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The As If Principle: The Radically New Approach to Changing Your Life
Victorian philosopher William James had a theory about emotion and behavior: It isn’t that our feelings guide our actions (feel happy and you will laugh). On the contrary, it is our actions that guide our emotions (laugh and you will feel happy). This led James to a remarkable conclusion: “If you want a quality, act as if you already have it.� Roused by James’s astonishing discovery, renowned psychologist and bestselling author Richard Wiseman confirms James’s principle and shows how the self-help genre has for too long put the cart before the horse in trying to help us take control of our lives. Bringing to the table a dazzling array of firsthand experiments, surprising histories, and psychological case studies, Wiseman illustrates in brilliant detail how we can apply this principle in our daily lives:
� Smile to become measurably happier
� Wash your hands to drive away guilt
� Clench your fist to increase your willpower
� Eat with your nondominant hand to lose weight
� Nod while speaking to become more persuasive
� Act like a newlywed to rekindle your marriage
Lively, engaging, and truly mind-changing, The As If Principle is that rare gem that offers real, workable solutions for your day-to-day goals while helping you to instantly take control of your emotions. Whether it’s quitting a bad habit, persevering through a difficult task, or achieving your dream self, The As If Principle can help. Don’t just think about changing your life. Do it.
� Smile to become measurably happier
� Wash your hands to drive away guilt
� Clench your fist to increase your willpower
� Eat with your nondominant hand to lose weight
� Nod while speaking to become more persuasive
� Act like a newlywed to rekindle your marriage
Lively, engaging, and truly mind-changing, The As If Principle is that rare gem that offers real, workable solutions for your day-to-day goals while helping you to instantly take control of your emotions. Whether it’s quitting a bad habit, persevering through a difficult task, or achieving your dream self, The As If Principle can help. Don’t just think about changing your life. Do it.
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First published July 10, 2012
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About the author
Richard Wiseman
52books575followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Professor Richard Wiseman started his working life as a professional magician, and was one of the youngest members of The Magic Circle. He then obtained a degree in psychology from University College London and a doctorate from the University of Edinburgh.
Richard currently holds Britain’s only Professorship in the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, where he has gained an international reputation for research into psychology of luck, self-help, persuasion, and illusion. He has published over 50 papers in leading peer reviewed academic journals (including Nature and Psychological Bulletin), and his work has been cited in over 20 introductory textbooks.
A passionate advocate for science, his best-selling books have been translated into over 30 languages and he has presented keynote addresses at several organisations, including Microsoft, The Royal Society, Caltech, and Google.
Richard is the most followed British psychologist on Twitter, and has created viral videos that have received over 40 million views. Over 2 million people have taken part in his mass participation experiments and he has acted as a creative consultant to Derren Brown, The MythBusters, CBS’s The Mentalist, and Heston Blumenthal, Nick Cave, and the West End play ‘Ghost Stories�.
Richard is a Member of the Inner Magic Circle, an Honorary Fellow of the British Science Association, and a Fellow of the Rationalist Association. He is one of the most frequently quoted psychologists in the British media and was recently listed in the Independent On Sunday’s top 100 people who make Britain a better place to live.
He likes sushi, is fond of dogs, and finds Arrested Development very funny.
Professor Richard Wiseman started his working life as a professional magician, and was one of the youngest members of The Magic Circle. He then obtained a degree in psychology from University College London and a doctorate from the University of Edinburgh.
Richard currently holds Britain’s only Professorship in the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, where he has gained an international reputation for research into psychology of luck, self-help, persuasion, and illusion. He has published over 50 papers in leading peer reviewed academic journals (including Nature and Psychological Bulletin), and his work has been cited in over 20 introductory textbooks.
A passionate advocate for science, his best-selling books have been translated into over 30 languages and he has presented keynote addresses at several organisations, including Microsoft, The Royal Society, Caltech, and Google.
Richard is the most followed British psychologist on Twitter, and has created viral videos that have received over 40 million views. Over 2 million people have taken part in his mass participation experiments and he has acted as a creative consultant to Derren Brown, The MythBusters, CBS’s The Mentalist, and Heston Blumenthal, Nick Cave, and the West End play ‘Ghost Stories�.
Richard is a Member of the Inner Magic Circle, an Honorary Fellow of the British Science Association, and a Fellow of the Rationalist Association. He is one of the most frequently quoted psychologists in the British media and was recently listed in the Independent On Sunday’s top 100 people who make Britain a better place to live.
He likes sushi, is fond of dogs, and finds Arrested Development very funny.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
September 3, 2013
The 'as if' idea is interesting and somewhat useful, so what's the problem?
1. It shouldn't be a book. There is enough substance for a short essay, so reading the whole book is a waste of time.
2. As Albert Ellis points out, feeling good is not as valuable as being good (in a good place in your life). It is similar to the difference between empty self-esteem and pride in actual achievement. So I am not even sure that the 'as if' advice and exercises are valuable. And if they are, I haven't seen a serious discussion of the appropriate context.
3. I wanted more from a book on the value of behavior and action. I wanted it to show how what you do becomes who you are, rather than what you just think, wish for or admire.
Brene Brown talks about it when she explains the difference between 'practicing love' and just 'feeling love'. Unfortunately, there is practically no discussion of supporting empirical evidence in her book. I feel that her conclusions are based too much on emotion and are biased towards her personal views and beliefs.
Albert Ellis points out that his Belief concept is also about emotion and action rather than just thought. He argues for action as the indicator of 'strong belief' rather than just insight that characterizes 'weak belief' and doesn't lead to the 'hard work' necessary for achievement. Ellis is great, but I feel that his approach overemphasizes the rational thought process.
I picked Wiseman's book hoping for something between those two extremes with plenty of empirical evidence, and was disappointed. Maybe Timothy D. Wilson will elaborate on his short essay "We Are What We Do" (EDGE 2013, This Explains Everything).
1. It shouldn't be a book. There is enough substance for a short essay, so reading the whole book is a waste of time.
2. As Albert Ellis points out, feeling good is not as valuable as being good (in a good place in your life). It is similar to the difference between empty self-esteem and pride in actual achievement. So I am not even sure that the 'as if' advice and exercises are valuable. And if they are, I haven't seen a serious discussion of the appropriate context.
3. I wanted more from a book on the value of behavior and action. I wanted it to show how what you do becomes who you are, rather than what you just think, wish for or admire.
Brene Brown talks about it when she explains the difference between 'practicing love' and just 'feeling love'. Unfortunately, there is practically no discussion of supporting empirical evidence in her book. I feel that her conclusions are based too much on emotion and are biased towards her personal views and beliefs.
Albert Ellis points out that his Belief concept is also about emotion and action rather than just thought. He argues for action as the indicator of 'strong belief' rather than just insight that characterizes 'weak belief' and doesn't lead to the 'hard work' necessary for achievement. Ellis is great, but I feel that his approach overemphasizes the rational thought process.
I picked Wiseman's book hoping for something between those two extremes with plenty of empirical evidence, and was disappointed. Maybe Timothy D. Wilson will elaborate on his short essay "We Are What We Do" (EDGE 2013, This Explains Everything).
March 6, 2013
The initial premise of the book was fascinating, but by the time I got halfway through the book I was bored by the many experiments and examples trying (not quite successfully) to prove the thesis.
July 26, 2017
The idea that by changing your behavior you will influence your emotional state and this is more effective than dealing with the challenges on psychological level. AKA consider positive action instead of positive thinking. I think that this theory has the cause and effect relations a bit mixed up, adjusting your behavioral patterns is a matter of choice and persistence in living with the consequences of this decision, these conscious actions should influence the emotional state as much as the behavior itself (which seems more like an effect than a cause) - go figure. Leaving the poorly justified theory aside there were some interesting recommendations which are also mostly common knowledge but still, they were presented in an interesting setting.
There is a short visual overview of the "AS IF" principle by Cognitive Media in Youtube:
10 techniques described in the book:
Motivation - pull me, push me. Pushing the object away from you and so behaving as you don't like it makes you dislike the object. Whereas pulling it towards you, behaving as you like it, makes you feel far more positive about it. Sugary snacks and chocolate cookies - push plate away from you and feel temptation fade.
Dieting - Using your non-dominant hand. When you eat with your non-dominant hand you are acting as you are carrying out an unusual behavior. Because of that you place more intention on your action. Do not simply consume food without thinking about it and so eat less.
Willpower, tensing up. Tensing your muscles boosts your willpower. Next time you feel the void to avoid cigarette - contact your biceps, grip a pen in your hand.
Persistence - Sit up straight and cross your arms. In several experiments researches have presented with tricky problems and measures how long they preservered, the people who sat up straight lasted much longer. Make sure that computer monitor is slightly above your eye line and when going gets tough, cross your arms.
Confidence - Power posing. To increase your self-esteem and confidence, adopt a power-pose. If you are sitting down, lean back and interlock your hands behind your head. If standing up, press feel flat on the floor, push shoulders back and chest forward, hold hands in front of you.
Procrastination - make a start. To overcome procrastination, act as if you are interested in what it is you have to do. Spend just a few minutes carrying the first part of whatever it is you are avoiding and suddenly you feel a strong need to complete the task.
Creativity - Move outside the box. If you want to come up with new ideas, act in a novel way. Spend some time walking around but ensure that your path is curvy and unpredictable. If that doesn't get your creative juices flowing, try acting as you are artistic by drawing, painting or sculpting.
Persuasion - Guessing the nod. Researchers have found that when people nod their heads up and down when listening to the discussion, causing them to nod as they agreed with the arguments they are more likely to agree with the points being made. When you want to encourage others to agree with you simply nod your head as you chat with them, they will reciprocate the the movement and find yourselves strangely attracted to your way of thinking.
Negotiation - warm tea and soft chairs. When people think that thy are connected to others they feel physically warm. And it is also true that when you warm someone up with a nice cup of tea or coffee they become far more friendlier. Similarly, hard furniture is associated with hard behavior, in one study researches had participants sit on either soft or hard chairs and then negotiated over the price of a used car, those in the hard chairs offered less than on warm and flexible.
Guilt - wash away your sins. If you are feeling a tad guilty about something, try washing your hands or taking a shower, in several experiments people who carried out an immoral act and cleaned their hands with an antiseptic wipe felt significantly less guilty than others.
There is a short visual overview of the "AS IF" principle by Cognitive Media in Youtube:
10 techniques described in the book:
Motivation - pull me, push me. Pushing the object away from you and so behaving as you don't like it makes you dislike the object. Whereas pulling it towards you, behaving as you like it, makes you feel far more positive about it. Sugary snacks and chocolate cookies - push plate away from you and feel temptation fade.
Dieting - Using your non-dominant hand. When you eat with your non-dominant hand you are acting as you are carrying out an unusual behavior. Because of that you place more intention on your action. Do not simply consume food without thinking about it and so eat less.
Willpower, tensing up. Tensing your muscles boosts your willpower. Next time you feel the void to avoid cigarette - contact your biceps, grip a pen in your hand.
Persistence - Sit up straight and cross your arms. In several experiments researches have presented with tricky problems and measures how long they preservered, the people who sat up straight lasted much longer. Make sure that computer monitor is slightly above your eye line and when going gets tough, cross your arms.
Confidence - Power posing. To increase your self-esteem and confidence, adopt a power-pose. If you are sitting down, lean back and interlock your hands behind your head. If standing up, press feel flat on the floor, push shoulders back and chest forward, hold hands in front of you.
Procrastination - make a start. To overcome procrastination, act as if you are interested in what it is you have to do. Spend just a few minutes carrying the first part of whatever it is you are avoiding and suddenly you feel a strong need to complete the task.
Creativity - Move outside the box. If you want to come up with new ideas, act in a novel way. Spend some time walking around but ensure that your path is curvy and unpredictable. If that doesn't get your creative juices flowing, try acting as you are artistic by drawing, painting or sculpting.
Persuasion - Guessing the nod. Researchers have found that when people nod their heads up and down when listening to the discussion, causing them to nod as they agreed with the arguments they are more likely to agree with the points being made. When you want to encourage others to agree with you simply nod your head as you chat with them, they will reciprocate the the movement and find yourselves strangely attracted to your way of thinking.
Negotiation - warm tea and soft chairs. When people think that thy are connected to others they feel physically warm. And it is also true that when you warm someone up with a nice cup of tea or coffee they become far more friendlier. Similarly, hard furniture is associated with hard behavior, in one study researches had participants sit on either soft or hard chairs and then negotiated over the price of a used car, those in the hard chairs offered less than on warm and flexible.
Guilt - wash away your sins. If you are feeling a tad guilty about something, try washing your hands or taking a shower, in several experiments people who carried out an immoral act and cleaned their hands with an antiseptic wipe felt significantly less guilty than others.
January 19, 2013
The AS IF Principle is not your typical self-help book. The AS IF Principle presents the idea that if we change our behavior then we can change the way that we feel. Richard Wiseman uses examples from psychological research to show that by changing our behavior we can increase motivation, overcome depression, lose weight, stop smoking, fall in love and even slow aging. He presents the idea that it is actually action that is what controls your emotions, not what you are thinking.
Common sense suggests that the chain of causation is:
� You feel happy—you smile.
� You feel afraid—you run.
� You have willpower—you clench your fist.
� You feel compassionate—you give.
The As If Principle suggests that the chain of causation is:
� You smile—you feel happy.
� You run—you feel afraid.
� You clench your fist—you have willpower.
� You give—you feel compassionate.
Which comes first the chicken or the egg? Or in this instance the action or the thought?
Richard Wiseman presents a very clear argument for the idea that is our actions that influence our thoughts and our feelings and while I agree with him, I also found myself questioning it some too. Our habits are important and many things we do throughout the day come from habit, but at the same time how is a new habit developed? So I ended the book with the question running through my mind, “Which comes first the action or the thought?� To be honest, my personal opinion is that is a combination of the two is actually needed. I think that our thoughts can influence our actions, but also that our actions can influence our thoughts.
As I said earlier, this book is not your typical self-help book. While most authors present a lot of anecdotes from their lives or from the lives of people who have followed their advice, Richard Wiseman uses scientific research to back up his arguments for the As If principle. I will have to say that unless you are like me and enjoy reading psychological texts that this makes reading this book a little dry.
Common sense suggests that the chain of causation is:
� You feel happy—you smile.
� You feel afraid—you run.
� You have willpower—you clench your fist.
� You feel compassionate—you give.
The As If Principle suggests that the chain of causation is:
� You smile—you feel happy.
� You run—you feel afraid.
� You clench your fist—you have willpower.
� You give—you feel compassionate.
Which comes first the chicken or the egg? Or in this instance the action or the thought?
Richard Wiseman presents a very clear argument for the idea that is our actions that influence our thoughts and our feelings and while I agree with him, I also found myself questioning it some too. Our habits are important and many things we do throughout the day come from habit, but at the same time how is a new habit developed? So I ended the book with the question running through my mind, “Which comes first the action or the thought?� To be honest, my personal opinion is that is a combination of the two is actually needed. I think that our thoughts can influence our actions, but also that our actions can influence our thoughts.
As I said earlier, this book is not your typical self-help book. While most authors present a lot of anecdotes from their lives or from the lives of people who have followed their advice, Richard Wiseman uses scientific research to back up his arguments for the As If principle. I will have to say that unless you are like me and enjoy reading psychological texts that this makes reading this book a little dry.
May 11, 2013
This book is an odd mix. Some of it worked for me; some of it did not work at all. I especially liked the smile approach (How to Be Happy in an Instant). Doing this exercise actually made me laugh, so I think it is effective in creating a happy state of mind for the moment. I liked this and will probably test it out to see just how effective smiling works to create happiness over time. But this is not a new idea. If a baby smiles at you, aren't you likely to smile back?
There are plenty of research studies presented in this book, but Wiseman doesn't always say how many volunteers (he uses "a handful" or "half") are participating or who they are (normal? clinically ill? depressed? teens? adults? seniors?), so without knowing these study protocols, I felt the research conclusions were too generalized to really be convincing. Even though he does cite the scientific journals of these studies, his presentation of the facts are quite vague. From experiments aimed at "easing guilt," Wiseman's suggests that if you are feeling guilty about something, washing your hands with antiseptic lessens guilt, or for "larger guilt trips, try taking a shower." Really? It's that easy? Just washing guilt away as if it's only skin deep? Here's where I think Wiseman goes too far. But this book is certainly worth a read since there are some interesting exercises and tests that might prove helpful. Check out the will power and eating chapter. Push the plate away, make a fist--it worked the first time for me. Not the second time. Maybe it takes practice!
There are plenty of research studies presented in this book, but Wiseman doesn't always say how many volunteers (he uses "a handful" or "half") are participating or who they are (normal? clinically ill? depressed? teens? adults? seniors?), so without knowing these study protocols, I felt the research conclusions were too generalized to really be convincing. Even though he does cite the scientific journals of these studies, his presentation of the facts are quite vague. From experiments aimed at "easing guilt," Wiseman's suggests that if you are feeling guilty about something, washing your hands with antiseptic lessens guilt, or for "larger guilt trips, try taking a shower." Really? It's that easy? Just washing guilt away as if it's only skin deep? Here's where I think Wiseman goes too far. But this book is certainly worth a read since there are some interesting exercises and tests that might prove helpful. Check out the will power and eating chapter. Push the plate away, make a fist--it worked the first time for me. Not the second time. Maybe it takes practice!
September 24, 2017
Fascinating!
Behaviour creates and alters thoughts, emotions, feelings - and in the long run changes the identity, thought patterns and habits for good.
After many decades and thousands of experiments, it seems like the As If principle was right there all along, while psychologists and psychiatrists missed it, or used it by accident.
Now it seems like the first unifying theory that can be quickly and effectively applied among a wide range of topics such as depression, willpower, anxiety and phobias.
I would recommend this book to all people interested in the fields of psychology, but even many hours and years of practice still feel that there's something missing.
Behaviour creates and alters thoughts, emotions, feelings - and in the long run changes the identity, thought patterns and habits for good.
After many decades and thousands of experiments, it seems like the As If principle was right there all along, while psychologists and psychiatrists missed it, or used it by accident.
Now it seems like the first unifying theory that can be quickly and effectively applied among a wide range of topics such as depression, willpower, anxiety and phobias.
I would recommend this book to all people interested in the fields of psychology, but even many hours and years of practice still feel that there's something missing.
April 30, 2016
I feel beaten to death with examples, yet didn't touch any of the subjects I was hoping to hear about. This should have been a presentation or essay.
October 8, 2016
I really enjoyed Wiseman's previous works (Luck Factor, Paranormality) which made this book extra disappointing.
First of all putting this book in the "self help" section isn't accurate. It's closer to a Malcolm Gladwell "oh isn't that interesting" kind of book where you hear about various quirky experiments and have something to share at dinner parties. I don't think anyone is going to change their lives by reading this book but I'd love it if I were wrong.
Wiseman adopts a very simplistic view of the world (as a most cognitive behavioral fans do) and presents the idea that all you need to to change your behavior is... change your behavior? If I could do that would I be reading a book on how to change my behavior?
There are several examples of flawed reasoning and/or methodology in the book. At one point he mentions a study that "proved" that rewards could negatively affect creativity because a panel of twelve (12?!) poets judged the creativity of the poems produced by the subjects in the study. Since creativity is subjective how were these people chosen? What criteria do you have that shows you can judge creativity?
At another point in the book he proposes that overweight people overeat simply because they have access to food. How does that explain some overeaters who will order a pizza all for themselves and binge eat?
Later he also mentions a study that proved that using the "As If principle" is more effective than psychotherapy because in this study people using the former had shown more improvement than people using the latter. Oh so you weren't able to solve all your problems with just two months of psychotherapy? How odd. Clearly anything that can't get results in two months is pointless.
Examples like this made me suspicious about what other things might be wrong with Wiseman's thesis. That's when I started noticing the number of times he used "significant" to describe results rather than providing actual numbers (spoiler alert: almost all the time). I'd like to see what he thinks is "significant." I guess I could read the studies he cites but I think that will just prove me right.
Because of this I am starting to wonder if I should go back and reread his other books that I liked to see if the same problems appear there.
All in all, pretty disappointing. Wiseman at least walks his walk: he wanted his thesis to be true and so behaved "As If" it was.
First of all putting this book in the "self help" section isn't accurate. It's closer to a Malcolm Gladwell "oh isn't that interesting" kind of book where you hear about various quirky experiments and have something to share at dinner parties. I don't think anyone is going to change their lives by reading this book but I'd love it if I were wrong.
Wiseman adopts a very simplistic view of the world (as a most cognitive behavioral fans do) and presents the idea that all you need to to change your behavior is... change your behavior? If I could do that would I be reading a book on how to change my behavior?
There are several examples of flawed reasoning and/or methodology in the book. At one point he mentions a study that "proved" that rewards could negatively affect creativity because a panel of twelve (12?!) poets judged the creativity of the poems produced by the subjects in the study. Since creativity is subjective how were these people chosen? What criteria do you have that shows you can judge creativity?
At another point in the book he proposes that overweight people overeat simply because they have access to food. How does that explain some overeaters who will order a pizza all for themselves and binge eat?
Later he also mentions a study that proved that using the "As If principle" is more effective than psychotherapy because in this study people using the former had shown more improvement than people using the latter. Oh so you weren't able to solve all your problems with just two months of psychotherapy? How odd. Clearly anything that can't get results in two months is pointless.
Examples like this made me suspicious about what other things might be wrong with Wiseman's thesis. That's when I started noticing the number of times he used "significant" to describe results rather than providing actual numbers (spoiler alert: almost all the time). I'd like to see what he thinks is "significant." I guess I could read the studies he cites but I think that will just prove me right.
Because of this I am starting to wonder if I should go back and reread his other books that I liked to see if the same problems appear there.
All in all, pretty disappointing. Wiseman at least walks his walk: he wanted his thesis to be true and so behaved "As If" it was.
March 26, 2017
"If you want a quality, act as if you already have it."
The premise is simple, yet this book had expanded it to various aspects of live. Stories of social and psychological experiments are interesting, although I am not certain about its statistical significance. Slight difference was reported as the causative effect of As If principle. Other than that, I believe that As If Principle can be applied to our daily life.
One of interesting hypothesis I've been thinking is incorporated rule in norms or religion. Some rules forced person to do something in order to achieve higher state. For example, a person is told to contribute to nearest society and build relationship with neighbors. In fact, this simple rule applies As If Principle to build strong and independent society.
Overall, this book gives me insight of interesting principle and I think it is worth to read.
The premise is simple, yet this book had expanded it to various aspects of live. Stories of social and psychological experiments are interesting, although I am not certain about its statistical significance. Slight difference was reported as the causative effect of As If principle. Other than that, I believe that As If Principle can be applied to our daily life.
One of interesting hypothesis I've been thinking is incorporated rule in norms or religion. Some rules forced person to do something in order to achieve higher state. For example, a person is told to contribute to nearest society and build relationship with neighbors. In fact, this simple rule applies As If Principle to build strong and independent society.
Overall, this book gives me insight of interesting principle and I think it is worth to read.
April 10, 2013
Don't read it unless you are understanding of how important statistically significant research studies are in understanding behavior. I am not from Missouri but you need to show me....and he did. Lots of heavy information from important studies convinced me (finally) that we can all change our lives by acting "as if" we are already happy campers! The lab experiment where they hooked up a device to force the corners of the mouth into a smile and then reassessed the person was pretty stunning.
June 29, 2014
It's one of those books with a great fundamental premise, but in the author's over exuberance in trying to prove it, plays it repeatedly to death. In fact, he tries so hard it almost becomes painful to read, despite his awkward attempts to lighten things up midstream.
Am at p.100, but caught myself checking how many pages there is to go at around p.90. Not likely to finish, most prob skimming through the rest.
Am at p.100, but caught myself checking how many pages there is to go at around p.90. Not likely to finish, most prob skimming through the rest.
December 11, 2018
This is great book that made me think about research, life, and provided plenty of conversation fodder for my work trip. This was a good easy read and the material was approachable. I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in psychology.
Mr. Joe
Mr. Joe
March 31, 2020
Book maintains that Victorian philosopher William James was right about the power of the, in current words, “fake it till you make it� principle, by presenting a wide range of experiments conducted throughout the decades. The findings will surprise you.
November 8, 2023
A fascinating look at the power of BEHAVIORS driving FEELINGS rather than the other way around.
�It’s time for positive action.
Self-help gurus and business coaches preach the same simple mantra: if you want to improve your life, you need to change how you think. Force yourself to have positive thoughts, and you will become happier. Visualize your dream self, and you will enjoy increased success. Think like a millionaire, and you will magically grow rich. In principle, the idea sounds perfectly reasonable. However, in practice, the approach often proves surprisingly ineffective. �
Over a century ago, the brilliant Victorian philosopher William James proposed a radically different approach to change. Since then, researchers from across the world have carried out hundreds of experiments into James’s theory and discovered that it applies to almost every aspect of people’s lives. �
This book is all about the impact that your actions have on your mind, and the exercises encourage you to actually experience these phenomena rather than just read about them.
You are about to encounter a new approach to change. An approach that is grounded in science, overturns conventional thinking, and provides a basis for the easiest, quickest and most effective ways of changing your life.
So sit up straight and take a deep breath. Forget all about positive thinking. It’s time for positive action.�
~ Richard Wiseman from The As If Principle
Richard Wiseman is Britain’s official professor in “the Public Understanding of Psychology.� That has to be one of the coolest job titles out there. And, his last name has to be the best possible name for a guy who does what he does. “Wiseman�? Hah!
Professor Wiseman grounds his wisdom in the best of modern science. He’s also a funny guy.
This book takes a fascinating look at the power of BEHAVIORS driving FEELINGS rather than the other way around. (Get a copy of the book .)
Some of my favorite big ideas from this book include:
1. The As If Principle - Want a quality? Act like you have it.
2. Fun Factory - Research from.
3. Time Traveling - To a younger you.
4. Paradox of Rewards - We’re punished by them.
5. Creating a New You - “Hi, new you! Nice to meet you.�
I’ve summarized those Big Ideas in a video review that you can watch .
I’ve also added The As If Principle by Richard Wiseman to my collection of Philosopher’s Notes--distilling the Big Ideas into 6-page PDF and 20-minute MP3s on 600+ of the BEST self-development books ever. You can get access to all of those plus a TON more over at .
�It’s time for positive action.
Self-help gurus and business coaches preach the same simple mantra: if you want to improve your life, you need to change how you think. Force yourself to have positive thoughts, and you will become happier. Visualize your dream self, and you will enjoy increased success. Think like a millionaire, and you will magically grow rich. In principle, the idea sounds perfectly reasonable. However, in practice, the approach often proves surprisingly ineffective. �
Over a century ago, the brilliant Victorian philosopher William James proposed a radically different approach to change. Since then, researchers from across the world have carried out hundreds of experiments into James’s theory and discovered that it applies to almost every aspect of people’s lives. �
This book is all about the impact that your actions have on your mind, and the exercises encourage you to actually experience these phenomena rather than just read about them.
You are about to encounter a new approach to change. An approach that is grounded in science, overturns conventional thinking, and provides a basis for the easiest, quickest and most effective ways of changing your life.
So sit up straight and take a deep breath. Forget all about positive thinking. It’s time for positive action.�
~ Richard Wiseman from The As If Principle
Richard Wiseman is Britain’s official professor in “the Public Understanding of Psychology.� That has to be one of the coolest job titles out there. And, his last name has to be the best possible name for a guy who does what he does. “Wiseman�? Hah!
Professor Wiseman grounds his wisdom in the best of modern science. He’s also a funny guy.
This book takes a fascinating look at the power of BEHAVIORS driving FEELINGS rather than the other way around. (Get a copy of the book .)
Some of my favorite big ideas from this book include:
1. The As If Principle - Want a quality? Act like you have it.
2. Fun Factory - Research from.
3. Time Traveling - To a younger you.
4. Paradox of Rewards - We’re punished by them.
5. Creating a New You - “Hi, new you! Nice to meet you.�
I’ve summarized those Big Ideas in a video review that you can watch .
I’ve also added The As If Principle by Richard Wiseman to my collection of Philosopher’s Notes--distilling the Big Ideas into 6-page PDF and 20-minute MP3s on 600+ of the BEST self-development books ever. You can get access to all of those plus a TON more over at .
February 15, 2013
When I taught second grade I had a positive action curriculum which was very powerful. The basic premise was that there is a cycle where positive thoughts lead to positive actions which lead to positive feelings which lead to positive thoughts which lead to positive actions which lead to positive feelings and so on.
I have been a proponent of positive thinking for years and years. The book that changed my life on positive thinking was "What To Say When You Talk To Yourself" by Shad Helmstetter.
Enter this very fine book (the "as if" principle) which emphasizes BEHAVIOR (or actions). Act "as if" (fill in the blank). When you change your behavior you become who you want to be (and you believe it!). I am so excited to find this book at this point in my life (middle age). I am doing what it proposes and I am already feeling positive impacts!! It is pretty cool that if you take ACTIONS toward your goal(s) you can actually change the way you view yourself and you will be more likely to complete whatever it is you need to do.
I have been a proponent of positive thinking for years and years. The book that changed my life on positive thinking was "What To Say When You Talk To Yourself" by Shad Helmstetter.
Enter this very fine book (the "as if" principle) which emphasizes BEHAVIOR (or actions). Act "as if" (fill in the blank). When you change your behavior you become who you want to be (and you believe it!). I am so excited to find this book at this point in my life (middle age). I am doing what it proposes and I am already feeling positive impacts!! It is pretty cool that if you take ACTIONS toward your goal(s) you can actually change the way you view yourself and you will be more likely to complete whatever it is you need to do.
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June 8, 2013This book is based on the principle first (?) posited by Henry James (brother of William James) that perhaps our inner emotional state is created by our behavior, instead of the other way around. In other words, if you curl your face into a smile you will then become happy because the muscle movement of your face changes the chemistry of your brain. There is research to back up his ideas, but I'm not sure I buy it. Several students used this book as part of the research projects they did to provide another insight into a psychological phenomenon. For example, if your first date is on a roller coaster, your heart reate and excitement level increase. You may "mistake" the those signs for the excitement of being with the person, and thus are more likely to have continued interest.
December 28, 2013
Fascinating, persuasive and sensible! Through intriguing and substantial psychological case studies, Wiseman shows how powerful behavior is, how capable we are of change through action, suggesting that our behavior is key to our emotions, rather than our feelings being key to our behavior, giving credence to the fake it until you make it thought. Though the idea is simple, it is also controversial, as the method encourages the initiating of seemingly ingenuous actions and seems to negate "as a man thinketh"; however, I can agree that there is great power in doing and that our bodies and minds are amazing agents.
April 11, 2018
I read this book a few years back and recently felt the need to reread it. It is a really fascinating look at some of the theories of William James. The basic premise is that we act and react in certain ways, and then our brain tells us a story about why we did so. Our heart beats rapidly, for example, and we assume we're scared or anxious. Wiseman gives many compelling examples as to why this is so, and I think the exercises he presents can really make a difference in our lives.
December 3, 2016
As usual, Wiseman's book supplies food for thought. Although there are elements of it, do not dismiss this as just another self help book. It is more than that. It is mainly about behavioural psychology but written in an entertaining and easy to read manner, with exercises the reader can do to put the 'as if' principal into play.
February 25, 2015
The book explains how our emotions and thoughts are reactions to our bodily sensations and not the other way around. This simple rule can help you improve many facets of your life � from how you eat to how you feel about yourself to even how your body ages.
June 8, 2016
Its a good book with tons of information on experimental psychology that points us back to the theory 'as if principle'. After done reading, when I reflect, I wasn't able to pull out much that was outstanding. On the whole, it was quite an interesting reading.
February 21, 2017
This book was ok, as far as self-help goes. It had great stories to give credit to claims. You have to synthesize what is being said to apply to your daily life.
There was one grammatical error in my copy.
I do not recommend.
There was one grammatical error in my copy.
I do not recommend.
August 24, 2017
Go ahead & treat this book "as if" you read it. Not since Dr. Leo Marvins groundbreaking book "baby steps" has there been such a succinct title rendering the book unnecessary to actually read. ⭐⭐ of ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
January 24, 2018
We would all like to think we could not be easily influenced to bully, let alone harm another group. Science tells us differently. A fascinating read on why we do what we do, and how easy it is to change if you simply understand.
January 26, 2019
Interesting read. Lots of examples of studies explaining the body / mind connection. Act as if ... change behaviour ... and the mind (identity) will follow. Have been practicing this for years in NLP.
January 14, 2013
Not as good as 59 Seconds, but still very insightful regarding how our behavior can affect our thinking. Listened to this as an audiobook, and for what it is worth the narrator is excellent as well.
January 25, 2013
I really don't care for the hokey titles that Dr. Wiseman or his publisher keep using for his books but I do find the results of the research into this area of study rather fascinating.
January 16, 2016
Not exactly what I thought this book would be about. Very heavy on the psychology behind the As If principle, but I enjoyed listening to this book.
October 24, 2014
Instructive re: how to actually make meaningful changes in your life.
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