The Four Paths of Assertiveness: Speaking Up, Jumping In, Embracing Compassion, and Accepting Life

by Scott Cooper, Naoki Yoshinaga

An engaging guide for cultivating assertiveness to live a happier life.

Confidence and decisiveness are critical life skills that many people struggle to develop. For readers who want to take charge of their lives, The Four Paths of Assertiveness provides an indispensable guide to developing and practicing this crucial ability. Youth advocate Scott Cooper and psychologist Naoki Yoshinaga, PhD, identify four categories of assertiveness—social, behavioral, emotional, and mental—and explain how to hone these skills to live a happier life and develop healthier relationships.

Cooper and Yoshinaga expand the definition of assertiveness to include the core elements of speaking up, jumping in, embracing compassion, and accepting life. Speaking up is critical for standing up for ourselves. Jumping in helps us achieve our goals. Embracing compassion supports us in responding to the universal challenge of suffering, including our own. And accepting life means coping with ups and downs. Each chapter focuses on how to practically develop these four aspects of assertiveness and features tools for how to apply these strategies in everyday life.

Grounded in decades of happiness studies and current trends in behavioral psychology, this guide teaches readers how to live intentionally while staying true to themselves and strengthening their relationships.

176 pages, Hardcover

Published March 11, 2025

About the author

Scott Cooper is a principal and CFO of an international planning and design firm and a member of the local school board. He has been a teacher, basketball coach, scout leader, and Boys' and Girls' club volunteer. He lives in California with his wife and three children.

Reviews

[Niya · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the techniques documented by Cooper and Yoshinaga may sound simplistic putting them consistently into practice is a worthwhile challenge - assuming your desired outcomes are successful stable relationships with the resilience to survive through conflict. A worthwhile read for anyone exploring living a purposeful life. Best consumed with your favorite focus beverage.

[hclaire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the concept of the book, but everything sounded very familiar since I’m in grad school for social work. Loved the idea of being assertive with ourselves when we may not want to start a task or project. I find myself falling into the habit of waiting and waiting to start something.