What do you think?
Rate this book
How to Be Confident
From two times number one Sunday Times bestselling author, James Smith, comes HOW TO BE CONFIDENT - the third instalment in James' no-nonsense guides to gaining the tools to empower your decision-making and change your life.
Now, more than ever, we are so often lost within a cycle of negativity - from comparing ourselves to others and doom scrolling on social media, to a paralysis of choice and chasing external gratification that does nothing to nurture authentic happiness. We need confidence to master our true ambitions, realise our genuine strengths, and achieve the life we need, but might not know we want. Luckily, with his candid, no-nonsense advice, experience, and passion, James is here to lead the way.
Not A Diet Book hit #1 in the Sunday Times bestselling charts on 26th January 2020, and Not A Life Coach hit #1 on 5th September 2021.
Now, more than ever, we are so often lost within a cycle of negativity - from comparing ourselves to others and doom scrolling on social media, to a paralysis of choice and chasing external gratification that does nothing to nurture authentic happiness. We need confidence to master our true ambitions, realise our genuine strengths, and achieve the life we need, but might not know we want. Luckily, with his candid, no-nonsense advice, experience, and passion, James is here to lead the way.
Not A Diet Book hit #1 in the Sunday Times bestselling charts on 26th January 2020, and Not A Life Coach hit #1 on 5th September 2021.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published February 21, 2023
256 people are currently reading
942 people want to read
About the author
James Smith
1,228 books27 followersLibrarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
James2^Smith : History, Indian (1737-1812)
James3^Smith : GR Author, Non Fiction
James4^Smith : GR Author, Mystery & Thrillers, Conspiracy, Suspense
James5^Smith : Business
James6^Smith : Cookbooks
James7^Smith : Erotica, Science Fiction
James8^Smith : Erotic Picture Books
James9^Smith : Business, Marketing
James10^Smith : Poetry (1775-1839)
James11^Smith : Genealogy (born 1855)
James 12^Smith : Christian (1798-1871)
James 13^Smith : Minister of St George's
James 14^Smith : Computer
James 15^Smith :
James 16^Smith : Memorizing
James 17^Smith : Sports
James 18^Smith :
James 19^Smith : Internet
James 20^Smith :
James 21^Smith : Handicraft
James 22^Smith : Bridge
James 23^Smith :
James2^Smith : History, Indian (1737-1812)
James3^Smith : GR Author, Non Fiction
James4^Smith : GR Author, Mystery & Thrillers, Conspiracy, Suspense
James5^Smith : Business
James6^Smith : Cookbooks
James7^Smith : Erotica, Science Fiction
James8^Smith : Erotic Picture Books
James9^Smith : Business, Marketing
James10^Smith : Poetry (1775-1839)
James11^Smith : Genealogy (born 1855)
James 12^Smith : Christian (1798-1871)
James 13^Smith : Minister of St George's
James 14^Smith : Computer
James 15^Smith :
James 16^Smith : Memorizing
James 17^Smith : Sports
James 18^Smith :
James 19^Smith : Internet
James 20^Smith :
James 21^Smith : Handicraft
James 22^Smith : Bridge
James 23^Smith :
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
September 8, 2022
Amazon is full of 5 star reviews for this book therefore I seem to be in the minority as I thought this book was just ok. Perhaps I went in with high expectations as I expected a book packed full of practical tips on how to be more confident when, apart from the last 2o pages, it was more theoretical. There is plenty of information on the science of confidence, lots of examples on dating and Jiu Jitsu however not much I felt I could take away personally. I have chosen action over inaction though and have written this review so I did learn something!
I do like James' writing style, he has a great no-nonsense approach which I appreciate.
I do like James' writing style, he has a great no-nonsense approach which I appreciate.
January 27, 2023
There were some inspirational points in this book, but ultimately if you aren't a non-academic straight white male, you're probably going to feel a little bit short changed.
There's only so many "The dictionary definition of X is X" or "You're probably thinking I'm just using this big word to sound smart" that my weary self can take.
I would say, this has made me feel a lot more confident that if James Smith can do it, I can also do it. The guy seems nice, sweet and fairly humble.
If you're a non-academic, straight white male seeking confidence, then I would say this could be a great read for you.
There's only so many "The dictionary definition of X is X" or "You're probably thinking I'm just using this big word to sound smart" that my weary self can take.
I would say, this has made me feel a lot more confident that if James Smith can do it, I can also do it. The guy seems nice, sweet and fairly humble.
If you're a non-academic, straight white male seeking confidence, then I would say this could be a great read for you.
November 23, 2024
These are real sentences from this book, I did not change them from the way they were written by the author:
"I operate one of the world's largest online personal training businesses in the world."
"For instance, most Monday mornings I have so much work to do I don't get hungry until lunch, maybe even later, as I have so much on."
"The language you use with yourself is so important, even my friends who are giving up smoking."
"That they over time ate what they should have over time, trained hard enough over time."
If you don't see any issues there, then maybe this book is for you. I will say though, if you're looking for life advice from someone who is more-or-less a social media influencer, you would be better served by reading Grace Helbig's Grace's Guide: The Art of Pretending to be a Grown Up. She gets to many of the same points, only with far less pretension, self-importance, and self-aggrandizement. Plus, at least she's funny. And doesn't quote Jordan Peterson.
"I operate one of the world's largest online personal training businesses in the world."
"For instance, most Monday mornings I have so much work to do I don't get hungry until lunch, maybe even later, as I have so much on."
"The language you use with yourself is so important, even my friends who are giving up smoking."
"That they over time ate what they should have over time, trained hard enough over time."
If you don't see any issues there, then maybe this book is for you. I will say though, if you're looking for life advice from someone who is more-or-less a social media influencer, you would be better served by reading Grace Helbig's Grace's Guide: The Art of Pretending to be a Grown Up. She gets to many of the same points, only with far less pretension, self-importance, and self-aggrandizement. Plus, at least she's funny. And doesn't quote Jordan Peterson.
September 17, 2022
I found James Smith on TikTok, where he eloquently (and confidently) explained the Swimmer's Body Illusion in a fitness context. I did not know what it was and knowing it made my life better.
For the first two or three chapters, I hated this book. I thought it was loosely researched and that it never really answered the question. I've read most of the books Smith names in the movie and he uses them very liberally to build a not-so-convincing argument. But then I realized something: it's not really what James Smith says in his book. It's what he does: he puts his prefrontal cortex and his limbic system in dialogue. He uses his rationality to knock down his insecurities. That is how you get more confident, I guess. At least technically it is.
I'm glad that I read it, though and I still love James Smith, but maybe I should stop reading books like these because... I guess I'm confident enough? Fun fact: I adopted a dog last year, two months after my boxer died. While I was filling up the form, I felt like we were the perfect family for him and that our context would help him get the life he deserves and guess what? The SPCA thought the same. He's a handful, but he's definitely gotten better. So yeah, I'm pretty confident. If you're totally insecure and not much of a reader on topics like self-development and psychology, this is a good starting point though.
For the first two or three chapters, I hated this book. I thought it was loosely researched and that it never really answered the question. I've read most of the books Smith names in the movie and he uses them very liberally to build a not-so-convincing argument. But then I realized something: it's not really what James Smith says in his book. It's what he does: he puts his prefrontal cortex and his limbic system in dialogue. He uses his rationality to knock down his insecurities. That is how you get more confident, I guess. At least technically it is.
I'm glad that I read it, though and I still love James Smith, but maybe I should stop reading books like these because... I guess I'm confident enough? Fun fact: I adopted a dog last year, two months after my boxer died. While I was filling up the form, I felt like we were the perfect family for him and that our context would help him get the life he deserves and guess what? The SPCA thought the same. He's a handful, but he's definitely gotten better. So yeah, I'm pretty confident. If you're totally insecure and not much of a reader on topics like self-development and psychology, this is a good starting point though.
December 14, 2022
If you can stand his writing style, and you can believe that someone as lucky as this has any authority on agency, then maybe there is something of use in here. I do hope so…I have the worst self confidence. But his writing is terrible. I wish he'd work with an editor. Maybe thinks it is more trustworthy and down to earth to sound like a geezer at the pub trying to convince you he's your mate, but it doesn't go over well for me. And why doesn't he mention Confidence Tricks, and Con(fidence) Men at all in the introduction? He sounds enough like one.
Fingers crossed that there is something actionable in here for me, but right now I feel like someone pulled a confidence trick on me, and is drunkenly yelling in my ear that "mate, mate, you just have to believe in yourself"
EDIT: I paid 4.99 for this book.
Fingers crossed that there is something actionable in here for me, but right now I feel like someone pulled a confidence trick on me, and is drunkenly yelling in my ear that "mate, mate, you just have to believe in yourself"
EDIT: I paid 4.99 for this book.
December 25, 2022
Wasn’t a complete waste of time, as is was kind of motivational to listen to at times… But definitely wouldn’t recommend.
Full of obvious points and James either honestly believes the reader is an absolute idiot or he’s honestly ignorant.
We goes out of his way to explain things we all know… Like what is a bias.
Full of obvious points and James either honestly believes the reader is an absolute idiot or he’s honestly ignorant.
We goes out of his way to explain things we all know… Like what is a bias.
March 22, 2023
Having never read a self-help book before, this proved a good starting point. There is less practical advice and examples than I was expecting. It often feels less about How to Be Confident than How to Not Not Be Confident, with the author highlighting the things we do that gradually erode our confidence. If you’re already knowledgable about psychology then maybe this will be too basic, but it’s been useful in helping me to become more self-aware and realising how my mind has built up some unhelpful habits.
I don’t think James Smith is technically a great writer - his grammar should have been edited and he often goes off on long-winded tangents - but he even states himself at one point that he cares more about getting his message across, which I think he does. I didn’t find it bad enough to be too much of a distraction though and he writes in a very conversational style. That actually made it readable and I was often surprised with how fast I was getting through sections.
I don’t think James Smith is technically a great writer - his grammar should have been edited and he often goes off on long-winded tangents - but he even states himself at one point that he cares more about getting his message across, which I think he does. I didn’t find it bad enough to be too much of a distraction though and he writes in a very conversational style. That actually made it readable and I was often surprised with how fast I was getting through sections.
February 12, 2023
So this book is everything I never imagined it could be! Let me explain. I wouldn't be interested in reading a book about how to be confident, if someone hasn't recommended to me. But this book is so much more than learning how to be confident. It gives you a whole new different perspective about life that is really eye opening. It made me think differently not only about confidence, but also about arrogance, impostor syndrome, insecurity, overthinking and so many more. I think everyone should read it and the knowledge in that book should be more widespread.
November 29, 2023
A book about having confidence in various situations.
It offers reasonable useful pieces of advice scattered throughout the story to help you in various situations.
And that was the only thing I enjoyed about it.
It has far too many definitions and quotes from famous individuals.
And many of the scenarios were irrelevant to me; they were informative, but nothing out of the ordinary. Also, the author talks a lot about his life, his progress, and what he did and didn't do.
It offers reasonable useful pieces of advice scattered throughout the story to help you in various situations.
And that was the only thing I enjoyed about it.
It has far too many definitions and quotes from famous individuals.
And many of the scenarios were irrelevant to me; they were informative, but nothing out of the ordinary. Also, the author talks a lot about his life, his progress, and what he did and didn't do.
January 25, 2024
Good book and loads of excellent nuggets. Writing style really suits a chilled reader. Makes me want to read other books by this author. Some sections dragged which prevented the 5 star review.
December 6, 2024
I had already visited the Big Bad Wolf sale twice and was vacillating whether to purchase this book or not. I stumbled upon James Smith's videos and his no-nonsense approach to fitness and exercise, and loved that he didn't mince words. As someone equally confrontational myself, I loved how he called out the fat pride movement as celebrating unhealthy and dangerous behaviors at one point. I still enjoy his videos.
I vacillated from purchasing this book because I honestly didn't think the book was for me: I think I have a healthy balance of confidence and self-deprecation. Still, I ultimately did choose to buy it, and my cardinal takeaway is that Daniel Kahneman is truly a transformative writer. James Smith, for all his colloquial language, still refers to Kahneman copiously over the course of this book. This is fundamentally because confidence needs a lot of self-reflection and understanding, and to foster those, one must be familiar with the basics of cognitive psychology. Understanding oneself entails understanding that we possess biases and utilize heuristics, so that we minimize overshooting our capabilities (through the Dunning-Kruger effect) and know where we truly stand in terms of our competencies.
He cites progressive overload, a central concept in strength training, as also important in other aspects of life. Progress should be assessed and measured, but the parameters depend on what you wish to improve upon. There should, however, be an establishment of a base rate. This is another concept from Kahneman's masterwork.
While a bit derivative, however, How to Be Confident is a smooth read. Confidence is complex and has a multitude of factors, but it is, to Smith, the fine balance between arrogance and self-deprecation.
I vacillated from purchasing this book because I honestly didn't think the book was for me: I think I have a healthy balance of confidence and self-deprecation. Still, I ultimately did choose to buy it, and my cardinal takeaway is that Daniel Kahneman is truly a transformative writer. James Smith, for all his colloquial language, still refers to Kahneman copiously over the course of this book. This is fundamentally because confidence needs a lot of self-reflection and understanding, and to foster those, one must be familiar with the basics of cognitive psychology. Understanding oneself entails understanding that we possess biases and utilize heuristics, so that we minimize overshooting our capabilities (through the Dunning-Kruger effect) and know where we truly stand in terms of our competencies.
He cites progressive overload, a central concept in strength training, as also important in other aspects of life. Progress should be assessed and measured, but the parameters depend on what you wish to improve upon. There should, however, be an establishment of a base rate. This is another concept from Kahneman's masterwork.
While a bit derivative, however, How to Be Confident is a smooth read. Confidence is complex and has a multitude of factors, but it is, to Smith, the fine balance between arrogance and self-deprecation.
January 12, 2024
I give this book five stars because I think there are a lot of good nuggets in here. While it’s not a roadmap or checklist of how to be confident, James does a good job of listing out examples from his experience on how to be more confident. I like that anyone can take pieces from this. People who already think they are confident and those that may be struggling.
January 27, 2023
This book wasn’t profound but I did enjoy it. It covered quite a broad range of relevant areas to confidence and there were some golden nugget reminders which I will list but the main message of this book to me was that to be more confident you should know your values and live them. Set your own goals.You get to decide what success and winning is. You don’t have to impress anyone but yourself. Your dreams need to YOUR desires. Don’t just do what you think someone else thinks you should do! Eg lose a few pounds. You get to set the win level. Then you’ll be happy with your accomplishment and they won’t feel empty.
If you want to get the feel of the vibe of this book here are some of it’s golden nuggets. If they sound interesting to you then you’d likely enjoy the book. I recommend listening as an audio book to get the feel for Smiths straight talking advice and sense of humour.
Golden nuggets (spoilers ahead)
⭐️ No response is a response.To not express your emotions is an action as much as saying how you feel is
⭐️ What sits behind your desire to be confident? Know your pain points
⭐️ Only action can create the momentum to change your circumstances. No one is gonna do it for you.
⭐️ No age limit to learning something new. Don’t put it off any longer. Yes you could have done it ten years ago, the second best time is now.
⭐️ Don’t overwhelm yourself with change- small changes- too big and you’ll get overwhelmed and give up.
⭐️ Fake it til you make it doesn’t work unless you’re idea of success is being something you’re not. We’re all curators of our own idea of success. What if success is being unapologetically yourself . More money isn’t success, being genuine is.
⭐️ Huge power in vulnerability, builds trust and learning opportunities. Being yourself can only improve your confidence.Life’s too short to be anyone but yourself .
⭐️ People want you to be safe so much that they don’t want you to succeed.
⭐️ sunk cost fallacy - eg just because you’ve been with someone for years doesn’t mean it’s right- people can stay just because they don’t want to waste the resources they’ve already invested.
⭐️ Mental stimulation- were inspired to do things by those around us- Jim Rohn- average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.
⭐️ Inner narrative- interrogate it.
Know how you perceive yourself and your place in this world
⭐️ Surround yourself with people with an abundance mindset.The quality of a persons life is a direct reflection of the expectation of their peers.
⭐️ Expecting the worst is just a barrier we put up to avoid being uncomfortable
⭐️ What is the cost of NOT doing something!
Loss aversion- stops people wanting to spend inherited money. The idea of giving up something feels more painful than what you could potentially gain.
⭐️ Dangerous risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet that you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.
⭐️ Aspirations have to be your own. Following some one else’s dream is an uphill battle Eg parents aspire to own a home .Or the media convince you that you want a six pack. When you don’t get there people will accuse you of not wanting it enough but it’s because you are chasing someone else’s dream and it’s not aligned for you.
⭐️ People don’t have true confidence to speak out. Saying nothing is saying something. Takes courage but the byproduct is integrity . It costs you to NOT speak your truth.
⭐️ when not confident to speak you can always start with ‘I could be wrong but’ … it disarms hostility and embraces ignorance. We can’t know everything. We’re terrified to be wrong . But we can accept responsibility and shows you’re open to other views.
⭐️ You’ll only avoid criticism if you do and say nothing your whole
⭐️ Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t go to for advice
⭐️ Practicing doesn’t mean winning but you still develop for the better
⭐️ You might not get the desired outcome but this is an important part of personal development . Don’t make it about the outcome but the progress.
⭐️ Spotlight effect- we get worried about what people think but they rarely do !!So just do it- You making another attempt in the gym is more experience than you had when you got up today!!
⭐️ Diet isn’t just what you eat but what you expose yourself to daily. Who you follow what you watch and who you have around you. Information diet alters our perception.
⭐️ People spending so much time on their phones overloaded and subscribed to info, digesting more info than food! World is becoming so polarised. People don’t realise how much what you watch alters your perception and sometimes hinders it.
⭐️ Don’t compare yourself to a stranger!!! But to yourself!Other wise you’ll never have the confidence to be yourself .
⭐️ What you don’t measure you can’t improve. Train to seek progression in your life. It really doesn’t matter where you start but where you’re going, setting the next goal, gives you an incentive to continue.
⭐️ Pleasure and happiness are different. Pleasure is easy and short-lived.The latter comes comes from aligning your actions with your values . Lean on your values to make the best decision. What do you cherish? What will make you happy?
If you want to get the feel of the vibe of this book here are some of it’s golden nuggets. If they sound interesting to you then you’d likely enjoy the book. I recommend listening as an audio book to get the feel for Smiths straight talking advice and sense of humour.
Golden nuggets (spoilers ahead)
⭐️ No response is a response.To not express your emotions is an action as much as saying how you feel is
⭐️ What sits behind your desire to be confident? Know your pain points
⭐️ Only action can create the momentum to change your circumstances. No one is gonna do it for you.
⭐️ No age limit to learning something new. Don’t put it off any longer. Yes you could have done it ten years ago, the second best time is now.
⭐️ Don’t overwhelm yourself with change- small changes- too big and you’ll get overwhelmed and give up.
⭐️ Fake it til you make it doesn’t work unless you’re idea of success is being something you’re not. We’re all curators of our own idea of success. What if success is being unapologetically yourself . More money isn’t success, being genuine is.
⭐️ Huge power in vulnerability, builds trust and learning opportunities. Being yourself can only improve your confidence.Life’s too short to be anyone but yourself .
⭐️ People want you to be safe so much that they don’t want you to succeed.
⭐️ sunk cost fallacy - eg just because you’ve been with someone for years doesn’t mean it’s right- people can stay just because they don’t want to waste the resources they’ve already invested.
⭐️ Mental stimulation- were inspired to do things by those around us- Jim Rohn- average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.
⭐️ Inner narrative- interrogate it.
Know how you perceive yourself and your place in this world
⭐️ Surround yourself with people with an abundance mindset.The quality of a persons life is a direct reflection of the expectation of their peers.
⭐️ Expecting the worst is just a barrier we put up to avoid being uncomfortable
⭐️ What is the cost of NOT doing something!
Loss aversion- stops people wanting to spend inherited money. The idea of giving up something feels more painful than what you could potentially gain.
⭐️ Dangerous risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet that you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.
⭐️ Aspirations have to be your own. Following some one else’s dream is an uphill battle Eg parents aspire to own a home .Or the media convince you that you want a six pack. When you don’t get there people will accuse you of not wanting it enough but it’s because you are chasing someone else’s dream and it’s not aligned for you.
⭐️ People don’t have true confidence to speak out. Saying nothing is saying something. Takes courage but the byproduct is integrity . It costs you to NOT speak your truth.
⭐️ when not confident to speak you can always start with ‘I could be wrong but’ … it disarms hostility and embraces ignorance. We can’t know everything. We’re terrified to be wrong . But we can accept responsibility and shows you’re open to other views.
⭐️ You’ll only avoid criticism if you do and say nothing your whole
⭐️ Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t go to for advice
⭐️ Practicing doesn’t mean winning but you still develop for the better
⭐️ You might not get the desired outcome but this is an important part of personal development . Don’t make it about the outcome but the progress.
⭐️ Spotlight effect- we get worried about what people think but they rarely do !!So just do it- You making another attempt in the gym is more experience than you had when you got up today!!
⭐️ Diet isn’t just what you eat but what you expose yourself to daily. Who you follow what you watch and who you have around you. Information diet alters our perception.
⭐️ People spending so much time on their phones overloaded and subscribed to info, digesting more info than food! World is becoming so polarised. People don’t realise how much what you watch alters your perception and sometimes hinders it.
⭐️ Don’t compare yourself to a stranger!!! But to yourself!Other wise you’ll never have the confidence to be yourself .
⭐️ What you don’t measure you can’t improve. Train to seek progression in your life. It really doesn’t matter where you start but where you’re going, setting the next goal, gives you an incentive to continue.
⭐️ Pleasure and happiness are different. Pleasure is easy and short-lived.The latter comes comes from aligning your actions with your values . Lean on your values to make the best decision. What do you cherish? What will make you happy?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2023
A lot of unnecessary waffle 🧇
April 5, 2023
Waste of time....
September 10, 2025
Mediocre book with few motivational points and much more bad points. Dnf'ed at 90%
February 24, 2025
How to Be Confident is a self-help book, written by James Smith. It aims to provide the reader with a bit more confidence in themselves. The book talks about a variety of life scenarios, pop culture references and anecdotes about what life is like.
Admittedly, I don’t think I had ever heard of this person, prior to seeing this book in my local library’s BorrowBox catalogue. It was early in the year and I saw that they were advertising self-help books (for people’s New Year resolutions). This title is something that caught my eye; “How to Be Confident”. So, I thought to myself, “well, I always need a bit more confidence.” Thus, I chose to borrow and then read it. Mmmmmm… I don’t quite know what to think about this book. I think the writer is a bit here and there in their writing. A lot of the stuff feels more anecdotal, in my opinion, and doesn’t feel helpful. As I move throughout the book, it feels very uninspiring, to put it bluntly.
Plus, there are bits where it feels like they don’t know what they’re trying to say. For example, just after the first dozen pages, the author notes, “I have often referred to confidence as being a ‘superpower’, but I now think to myself that’s not the right term. Because superpowers are out of our grasp…” And soon after, “The danger in labelling confidence as a superpower is this: we can actually obtain more confidence; we can become more confident and we can do it in a relatively short period of time.” But… If it’s not the right term, why did they just use the term, if they’re only going to dispute it within the next sentence? Also, to then say there’s “danger” in referring to it as a superpower? It feels overdramatic, considering the author is the one doing so, in referring to it as a “super power”, and then saying it’s now “danger”ous to do.
Also, at times, it felt like the author was being mocking towards people. For example, in chapter one, the author tails about being a consultant at a gym. And then mentions some of the goals the people wanted to achieve, being derisive about them. There are a variety of other points throughout the book where he mocks people’s weight. There’s points where he tries shaming people for needing to adjust their clothes when standing up, implying that it’s because they’re fat. But, a lot of people need to adjust their clothes regularly, regardless of size or shape. A lot of clothing has a habit of moving about on people’s bodies, all throughout the day. It’s absolutely normal for people to adjust the height of their pants or to pull down the bottom of their shirt. It’s normal, yet the author is deliberately mocking people for something so normal. The author also mocks people for using social media and for using phones and tablets. Which is another point of the ignorance the author is spouting. It’s not inherently bad to use things like social media, phones or tablets. However, the author is trying to make it out as if it is a negative thing. It’s a weird stereotype they’re using to try and mock people for doing something that isn’t even bad. And it’s opinions like the author’s that why a lot of people lack confidence. Sometimes people will mock one or two bits about a person (such as someone using social media), even though there’s nothing inherently wrong about it, leading to the person losing confidence in themselves.
There are a lot of pop culture references. Such as references to quotes from famous people. There are references to moments in movies. Etc. However, then the author doesn’t really explain much of the context of the quote or references. So, it just ends up feeling like name-dropping, rather than anything substantial. For example, a few paragraphs into the first chapter, the author mentions a Jim Carrey movie, “Yes Man” and gives a very vague description of it and ends the paragraph with, “He is then convinced to answer every question he is presented with the answer ‘Yes!’”. And then he begins the next paragraph, “That is not the advice I am giving you, far from it. But it’s an example of making the decision first and letting the confidence form thereon.” Firstly… What? If it’s not what you are telling the reader to do, why bother mentioning it at all? It really doesn’t have any relevance, to be blunt. And, secondly, telling readers to make a decision first and “letting the confidence form thereon.” is really not very good advice, in my opinion. Because, in order to make a decent decision, one needs to have at least some confidence in the choice they’re making, BEFORE deciding. To tell someone to make the decision and then find confidence in it just seems silly and I feel like it would lead to many bad decisions; even unsafe ones. And, again, I just feel like that movie reference has zero relevance. And then, also in chapter one, there’s a reference to “The Wolf of Wall Street”, “a famous scene were Leonardo DiCaprio hands over a pen to Jon Bernthal’s character and says, ‘Sell me this pen.’ So Bernthal says, ‘Write your name down on that napkin.’ This creates the pain point that DiCaprio doesn’t have a pen in his hand anymore…” What does this have to do with anything? At these points, it just feels like the author is trying to use pop culture references for the sake of mentioning them. There’s very little explanation as to their relevance to this book, and there’s very little context mentioned. As for the “Pain point” thing, it’s a subheading in the chapter, but the author gives no real explanation or definition as to what it is or how it’s relevant to confidence. And the same for a lot of the studies the author refers to. He’ll mention a variety of studies and not really give any indication of the relevance to the book.
Also… I feel like there’s a level of ignorance to what the author is saying, too. Again, with the first chapter, the author mentions an Einstein quote, “Insanity is to do the same thing and expect a different result.” And then the author talks a bit more and then says, “Inaction keeps your circumstances the same, only action can change them.” Which… No. Because there are many scenarios where inaction isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And there are scenarios where, if you do anything, it can lead you to negative consequences. Plus, a lot of life circumstances aren’t in your own control, and many rely on the choices that other people make. It feels weird that the author is insisting you take action, and being derisive about inaction. And the Einstein quote feels really badly placed, too. You can often do the same thing over and over and can get differing results, in many scenarios. There’s no “insanity” in it at all. Even something as simple as flipping a coin. If you flip it one time and get heads, you can flip it again and there’s a reasonable expectation of a different result. No insanity there. Or the weather. You go outside and it’s sunny. You can do the exact same thing, maybe an hour later, and it’s reasonable to expect a different result. It might be raining outside now. And, taking it back to the confidence thing, one can very much make the same life choices and expect a differing result. Such as if they’re applying to a university or a job they want. Even if they’re rejected 9 times, there’s still the possibility of getting accepted that 10th time. Nothing that would be considered “insanity” there. I know this review is already getting long. But, again, I feel like this author is just shoving in these pop culture references and quotes, without much thought as to what they even mean, or how they might appear to a reader. And then it’s mentioned that, “Nowadays post-pandemic, you don’t even need to put trousers on to get to the final interview for a higher paying job, you could jut put a shirt and jacket on and do it over a Zoom call.” Well, that’s just ignorant to imply that it’s just “nowadays” that it happens. Similar types of things have gone on generations. Many job interviews have happened over phone lines and video calls. It’s nothing new. Many people have lived in different cities than the job they’re aiming for and have subsequently had to do job interviews over phone lines. Phone and video calls have happened in business for decades. And it’s another aspect of the author being mocking, rather than helpful. It’s very clear that this author has a bias against things like Tik Tok and Zoom, and is implying that they’re bad things. Zoom can absolutely be a useful tool and it helps people reach out to others. The same with Tik Tok. In many ways, such applications can help people be more confident… Even though the author is implying that they are negative.
As I move further and further through the book… Just wow. There seems to be a huge level of ignorance in what is being said, as well as giving readers very bad advice and guidance. For example, on page 140 (as per the copy I was reading), his public speaking suggestion/ advice is to sell tickets to a public speaking event and only after selling the tickets to come up with the speech. What? Are you serious? What a horrible piece of advice.
Overall… I’m glad the copy I read was free for me because of the library, because I would be annoyed if I had had to pay for it. It’s not very good, in my opinion. As I continued through the book, a lot of what the author spoke about seemed very much like ignorance. So many of these quotes and references had no relevance. There were a lot of points where I had to stop reading, go back and reread paragraphs, asking myself, “what is this author talking about? What does this have to do with confidence?” Honestly, by the end of the book, it has left me feeling rubbish about myself. It certainly doesn’t have me feeling confident. The author is mocking about people doing ordinary things, such as using their phone, using social media, for adjusting their clothes, or for things like their appearance. If anything, it makes me sad, knowing that people such as the author have ignorant views about others, and are being unnecessary judgemental about such mundane things. There’s nothing that built up my confidence in any way. It’s more of a book to vaguely inform people a little bit about types of confidence, rather than trying to build up the readers’ confidence.
Admittedly, I don’t think I had ever heard of this person, prior to seeing this book in my local library’s BorrowBox catalogue. It was early in the year and I saw that they were advertising self-help books (for people’s New Year resolutions). This title is something that caught my eye; “How to Be Confident”. So, I thought to myself, “well, I always need a bit more confidence.” Thus, I chose to borrow and then read it. Mmmmmm… I don’t quite know what to think about this book. I think the writer is a bit here and there in their writing. A lot of the stuff feels more anecdotal, in my opinion, and doesn’t feel helpful. As I move throughout the book, it feels very uninspiring, to put it bluntly.
Plus, there are bits where it feels like they don’t know what they’re trying to say. For example, just after the first dozen pages, the author notes, “I have often referred to confidence as being a ‘superpower’, but I now think to myself that’s not the right term. Because superpowers are out of our grasp…” And soon after, “The danger in labelling confidence as a superpower is this: we can actually obtain more confidence; we can become more confident and we can do it in a relatively short period of time.” But… If it’s not the right term, why did they just use the term, if they’re only going to dispute it within the next sentence? Also, to then say there’s “danger” in referring to it as a superpower? It feels overdramatic, considering the author is the one doing so, in referring to it as a “super power”, and then saying it’s now “danger”ous to do.
Also, at times, it felt like the author was being mocking towards people. For example, in chapter one, the author tails about being a consultant at a gym. And then mentions some of the goals the people wanted to achieve, being derisive about them. There are a variety of other points throughout the book where he mocks people’s weight. There’s points where he tries shaming people for needing to adjust their clothes when standing up, implying that it’s because they’re fat. But, a lot of people need to adjust their clothes regularly, regardless of size or shape. A lot of clothing has a habit of moving about on people’s bodies, all throughout the day. It’s absolutely normal for people to adjust the height of their pants or to pull down the bottom of their shirt. It’s normal, yet the author is deliberately mocking people for something so normal. The author also mocks people for using social media and for using phones and tablets. Which is another point of the ignorance the author is spouting. It’s not inherently bad to use things like social media, phones or tablets. However, the author is trying to make it out as if it is a negative thing. It’s a weird stereotype they’re using to try and mock people for doing something that isn’t even bad. And it’s opinions like the author’s that why a lot of people lack confidence. Sometimes people will mock one or two bits about a person (such as someone using social media), even though there’s nothing inherently wrong about it, leading to the person losing confidence in themselves.
There are a lot of pop culture references. Such as references to quotes from famous people. There are references to moments in movies. Etc. However, then the author doesn’t really explain much of the context of the quote or references. So, it just ends up feeling like name-dropping, rather than anything substantial. For example, a few paragraphs into the first chapter, the author mentions a Jim Carrey movie, “Yes Man” and gives a very vague description of it and ends the paragraph with, “He is then convinced to answer every question he is presented with the answer ‘Yes!’”. And then he begins the next paragraph, “That is not the advice I am giving you, far from it. But it’s an example of making the decision first and letting the confidence form thereon.” Firstly… What? If it’s not what you are telling the reader to do, why bother mentioning it at all? It really doesn’t have any relevance, to be blunt. And, secondly, telling readers to make a decision first and “letting the confidence form thereon.” is really not very good advice, in my opinion. Because, in order to make a decent decision, one needs to have at least some confidence in the choice they’re making, BEFORE deciding. To tell someone to make the decision and then find confidence in it just seems silly and I feel like it would lead to many bad decisions; even unsafe ones. And, again, I just feel like that movie reference has zero relevance. And then, also in chapter one, there’s a reference to “The Wolf of Wall Street”, “a famous scene were Leonardo DiCaprio hands over a pen to Jon Bernthal’s character and says, ‘Sell me this pen.’ So Bernthal says, ‘Write your name down on that napkin.’ This creates the pain point that DiCaprio doesn’t have a pen in his hand anymore…” What does this have to do with anything? At these points, it just feels like the author is trying to use pop culture references for the sake of mentioning them. There’s very little explanation as to their relevance to this book, and there’s very little context mentioned. As for the “Pain point” thing, it’s a subheading in the chapter, but the author gives no real explanation or definition as to what it is or how it’s relevant to confidence. And the same for a lot of the studies the author refers to. He’ll mention a variety of studies and not really give any indication of the relevance to the book.
Also… I feel like there’s a level of ignorance to what the author is saying, too. Again, with the first chapter, the author mentions an Einstein quote, “Insanity is to do the same thing and expect a different result.” And then the author talks a bit more and then says, “Inaction keeps your circumstances the same, only action can change them.” Which… No. Because there are many scenarios where inaction isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And there are scenarios where, if you do anything, it can lead you to negative consequences. Plus, a lot of life circumstances aren’t in your own control, and many rely on the choices that other people make. It feels weird that the author is insisting you take action, and being derisive about inaction. And the Einstein quote feels really badly placed, too. You can often do the same thing over and over and can get differing results, in many scenarios. There’s no “insanity” in it at all. Even something as simple as flipping a coin. If you flip it one time and get heads, you can flip it again and there’s a reasonable expectation of a different result. No insanity there. Or the weather. You go outside and it’s sunny. You can do the exact same thing, maybe an hour later, and it’s reasonable to expect a different result. It might be raining outside now. And, taking it back to the confidence thing, one can very much make the same life choices and expect a differing result. Such as if they’re applying to a university or a job they want. Even if they’re rejected 9 times, there’s still the possibility of getting accepted that 10th time. Nothing that would be considered “insanity” there. I know this review is already getting long. But, again, I feel like this author is just shoving in these pop culture references and quotes, without much thought as to what they even mean, or how they might appear to a reader. And then it’s mentioned that, “Nowadays post-pandemic, you don’t even need to put trousers on to get to the final interview for a higher paying job, you could jut put a shirt and jacket on and do it over a Zoom call.” Well, that’s just ignorant to imply that it’s just “nowadays” that it happens. Similar types of things have gone on generations. Many job interviews have happened over phone lines and video calls. It’s nothing new. Many people have lived in different cities than the job they’re aiming for and have subsequently had to do job interviews over phone lines. Phone and video calls have happened in business for decades. And it’s another aspect of the author being mocking, rather than helpful. It’s very clear that this author has a bias against things like Tik Tok and Zoom, and is implying that they’re bad things. Zoom can absolutely be a useful tool and it helps people reach out to others. The same with Tik Tok. In many ways, such applications can help people be more confident… Even though the author is implying that they are negative.
As I move further and further through the book… Just wow. There seems to be a huge level of ignorance in what is being said, as well as giving readers very bad advice and guidance. For example, on page 140 (as per the copy I was reading), his public speaking suggestion/ advice is to sell tickets to a public speaking event and only after selling the tickets to come up with the speech. What? Are you serious? What a horrible piece of advice.
Overall… I’m glad the copy I read was free for me because of the library, because I would be annoyed if I had had to pay for it. It’s not very good, in my opinion. As I continued through the book, a lot of what the author spoke about seemed very much like ignorance. So many of these quotes and references had no relevance. There were a lot of points where I had to stop reading, go back and reread paragraphs, asking myself, “what is this author talking about? What does this have to do with confidence?” Honestly, by the end of the book, it has left me feeling rubbish about myself. It certainly doesn’t have me feeling confident. The author is mocking about people doing ordinary things, such as using their phone, using social media, for adjusting their clothes, or for things like their appearance. If anything, it makes me sad, knowing that people such as the author have ignorant views about others, and are being unnecessary judgemental about such mundane things. There’s nothing that built up my confidence in any way. It’s more of a book to vaguely inform people a little bit about types of confidence, rather than trying to build up the readers’ confidence.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2023
I do love James Smith, in fact I've learnt alot from his no bullshit approach on his instagram videos, but not sure I learnt alot from this book.
I like that he explained the how and why we are not confident or are, but not sure I feel any more inspired to be more confident.
Glad I read this book however and some people may find it beneficial.
I like that he explained the how and why we are not confident or are, but not sure I feel any more inspired to be more confident.
Glad I read this book however and some people may find it beneficial.
April 16, 2023
Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it. There were some excerpts that resonated with me as I’m not a very confident person. It made me think a bit but didn’t really teach me anything new and did waffle on a bit.
September 2, 2024
I enjoyed this, I felt it important not to word for word his perspective but to take and relate segments that I felt were suited as I agreed to things he shared. This book most definitely assisted in enhancing my confidence with a refreshed perspective of how I look at choices and decisions. It's not a book for all, but it's definitely a book for me.
January 31, 2024
Finished first audio book!
January 10, 2024
“Wherever you are, there’s no excuse for inaction. Every single person reading this has a higher potential than where they are at now. If you truly didn’t think you could do better you would not have bought this book, that’s a fact.”
Over the years I have learned a lot from James which has helped to shift my approach to diet, nutrition, training and lifestyle. Anyone who is familiar with him knows his style is hard hitting and transparent, but underneath it all is a lovely polite young man with ambition to share his knowledge and help others. With this book I was interested to see how he would tackle such a complex and multi-layered topic. Yes he does veer a little of course but keep an open mind and those jigsaw pieces will all fit together.
Here are some of my take home points:
- Be open to your own cognitive biases and crooked thought patterns, which might mean facing some ugly truths.
- Channel your inner competitiveness, once you find that sweet spot it’s a driver for productivity.
- Move your goal posts, always making adjustments to ensure you’re heading in the right direction towards a confident you. Goal setting is priceless.
- Challenge your values and ask yourself what you really want from the different areas in your life . “If you know the operating principles that guide your every action within your day, you know your values.”
- Recognise your fears in order to evaluate and overcome them.
- Shed the entitlement, embrace failure, and reflect on the lessons. There is hidden strength in being the underdog.
- There is power in deprivation and working on self control. Free yourself from crutches and bad habits so that you can find your own path to growth, peace and confidence.
- Keep your ego in check for clarity of thought and a realistic hold on where you’ve come from, where you’re at and where you want to be. Confidence over arrogance.
- Confidence is optimism. No mattter what happened in the past, the important thing to focus on right now is action.
- Your confidence is governed by your perceptions so take time to think about the information “diet” that you consume on a daily basis through various media outlets, social media profiles, and even the company you keep.
Over the years I have learned a lot from James which has helped to shift my approach to diet, nutrition, training and lifestyle. Anyone who is familiar with him knows his style is hard hitting and transparent, but underneath it all is a lovely polite young man with ambition to share his knowledge and help others. With this book I was interested to see how he would tackle such a complex and multi-layered topic. Yes he does veer a little of course but keep an open mind and those jigsaw pieces will all fit together.
Here are some of my take home points:
- Be open to your own cognitive biases and crooked thought patterns, which might mean facing some ugly truths.
- Channel your inner competitiveness, once you find that sweet spot it’s a driver for productivity.
- Move your goal posts, always making adjustments to ensure you’re heading in the right direction towards a confident you. Goal setting is priceless.
- Challenge your values and ask yourself what you really want from the different areas in your life . “If you know the operating principles that guide your every action within your day, you know your values.”
- Recognise your fears in order to evaluate and overcome them.
- Shed the entitlement, embrace failure, and reflect on the lessons. There is hidden strength in being the underdog.
- There is power in deprivation and working on self control. Free yourself from crutches and bad habits so that you can find your own path to growth, peace and confidence.
- Keep your ego in check for clarity of thought and a realistic hold on where you’ve come from, where you’re at and where you want to be. Confidence over arrogance.
- Confidence is optimism. No mattter what happened in the past, the important thing to focus on right now is action.
- Your confidence is governed by your perceptions so take time to think about the information “diet” that you consume on a daily basis through various media outlets, social media profiles, and even the company you keep.
February 2, 2024
I try to read one book in this genre per year and having started my year slowly when it comes to reading thought I'd get going with with this on a recommendation. It wasn't bad, the author seemed like a sound guy which helped as I took to the narrative. However, it was short on real takeaways which meant that whilst it acts as a good refresher to make sure you keep good habits e.g. make use of psychological tricks of the mind (once you've invested a little in something you won't want to quit etc...) and was a bit like listening to a mate who's had a few beers and is happy with the world, I don't think it really hit upon anything that innovative. That's not to say it's not worth a read, I reckon we should all remind ourselves of good habits, resilience methods, the value of exercise and so on, and this book does that just fine, just have realistic expectations. Where I actually thought the book was at its best was when the author worked through some examples such as the importance of audacity, diffusion of responsibility and the fear of the unknown, particularly in the café example. Once or twice the author asked us to do things (describe yourself using 7 adjectives) and this was a good idea, maybe the book could have included that more. The only part of the book that I didn't take to was how the author used fillers such as 'quite literally' too much, often in a self-contradictory manner. That and 'every day is a school day'. That was when it did feel most like I was having a chat with a mate after a few beers. Anyway, it was worth a read and generally I advocate these kind of self-help books as gentle reminders to try and live well.
Read
October 13, 2025In How to Be Confident, James Smith delivers a direct and refreshingly grounded guide to reclaiming self-belief in an age dominated by comparison, distraction, and self-doubt. Known for his candid and unfiltered approach, Smith dismantles the myths surrounding confidence and replaces them with practical, actionable principles rooted in self-awareness, authenticity, and emotional resilience.
Rather than presenting confidence as a personality trait or performance, Smith reframes it as a skill one that can be cultivated through mindset shifts, intentional decision-making, and consistent practice. Drawing from real-world examples and personal insights, he challenges readers to stop outsourcing validation and start building an inner foundation of strength that can’t be shaken by external noise.
This third installment in his bestselling series continues Smith’s mission to empower individuals with the mental tools to navigate modern pressures and live decisively. The result is a motivational yet deeply pragmatic manual for personal growth one that connects with readers seeking lasting change rather than temporary motivation.
Rather than presenting confidence as a personality trait or performance, Smith reframes it as a skill one that can be cultivated through mindset shifts, intentional decision-making, and consistent practice. Drawing from real-world examples and personal insights, he challenges readers to stop outsourcing validation and start building an inner foundation of strength that can’t be shaken by external noise.
This third installment in his bestselling series continues Smith’s mission to empower individuals with the mental tools to navigate modern pressures and live decisively. The result is a motivational yet deeply pragmatic manual for personal growth one that connects with readers seeking lasting change rather than temporary motivation.
November 15, 2022
Full disclaimer, I rate James Smith, his style and his approach to training.
I liked parts of this book, there were some really good nuggets in there. I think the way it was stitched together could have been more thoughtful, that way the framework would have helped the information connect better and reinforced the lessons throughout. Instead, it seemed more like a series of potted, but related, sections (almost akin to a social media blog/instagram or similar - which is the author's traditional forum).
The writing is informal and conversational ' you can imagine him speaking the whole thing aloud. I'm glad it wasn't overly academic, because I know he wanted it to be accessible to as many people as possible. I do think some sentences/paragraphs could have been rephrased or edited to be a little clearer.
This isn't my favorite of his three books, but I'm glad I read it and it has made me think. I think I'm only so nitpicky because I am a supporter of his message and the quality of his work is always so high.
3.5 stars :)
I liked parts of this book, there were some really good nuggets in there. I think the way it was stitched together could have been more thoughtful, that way the framework would have helped the information connect better and reinforced the lessons throughout. Instead, it seemed more like a series of potted, but related, sections (almost akin to a social media blog/instagram or similar - which is the author's traditional forum).
The writing is informal and conversational ' you can imagine him speaking the whole thing aloud. I'm glad it wasn't overly academic, because I know he wanted it to be accessible to as many people as possible. I do think some sentences/paragraphs could have been rephrased or edited to be a little clearer.
This isn't my favorite of his three books, but I'm glad I read it and it has made me think. I think I'm only so nitpicky because I am a supporter of his message and the quality of his work is always so high.
3.5 stars :)
November 5, 2023
As previously mentioned, I am not one for self-help books, I think they are full of fluff. However, I am glad I read this one.
If you’re already knowledgeable about psychology then maybe this will be too basic, but it’s been useful in helping me to become more self-aware and realising how my mind has built up some unhelpful habits.
My main takeaways from this book is:
1. Realising what the lack of confidence does to you - what chances and opportunities have you missed out on because of your fears?
2. Changing your perspective on the outcomes of your actions, inactions - the success of other people and how instead of being envious of their success - instead contextualised it and apply it to your own life goals.
3. The biggest part about confidence is aligning your values to your life goals, knowing what you want to achieve in life (personalised goals) and subsequently, having the discipline to go through practice reps to achieve it
If you’re already knowledgeable about psychology then maybe this will be too basic, but it’s been useful in helping me to become more self-aware and realising how my mind has built up some unhelpful habits.
My main takeaways from this book is:
1. Realising what the lack of confidence does to you - what chances and opportunities have you missed out on because of your fears?
2. Changing your perspective on the outcomes of your actions, inactions - the success of other people and how instead of being envious of their success - instead contextualised it and apply it to your own life goals.
3. The biggest part about confidence is aligning your values to your life goals, knowing what you want to achieve in life (personalised goals) and subsequently, having the discipline to go through practice reps to achieve it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2022
overall a very positive book
I gave this 4 stars as felt it will have a positive impact on many people and I will also benefit from having read it.
The book is interesting and well structured to start with but feel the structure is lost a bit towards the end. There are some passages with good info that aren't really fleshed out as well as topics in the first half. Sort of felt like there was a list of items they wanted to include so just bundled them together for the last chapter. Only slight negative I had
James' honesty, directness and humour otherwise made it a great read
I gave this 4 stars as felt it will have a positive impact on many people and I will also benefit from having read it.
The book is interesting and well structured to start with but feel the structure is lost a bit towards the end. There are some passages with good info that aren't really fleshed out as well as topics in the first half. Sort of felt like there was a list of items they wanted to include so just bundled them together for the last chapter. Only slight negative I had
James' honesty, directness and humour otherwise made it a great read
January 13, 2023
A very good book by a very well researched man.
One thing I like about James Smith is he never claims to be some supper academic, in fact he regularly states how normal or a “fuck up” he has been in his life. What he is though is passionate, hard working and driven and that comes across into this book, there is alot of academic research, studies as well as general life experiences in this book.
This book took me a while to finish and that is no reflection on the book and rather just that my life got the way. If you want to learn more about yourself and build self confidence then do yourself a favour and read this book.
7.5/10
One thing I like about James Smith is he never claims to be some supper academic, in fact he regularly states how normal or a “fuck up” he has been in his life. What he is though is passionate, hard working and driven and that comes across into this book, there is alot of academic research, studies as well as general life experiences in this book.
This book took me a while to finish and that is no reflection on the book and rather just that my life got the way. If you want to learn more about yourself and build self confidence then do yourself a favour and read this book.
7.5/10
January 25, 2024
If you're wondering whether you need to read this book, then you need to read this book.
No nonsense, straightforward, fair and insightful.
There are more academic books out there, sure, but the simplicity of this makes it something anybody can read and come back to repeatedly.
James dives into all of the concepts surrounding confidence in a clear manner. How he sheds light on why and how you can be more confident is inspirational in its simplicity.
If you're wondering whether or not you need this book, if you want to redefine the ways you talk to yourself, think about your failures, and look forward to tomorrow, then you need to read this book.
No nonsense, straightforward, fair and insightful.
There are more academic books out there, sure, but the simplicity of this makes it something anybody can read and come back to repeatedly.
James dives into all of the concepts surrounding confidence in a clear manner. How he sheds light on why and how you can be more confident is inspirational in its simplicity.
If you're wondering whether or not you need this book, if you want to redefine the ways you talk to yourself, think about your failures, and look forward to tomorrow, then you need to read this book.
September 27, 2024
I picked this book up from Waterstones with good expectations, reading the blurb and the beginning of the introduction I was excited to see what kind of content James Smith was going to tell us on 'How To Be Confident'.
I was HOOKED from the start. the casual language, the detailed explanations with stories. I really love how easy to digest the information is and how well it's all explained in such a friendly manner.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is seeking to become more confident or who is interested in learning more about the author who puts a lot of himself into this book!
5 Stars!!!
I was HOOKED from the start. the casual language, the detailed explanations with stories. I really love how easy to digest the information is and how well it's all explained in such a friendly manner.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is seeking to become more confident or who is interested in learning more about the author who puts a lot of himself into this book!
5 Stars!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews