Chapter 1. Don't try. The feedback loop from hell ; The subtle art of not giving a fuck ; So Mark, what the fuck is the point of this book anyway? -- Chapter 2. Happiness is a problem. The misadventures of Disappointment Panda ; Happiness comes from solving problems ; Emotions are overrated ; Choose your struggle -- Chapter 3. You are not special. Things fall apart ; The tyranny of exceptionalism ; B-b-b-but, if I'm not going to be special or extraordinary, what's the point? -- Chapter 4. The value of suffering. The self-awareness onion ; Rock star problems ; Shitty values ; Defining good and bad values -- Chapter 5. You are always choosing. The choice ; The responsibility/fault fallacy ; Responding to tragedy ; Genetics and the hand we're dealt ; Victimhood chic ; There is no "how" -- Chapter 6. You're wrong about everything. (But so am I). Architects of our own beliefs ; Be careful what you believe ; The dangers of pure certainty ; Manson's Law of Avoidance ; Kill yourself ; How to be a little less certain of yourself -- Chapter 7. Failure is the way forward. The failure/success paradox ; Pain is part of the process ; The "do something" principle -- Chapter 8. The importance of saying no. Rejection makes your life better ; Boundaries ; How to build trust ; Freedom through commitment -- Chapter 9. ... And then you die. Something beyond our selves ; The sunny side of death.

For decades, we've been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. "Fuck positivity," blogger Mark Manson says. "Let's be honest, shit is fucked and we have to live with it." This book is his antidote to the coddling, let's-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up. Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited: "Not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault." Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek. There are only so many things we can care about, so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with stories and profane, ruthless humor.