[.ca] Instant Analysis (ISBN 0312194668)

Poor design:
This is a neat book, but only two stars because of its design. 100 short chapters uncategorized and in no particular order, with no index. There is a table of contents, of course, but the chapters are in no order and the way the chapters are titled they are not easily scanned by the eye, especially across 4-5 pages of listings. It's fun to flip through the book at random for a short while, but it's impossible to refer back to something you found useful at a later date unless you want to turn page by page until you find it. This was really a preventable problem and it's a shame it had to made an otherwise great book frustrating.

Very Interesting:
A bit simplistic but enjoyable. Never gets very deep into any subject but gets it's point across none the less. It's quick and fun to read. The kind of book you pick up when you meet someone new and want to "check them out".

Overly Simplified:
This is the second book by Lieberman that I've read. The first one, "Never Be Lied To Again" was, I thought, really bad but with a few good points here and there. I decided to give Instant Analysis a chance and borrowed it from a friend, thinking that perhaps Lieberman might have done a better job this time around. I didn't think it was possible but I actually disliked this book even more than "Never Be Lied to Again". My main problem with this book is that its generalizes too broadly and claims that all problems have a consistent root cause. I've never been a big fan on Freudian concepts merely because they don't take into account the individual variations of personalities but this book takes Freud's stupidity a step further. It seems many reviewers feel they have learned a lot from this book and by that I am truly puzzled.

Original and Practical:
This book is perhaps unique in the self-help/pop-psychology category as it provides a practical formulaic approach for improving your life in a very readable format. Most impressive is that Lieberman uses reality as the basic frame for his advice, rather than the more popular "just imagine everything in your life being perfect and it will be" visualization/ daydreaming/ self-delusion approach that is offered far too often at present (and by the way does not work). This book is extremely practical because the exercises recommended can be put into action immediately, and will inspire further thought by the reader. Personally I noticed a genuine improvement in just a few days.

Beat Analysis Paralysis and Become More Content:
Time-poor clients frequently ask for an easy to read guide to the analysis of self-defeating behaviors and this is one that I recommend for several reasons. 1 Lieberman is very clear about the intended audience for Instant Analysis. "Most people are almost happy. They're so close to being the kinds of people they want to be, living the kinds of lives they want to live, yet they are stuck in a mental rut." 2 Lieberman acknowledges the difficulties of direct introspection and concentrates on assisting the reader by "cutting away the clutter" and illuminating behaviors that have become an automatic response mechanism. 3 Lieberman has a plain and engaging writing style. The nutshell summaries are well-written and provide a good overview of the topics. The suggestions for change are simple, powerful, and (notionally) easy to implement. The analysis of each self-defeating behavior is in three parts: 1 A concise description of particular behaviors, attitudes, and feelings that are consistent with the troublesome automatic responses. 2 A discussion of the response that includes plausible reasons for its creation and existence. 3 Simple techniques to force awareness of a response, and suggestions for changing the behavior. Why Do I Enjoy Being Angry? Issue: Enjoyment of anger and a reluctance to calm down and lose the sensation of power and vitality. Discussion: Anger is usually a mask for fear and vulnerability. Anger can be a strong emotion that you feel in an otherwise numb existence. You may feel that no one pays attention to you unless you compel it. You may also enjoy getting angry because it makes you feel powerful. Getting angry can alienate others and is rarely a good way to communicate effectively with them or enlist their support. It is an effective way to increase the risk for heart disease and to undermine your immune system. Suggestions for change: Avoid inappropriate/disproportionate anger by identifying and acknowledging your feelings as they arise: what is causing the fear that underlies the anger? Example: If you react with anger to trying situations, examine what you can do to prevent such occurrences. E.g., if your car tyres need air, top them up when you notice it, and avoid creating an avoidable drama when they blow in the middle of a journey to an important appointment. If you rely on anger to make you feel powerful, then explore more benign ways to get the same feeling; e.g, take an advanced driver's course. If you crave high-stakes, high-drama excitement, then a challenging sport may be a good option, such as adventure excursions, white-water rafting or mountaineering. Lieberman recommends a five phase process for loosening the hold of self-defeating behaviors and accepting control of your life; four of the stages are succinctly described in ten pages. Some clients dislike Instant Analysis because they assume that it offers a quick fix or is too simple to meet the needs of people who have complex lives or whose behaviors cause them (and others) significant distress. One client told me that the techniques in the book were too simple just after he had told me two stories: 1 "Obesity is a ridiculous case of self-harming. Everyone knows that they need to eat fewer calories and do more exercise. It's that simple but no one wants to face it. They'd rather spend their time examining their relationships and blaming others. Or they're just too lazy to do what they know needs to be done." 2 "We've just had to pay out \othe equivalent of 8.5 thousand dollars\c to repair the water damage caused to the house by the recent leaks in the wet weather. It turned out that the gutters were blocked. It wasn't anything major at all and it caused all that damage." Solutions to many issues are essentially simple and Lieberman describes them very well. The challenge to every reader is to know whether one is ready to implement them and be willing to change.