Library Journal
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Psychologist Wiseman (The Luck Factor; 59 Seconds) presents an innovative approach to changing behavior, proposing that actions have the power to change the way one thinks and feels. Instead of thinking one's way to stopping smoking, losing weight, etc., and changing behavior, it's more effective to act "as if" one already has overcome that demon or attained a particular goal. He focuses on specific behaviors in the arenas of willpower, relationships, mental health, and more. In a nutshell he advocates, "Forget positive thinking; try positive action." Fun, refreshing, and worth a read. (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly
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The American psychologist William James once said, "If you want a quality, act as if you already have it." Wiseman (59 Seconds), a British psychologist and social media phenomenon, backs up the "act as if" dictum by parsing scientific studies and offering practical tips to help folks become the person they want to be. If you're lacking in confidence, adopt a more powerful pose; if you're feeling down, just smile! Drawing from such well-known trials and tests as the Zimbardo prison study and the Stanislavski acting method, as well as historical and pop culture figures like Frederick Douglass and Joan Baez, Wiseman makes a convincing argument for the power of action (though his assertion that his is a "radically new approach" is less persuasive-James uttered his famous maxim in 1884). Yet he's at his best when he puts down his bag of tricks and turns his attention to the relationship between action and thought, as when he considers the inefficacy of public health information campaigns when compared to the success of legislation in changing behavior. Readers who have enjoyed Wiseman's previous work will likely enjoy this addition to his oeuvre; more skeptical readers might just have to grin and bear it. Illus. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

"The most-followed psychologist on Twitter" re-examines the process of creating personal change and growth. Rather than thinking about making changes and trying to act on those new thought processes, Wiseman (Paranormality: Why We See What Isn't There, 2011, etc.) suggests a new approach to changing your life by performing a motion that in turn changes your thoughts. Most self-help books, writes the author, "preach the same simple mantra: if you want to improve your life, you need to change how you think"--positive thoughts will make you happier and bring greater wealth and success. However, Wiseman believes that actions can speak louder than words, so his method, based on research by William James and others over the past century, states that one's behavior causes an emotional response, rather than the emotion being the catalyst for the behavior. Smile and you'll feel happier, feel loving and love will manifest, eat only when your body says "I'm hungry" and lose weight--these are just some of the many arenas Wiseman explores. The data from current research proves that by clenching your jaw, you develop more willpower, and by standing up straight, you become far more confident. By flipping current psychology theories upside down and putting motion before emotion, one can have better relationships, fight depression and anxiety, lose weight and stop smoking (or curb other addictive behaviors), grow more confident and slow down the effects of aging. Throughout the book, Wiseman includes exercises that will "encourage you to actually experience these phenomena rather than just read about them." For those seeking quick change, the appendix includes a list of simple actions with the appropriate positive reaction or expected change stated. For seekers of self-betterment, a mostly intriguing new slant to personal transformation.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.