No More Mr. Nice Guy

This book is for men who are looking for the approval of others. The author calls such people “Nice Guys” (in my translation—“Pleasant Guys”) and treats this kind of behavior as a deviation. Due to, as a rule, improper upbringing, these men are unable to fully realize their potential and satisfy their needs directly. They are forced to constantly play the role of the nice, considerate, decent guys who will help everyone and always—even when it is obvious that they’ve “got a free ride.”

To illustrate his conclusions and observations, the author presents evidence from his patients and analyzes the circumstances of their lives.

In accessible language, the author explains why being a “Pleasant Guy” is unnatural and ineffective, and widely talks about the causes of the formation of this behavior pattern. Throughout the book there are 46 practical exercises—doing them, together with studying the theoretical part, will help you get rid of the so-called “Pleasant Guy Syndrome.”

Because the author himself suffered from this syndrome for a long time, he knows how to clearly explain to the “Pleasant Guy” all the negative aspects of this pattern and all the positive sides of getting rid of the syndrome described above. To some extent, this fact “makes the book related” to Alan Carr’s “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.”

At its core, the book is close in spirit to the ideas of Sam Mendes’s film “American Beauty.” It could help many insecure, intelligent men and their loved ones—first of all, to find and extract the “needles” from their own minds and loosen the inner restraints that prevent them from living and developing. In addition, reading the book together could significantly increase mutual understanding and trust not only between husband and wife, but also between children and parents, friends and…