Big Sean Announces Self-Help Book Inspired by 'Elevated Thinkers' in His Family

With his new book, out later this year, Big Sean is aiming to offer readers five strategies he learned from the “elevated thinkers” in his family.

Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace is out Oct. 8 through Simon & Schuster's Simon Element imprint and is billed as a “clarion call for the next self-help movement.”

In a three-minute video announcing the book’s pre-order on Wednesday, Sean told fans the 240-page experience is one that's been “years in the making.” He also shouted out similarly focused authors who’ve inspired him in his life, including Deepak Chopra. The rapper's announcement comes fresh off the release of new single “Precision” and the rollout of his Tiny Desk episode.

“I always been about speaking from the heart, following your intuition, [and] checking in with yourself mentally because that's how I was raised," Sean said. "That's the upbringing I had that was surrounding me with my family. There were a lot of elevated thinkers and they would give me these gems and these books that I eventually read. If it wasn't for them lessons and methods and things that I applied to my life, I for sure wouldn't be here today. Period.”

Sean explained how the key inspiration behind the book came from his realization that only doing inner work when he found himself “in a dark place” would keep him locked in a negative cycle. For example, he’d respond to a difficult time in his life by doing the work, only to then be “back on my bullshit” immediately after, thus creating a loop. Sean also credited podcast personality and author Jay Shetty with encouraging him to write the book.

As fans will note, Sean has appeared on Shetty’s show in the past, including for a 2022 episode in which he told the host he wanted to "do other things" with his life, including write a book.

"I've learned so many lessons. ... I get to sit with a lot of people who know so much," Sean said at the time, adding that he felt it's one of his “purposes” and “missions” in life.

Big Sean's 2024 is packed, as he told fans this year will also include “a lot of new music” and other projects. The aforementioned “Precision” marked Sean’s first solo single in two years, complete with a video directed by Onda.