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Assertiveness 101: Become More Assertive in Just 90 Minutes (Udemy.com)

Harness Your Power. Don't Allow Anyone Take Advantage of You. Speak Up. Create and Enforce Clear Boundaries. Transform.

Created by: Jimmy Naraine

Last updated December 2023

Our take

Based on the ratings of 2,317 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in December 2023. No course pays to be reviewed.

This is a short, story-led course on assertiveness: speaking up, saying no without guilt, setting boundaries, and handling criticism and rejection. It runs about 2.9 hours across 38 lectures in four sections, so it is longer than the 90 minutes in its title. Jimmy Naraine, an entrepreneur and speaker who has travelled widely, teaches in a personal, story-based style. There are no quizzes or assignments built in, so the practice is left to the student. The audience list leans toward office workers who get talked over, managers and anyone who feels like a pushover.

Reviewers rate it 4.5 from 2,317 reviews, and most of the sample is positive. Students like the relatable stories, the practical examples and the feeling of being more confident afterward. One called it a fast, concrete mix of theory and practical tools. The complaints are consistent, though. Several say it repeats itself, and one low-star reviewer got tired of being told a technique was coming instead of being shown it. Another wanted graphs and illustrations, and one disliked the instructor's posturing and the island filming locations.

The material was last updated in December 2023, so it is nearly three years old, though the topic does not date quickly. As a short, self-paced option it suits someone who wants a push and a few frameworks, such as the blanket policy, rather than a workbook. Anyone who needs structured practice or role-play will want something more hands-on. Recommended as a quick starting point, with the understanding that real change comes from using the ideas at work.

Best forPeople who get talked over or struggle to say no and want short, story-led lessons on boundaries.
Skip it ifYou want quizzes, role-play or visuals, or you get impatient when a point is repeated.

Pros

  • Relatable stories that reviewers say leave them feeling more confident
  • Practical tactics for saying no and holding boundaries, with examples reviewers call good
  • Short enough to finish in a few sittings: about 2.9 hours over 38 lectures
  • Rated 4.5 from 2,317 reviews, with 1,277 of them five stars

Cons

  • Several reviewers find it repetitive, with points restated and techniques promised before they are taught
  • No quizzes, assignments or visual aids, so practice is left entirely to the student
  • Last updated December 2023, and one reviewer disliked the posturing and location-shoot style
A perfect combination of theory and practical tools to develop assertiveness in a fast, concrete, and accessible way.
Maria Madalena Piedade Correia dos Santo, a student

Listed for all levels. Nothing is required beforehand except a willingness to practice what is taught.

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What you will learn

  • How to unleash your inner power and speak up confidently whenever you want to
  • How to summon the courage to say NO
  • How to create and enforce healthy boundaries
  • How to adopt confident and assertive body language
  • How to give and receive constructive criticism
  • How to handle rejection
  • What the "blanket policy" is and why you need to use it
  • Get your official certificate of completion to boost your resume

Course content

4 sections · 38 lectures · 2.9 hours of video

  1. 1Becoming More Assertive and Confident: Session 1 4 free previews12 lectures · 43 min
  2. 2Nov 2022 EXTRA: Fresh Assertiveness Video Lectures 1 free preview10 lectures · 41 min
  3. 3Becoming More Assertive and Confident: Session 3 2 free previews6 lectures · 35 min
  4. 4Becoming More Assertive and Confident: Session 4 2 free previews10 lectures · 53 min

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • Professionals who get talked over in meetings and want their voice to count
  • Managers and team leads who need to set clear boundaries and enforce them
  • Employees who struggle to say no and end up buried in everyone else's work
  • People early in their careers learning to speak up with confidence
  • Anyone tired of being treated like a pushover, at work or at home

What you need before you start

  • If you want to stop feeling like a pushover and gain the confidence (and competence) to be assertive whenever you need to, this course was made for you!
  • No prior experience required, just a willingness to practice

How it compares

Against the other 392 rated Udemy courses in Communication Skills on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.5 out of 5higher than 42% of them
  • Reviews2,317#113 of 393 by number of reviews
  • Length2.9 hourslonger than 63% of them
  • Last updatedDecember 2023earlier than 72% of them

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Course Description

How many times have you said yes when everything in you wanted to say no?

You bite your tongue to keep the peace. You let people talk over you in meetings. You agree to things you end up resenting. And then you lie awake replaying it, annoyed at yourself for not speaking up. I get it. I spent years doing exactly the same thing.

Here's the thing: being assertive has nothing to do with being aggressive or rude. It's a skill, and you can learn it like any other. In this 90-minute course I'll show you how to speak up with confidence, say no without the guilt, set boundaries people actually respect, and take criticism and rejection on the chin. Not by turning into someone you're not. By backing yourself.

Why learn from Jimmy Naraine:

  • Udemy Instructor Partner teaching since 2013, with 123,000+ verified TOP reviews

  • 505,000+ students from 194 countries enrolled in Jimmy's courses

  • Delivered corporate training for Chemours, Westpac, HARMAN, Lion, Tech Mahindra, Capgemini, Wipro, Cognizant, Airtel, and other multi-billion dollar companies

  • Former Goldman Sachs and Allianz employee turned location-independent entrepreneur, with 13 years of full-time work across nearly 100 countries

  • Featured in Entrepreneur, MIT Sloan Management Review, Forbes, The Economic Times, FoxNews, EL PAIS, TRT World, and Business Insider

  • 3-time TEDx speaker; keynote speaker at DNX Global, Afest, Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, MindvalleyU, and Digital|K

  • Mindvalley Author, co-created an educational program with Mindvalley CEO and NYT bestselling author Vishen Lakhiani

  • Winner of the first Udemy Innovation Award

  • Stress-tests what he teaches in extreme environments: climbed a 7,000m mountain, completed a full Ironman, swam in Antarctica, did fight camps with world champions, became fluent in 5 languages


What people are saying about Jimmy's work:

"Jimmy's talk received the 2nd highest rating out of 100+ main stage speakers at my event, Mindvalley University, and got a 60-second standing ovation."

— Vishen Lakhiani, Founder of Mindvalley, NYT bestselling author

"Jimmy is a top guy in personal development who always delivers and rises above expectations. I've learned a lot from him and always appreciate his knowledge and experience. Highly recommended for anyone who's looking to better themselves and live life to the fullest."

— Ilya Grad, Winner of 3 World Titles in Thai Boxing

"Jimmy has helped me to take my business to the next level. He pushed me to adopt a sharper business mindset with an emphasis on taking bold action. I'm grateful for all the things he has been teaching me."

— Helena Houdova, Humanitarian, Miss Czech Republic


What you'll get inside the course:

About 3 hours, no fluff. Here's what we get into:

  • Why assertive people earn more respect, and how to stop seeking approval and validation

  • The mindset shift that separates assertiveness from arrogance

  • A step-by-step process for setting boundaries and actually holding them

  • How to carry yourself with confident, assertive body language

  • How to give and take criticism without it wrecking you

  • What the "blanket policy" is, and when to use it

  • How to handle rejection and keep going

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Instructor Details

Jimmy Naraine

(Private Advisory – By Application)

Here on Udemy, Jimmy provides affordable education on personal development topics he believes should be taught in every school.

Jimmy Naraine: Adventurer, Educator and Speaker

Jimmy Naraine has spent the last 13 years traveling full-time across 94 countries while helping others build confidence and overcome challenges. Along the way, he has taught over HALF A MILLION people on platforms such as Udemy and Mindvalley earning over 125,000 verified five-star reviews, reflecting his global impact.


Jimmy’s life is a blend of adventure and education. He’s swum in the icy waters of Antarctica, competed in Spartan and Oceanman races, trained Muay Thai with world champions, ventured into the wilderness of Himalayas and Karakoram, and even jumped from frozen waterfalls with Wim Hof. These experiences aren’t just about chasing thrills - they’ve deeply shaped his understanding of resilience and courage. Jimmy now channels these lessons into empowering his audience and mentoring top-level clients, including entrepreneurs, authors, and public figures, helping them unlock their potential and lead with confidence.


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Reviews

4.5

2,317 ratings on Udemy

Select a bar to show only those reviews.Select the bar again to show every rating.

By Bryant Ramos on 7/30/2026

Thanks for these courses, Jimmy. It has open up my eyes and help me take my challenges in a different perspective. It's still a struggle for me to bring myself out there, apply what I've learned and implement them, but I'm hopeful enough that this will become second nature to me with time. You're awesome!

By Ivan Spansel on 4/19/2026

repeats statements ad nauseum

By Teresa Bull on 9/18/2024

Thank you for making this course! I have really taken to heart your message that people will respect me more for speaking up. I chose your course because I needed help enforcing boundaries in my personal life and in my interactions with coworkers without feeling bad about it. In just the past month of taking your course, I have successfully seen results! Your lessons have created daily opportunities in which I pause and reflect on the benefits of speaking up and also protecting my time by assessing if I want to say no. I want to thank you for the strategies you’ve given to help me stay true to my values and to voice non-negotiables (this really helps when other people insist after I say no). And although you did not mention God, when you spoke about the stoic belief and the pleasure being wrapped in pain, I connected with that in my heart and soul. To explain, I believe in Jesus as our Savior, and in the Bible he tells us we can trust him when life hurts. There is a season for everything, mourning, dancing, etc. Lastly, I’ve let a lot of my close circle know about this course because it is powerful! One of the people I spoke to was the head of an organization called Habitat for Humanity in the county I live in. He immediately said that people respect you more when you say no. To me, that reaffirmed your course is exceptional!

By Elizabeth Miller on 7/20/2024

At this point , I definitely can agree on what my listening ears have heard. This information is answers that I needed for my life. I have more knowledge and growth for what my ears have received. I have more understanding of self with assertiveness.

By Lawrence Barnhart on 4/4/2024

This course touched on points that I need to work on to become more assertive. I will definitely be viewing this course again to pick up on things I may have missed or things that will help me better understand what I need to work on personally .

By Anonymized User on 3/21/2024

I really enjoyed this course. It kept my attention and was very engaging. I loved the analogies, they really resonated with me. I loved all the helpful pointers with boundaries and writing them down. I definitely benefited from the receiving negative feedback section and how to respond/act. I also liked the examples you provided, the role playing, your personal stories, so helpful with relating to my own experiences. There were just so many things throughout this course that resonated with me, so very helpful, just need to start and keep practicing. Finally, I enjoyed the change of scenario as well, really kept my attention, wanting to see where you went next, and very motivational speaker. I will definitely look for more of your classes to attend. Thank you.

By Ginalyn Vega on 1/30/2024

The course is very informative. I just hope there more scientifically sound stories/papers backing the big phrases that were dropped here. I mean they sound right, but imagine the retention if there were more supporting details to them. Also the audio quality differs per video, so it could get soft on one lesson then would turn a bit loud on the next one. Anyway, overall I learned a lot for this course! Kudos to Jimmy and his team!

By Anonymized User on 5/31/2023

I loved these courses so much. I took many notes. (*^_^*) Realized I have many things that I already do that help me on my way to becoming more assertive and confident, and found some of those things that I WAS doing, (and shouldn't have been,) and I hope to implement the teachings in here to change those!

By Anonymized User on 4/12/2023

This course was very helpful for me in the way we were taught to say "no" and how to focus my attention on my curiosity instead of my fears. I love the interesting backgrounds hat Jimmy chooses. Also, Jimmy is quite precise and to the point with his words while adding just the right amount of anecdotes and explanations.

By Jim G on 3/30/2023

Taking this course has reinforced the fact that it is really hard to be nice all the time. Rather than being nice it is much better to be assertive and have people know that you stand for the principles in life that respect each other. Respecting each other is the beginning of getting along and of all the people in the world I need to know that I can get along with other people. This course has taught me tidbits of information that I can implement in my own life that will make another person know who I am and what I stand for.

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Overall Score : 90 / 100