Losing Control : How and Why People Fail at Self-Regulation

Rating:
Summary: Amazing Book
Review: As a psychology student (senior level undergraduate) who has gone through some major issues with self-regulation, this book provides incredible insight to why people fail at self-regulatory behaviors through an in depth critical review of literature. Amazingly written by credible researchers Baumister and Tice. Should continue to be in print, and should be offered as a text book for classes.

Rating:
Summary: More meaty than any "self-help" book, more helpful too!
Review: I'm a reasonably successful professional, wife, and mother who has never had any problems with most of the things discussed in depth in this book (drug addiction, alcoholism, smoking, weight problems, obsessions, gambling, etc).

The reason I bought the book was for the discussions of self-management. They've been very thought provoking for me. I have trouble with setting goals and achieving them, prioritizing, and "self-handicapping", especially procrastination. Now I can think more clearly about how I get in my own way, and I can develop better, more effective strategies for coping.

The "implications for parenting" in the final chapter are also amazingly useful. Though pretty straightforward, they elegantly tie together so many common sense ideas about what good parenting is all about. Having standards. Monitoring. Enabling the child to develop self-control. Instilling the capacity to delay gratification. Challenging the child's ability to control his or her attention may not be as "common sense" as the others, but in context, I can see it's importance.

Many thanks to the authors for a thought-provoking and well-written analysis.