Go Higher book cover

Go Higher by Big Sean Summary

Go Higher
Big Sean
Self Help
Spirituality
Personal Development
Overview
Key Takeaways
Author
FAQs

Overview of Go Higher

Hip-hop icon Big Sean's instant bestseller transforms personal struggles into five life-changing practices. Endorsed by Will Smith and Deepak Chopra, this raw memoir-meets-guide reveals how a platinum artist contemplated suicide despite fame - offering readers a blueprint for authentic mental wellness.

Key Takeaways from Go Higher

  1. Big Sean's Five Practices transform mental wellness into daily spiritual growth
  2. Accept your reality first before strategizing change or manifesting goals
  3. Manifestation in Go Higher requires intentional action not wishful thinking
  4. Big Sean proves self-care is not selfish but energizes growth
  5. Depression taught Big Sean that communication is the bridge to salvation
  6. Journaling and affirmations rewire negative thinking into manifesting positive outcomes
  7. Go Higher shows success means defining your path not society's expectations
  8. Big Sean's agreements with the universe guide behavior toward higher purpose
  9. Trust yourself and the universe when control feels impossible to maintain
  10. Go Higher teaches that setbacks are lessons not failures to fear
  11. Big Sean's strategy helped him overcome suicidal thoughts through spiritual practices
  12. Meditation and therapy clear your mind for visualizing your highest self

Overview of its author - Big Sean

Sean Michael Leonard Anderson, known professionally as Big Sean, is the Grammy-nominated rapper and author of Go Higher, a guide to mental wellness and personal transformation. Born in 1988 in Santa Monica and raised in Detroit, Big Sean rose to prominence after signing with Kanye West's GOOD Music in 2007, releasing multiple chart-topping albums including Dark Sky Paradise and Detroit 2.

His expertise in mindset and resilience stems from his own journey through anxiety and depression between 2018 and 2020, which led him to embrace meditation, therapy, and journaling practices that fundamentally changed his approach to success and happiness.

Big Sean has shared his insights on major platforms including Charlamagne Tha God's podcast, Jay Shetty's On Purpose, and various mental health-focused interviews where he discusses manifestation, fatherhood, and breaking generational cycles. His sixth studio album, Better Me Than You (2024), reflects the same themes of clarity and inner peace explored in Go Higher. With over 16 years in hip-hop and millions of albums sold worldwide, Big Sean has established himself as both a cultural icon and an authentic voice in the personal development space.

Common FAQs of Go Higher

What is Go Higher by Big Sean about?

Go Higher by Big Sean is an interactive self-help guidebook that shares five key practices for mental wellness, purpose, and inner peace. The book draws from Big Sean's personal journey through anxiety and depression despite music industry success, offering practical tools like journaling, meditation, and affirmations. It challenges readers to prioritize regular self-care rather than waiting for crisis moments, providing step-by-step instructions for daily spiritual practices.

Who should read Go Higher by Big Sean?

Go Higher by Big Sean is ideal for anyone struggling with anxiety, depression, or feeling unfulfilled despite outward success. This book particularly resonates with young adults navigating career decisions, creatives facing mental health challenges, and individuals from communities where therapy is stigmatized. It's perfect for readers seeking actionable mental wellness strategies rather than abstract philosophy, and those who appreciate authentic storytelling combined with practical self-improvement tools.

Is Go Higher by Big Sean worth reading?

Go Higher by Big Sean is worth reading for its rare blend of celebrity authenticity and actionable mental wellness strategies. Unlike typical self-help books, Big Sean provides honest accounts of contemplating suicide while achieving his dreams, making the content deeply relatable. The book offers practical daily tools—journaling prompts, meditation techniques, and manifestation practices—that readers can implement immediately. His perspective challenges stereotypes about both rappers and self-help, proving personal development is universal and accessible.

Who is Big Sean and why did he write Go Higher?

Big Sean (Sean Anderson) is a multi-platinum rapper, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who signed with Kanye West's label at age eighteen. Despite achieving massive music success, he battled severe anxiety and depression, nearly taking his own life. Big Sean wrote Go Higher to share the spiritual practices his mother taught him—inspired by books like The Four Agreements and The Secret—that saved his life and transformed him into the father, musician, and man he is today.

What are the five practices in Go Higher by Big Sean?

The five practices in Go Higher by Big Sean are: accepting (embracing your current reality and circumstances), strategizing (developing tailored plans using research and mentorship), trying (taking consistent action and learning from setbacks), trusting (building faith in yourself and listening to intuition), and manifesting (aligning your energy to attract desired outcomes). Big Sean provides step-by-step instructions for implementing each practice through daily journaling, affirmations, and self-reflection prompts.

How does Big Sean use manifestation in Go Higher?

Big Sean defines manifestation in Go Higher as intentionally aligning thoughts, feelings, and actions with your goals to attract desired outcomes. He uses practical tools like vision boards, daily affirmations, and "agreements with the universe" to clarify intentions. Big Sean shares personal examples—visualizing his rap career and buying his mother a house—to demonstrate manifestation's effectiveness. Importantly, he emphasizes that manifestation requires action and preparation, not just wishful thinking.

What mental wellness tools does Big Sean recommend in Go Higher?

Go Higher by Big Sean recommends four core mental wellness tools: journaling for self-reflection and tracking gratitude, meditation for clearing the mind and visualizing positive outcomes (even brief daily sessions), therapy as a safe space for processing trauma and breaking pain cycles, and affirmations for reinforcing positive beliefs. Big Sean emphasizes making these practices part of a consistent daily routine, providing structure and resilience during challenging times.

How does Go Higher by Big Sean address anxiety and depression?

Go Higher by Big Sean addresses anxiety and depression through candid personal storytelling and actionable coping strategies. Big Sean reveals that despite signing with Kanye West at eighteen and achieving his dreams, he contemplated suicide due to severe mental health struggles. The book provides the five practices—accepting, strategizing, trying, trusting, manifesting—that helped him overcome these challenges. He advocates strongly for therapy, especially in communities where mental health support is stigmatized.

What is the main message of Go Higher by Big Sean?

The main message of Go Higher by Big Sean asks: "If we worked on our self-care regularly, instead of only when we were in crisis, how much higher could we go?" Big Sean argues that investing in yourself through daily mental wellness practices doesn't drain energy—it provides the energy to reach your fullest potential. The book positions regular self-care as essential maintenance rather than crisis intervention, benefiting not just individuals but their families and communities.

How can Go Higher by Big Sean help with daily self-care?

Go Higher by Big Sean transforms daily self-care through interactive prompts and step-by-step instructions for practical tools Big Sean has used for a decade. The book includes journaling exercises for self-reflection, meditation techniques for mental clarity, affirmation practices for mindset shifts, and agreement-setting rituals for intention. These aren't theoretical concepts—Big Sean provides the exact methods he uses daily, making self-care accessible, structured, and sustainable rather than overwhelming or abstract.

What books influenced Big Sean's Go Higher?

Go Higher by Big Sean was influenced by spiritual texts Big Sean's mother embraced during his childhood, particularly The Four Agreements and The Secret. Big Sean also credits authors like Deepak Chopra and Bell Hooks for shaping his perspective. These books provided the foundation for the spiritual practices that saved Big Sean's life during his darkest moments, which he has adapted and refined over a decade into the five practices framework presented in Go Higher.

How does Big Sean's music career connect to Go Higher?

Big Sean's music career provides the authentic context for Go Higher, illustrating that external success doesn't guarantee internal peace. After signing with Kanye West's record label at eighteen—living his "rap fairytale"—Big Sean still struggled with suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and depression. This contradiction drives the book's central thesis: achievement without self-care is hollow. His lyrics, like those in "Deep Reverance," reflect the same self-awareness and mental wellness themes explored throughout Go Higher.

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