The Lemonade Life: How to Fuel Success, Create Happiness, and Conquer Anything

Forbes columnist and former hedge fund investor Friedman argues for leading a life with purpose and possibility in this upbeat debut self-improvement guide. “Lemonade Lifers,” as he terms them, succeed because they have mastered five key “switches”: perspective, risk, independence, self-awareness, and motion. Friedman walks readers through an array of tips, behaviors, and self-assessment questions to flip these switches in their own lives. Along the way, he cherry-picks anecdotes from a who’s who of business luminaries, including Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs, Sam Walton, and Harland “Colonel” Sanders. While suggestions like “commit acts of kindness” and “embrace failure” aren’t new, Friedman enlivens well-worn self-help concepts by applying metaphors from the finance world. Less successful is the book’s staunch optimism, which at times highlights a lack of nuance in Friedman’s arguments. For example, statements such as “few things in life have strict prerequisites... you don’t have to go to business school to become a CEO,” while factually correct, ignore the outsize impact such an opportunity—or the lack thereof—can have on a career. Similarly, the idea that “right now... almost everyone has a shot to fulfill their destiny” might ring hollow to those facing systemic obstacles to success. Nevertheless, for readers willing to follow him and do the work, Friedman provides a wealth of actionable advice. (Aug.)