Shawn T. Smith

Psychologist & Author

Here’s Some Good Advice…

You must lash out with every limb, like the octopus who plays the drums.I love good advice. Why? Because I love efficiency. Good advice spares me from costly, inefficient mistakes that others have already made, freeing me to make my own spectacular, brand-new mistakes. Of all the advice I’ve received, this is my favorite: …

Who Do You Want To Be In Ten Years?

Happy New Year!When I was about 26 years old, I was offered a tattoo as a gift. This particular tattoo would have conveyed the type of thrilling message that young men imagine they will want emblazoned across their rippling biceps until the end. I planned to go out in a blaze of glory, rescuing women and children, and that tattoo was going to look great! …

How to Overcome Laziness

laziness.jpgWe all have those lazy days we look back upon with regret. Today, for example, I donated a paltry four hours to the animal shelter, wrote only two chapters of my book on pre-Renaissance psychiatric interventions, and barely finished reshingling my roof. Some days I just can’t get myself moving. …

How to Turn Habit into Discipline

Turn habit to disciplineQ: If I feed my brain with a certain positive thought every time it wanders in a negative direction, does it eventually believe the thought? For example, suppose my mom tries to stop me from playing video games by telling me that it wastes time. My mind doubts her, and and I have thoughts that she’s just being overly protective. But if I keep repeating to myself that she’s right, would my mind eventually believe it and have no more doubts? – Michele

Book Review: Men On Strike

Men on strike coverMen are a strange bunch. We’ll fight each other to the death over a patch of land. We’ll go to the mat over an imagined insult. Sometimes we brawl just for fun. But we do not enjoy conflict with women. Any relationship therapist can tell you that men tend to retreat from arguments, leaving women frustrated and isolated, and leaving relationship problems unresolved. It may be the single most common complaint from women about the men in their lives. …

Do Nice Guys Really Finish Last?

Why do nice guys finish last?Q: OK Doc, I saw that you write about men and women so maybe you can help. I’m a 19-year-old guy. I’m in college, working part-time, doing what I’m supposed to do. Last week, this girl said she didn’t want to date me and we should just be friends. She said I’m “too nice.” I get that a lot. Every girl I know seems to go after douchebags and macho idiots. They ignore nice guys like me. Why do women act like that? – Matt