The Curse of the Capable is a self help guide by two distinguished authors: a Ph.D. clinical psychologist with decades of experience and a reknowned performance lifestyle coach. The purpose of the book is to help you determine if and to what extent you may suffer from PA (Performance Addiction) and how it is adversely affecting your life and those around you.

Dr. Ciaramicoli instructs you how to look back at the past and realize that you have created a fictionalized version of yourself; one who at all times must be achieving and at the top of the pecking order and maintaining this fiction takes a severe toll on your emotional, and physical well being. As of course it does for those close to you as well; oftentimes driving a wedge between you and a spouse or other family members. He then begins on a five step approach to turn your life around and become the happy and much healthier you; essentially to re-write the book of you into something much more like a non-fiction book than the novel that you have made up.

The authors steps are sound and the book is full of stories of patients who have faced their insecurities built up in childhood, often by rigid parents driving the child to strive for perfection. This perfectionism, in turn, has led to "the curse" of Performance Addiction. Following the book's step-by-step guidance, the overachiever will learn how to take back control of his story and his life, improving his relationships, well being and physical fitness. Exercise is a necessary and very important aspect of leading a balanced life, and most of those suffering from PA have always felt they had no time, or certainly not the required amount of time, to devote to it.

While personally I have never been an over achiever, yet many of the things Dr. Ciaramicoli covered do apply to me such as the over emphasis we place on "looking good" and always striving to do better, be better, dieting, etc. The negativity I was bombarded with from family, particularly my father and siblings in childhood, came to the forefront, as I realized this is something that happens to many people and of course I realized the consequences of that lead to years of emotional and physical struggle (exacerbated by body shaming, etc.).

I feel many people can benefit from this book and it will definitely raise your emotional intelligence and should help guide you on a path to well being. ( )