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Shauna Niequist
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Present Over Perfect MP3 CD – Unabridged, August 9, 2016

by Shauna Niequist (Author, Reader)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 8,360 ratings
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In a culture that values speed, efficiency, image, and busyness, some of us are aching for another way to live: more intentional, more connected. Simpler, slower, richer. Many of us have believed the myth that achievement and success bring us contentment, only to find it’s actually things like connection and meaning, not success and achievement, that provide true peace and genuine happiness.  

Present Over Perfect is bestselling author Shauna Niequist’s motto for how to live a rich, engaged, and loving life in the midst of what often feels terribly messy and imperfect.  Similar in format to Shauna’s previous books, Present Over Perfect is a collection of essays that focuses on the journey from frantic and tired to connected and free. Many of us find ourselves busier than we want to be, missing the sweetest moments along the way. We end up resentful and distracted, full of regret and feeling disconnected. Present Over Perfect is a hand reaching out to a new way of living—full of grace, space, and connection.

As a wife, mother, friend, and writer, Shauna shares with vulnerability and transparency about the reality of living wholly present in our relationships with our families and the others we love and inspires readers to discover their own path to this more fulfilling way to do life.

Previous page
  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    Zondervan on Brilliance Audio
  3. Publication date
    August 9, 2016
  4. Dimensions
    6.5 x 0.63 x 5.5 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1531832059
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1531832056
  7. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Shauna Niequist is the New York Times best-selling author of Cold Tangerines, Bittersweet, Bread & Wine, Savor, and Present Over Perfect.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Zondervan on Brilliance Audio; Unabridged edition (August 9, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1531832059
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1531832056
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 0.63 x 5.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 8,360 ratings

About the author

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Shauna Niequist

Shauna Niequist

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Shauna Niequist is the NYT bestselling author of I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet, Present Over Perfect, Bread & Wine, Bittersweet, Cold Tangerines, and Savor.

She lives in New York City with her husband Aaron and their sons Henry & William.

Shauna is a bookworm and a passionate gatherer of people, especially around the table.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
8,360 global ratings
Reading this book is like taking off an underwire bra at the end of a very, very long, hard day. Such relief.
5 Stars
Reading this book is like taking off an underwire bra at the end of a very, very long, hard day. Such relief.
Reading this book is like sitting down with a dear friend and saying the thing you've decided is unspeakable- the truth you've been avoiding, and having her say, "Me too." Present over Perfect is a gentle redirection for those of us who've come to believe that we need to spend all day, every day, all of the days hustling and earning and proving. The author writes with vulnerability, honesty and the hard-won wisdom that comes not from sudden revelation, but from self-examination and prayerful reflection.It is an incredibly difficult thing to look in the mirror and acknowledge that the path you are on is leading you away from you were created to be, particularly when that path is benefitting so many other people. I finished this book in one sitting, and at the end had tears streaming down my face because it gave me hope that success can mean something different and deeper, that I don't need to fill that empty space inside with busyness or stuff or numbing agents- I can just sit with it. I gave up alcohol a year ago, but I am still actively addicted to perfectionism and hustle, constantly trying to prove I have a right to be here. Shauna Niequist lovingly challenges the assumption that we are what we produce.I do not know a single woman who would not greatly benefit from spending time with this book.Reading this book is like taking off an underwire bra at the end of a very, very long, hard day. Such relief.
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Top reviews from the United States

LMS
5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful and inspiring
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2020
Verified Purchase
I can't tell you how many times this book came up as a recommendation. But I always bypassed it. But last night, I felt like I needed to read it. I truly believe that God will bring the right book at the right time. This book was that for me. I recently was asked "What is your identity tied to?" As I thought about it, I realized that, for most of my life, my identity has been tied to being seen as responsible and competent. This resulted in a lot of hiding, pretending, and people pleasing. I realized that somewhere along the way, I lost my true self. I wanted to be perfect. I pushed myself to the breaking point. But it was never enough. Things like self care wasn't even on my radar. I finally reached the point, where I said "I can't live like this anymore. Something has to change." I also realized that I hadn't thought about what I want out of life and for myself in a very long time. I articulated the problem, but finding a solution turned out to be difficult, and the way out elusive. Until I read this book. I devoured it in a single sitting. Shauna writes with such clarity. We share so many of the same struggles. She shares my passion for books and words. She wrote things that I've felt and thought for so long. This book cracked me wide open. Reading Shauna's journey gave me hope that I could have a different kind of life too. There is so much here to think and pray about. My process may be different than hers, but that's okay. But this book has given me a starting place. If you struggle with being overly responsible, overworked, and overcommitted, do yourself a favor and read this book. It will be like a balm for your soul. Another excellent book is Fiercehearted by Holley Gerth
10 people found this helpful
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Rush and Charlsie
5.0 out of 5 stars You could call me "Shauna!" Perfect book for me!
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2017
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This book spoke VOLUMES into my current season! I couldn't put it down and have already gone thru it again, re-reading my underlines and notes! I read a lot of it out loud to my husband and he was SO grateful I fell onto this book. Haha.

For those that said they could not relate to her "entitled" or idealistic lifestyle, I offer another opinion. I do not have a freelanced writing job, nor do I have a vacation home to run away to... BUT! I am a VERY BUSY (!!!), life/house-cluttered, performance-driven, highly stretched, sought-after, medical provider in one of the most difficult seasons of my life trying to balance work - motherhood to a toddler - newlywed - mentor - church volunteer... oh and friend, sister, daughter, granddaughter, etc.

This book ranks as one of my all time top books... among the likes of Purpose Driven Life, Experiencing God, Keep Your Love On, and the Good Book itself.

If I wanted to change anything in the book, it would simply be for her to add strategies for her simplification process - like how she initiated the decluttering of her closets and her kids rooms. Haha.

For me, this sucker punched me in the gut, brought me to tears of revelation, challenged me to a fresh awakening, and catalyzed me into setting boundaries at work. I was tired of serving my husband and my daughter leftovers of my dried up, worn out, depleted self every night when I got home!

I absolutely LOVED this book and feel she could have singlehandedly written it for me. It's like one of those moments when you're sitting in church and you feel like the only one in the congregation when the pastor is preaching... yeah. That was my experience with this book.

Thank you Shauna!!!
4 people found this helpful
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Jmilllz
4.0 out of 5 stars good read
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2024
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This had a lot of good advice and just an over good message written in the book. I enjoyed it although it was not a book I could sit down and read start to finish I had to take breaks and take my time reading it to make sure I actually absorbed what I was reading
One person found this helpful
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Yolanda G. Burnett
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Read
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2023
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Inspiring book with many meaningful and positive takeaways!
2 people found this helpful
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DD
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for all who wish to please God fully....
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2016
Verified Purchase
Shauna Niequiest walked into my life on the afternoon of August 12th on a large screen, as I enjoyed the Global Leadership Summit of 2016 Live from Atlanta via satellite. I had just recently, at the beginning of of 2016, taken the plunge into he "hustle". I suppose I had dabbled there a time or two, but this year I was drowning in a dangerous dance of hustle-prove you're good enough-hustle,-you're not good enough-hustle harder- take on more - isolate yourself - hustle- keep trying and repeat. The things I was going, I had gotten involved for all of the right reasons. These were "good things" , things to help others, to serve God, but by August I was missing myself. I was spiraling out of control mentally and spiritually. I was doing so much that I was alone. I had thoroughly enjoyed the summit up to that point, I had pages and pages of life-changing revelations, but listening to Shauna I wrote, then tweeted out these words, "The love is never found in the hustle! It is received from God Himself, the One who created you for love" My heart leapt because I knew in my heart I was looking for love there. I knew I had to read this book. I read it fast some days, and slow others. I read many parts aloud to my husband, I re-read other parts as tears fell from my eyes. I could not help but realize the goodness of God for allowing me to find this message in the nick of time! Just when I believe I'll realize the dream of motherhood soon, just as the women's group God has given me was going to take off, just as I prepared to "really" write my first published work, just as the demands & busyness of my career were taking a harsh toll on me. Just when I was flailing so hard in the waters of hustle-Dom, that I was almost ready to just lie there and forget it! Just quit it ALL! This message came like a training ground. It assured me that God had indeed called me to do many things, but He did NOT call/require me to "lose my soul" doing them. I knew that verse before, but now I understand better what "Gaining the whole world" means."Thank you Shauna for stretching out your loving hand through your words that have brought hope and joy to me. This book has been used as a tool to bring God's peace into my heart, I am drinking in the Love and Grace of God in a way I never knew possible. I am free from the shame of not enough, and I am drinking in life, love and hope, and freely sharing my learning with others.
13 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Marta
3.0 out of 5 stars Ok book
Reviewed in the Netherlands on March 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
In general book is ok and has nice message, for me personally too much reference to Christianity to which I can’t relate
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Celia
5.0 out of 5 stars Read this and reflect upon your own life
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2019
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This book which I read recently is starting to have a profound effect on my life. It is based on a collection of stories around living a life of meaning and connection instead of pushing for perfection and it massively resonated with me. You see I’m a type-A personality, I pride myself in delivering way above and beyond what a lot of other entrepreneurs do. I even won a national award for productivity.
Pushing for perfection is what so many entrepreneurs, especially women do, but you can end up with stale relationships, kids trying to connect with you but being honest you aren’t fully present, even your weekends end up with little quality time and you gain rapid weight gain due to stress and not making time for exercise. You feel you are trapped on this hamster wheel eventually feeling unfulfilled at work and unfulfilled at home.
Shauna describes it perfectly ‘it’s like I was pulling a little red wagon, and as I pulled it along, I filled it so full that I could barely keep pulling. That red wagon was my life, and the weight of pulling it was destroying me. I was aware that I was missing the very things I so badly longed for: connection, meaning, peace. But there was something that kept driving me forward – a set of beliefs and instincts that kept me pushing, pushing, pushing event as I was longing to rest’….. My health was suffering……. My ability to taste and connect and feel deeply had been badly compromised…. This book is an account of my winding, messy journey from exhaustion to peace, from isolation to connection, from hustling and multitasking to sacred presence…
A key phrase from her book …’You don’t have to damage your body and your soul and the people you love most in order to get done what you think you have to get done. You don’t have to live like this’…..
‘Loving one’s work is a gift. And loving one’s work makes it really easy to neglect other parts of life’.
When you’ve tried all the tactics of time management, developing a team, to-do lists and scheduling and this doesn’t work, you’ve got to change tactics. This is where this book comes in.
The book focused on how Shauna left a life of busyness and frantic living, a constant pressure to perform faster, push harder and produce more, all while maintaining an exhausting image of perfection. Her life was transformed through stopping, resting, creating, connecting and cultivating silence and in that silence, she discovered the voice of love that she had been aching to hear, this led her to a new life based on grace, rest, silence, simplicity, prayer and connection with the people that mattered most to her and rediscovered who she was meant to be.
She adopted new ways of embracing silence – walking away from past beliefs and what someone told me you should be, in favour of walking toward what you truly love. It has certainly given me food for thought and from November, I personally am reducing my work down to four days per week taking Fridays off and treating these as ‘Fulfilment Fridays’ – using Fridays as a special time for me to get grounded, have fun, meditate, journal and as a day of self-care.
2 people found this helpful
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Kristel
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely writing
Reviewed in Germany on June 22, 2019
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The book is filled with extremely well-written and relatable stories. A great author sharing a personal story which motivates and gives hope to the reader.
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Sree
3.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading
Reviewed in India on November 15, 2018
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Just finished reading this.. Really gud one. Adds a different perspective to life. It shows the delicate nature of life.
One person found this helpful
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Cecilia Lim
5.0 out of 5 stars Like chicken soup for the soul
Reviewed in Australia on May 28, 2018
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed reading this book and especially love Shauna’s authenticity and vulnerability. So many profound thoughts which has made me think more deeply about my life. I love also that it wasn’t a prescriptive or formulaic but more about sharing her insights and journey. I felt like I was having a meaningful chat over coffee with a good friend.
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