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Take the Lead

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An inspiring and revealing essay about motherhood, self-acceptance, and overcoming the fears that hold you back by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Open Book.

“If I want to lead myself into something greater than yesterday, I have to surrender the things that scare me and hold me back.”

Jessica Simpson collected so much emotional baggage over the course of her life that she began to feel like she couldn’t carry anything else. She knew she needed to confront her fears. She made a to-do list for the life she wanted. No more struggling to please everyone else. No more dulling the pain. No more avoiding the scary stuff. From now on, she’ll focus only on the expectations she has for herself. With her inviting warmth and trademark intimacy, Jessica reflects on the example of her daughters and son, reclaiming her power and taking the lead in her own life.

22 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 29, 2021

916 people are currently reading
2,551 people want to read

About the author

Jessica Simpson

38 books547 followers
Jessica Simpson is an American singer, actress, philanthropist and fashion designer. Simpson rose to fame in the late 1990s starring with her then-husband Nick Lachey in the MTV reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. She has seven Billboard Top 40 hits, and has two gold and three multi-platinum RIAA-certified albums.

Simpson is married to retired NFL tight end Eric Johnson. They have three children.

Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

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5 stars
1,486 (40%)
4 stars
1,191 (32%)
3 stars
718 (19%)
2 stars
235 (6%)
1 star
84 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
Profile Image for Christy.
4,376 reviews35.5k followers
May 14, 2021
3.5 stars

I adore Jessica Simpson and loved her ‘Open Book’ memoir last year. I was looking forward to this essay and I did enjoy it, but it was much too short. I wish it was at least double the length. Chapter three was impactful. If you’re looking for a really short essay about Simpson overcoming struggles, pick this one up.

Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrator: Jessica Simpson
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Non-fiction (essay)
Length: 35 minutes
Profile Image for Richard Derus.
3,588 reviews2,175 followers
May 29, 2021
Real Rating: 3.5* of five, rounded up because Author Simpson deserves all the plaudits in the world for wanting to help the people who used and abused her in spite of everything

Four short chapters, all in all a half-hour's read, that bid fair to do more good for people stuck in Plague Year Mode than all the well-intentioned and hamfisted punditry on the TV and internet.

Facing fear; parenting; breaking free of obsessive cyclic behavior. In short, letting go and letting yourself actually be free. These are excellent messages. Simpson is a poster girl for all of them. She's never been out of the public eye since her pop-star days, and her awful reality TV show with her abusive first husband is one of the primary reasons I don't watch the stupid things. (Except #GBBO.) The toll this took on her is well-documented if twisted into criticisms of her even then.

Author Simpson is to be celebrated for telling her side of things without rancor or self-pity...excessive rancor or unwarranted self-pity, I suppose...and this free-with-Prime read builds on that mature image.

I don't know if most people who read my reviews feel the need of this kind of cheerleading, encouragement, to make change and get inspired to seek their own best methods to accomplish this (that is the main take-away of this essay), but please...don't turn up your nose or look down it at a woman whose personal power, her control over her body, was utterly voided and who is now redressing that life-long wrong.

And for goodness' sake, stop voting for old white men whose purpose it is to make that heinous crime a legally protected abuse.
Profile Image for Rachel Hanes.
642 reviews795 followers
April 30, 2021
At only 22 pages, this read was rather inspiring. I even found myself shedding tears in Chapter Three. As time goes on I am starting to love Jessica Simpson more and more.
After reading this short essay, I plan to put her book ‘Open Book’ on the top of my list to read. I’ve heard great things about it, and now I am sure that I want to read everything that she writes.
Profile Image for Patricia (Irishcharmer) Yarian.
357 reviews15 followers
June 25, 2021
Yes, I can...

Just finished this! Was I surprised!? All these years this beautiful, young lady was made out to be "airheaded,stupid and the epitome of the dumb blonde"! Well folks, after reading this, she's definitely NOT as she's been portrayed as being!
There's a living, thinking, spirited, smart person under all that hype and hair!
Her advice to let go, take the lead- is something that makes a mark with me! I too have been a sporadic journaling"ist"....but now I believe that mantra of "let go" and of course what I too constantly and consistently told my kids to do (but didn't listen for my own self) "you can do this"! So perhaps, it's time I picked up my journaling again ....who knows, my kids could benefit from it!
There's wisdom between these pages we all can relate to! And we can introduce ourselves to Jessica , because we will now know who she really is..I personally am so glad I picked this up. You will be too...so go ahead, grab a copy and enjoy- then, take the lead! You can do it....--P/
Profile Image for Andrea Fleury.
990 reviews80 followers
February 25, 2023
A stunning and beautiful soul

It maybe short but I loved her thoughts her bond with her 3 children and her husband Eric.And of course GOD.
Profile Image for Amy | Foxy Blogs.
1,763 reviews1,043 followers
May 13, 2021
I enjoyed Jessica's book - Open Book so I grabbed this one when it released.

This is a quick essay about what she expects from herself.

Audiobook source: Audible
Narrator: Jessica Simpson
Length: 35M
Profile Image for Ivy.
1,079 reviews58 followers
October 15, 2022
I loved Open Book, so it's no suprise that I love this essay. I wish it was a little longer but the few pages we get are similarly inspiring as the memoir. And I sure hope she will write some more.
Profile Image for Jenica.
1,395 reviews46 followers
May 3, 2021
I mean, this is really short, but like... I love Jessica Simpson so much after reading Open Book so it's really no surprise that I loved this. I would like a whole other memoir from her, tbh. I don't even care what it's about.
Profile Image for Shannon .
2,239 reviews152 followers
January 19, 2023
Take the Lead

I Picked Up This Book Because: Working on my KU backlist.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: KindleUnlimited
Dates Read: 1/18/23 - 1/18/23
Stars: 4
Narrator(s): Jessica Simpson

A short but through couple of chapters about observations and motivations of life.
Profile Image for Krista.
161 reviews14 followers
May 16, 2021
Short and sweet essay.
Profile Image for Melanie.
1,605 reviews364 followers
December 31, 2021
Take the Lead was an enjoyable essay about overcoming the things holding you back.

This essay is told in four short chapters detailing situations in Simpson's life where she confronted fears she had and worked to overcome them. The messaging in the essay is good and I liked how she talked about how she needs to focus on her own expectations for herself rather than everyone else's. I do think the essay was a bit short and a few more chapters would have allowed the author to flesh out some of her ideas more. I have not read the author's book, Open Book, but after reading this essay I am definitely interested as her writing has a way of pulling you in.

Overall Take the Lead was a worthwhile read and I would recommend it.
Profile Image for Majesta.
241 reviews4 followers
August 12, 2021
“To lead ourselves into something greater than yesterday, we have to let go of it.”

Take the Lead, an essay by Jessica Simpson

Following the same theme of overcoming struggles as Simpson’s memoir, Open Book, this essay is wonderfully written.

With topics centered around confronting fears and letting go, Jessica Simpson let’s readers into her heart. The chapters tell stories of facing her fear of horses with the help of her eldest child, Maxwell, the media focus on her body and weight, and the challenges parenting brings.

At 22 pages, this is a real quick read that can be fit in anytime of day. If you haven’t read Simpson’s memoir, this essay is a great decider to see if it is right for you. If you have read it and enjoyed it, you’ll want to spend the (short) time on this one as well.

Favorite Quotes:

“Are we all ready to make a change, like we’ve been saying we are? Or are we expecting life to do it for us?”

“Fear will keep us at a standstill, going nowhere fast. Did the last year change you? Did it drive you to make shifts that you were consciously or subconsciously hoping for? Or did it leave you waiting for deliverance from all the difficulty that’s built up? When you quiet your mind, do you feel more anxious than ever, or are you empowered by your own strength?”

“I have belittled myself for far too much of my existence, fearing the regret of my own decisions. Only I can allow myself to move—no longer paralyzed, pretending that I can’t.”

“Perhaps you’ve turned your life into making everyone else’s life work smoothly, maybe at first because it was demanded of you—hello, fellow moms—but later because it was easier to make everyone else happy than to do it for yourself.”

“Make friends with the things that scare us, but take away their power.”

Profile Image for Andrea Corley.
569 reviews113 followers
October 2, 2021
I think you’ll find that if you read Jessica Simpson’s books, that you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the person your reading about. She portrayed to be this ditzy blonde early on in her career, but honestly that was just a facade. I LOVE the REAL Jessica Simpson!

I haven’t gotten an opportunity to read her first book yet, but I had a few minutes in the car and decided to jump into Take the Lead and really enjoyed it! It was uplifting and honest and just a little snippet of what Jessica is capable of as a writer. She dives into her thoughts about her fears, and parenting and being a mother, and sometimes the pressure of all of that! I loved it!

It was a super quick read, but uplifting and just what I needed at the time. Jessica Simpson narrated the book herself, and who better to read a memoir than the person writing it? Although narration isn’t for everyone and I’ve had an author that wrote the book also narrate it and it drove me crazy, but that is not the case for Take the Lead. Jessica was the PERFECT fit!

I am now super interested in reading her first book so I can’t wait to grab it and cozy up to it! Overall, thrilled that I listened to this! It really gave me some ideas and made me feel better about diving deep into myself…for ME…not for everyone else!
Profile Image for Freda Mans-Labianca.
1,294 reviews124 followers
May 30, 2021
I read this book with the hopes of getting a better understanding of who Jessica Simpson is. Really, the only knowledge I had of her stems from a time when she was with Nick Lachey and we all know how that turned out. She seemed unstable at the time. Now, with children of her own, you hardly hear about her. So I was curious... Then I realized this was an essay and not a full book. That's what I get for not reading the synopsis first, or even properly looking at the cover where it clearly states it's an essay.
It was good though.
You can see Jessica's love for God, empathy for others and what lessons she learned come shining through. It was short, but oh so sweet!!! Every one, especially the moms out there, should read this!
Profile Image for Mairy.
564 reviews9 followers
March 10, 2022
I did not read Simpson's recent autobiography, even though it's on my TBR. But I came across this essay on my Kindle Unlimited list and I immediately dumped it in my library. I read and listed to the audio simultaneously and I loved it. I loved how Jessica welcomes us inside the walls of her homes, shares anecdotes of her private life with her husband and children, shares her fears and insecurities, teaches all the life lessons she leaned so far in her life. I have a lot of respect for her and for the way she manages her career despite all the nay-sayers. Great inspirational, quick read!
Profile Image for Christina .
103 reviews47 followers
February 9, 2025
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐

"Whatever it is you know you need to do to make a change, don’t wait another day. Let me be the one to hand you the lead. You can do this."

STORY: I have always loved Jessica so when this was an option for Amazon First Reads in 2023, it was my first choice!!! This short essay about taking the lead is Jessica's story on dealing with your fears! I love how raw and open she is with sharing her story. I also love that she narrated it herself. This made it even more personable.
Profile Image for Paige.
167 reviews
May 8, 2021
The first thing I hope people know about me is that I love Jesus with my whole heart. The second thing I need people to know is that I WILL promote the heck out of anything Jessica Simpson writes on GoodReads. Don’t @ me.
Profile Image for Julie.
1,435 reviews31 followers
June 24, 2021
Take the Lead is a (very) short memoir from Jessica Simpson. While I found it inspiring, I felt that readers deserved a little more from Simpson. This was a snippet that left you wanting to hear more inspiration from the author.
Profile Image for Dawn Brower.
Author 264 books415 followers
May 7, 2021
Interesting

I like listening to Jessica and played the audio as I read along. She can be quite insightful and engaging.
58 reviews
May 8, 2021
If you read her book you can probably skip this. Love her, but felt like mostly references to the stories in her book. May listen to the book again honestly!
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
69 reviews
September 26, 2022
45 min audio book… not bad , not incredible .. her thoughts , easy listen !
Profile Image for Danielle Lee.
248 reviews5 followers
May 2, 2023
This was extremely inspiring with what I’m encountering in life right now! “We inhale to exhale, not to hold our breath!” Love this quote from Jessica!
Profile Image for Katt Winter.
38 reviews2 followers
April 30, 2021
Gorgeous Words

Absolutely beautiful and insightful essay that drips with love too. Not preachy, but beautiful and human. This is a well done essay.
Profile Image for Karol.
116 reviews14 followers
April 29, 2021
Wonderful essay and a upbeat reminder, "YOU CAN DO THIS"!
Profile Image for Alayna.
426 reviews1 follower
June 1, 2021
This was a touching essay giving me a glimpse into Jessica Simpson’s life. It makes me eager to read her memoir, which is on my TBR list this year.
Profile Image for Becky.
478 reviews13 followers
July 30, 2021
I feel like this would have been a perfect sneak peak at her memoir Open Book. Jessica talks about over coming your fears, parenting, and believing in yourself to take the lead of your life. It was like a friendly reminder you CAN do it and make it through.
Profile Image for C..
Author 10 books47 followers
September 2, 2021
This book reads like a long magazine article. Since I do not follow her career, it was interesting to hear of her fears, childhood trauma, and family life. The book is brief, edited well, and will appeal to readers of inspirational books. She writes in a very relatable manner, and her book provided a break from my usual reading pattern.
Profile Image for Melanie Joslin.
21 reviews
July 4, 2023
Glimpses of a deeper person but still feels disconnected

This would be my first essay I have read. I wasn't expecting such a short book. And I'm on the fence of how I feel about this book. As a teen, Jessica Simpson's voice blared through my stereo in my bedroom. Letting me sing my heart and emotions out. Process the normal teen emotions as well as very hard emotions that most teens do not face. 98° CD was also next to Jessica Simpson. I watched the show when they got married. However, I'll never forget how ditzy Jessica seemed on the show. And devastated when they divorced. I moved from fan to not a fan. The voice who blared through my stereo to the woman on the show didn't seem to match. The singer tapped into deep emotions that I didn't even understand while the blond on the show was laughable, pleasant but also shallow.

I haven't kept up with her life since then but after a nightmare, I went to keep my mind busy by browsing kindle unlimited books. I saw this book and I read the description. I passed over it but came back to it. I guess a curiosity still peeked inside of me from my teenager years of a woman I hoped was far deeper than how the media portrayer her as this dumb ditzy blond.

This book, if you can call it a book, took me a mere 20 mins to read. I did read reviews and I suppose an essay is supposed to be this way. But I ask why? Why would someone publish something so short? Something so... shallow? I have not read her other books but still feel the disconnection I did as a teen. At small moments in this book, I feel there is a deeper woman hiding inside that is not so shallow and to be frank, blond. Then, the shortness seems to only reaffirm she's not as deep as I perceived her to be in my teenage years. Then my adult side, sees a more intelligent woman trying to peek out but hiding behind her blondness. As ironic as the topic of this book is, it seems maybe she is still hiding and fearful to let the world see her more than the dumb blong the show made her out to be.

The overall msg is good but too short, even if it is an "essay." It's like getting an appetizer. You get a very small taste of who she may be but no true depth of a main course. It is far from a feast. I guess I am still starving for the nitty gritty if who she really is. If she is the typical blond that media made her out to be, so be it. If she is deeper as I can sprinkles of in this book or the music I sang along through to some dark hormonal raging teenage years, I would love to see that from her. I want to see the real Jessica Simpson. Maybe I am being too harsh on her. It's probably easy to sit behind my phone screen criticizing a famous person to do better, be better. I probably couldn't expose and be criticized the way she has in the spotlight. And maybe she is trying to show more depth and honesty of herself even if it is in short glimpses. Or maybe I'm still hopeful I'll see something deeper, raw, and the connection I once felt. The book still left me asking, is she still hiding behind her blond hair, beauty, or is that the real Jessica?
112 reviews
December 9, 2023
A book review of Jessica Simpson's Essay Take the Lead.

I have liked Jessica Simpson since she first came out singing. Then, she met the love of her life, and I was so excited that she found her happily ever after, until it all fell apart. I followed her as she struggled to find herself after that, releasing music occasionally and trying out new things like acting in a movie. I watched her weight go up and down, and felt like she was someone that I could relate to. She seemed like a normal girl who was struggling in front of everyone’s eyes.

I found her essay Take the Lead by accident, and I am really glad that I did. Short and sweet, she talked to us like she would a friend. She talks about journaling and how that has helped her to let go of fear and find ways to make the changes that she wants. She wants a happy life and is willing to do what she can to make sure that she does!

If you are looking for a quick read to give you some things to think about, you should definitely check out Simpson’s essay. You will be glad that you did.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews

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