Don't Sweat the Small Stuff for Men: Simple Ways to Minimize Stress in a Competitive World (Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (Hyperion)) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "I thought the title of this strategy would grab your attention and would be a great place to begin this book..." (more)
Key Phrases: peaceful assumption, entitlement thinking, Sweating the Small Stuff

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Carlson (Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, etc.) is back, with 100 brief chapters of advice, many of which acknowledge the male psyche. For example, men have told him that doing service feeds the soul, so he reminds readers to have a special cause. He also advises men to avoid letting their competitive natures rule their lives and to maintain their male friendships after they get serious with a woman. The chapter "Take Your Wife's Advice" makes clear that Carlson is targeting readers who are part of a nuclear family. Then again, a good number of chapters offer more gender-neutral advice: cast your choices in a positive light ("be in favor of simplicity" rather than "against clutter and chaos"); keep a spare set of keys and a wallet with a credit card and some cash, so that losing these items won't be catastrophic. There's inevitable repetition if read from cover to cover Carlson advises readers to do something nice for others and to be more generous, and to practice mindfulness and be present but this book is meant to be read in inspirational snippets. The author's "half full" outlook will indeed inspire and soothe: readers should "calculate the number of things that went right today" and observe that there's no bad weather, "only different kinds of good weather." Life, he reminds us, is "too precious to take for granted." (Sept.)Forecast: Publication in time for Father's Day might have worked better, but a $200,000 marketing campaign (including major TV advertising), Carlson's scheduled appearance on Good Morning America and his bona-fide franchise bode very well.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Over the past five years, Richard Carlson has shown countless families, lovers, and workers how to live in a more calm and productive manner. Now he turns his attention to men, with numerous simple strategies and life lessons that blend humor, warmth, and uncommon wisdom. Carlson invites men of all ages to enjoy the benefits of simplification and discover what so many of us already know: that its a stressful world out there, but it doesnt have to be.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (September 5, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786886366
• ISBN-13: 978-0786886364
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #418,790 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another useful book by Carlson that applies to men AND women, December 9, 2001

By	Blaine Greenfield "eclectic reader" (Belle Meade, NJ) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Enjoyed reading DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF FOR MEN by Richard Carlson . . . this is the latest in Carlson's "small stuff" series, and it does not disappoint . . . he continues to offer simple ways to minimize stress in a competitive world . . . they seem to make sense, at least to me, and can be applied to virtually any situation . . . although directed at men, I think women would also benefit from reading it . . . by the same token, methinks men could benefit from reading the companion DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF FOR WOMEN (written by Carlson's wife Kristine) . . . I know that I'll be looking for it.

I liked many ideas that I got from the book; among them:
Have an affair. . . .The idea is to reignite your passion for living, and to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. Remind yourself how precious and how short this adventure really is. I read a great book called A PARENTHESIS IN
ETERNITY . . . What a great way to think about the duration of your
life--as a blip on a passing screen. We're here for a moment in
time--and then we're gone. Why waste one second of self-pity,
frustration, and all the rest? Our lives are so much more important than that.

Consider how you would respond to the following two sentences spoken by a spouse, lover, or friend. First, "I hate my stupid job; (its bad)." Or, "Do you know what I'd really love to be doing?" Wow--what a difference. In the first sentence, you, as the listener or receiver of the complaint, want to leave the room. Your instinct is to pull away. In the second, however, you want to hear more; you want to engage in the conversation because it brings you closer to the person who is sharing.

Be for something rather than against it. . . . You can see how easy it is to be working with very positive intentions, yet still find a way to drive yourself nuts. Some environmental activists, for example, are doing great things-choosing to be vegetarians, picking up litter, cleaning up the beaches, planting trees, recycling, and raising awareness as well as money for the causes they believe in. Others, however, yell and scream, block traffic, chain themselves to trees, and starve themselves in an attempt to accomplish their goals.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational!, October 22, 2001

By	Jessica Davis (Virginia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am a female who recently bought this book as a gift for a relative. Before wrapping, I skimmed the book to see if it had the same Richard Carlson quality. Indeed it does!

This book, just like the other don't sweat the small stuff titles, includes ways to overcome difficult times. It will give you a positive attitude and help you gain peace with yourself, and uprooting events.

Good Christmas gift!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Help is here..., February 20, 2004

By	A. N. Teodoro III (River Edge, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

let me begin by saying that there is good advice in
this book, no question about it. if you are looking
for some help in getting a better perspective on life,
then there is help in this book. why do you think the
series is so popular? however, i dont think that the ideas
are original. you can find the same prescriptions for
a better attitude---such as more sense of humor, less
attention paid to difficult people, things are not as
bad as you think, the future is unknown and so do
stress yourself too much over it---in so many other
books in the self help section. it is old wine in a
new bottle. you can even get the same advice from a
wise old relative if your family is fortunate enough
to have one. it is also like listening to a friend
who knows something of life that you havent
realized yet. the format is easy. the book is pocket-size.
the chapters are very short, and the phraseology
non-technical. the cost is minimal. practically,
the lessons contained in this book can apply to
both males and females. if you are looking for your
first self-helpbook, then you have found a good one.