Entire industries and cultural moments are driven by the idea that everyone wants to improve, to become closer to the ideal self, but that people will inevitably fail, get discouraged, and not know how to pick themselves back up again. Self-help gurus will want their viewers to make radical changes, to live in a way they can't sustain with jobs, families, and brains that don't always cooperate. But habits, both good and bad, stick around without any nudging or reminding. The author of this guide is speaking to the average man who knows what he wants but doesn't know how to make himself go for it, or how to schedule a routine that takes an hour when his entire day is programmed out by the minute. Readers will learn how to make small, even microscopic goals that painlessly reinforce repeat behaviors.

Anyone who has tried and stumbled on the road to their idyllic existence will find an ally and a coach in this manual. The author pays homage and respect to behavioral scientists and motivators who focus on attainability rather than perfection, but isn't afraid to point out that the most common systems only seem to work for people who can dedicate their entire waking lives to them. Instead, the advice here is gentle, nurturing, and supportive of people regardless of goals, motivation, or lifestyle. Exercises at the end of each chapter exemplify the "small steps" mentality of this resource, offering activities that take less than sixty seconds to complete and help readers achieve their goals. Anyone who stumbles or falls, and everyone does, will learn to give themselves much more grace and celebrate wins on a personal road to improvement after reading this book.

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