IGNITE YOUR DORMANT SUPERPOWERS

A self-help book featuring tactics to overcome worry and reframe life’s low moments.

Dickason (Blood of the Dragon, 2000) brings his experiences training real estate salespeople and living with social anxiety to tell how he unlocked what he calls his “dormant superpowers”—the ability to face his fears head-on. With an upbeat attitude and quirky sense of humor, he breaks down complex psychological and scientific concepts in easy-to-understand lessons, such as his take on the brain’s Reticular Activating System (which is responsible for regulating wakefulness) and his explanation of how humans develop and respond to fears. Although some of his familiar suggestions, such as listening to one’s recorded voice repeating affirmations over and over, may not appeal to some readers, Dickason does effectively uses them to detail his own personal development, showing how he learned to address his anxieties in new ways. Along with his own thoughts and practices, he offers relevant quotes from spiritual leaders, inspirational gurus, and behavioral psychologists and elaborates upon them. Each chapter ends with a “superpower summary” that will allow readers to absorb the advice a bit at a time. Dickason’s history of selling real estate and teaching others to do so comes up repeatedly, which may wear on the casual reader. However, others will enjoy his comforting style and references. For further reading, he includes an annotated list of works, including some by big names, such as Deepak Chopra and Stephen R. Covey; he also lists books of quotations for those who enjoy the inspirational one-liners in this text.

Self-help aficionados won’t find much that’s new in this book, but Dickason’s engaging, personal style makes it an entertaining read.