Shaken

Shaken is a 2018 book by NFL quarterback Tim Tebow. In his book, Tebow shares personal experiences, inspirational stories, and biblical scriptures and parables to encourage readers to develop a strong Christian faith. Tebow reveals how his faith has helped him develop a strong identity, find his life’s purpose, and remain hopeful throughout life’s challenges. He coaches the reader to remain open to God’s influence in their life by maintaining strong friendships and asking for help, helping others, and trusting God’s plan, even in challenging times. In the year of its release, Shaken was listed as the number one best-selling sports book by The New York Times.

This guide refers to the Kindle e-book edition of this work.

Summary

In Tebow’s introduction, he explains the book will explore how his faith has informed his life’s journey. Tebow uses the book to share stories about the people who inspired him throughout his life and career as well, lending to his overall goal of connecting with the reader over the importance of faith.  

Tebow reflects on his immense disappointment at being cut from the New England Patriots football team in 2013, marking another obstacle to his goal of being a professional quarterback. He claims that tying one’s identity to one’s faith in God creates a more secure personal foundation than basing identity on professional failure or success. Tebow explains that believers can find their purpose in life through their belief in God, and therefore develop a stable identity.

Tebow coaches the reader to embrace love, rather than fear, as their main motivator in life. As an example, Tebow mentions Chelsie Watts, a high school student diagnosed with cancer. Despite the difficulty of going through this harrowing experience in her senior year of high school, Watts remained faithful to God and had a positive outlook.

Tebow then coaches the reader to ignore hurtful critics—and resist being one themselves. Tebow advises everyone to disregard negativity that works against one’s happiness or aspirations. To illustrate his point, he references a football player who, after an injury, needed a leg amputation. Everyone told him he wouldn’t be able to play football again, but he learned how to play with a prosthetic leg and made a college football team.

The author encourages the reader to trust that God can take tragedy and challenges and make something positive from it. As an example, Tebow recalls the biblical story about Job, who lost so much but remained faithful to God. Because of steadfast his faith, Job was rewarded. Tebow also uses the example of Garrett Leopold, who received a heart transplant from Amanda, a teen who died tragically in a car accident. Though Amanda’s family was dealing with their loss, they felt something positive had still come of her passing.

Tebow emphasizes the importance of friendship, arguing that good friends not only help each other emotionally but also encourage each other’s faith. As an example, Tebow discusses that during his missionary trip to the Philippines, he was inspired by the loyal friendships of a group of boys who stuck together though one boy had a disability and was being held back from participation.  

Tebow questions the wisdom of conforming to fit into a group, arguing that sometimes standing out is the more moral choice. He encourages the reader to consider their innate differences as signs of God’s unique design and to not be ashamed or compare themselves unfavorably to others.

Tebow then coaches the reader to confront injustice and stand up for others. He asserts that taking the initiative to help others is the best way to show openness to God’s message and intention for one’s life, and encourages the reader to do any kind acts, however small, for others.

In the final moments of the book, Tebow reflects on his potential legacy, revealing that he would rather be remembered for his kindness and faith than his athletic accomplishments. Ultimately, Tebow’s foundation and his other acts of kindness are more of a priority for him than his sports career. He urges the reader to perform their own acts of kindness and find their own divine purpose, just as he has done.