I have always struggled with problem solving in many different life situations. I tend to ‘run from issues’ rather than deal with them in a healthy and mature way. When I began reading this book I knew it was exactly what I needed to ensure that I began to look at things in an entirely different manner. Paint It Black is a collection of seven different stories featuring characters in life situations, struggling with a problem that they need to face. Each story is used to teach you a different problem solving technique, essentially giving you the tools and strategies you need to apply those same examples to your own life experiences.

Following each story is a questionnaire which was created with the intent to help the reader evaluate the story, relate it to their life experiences, and then exercise the tips taught in the story in real life. As a person who desperately needed guidance in this area of her life, this book was truly valuable to me. Unlike other ‘self help’ books in this genre, this book featured stories- which I found to be a very unique approach. I wasn’t sure at first how well the stories would work in teaching me to apply different techniques to real life situations, but I actually found them immensely helpful. They truly put things into perspective and allowed me to see that there are different ways to cope with different issues- but all should be handled in strategic manner that benefits your life goals and plans.

The book takes a ‘no bull’ approach. By this I mean it isn’t there to many you feel good about the choices you make in life. It’s there to ensure you make good choices- and the right choices for you. This book was obviously written to help people make better choices, and to be smarter about the path they choose to walk. Some self-help books are very light-hearted and take an approach that makes the reader feel confident, but doesn’t really give them a lot of tools to succeed. This book on the other hand, equips its reader with strategies and tools they can actually use to get through life in a more successful manner. And because of this, it instill confidence in the reader. I really appreciated the way this book was written, the uniqueness of the style, and the fact it truly was filled with an immense amount of very useful information. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone else who struggles with problem solving and wants to better themselves in an area that can benefit so so many different aspects of their life.

Paint it Black: How Rock-n-Roll and Other Tools are the Best Problem Solving Techniques by Rom Werran Gayoso will be available at Amazon.com.