SELF-HELP

Clearer, Closer, Better: How Successful People See the World

by Emily Balcetis

Ballantine. Mar. 2020. 272p. ISBN 9781524796464. spiral. $27.95. SELF-HELP

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According to social psychologist/scientist Balcetis, people can train themselves to see life from a different perspective and thus gain a clearer understanding of their objectives—how far they’ve come, how far they have to go, and how to get there more quickly. The author explains how to narrow one’s focus of attention, materialize a goal, frame events accurately, and allow oneself a wide bracket to reveal the whole picture and generate options. Some of her advice isn’t new (“keep your eye on the prize”), but other tidbits about how to read a room and get unstuck are insightful and bound to produce favorable results.

VERDICT Helpful for reaching any goal, from losing weight to saving for retirement.

Reviewed by Deborah Bigelow , Mar 01, 2020

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