BOOK REVIEW

The cards are simply stacked against millions of Americans. Two-thirds of our fellow countrymen are too fat, 85 percent will retire broke, and more than half of all marriages will end in divorce. Even though there are no magical "quick fixes" for losing weight, making money or salvaging relationships, a new book suggests that many of our troubles are triggered due to our inborn attitudes.

Wayne Nance, creator of Real Life Management, a company devoted to providing real-life education; William Hendricks, president of The Giftedness Center, a Dallas-based consulting firm specializing in strategic people management; and J. Keet Lewis, managing partner of the CPA group Lewis International, all agree that we must focus on our personal attitudes if we want to solve many of our lifestyle problems.

"Thin, Rich and Happy" maps out a simple "3-Minute Survey" and plan that are important first steps to take back control. By rating our personality traits, we can determine just how we make decisions, and when we know that, we can then tackle problem areas in our day-to-day lives. These problem areas include weight control, finances and relationships.

This is not your average self-help book. It is, instead, a proven program for restructuring our lives. Nance's 3-Minute Survey provides a roadmap for change and can bring about a strategic awareness. Put another way, this book has the ability to alter lives and turn around many of our old habits that are counterproductive. Bottom line: With a good attitude, all things are possible.

Books reviewed in this column are available online or at your local bookstore.

(c) 2007 King Features Synd., Inc.