You're Not As Good As You Think You Are: A Demotivational Guide (Paperback)

by Chris Gudgeon (Author) "Look at you..." (more)
Key Phrases: demotivational psychology, chance goals, less filling, Roy Carboyle, Whine Paradigm, Goal Overload (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

You're Not As Good As You Think You Are is an important addition to the field of self-help literature.

You think you're swell, don't you? That you're God's gift to the Universe, the cream in everyone else's coffee. Well, you're wrong, and it's getting on everyone's nerves. The problem is you're too good, too pumped, too motivated. You need to come down to earth, to realize that when all is said and done, you're little more than a speed bump on the highway of life. You need a crash course in the principles of demotivational psychology.

Based on the exemplary work of "Sugar" Roy Carboyle, a self-taught therapist, You're Not as Good as You Think You Are offers a user-friendly guide to building a less significant you. Each chapter provides theory, life examples, and valuable "Mental Exercises" designed to help you hone your self-effacing skills as you strive to be the least you can be.

By following the steps laid out in this groundbreaking book, you too can feel really bad about yourself.

About the Author

Chris Gudgeon is the author of numerous books, including Consider the Fish, Stan Rogers, and The Naked Truth: The Untold Story of Sex in Canada, as well as the Arsenal Pulp Press titles You're Not As Good As You Think You Are: A Demotivational Guide, a humorous guide on "demotivation"; Out of This World, a biography of poet Milton Acorn; and (with his writer wife Barbara Stewart) Luck of the Draw, on lottery winners. He has written articles and essays for such publications as MAD, National Lampoon,and Playboy. Chris and Barbara have three sons and they live in Victoria, BC Canada.

Product Details

• Paperback: 93 pages
• Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551520400
• ISBN-13: 978-1551520407
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #914,406 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Demotivational Book Got Me Going, April 20, 2001

By A Customer

A fast, funny book that finally bursts the bubble of all those crazy self-help books. I like the pith bits of wisdome like "You always get a second chance to make a bad impression" and "A journey of a single step starts with a thousand excuses." This book was a big bestseller in Canada, and it's easy to see why. There's a great comic mind at work here.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly hilarious., January 16, 2000

By A Customer

If you are inbetween books and would like to read something fresh, witty, and quick, this book is it! I read it during sporadic 5 minute breaks over a few days and people were staring at me because I was laughing so hard! Really, it will make you laugh out loud. Buy the book. Feel good. Pass it on to a friend.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Less Acerbic Than Logical Positivism, November 25, 2005

By	Robert I. Hedges - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This book is great in concept, and generally follows through in execution. It is the perfect antidote to the pretentious motivational publications that are nearly inescapable and which exist only to pander to the notion of self esteem through praise (versus actual accomplishment.)

Chris Gudgeon skewers the motivational industry like few others could. The book uses relentless satire and sarcasm to mock virtually every aspect of the feel-good industry, with examples such as "The Win/Whine Paradigm Matrix," "The Power of Negative Thinking," Men are from Mars, Dogs are from Pluto," and, of course, "Chicken Coops for the Soul."

Some of the jokes begin to wear a bit thin by the end, but overall this is a very well done piece of satire that is a quick, easy, and fun read.