Strive

Strive Plot Summary

Introduction

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the thought of changing your lifestyle, improving your health, or pursuing your dreams? Many of us approach our goals with an all-or-nothing mindset that makes the journey feel daunting. But what if the path to success didn't have to be so difficult? What if the secret to achieving your goals was making the process easy, enjoyable, and exciting? This is the powerful philosophy that transformed not just a tennis career but an entire approach to life. When faced with an autoimmune diagnosis that threatened everything, the author discovered that sustainable change doesn't come from grueling sacrifice or rigid perfection. Instead, it comes from developing a framework that allows you to consistently make small, positive choices across eight key actions: observe, appreciate, balance, enrich, soothe, believe, inspire, and strive. When applied to four significant areas—your diet, your activities, who and what's around you, and yourself—these actions create an approach to wellness that feels less like work and more like living your best possible life.

Chapter 1: Observe: Your Foundation for Self-Awareness

Observation is the starting point for any meaningful change. It's about taking a step back and absorbing what's happening before reacting. This mindfulness allows you to fully understand what you're dealing with, which in turn enables you to make better decisions about your health, relationships, and overall wellbeing. The author shares how this principle became especially crucial after being diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that causes pain, numbness, and fatigue. Initially, she thought she could just push through it with her existing knowledge. "I expected to find some quick fix, a 'Band-Aid' that I could place over my Sjögren's and move on," she admits. But when this approach failed, her sister's advice to attend a three-week wellness program changed everything. During this program, the author discovered that what you bring to your body—not just what you put into it but also what you apply to it—ultimately decides how difficult it is for disease to exist within it. This concept resonated with her athlete's mindset: just as every aspect of training must be in harmony for peak performance, every aspect of wellness must work together for optimal health. This revelation transformed her approach from looking for quick fixes to addressing root causes. The power of observation extends to every aspect of life. The author recommends observing your diet by noting not just what you eat, but when you eat and how you feel afterward. For activities, track your steps, exercise habits, and what might be holding you back. For your environment, notice who energizes you versus who drains you, and which places change your mood. Most importantly, observe yourself—your posture, how you divide your day, your thoughts, and how much you're truly invested in your own wellbeing. When practicing observation, remember to write things down rather than relying on memory, focus on quality over quantity, and don't limit yourself to just one area of life. The goal isn't to judge but to gather information that will guide your future choices. As the author discovered, this foundation of self-awareness doesn't just help you manage symptoms—it can transform your entire approach to health and happiness.

Chapter 2: Appreciate: Cultivate Gratitude and Confidence

Appreciation is about recognizing the value in both your successes and your struggles. It's a mindset that allows you to acknowledge progress while embracing imperfection—a balance that propels you forward rather than keeping you stuck in self-criticism or complacency. The author shares a pivotal moment from her tennis career that taught her this lesson: "Once, I was playing in a quarterfinal match at the US Open, and throughout the entire match, all I was thinking was, 'Gosh, I'm playing so horribly—what a disaster!' I had won the first set, and I was up in the second set, but I inevitably lost. It wasn't until a few years later that I realized, 'I was up 6–2, 3–1... why did I think that was horrible? I was killing it!'" This revelation showed her that failure to appreciate her performance in the moment had sabotaged her success. Growing up as a Jehovah's Witness, the author was taught that "your yes means yes, and your no means no." This principle of staying true to her word extended to staying true to herself. Despite facing criticism about everything from her body shape to her aggressive playing style, she refused to change based on others' opinions. Instead, she embraced what made her unique and appreciated her distinctive qualities. Practicing appreciation isn't just about celebrating victories. It also means acknowledging what you're already doing right, especially in areas where you feel you're falling short. For your diet, appreciate the healthy foods you already eat and every nutrient that nourishes your body. For your activities, appreciate what your body can do, the results that aren't instantaneous, and that you tried at all. With relationships, appreciate those who listen actively and those who have helped you along the way. The most challenging aspect of appreciation may be directing it toward yourself. The author encourages embracing what makes you different rather than focusing on perceived flaws. Appreciate your current state of health, no matter where you are on your journey. Even your losses deserve appreciation for the lessons they contain. As the author learned from a disappointing Olympic defeat, "the problem was it took me years to learn that lesson, and I wasted time and energy focusing on the failure instead of what I could've learned from it." By cultivating genuine appreciation for all aspects of your journey—the highs, the lows, and everything in between—you create a foundation of confidence that makes every other positive change more accessible and sustainable.

Chapter 3: Balance: Find Harmony in Imperfection

Balance isn't about achieving perfect equilibrium in all areas of life simultaneously. It's about creating moments of harmony within the natural imbalance that comes with pursuing goals and navigating daily challenges. This realistic approach prevents the frustration that leads many to abandon their health journeys. "How many times have you heard someone say how important it is to find balance in your life?" the author asks. "They're not wrong, but you have to watch how you take that advice. A lot of people struggle with creating a more balanced life for themselves, but if they ever feel they're not pulling it off as planned, they easily become frustrated." The author explains that her unconventional outlook on balance comes from accepting that life is always unbalanced, especially when you're striving to achieve something meaningful. She shares how her approach to balance transformed after being diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome. Rather than aiming for perfect balance, she learned to create "little moments of balance" within the imbalance. This might mean modifying her diet on the fly, finding better sleep strategies while traveling, or simply asking for help when needed. By accepting imperfection as inevitable, she felt less stressed when things weren't perfect and better able to prioritize what truly mattered. This principle applies to every area of life. For your diet, balance might mean establishing a regular eating schedule, ensuring each meal contains lean protein, healthy fat, and complex carbohydrates, or staying properly hydrated. For activities, it means resistance training two to three times weekly, incorporating cardiovascular exercise, and getting sufficient steps each day. The author provides a straightforward circuit workout that takes just twenty minutes, three times weekly, showing that effective balance doesn't require excessive time or effort. When it comes to relationships, balance involves being true to your values, rationing your time with negative influences, and having honest conversations with friends about your health journey. For yourself, balance might mean reducing your commitments, getting enough sleep, improving your posture, or remembering to live for today rather than postponing enjoyment until "someday." The key to successful balance is remembering that perfection isn't the goal. "No one divides their day up and spends every minute doing things that are healthy twenty-four seven—and I mean no one," the author emphasizes. It's about making small, manageable adjustments that bring a little more equilibrium to your life without creating additional stress. As you practice these balanced choices regularly, they become second nature, creating a foundation for sustainable wellness that withstands life's inevitable ups and downs.

Chapter 4: Enrich: Elevate Your Daily Choices

Enrichment is about elevating what you're already doing right instead of completely overhauling your lifestyle. It's the art of building upon your existing healthy habits to create momentum and prevent boredom, which often leads to backsliding or stagnation. "I've always believed that if something's too easy for you, then you're probably not growing or improving from it that much," the author explains. She emphasizes that consistency alone isn't enough for progress—you need to regularly seek ways to enhance your positive choices to avoid plateaus. "Living your best life possible is all about moving forward instead of standing still. Even if you take what you're already doing right and merely improve on it just a tiny bit." The author draws a parallel to the evolution of automobiles. If people had remained content with the original Ford Model T, we would all be stuck driving cars without air conditioning that barely reach 40 mph. Similarly, settling for the same healthy habits without looking for ways to enhance them limits your potential for growth and improvement. For your diet, enrichment might mean upgrading your water with natural fruits, herbs, or spices to make hydration more enjoyable. It could involve using new spices like cardamom, cayenne pepper, or turmeric to add flavor and nutritional benefits to meals. The author shares her love for salts infused with unexpected flavors, like raspberry, which make healthy eating more exciting. Even simple strategies like choosing foods with fewer ingredients or reconsidering your drinking habits can significantly enhance your nutritional intake. When it comes to activities, enrichment involves regularly changing your workout routine to prevent your body from adapting. This might mean altering the tempo, rest time, number of repetitions, or the exercises themselves. The author also suggests enriching seemingly inactive moments by incorporating subtle movements when standing or sitting, turning everyday situations into opportunities for physical engagement. Enriching your environment and relationships means actively listening to others, celebrating their victories as your own, and offering your unique talents to help those around you. "Your life should always be greater than you—and greater than one person—because if you only have yourself, you have a number that's never going to multiply," the author advises. By helping others achieve their best lives, you simultaneously enrich your own. For personal enrichment, the author recommends organizing your space, improving your sleep habits, reducing exposure to toxins, and finding healthier ways to reward yourself for achievements. These small enhancements compound over time, creating a lifestyle that continuously evolves and expands rather than remaining static. The beauty of enrichment is that it doesn't require perfection or drastic changes. It's about thoughtfully building upon what's already working, making your healthy habits increasingly effective and enjoyable through consistent, minor improvements.

Chapter 5: Soothe: Create Moments of Healing

Soothing is the essential counterbalance to striving—it's about creating space for rest, recovery, and healing that allows your body and mind to regenerate. Without this vital element, even the most determined efforts toward health will eventually lead to burnout or injury. The author shares how her mother always encouraged her to prioritize downtime, advice she initially resisted. "I have FOMO and hate going to bed when I should because it's the only time of the day when it's quiet with no demands. I love that time so much that I don't want it to end," she confesses. It wasn't until her Sjögren's diagnosis that she truly learned the importance of this principle. "I had to relearn that just because I didn't feel stressed or sore most days didn't mean I wasn't always in desperate need of taking enough time to heal." This revelation led her to examine every potential source of stress in her life—not just physical activity, but her diet, environment, social circle, and how she spent her free time. She discovered that following a raw vegan diet relieved many of her symptoms, including fatigue, joint pain, and digestive issues. This experience taught her "why it's so important to consider what we put into our bodies. But it's just as important to consider how we think." The author offers various approaches to soothing each area of life. For your diet, this might mean balancing your body's pH levels by eating more alkaline foods, being mindful about nighttime eating, or incorporating stress-reducing foods rich in vitamin C, magnesium, and L-tryptophan. For your activities, it involves recognizing your exercise limitations, incorporating regular stretching, and practicing meditation to calm your mind. When it comes to relationships, soothing means taking a pause before reacting to conflicts, helping others shift from negative to positive moods, and accepting that relationships won't always be perfectly balanced. The author advises, "By becoming preoccupied with why somebody didn't thank you, it can sometimes keep you from wanting to repeat similar acts of kindness not just toward them but toward others." For personal soothing, she recommends carving out a weekly "just say no" night to decline all invitations and obligations, practicing deep breathing hourly, taking strategic naps when possible, and treating yourself with the same kindness you would offer a friend who made a mistake. The power of soothing lies in its preventative nature. "When you soothe yourself every day in as many ways as possible, you keep yourself in a constant state of healing," the author explains. This proactive approach means you experience fewer aches and pains, less fatigue, and less mental stress because you're addressing potential issues before they become problems. In this way, soothing doesn't just repair damage—it creates resilience that allows you to pursue your goals with greater energy and fewer setbacks.

Chapter 6: Believe: Trust Your Process and Progress

Belief is the powerful mental foundation that supports all other aspects of your health journey. It's about developing unwavering confidence in yourself and the steps you're taking, even when immediate results aren't visible. This conviction transforms difficult choices into meaningful investments in your future. The author reflects on how her distinct style in tennis, fashion, and interior design stems not from conscious effort but from simply embracing who she is and believing in her direction. "All I ever do is believe in the actions and behaviors that make me who I am and help move me forward," she explains. This self-trust is something anyone can develop, yet few fully embrace it—which is why many fail to reach their health and wellness goals despite following solid programs. She shares a powerful example from her tennis career when her grip mysteriously changed. "I still to this day don't know how it happened, but it definitely isn't the way you want to play tennis and be great on any surface," she recalls. Correcting this grip mid-season was incredibly painful and took about two months of consistent work. "There were days when I honestly didn't think I could do it—but I eventually did, and it proved to me that if I set my mind to something, I can accomplish it." For your diet, belief means trusting in the importance of fiber, healthy fats, proper hydration, and fruits and vegetables—even when the benefits aren't immediately obvious. The author notes that nine out of ten Americans don't get enough fiber, despite its proven ability to lower blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar, and reduce the risk of numerous diseases. Similarly, she encourages embracing healthy fats despite their higher calorie content, recognizing their crucial role in regulating body temperature, reducing inflammation, and protecting organs. When it comes to activities, belief involves trusting that resistance training reverses aging by preventing muscle loss and building bone density, that cardiovascular exercise adds years to your life, and that even seemingly passive practices like meditation significantly impact your physical and mental health. The author cites research showing that regular meditation lowers blood pressure, boosts the immune system, improves cognitive function, and reduces inflammation. For relationships, belief means recognizing their fundamental importance to your health. The author cites studies showing that strong social connections lower stress hormones, improve physical health, enhance mental strength, and may increase lifespan by as much as seven and a half years. "Not only do friends make our lives more fun and worth living—they extend our lives so we can have even more fun in the process," she notes. When it comes to believing in yourself, the author suggests practices like anticipating success after failure, using visualization techniques, and remembering that everything you currently love was once something new and unknown. Her "Reset, Reload, Recharge" technique helps transform negative thoughts into positive expectations: "It's about allowing yourself to be all that you can be at that very moment—and that starts with your thoughts." By developing genuine belief in both the process and your ability to succeed, you create a mental environment where healthy choices feel natural rather than forced, and where temporary setbacks become learning opportunities rather than reasons to quit.

Chapter 7: Inspire: Seek and Create Motivation Daily

Inspiration is the renewable fuel that powers lasting change. Unlike motivation that comes and goes, true inspiration creates an internal drive that makes healthy choices feel necessary rather than optional. But this powerful force doesn't arrive by chance—it requires actively seeking new sources of inspiration and being willing to discard old ones when they lose their effectiveness. "Inspiration can come from anywhere, but the biggest slipup most people make is sitting around waiting for inspiration to come to them instead of actively seeking it out," the author explains. She reveals a surprising personal practice: "Every single time I won a major championship, I was inspired by something new. Something completely different from the last time I competed—and that was by design." This deliberate approach recognizes that even the most powerful sources of inspiration eventually become familiar and lose their impact. The author describes inspiration as "the fuel that propels you, opens your eyes to your capabilities, and makes you feel as if there are no limitations to what is possible for yourself." She calls it "the secret sauce missing from every lifestyle program I've ever seen"—the element that transforms healthy choices from obligations into desires. For your diet, inspiration might come from letting the seasons guide your food choices, photographing your meals to challenge yourself to improve them, exploring different cooking methods for familiar foods, or mastering portion measurements without drawing attention to yourself. The author shares how she challenges herself: "I love summer fruit and can't wait for peach season because, when it hits, I'll eat as many as I can until it's over." When it comes to activities, inspiration can be found by changing your exercise environment, deliberately scheduling workouts during inconvenient times to prove your commitment, building on activities you're already good at, or observing others to discover new approaches. The author advises, "Even the most 'exercise awkward' person has at least one thing they've tried to do—one activity, one exercise, one stretch, one yoga pose, whatever it is—that they realized they could do." For inspiring others, the author suggests maintaining positivity even during difficult times, rewarding someone else for your successes, being dependable, and sharing the STRIVE approach with those who express interest. "By explaining STRIVE to them, you'll give those around you a better understanding of what you're doing for yourself and how you're trying to improve your life," she notes. To inspire yourself, the author recommends refreshing your environment by removing outdated inspirational items, finding new mantras regularly, wearing clothes that make you feel confident, and focusing on the deeper reasons behind your health goals beyond appearance or numbers. "Instead, remind yourself that keeping those numbers under control not only means living a longer, healthier life but being able to make the most of every single day." The key to lasting inspiration is recognizing when a source has lost its power and being willing to seek new inspiration rather than clinging to what once worked. This continuous renewal of motivation creates a sustainable approach to wellness that remains fresh and compelling through all of life's changes.

Summary

The path to your best possible life isn't about perfection or exhausting yourself with rigid regimens. It's about creating a framework that makes positive change feel natural and rewarding. Through the eight actions—observe, appreciate, balance, enrich, soothe, believe, inspire, and strive—applied to your diet, activities, environment, and self, you create a system that makes health and happiness accessible even during life's inevitable challenges. As the author reminds us, "Living your best life possible is all about moving forward instead of standing still." The beauty of this approach is its flexibility and forgiveness. You don't need to execute all eight actions perfectly every day. Even small steps in the right direction create momentum that builds over time. Remember the author's promise: "Make it easy, make it enjoyable, but—most of all—make it exciting." Take action today by choosing just one area of your life and applying one of the eight actions. Notice how this small shift changes your perspective and energy. Then tomorrow, try another. This gentle but consistent approach creates lasting change that feels less like sacrifice and more like self-discovery—a journey worth taking one mindful step at a time.

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Venus Williams

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