Everything I Needed to Know About Life I Learned From: Chris Hardwick

I just finished reading Chris Hardwick's book The Nerdist Way, and let me tell you: it might have changed my life. It's the first self-help-y kind of thing I've ever read that legitimately made me feel like I could take control (in simple ways) and turn my life into what I want it to be. Even if you're not unhappy with your current situation, this book can give you ways to make yourself happier with your life, whether it's offering great tips for goal-setting, easy ways to get in better physical shape, or a great overview of how to manage your time and finances.

 

The Nerdist Way.
(Click the photo to check it out on Amazon.)

Hardwick, of course, is the former host of MTV's "Singled Out" and the current host of G4's "Web Soup", correspondent for G4's "Attack of the Show", host of AMC's "Talking Dead" and founder of the Nerdist podcast and Nerdist.com. (Busy guy, right?) He's also a frequent guest on Craig Ferguson's "Late Late Show" (one of my favorite late night shows), as well as a super nice guy. When I lived near L.A. for half of 2010, I used to attend "Web Soup" tapings; it was my favorite Tuesday-night activity. Hardwick was always friendly as could be, funny as hell, and very interactive with the small studio audience. He even smelled my hair once. 50 XP! (You'll get that reference once you read the book.) I was thrilled when I attended the PaleyFest panel honoring Jimmy Fallon in 2011 and learned that Hardwick would be the moderator! What ensued was a night of sweet hilarity starring two of my favorite funnymen.

Despite looking vaguely unenthusiastic in both photos, I promise
that Chris Hardwick is very nice in person!
(Left: at a Web Soup taping, April 2010; right, at the PaleyFest panel
honoring Jimmy Fallon, March 2011.)

Keeping in line with Hardwick's nice-guy comedian aura, The Nerdist Way made me laugh out loud often, whether it was Hardwick's advice to "avoid cheap mass-murder revenge tactics" or just reading the term "fear-pee" for the first time, not to mention the fact that in the Body section of the book, the illustrations of stretches and workouts star an adorable koala. Maybe the hardest I laughed was when he encourages a bit of an evil genius mentality, and suggests you "cackle if necessary" after listing your plans.

Part of what's great about this book is that it's targeted to a specific group of people: "creative obsessives". (I'm newly obsessed with this term; I've never come up with a more succinct and accurate way to describe myself.) It's targeted at people who are like him, and because of that his advice is specific, relevant, and realistic. He is also charmingly candid about his own struggles, which offers an inspiring perspective. He's obviously a smart and successful guy and I'm happy to take advice from him.

One of my favorite aspects of the book is Hardwick's insistence that you go easy on yourself; too many things these days make us want to beat ourselves up for not being smart enough, thin enough, rich enough, or good enough. The Nerdist Way is the lovey-doviest of tough love. While Hardwick encourages you to "just start", he also makes it clear that change is tough, change is gradual, and that making a change at all is a reason to celebrate yourself and your accomplishments.

Did I not make it clear? BUY THIS BOOK!