Review of The Unfakeable Code®
-
Emmajean Chepkemoi
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 15 Jun 2025, 09:12
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 0
Review of The Unfakeable Code®
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Unfakeable Code®" by Tony Jeton Selimi.]
I’ve always thought of emotional strength as being calm under pressure or just not crying in public. But reading The Unfakeable Code® sort of cracked that open for me. Tony Jeton Selimi talks about emotional scarcity and abundance in a way that made me realize I’d been living like someone always bracing for impact. So much of my energy, I now see, was being spent just trying to stay emotionally safe — which is really just another way of saying “stay small.” This book doesn’t just unpack why so many of us feel stuck in survival mode. It explains how fear-based living wires us into emotional self-preservation, where we’re constantly scanning for danger instead of actually living. And it doesn’t leave you there. Tony builds this idea of an “emotional shield,” not to numb you, but to help you stay open and strong at the same time.
I didn’t think I’d relate so strongly to someone whose story is so vastly different from mine. I mean, I haven’t lived through a war, or been displaced from my home, or rebuilt a life in a foreign country from scratch. But Tony’s vulnerability about those things doesn’t come off as distant or heroic—it feels raw. I liked that. I liked Tony's personal vulnerability about surviving war, displacement, and loneliness. It wasn’t polished storytelling — it felt raw and real, and it made me trust him deeply as a guide. When someone writes like that, you’re more willing to sit with the hard stuff. You actually want to go there. You want to figure out what emotional scarcity looks like in your own life, and more importantly, what emotional abundance might feel like.
At the same time, I have to be honest—there were moments where the tone shifted in a way that pulled me out of that trust. I disliked that sometimes Tony’s references to his own achievements (certifications, awards) came across a little boastful in tone when I would have preferred more humility woven into those moments. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, and I get why he includes those credentials, but I think the emotional connection was so strong that it didn’t need to be reinforced by accolades. If anything, I think it slightly diluted the impact of his more intimate reflections. Just a little.
Still, the heart of the book stayed with me. Especially the idea that emotional resilience doesn’t mean being invulnerable—it means being able to stay present without being shattered. I’ve been catching myself in those small moments where I’d normally emotionally retreat: someone snapping at me, or an awkward silence in a meeting. I think Tony’s definition of an emotional shield—built through awareness, practice, and reflection—feels like something I’ve been trying to construct my whole adult life without ever having a name for it.
So no, this wasn’t a flawless read, but I’m not sure I needed it to be. I just needed it to be honest. I needed it to offer me something I hadn’t already seen recycled through social media soundbites or self-help clichés. And The Unfakeable Code® gave me that. It gave me new language for things I already knew but couldn’t quite name, and new tools for building something better. I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars—not because it didn’t speak to me, but because I think the best parts of the book are strong enough to stand on their own without needing the resume woven through.
******
The Unfakeable Code®
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
I’ve always thought of emotional strength as being calm under pressure or just not crying in public. But reading The Unfakeable Code® sort of cracked that open for me. Tony Jeton Selimi talks about emotional scarcity and abundance in a way that made me realize I’d been living like someone always bracing for impact. So much of my energy, I now see, was being spent just trying to stay emotionally safe — which is really just another way of saying “stay small.” This book doesn’t just unpack why so many of us feel stuck in survival mode. It explains how fear-based living wires us into emotional self-preservation, where we’re constantly scanning for danger instead of actually living. And it doesn’t leave you there. Tony builds this idea of an “emotional shield,” not to numb you, but to help you stay open and strong at the same time.
I didn’t think I’d relate so strongly to someone whose story is so vastly different from mine. I mean, I haven’t lived through a war, or been displaced from my home, or rebuilt a life in a foreign country from scratch. But Tony’s vulnerability about those things doesn’t come off as distant or heroic—it feels raw. I liked that. I liked Tony's personal vulnerability about surviving war, displacement, and loneliness. It wasn’t polished storytelling — it felt raw and real, and it made me trust him deeply as a guide. When someone writes like that, you’re more willing to sit with the hard stuff. You actually want to go there. You want to figure out what emotional scarcity looks like in your own life, and more importantly, what emotional abundance might feel like.
At the same time, I have to be honest—there were moments where the tone shifted in a way that pulled me out of that trust. I disliked that sometimes Tony’s references to his own achievements (certifications, awards) came across a little boastful in tone when I would have preferred more humility woven into those moments. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, and I get why he includes those credentials, but I think the emotional connection was so strong that it didn’t need to be reinforced by accolades. If anything, I think it slightly diluted the impact of his more intimate reflections. Just a little.
Still, the heart of the book stayed with me. Especially the idea that emotional resilience doesn’t mean being invulnerable—it means being able to stay present without being shattered. I’ve been catching myself in those small moments where I’d normally emotionally retreat: someone snapping at me, or an awkward silence in a meeting. I think Tony’s definition of an emotional shield—built through awareness, practice, and reflection—feels like something I’ve been trying to construct my whole adult life without ever having a name for it.
So no, this wasn’t a flawless read, but I’m not sure I needed it to be. I just needed it to be honest. I needed it to offer me something I hadn’t already seen recycled through social media soundbites or self-help clichés. And The Unfakeable Code® gave me that. It gave me new language for things I already knew but couldn’t quite name, and new tools for building something better. I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars—not because it didn’t speak to me, but because I think the best parts of the book are strong enough to stand on their own without needing the resume woven through.
******
The Unfakeable Code®
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
