That’s the headline of thePopularLife.com. The website sells an ebook called “Popular”. The guy behind the website seems like a jerk. The important thing is: does he actually know what he’s talking about?

I purchased the ebook to see if it would help shy people become more social, and to find out if there were any new ideas in it. Does the ebook live up to the claims?

What’s The Ebook Actually About?

First thing you have to know: The target audience for this book isn’t someone who is already social and wants to become really popular. The target audience is people who are shy, introverted or socially anxious.

Here’s what else I can tell you: The ebook isn’t about giving you lines to use the next time you’re talking to someone. It’s more focused on how to change your personality so that you are able to come up with your own lines and be relaxed in many social situations. It’s about giving you a new perspective on social interaction.

Do you know that feeling you get just before entering a social situation? The nervous suspenseful feeling around your chest and shoulders? This ebook aims to get rid of that, so you can become a person who naturally enjoys being around other people. It tries to transform you from an introvert to an extrovert.

The phrase “manipulative psychology” is a marketing gimmick, in my opinion. It’s more about using psychology to change how you behave and react. By doing that you indirectly change how other people react to you.

But It’s Not All Good

It’s a very short book at 56 pages, considering the price. But that does make it possible to read it in one sitting.

The author also takes a while to warm up. The best information in the ebook is near the back half.

Will Buying It Make You Popular?

No. Did you really think it was that easy? Buying the ebook won’t make you popular, even though using it might…

In case you were looking for something to magically make you popular, there are two things you need to know:

1. Changing your personality is a gradual process by nature and it’s going to take time and commitment. While this book can provide you with the tools, it cannot do the work for you. Remember that you always have to remain active.

2. Perhaps the most important factor in your own success is going to be whether you put the effort into changing your own personality for a significant amount of time or not. You must approach this book as something you’’re going to gear every aspect of your life around. You have to be working at it all the time. There is no such thing as a part-time commitment, or taking my suggestions “now and then”, it must be followed constantly.

Is It A Scam?

No. It’s just a guy selling his book. He does have some weird marketing, but he isn’t going to run with your money.

If anything, his marketing is actually too good. Some people may get the impression that he is selling something that will magically solve all their problems for them overnight. What he is actually selling is a down-to-earth, practical guide to getting rid of your most common antisocial behaviours and replacing them with better ones.

Table Of Contents

Here’s what’s in the book:

INTRODUCTION

• WHAT YOU WON’T FIND IN THIS BOOK
• HOW TO HANDLE THIS BOOK
• WHY IS PERSONALITY IMPORTANT?

PERSONALITY STARTERS

• UNIMAGINABLE BENEFITS
• SOME REWARDS OF A NEW PERSONALITY
• WHAT IS REQUIRED?

GET IN THE MOOD

• THIS ISN’T ABOUT MORALS OR BEING A GOOD PERSON
• WON’T PEOPLE NOTICE IF I CHANGE?

ATTRIBUTES OF THE SUCCESSFUL

• BECOME AN OPPORTUNIST
• I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS GUY
• WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LIKE ME THE WAY I AM?

DYNAMICS OF CHANGE

• HOW THE PROCESS WORKS
• ISN’T IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE YOUR PERSONALITY?

DEFINING BETTER

• WHAT MAKES A GOOD PERSONALITY?
• WHAT TO CHANGE INTO

INITIAL RULES OF SUCCESSFUL PERSONALITIES

• YOU MUST CONFORM
• IMITATING OTHERS

ACTING VS. NATURAL CHANGE

• BACKBONES OF PERSONALITY
• TO REITERATE: YOU ARE NOT AN ACTOR
• HOW PERSONALITIES CHANGE
• WORK AND TIME

BARRIERS TO SUCCESSFUL PERSONALITIES

• PERCEIVED OBSTACLES
• ADMITTING TO YOURSELF THAT YOU NEED OTHER PEOPLE
• COMBATING INDIVIDUALISM

ACCEPT THE UNPLEASANT

• DON’T BE AFRAID TO ADMIT THAT YOU HATE YOURSELF

ORIGIN OF PERSONALITY

• YOU’RE NOT BORN WITH A PERSONALITY
• HOW FUTURE EXPERIENCES ARE ALTERED BY PAST ONES

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONING

• TALKING TO YOURSELF
• HOW TO STOP TALKING TO YOURSELF (SELF COMMUNICATION)
• INTROVERT TO EXTROVERT
• INTELLIGENT ACTING PEOPLE ARE THE UNHAPPIEST
• CARE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK

BEHAVING IN SOCIAL SITUATIONS

• NOBODY LIKES PEOPLE WHO ARE NEGATIVE
• SMILE MORE
• TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR

GETTING INSIDE PEOPLE’S HEADS

• WE ALL WANT TO BELIEVE THAT OTHER PEOPLE FEEL THAT SAME WAY
• GAIN TRUST BY LETTING PEOPLE DOWN ON IRRELEVANT POINTS
• BEING “CALLED” ON INCONSISTENCIES

PURSUE CONVERSATIONS

• MAINTAINING/FORMING RELATIONSHIPS 
• GO AFTER THE RIGHT PEOPLE
• IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY, IT’S THAT YOU SAY IT
• YOUR COMMENT GOES SEEMINGLY UNNOTICED

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

• LOSE WEIGHT IF NEED BE
• IF YOU HAVE A BEARD, GET RID OF IT

LOSE THE IRRATIONAL DREAMS

• YOU’RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD

HANDLING CONVERSATION

• OTHER PEOPLE LIKE IT WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM
• YOU ALSO DON’T NEED TO HAVE ANYTHING INTERESTING TO SAY IN GROUP CONVERSATIONS
• THE ONLY PERSON STANDING IN YOUR WAY IS YOURSELF
• GETTING OVER NERVOUSNESS OF TALKING TO PEOPLE
• YOU DON’T NEED AN EXCUSE TO TALK TO SOMEONE
• HOW TO HAVE A CONVERSATION

TAKING CONTROL OF PEOPLE 

• ACT LIKE YOU’RE SUCCESSFUL
• BECOME A SALESMAN

CLOSING POINTS 

Final Thoughts

Overall, The Popular Life Ebook is a very good guide for someone who is shy wanting to get better. If you follow the steps the author lays out, it’s virtually impossible not to become more social.

You have to overlook the author’s personality and actually put his ideas into practice to get the most out of his book.

The best part about this book, is that it’s different. There were things in it that I’d never heard before, and I’ve read a lot of books on these subjects. Some of the ideas he presents are so simple that when you first read them you think he’s bullshitting you. The truth is, being popular isn’t supposed to be complicated. It’s mostly a matter of changing certain fundamental behaviours that you’ve developed.

At $29.95, your decision to buy depends on two things:

1. If you can afford it.
2. How much becoming more social is worth to you.

Here’s the link: The Popular Life | Become More Popular

If you do buy it, please post your own comment below so that other people in your situation can benefit in the future.