships. Even when you know that you need to leave, you stay because it is easier not to rock the boat, not to disturb your life or the lives of those around you.
It is in our nature to stay quiet and not disturb things too much, not get out of our comfort zones. Stay stuck in our routines even when they are not good for us.
But discomfort is the price of growth. You sweat and feel tired when you exercise, yet you know you did something good for yourself when you finish.
So every time you think that something is hard and that you are in the worst part of your life, well, that is the moment the most growth happens.
Without discomfort, you just stay stuck where you are.
The mountain is you: You are the biggest obstacle
“The mountain you are trying to climb is the one that is within you.”
Brianna wiest
The “mountain” represents the internal struggles and obstacles we face in life. Rather than external challenges, the book emphasizes that we are the mountain. It’s our own fears, doubts, limiting beliefs, and negative patterns that hold us back.
So you need to take responsibility for your life and your mistakes. And realize that the true change will only come if you change yourself, the way you think, and the way you approach problems.
It is easy to blame everything and everyone around you for the way your life is. But this will get you nowhere. Life will always present challenges, but how we choose to respond to those challenges is what ultimately defines our growth and success.
Facing your own doubts, fears, and negative thoughts is what will help you move forward.
Final Thoughts
If we want to change the world, we change ourselves. If we want to change our lives, we change ourselves. If we want to scale the greatest mountains before us, we change how we arrive at the path.
Brianna Wiest
I really enjoyed reading this book in the evening, and I plan to reread it in a few months. It is easy to read, but at the same time it provides good insights into human behaviour and issues that prevent us from progressing.
It also helps you understand that your whole life is like climbing a mountain. You are always trying to grow and improve, and you should enjoy that journey.
Above all, the mountain you are climbing is you, yourself. You are battling your insecurities, fears, negative patterns and thoughts.
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