This slender self-help book provides a fresh approach to the law of attraction by borrowing from the Star Wars lexicon. In this version, the idea that “whatever you focus on will come into fruition” is called “The Force.” Author Shinji Yoshitake, a long-time admirer of the Star Wars movies, notes in his introduction that “Star Wars has a lot to say about how to live life—one filled with more joy, abundance, and awesomeness.”
A former corporate executive turned self-employed consultant who lives in Tokyo, Yoshitake learned to use this universal energy to achieve goals in his professional and personal life and shows others how to use it here. Each of the 10 “Episodes” (chapters) discusses a particular concept concerning The Force: for example, how physical well-being is influenced by a person’s belief system. Each Episode ends with a Trial (activity) designed to demonstrate the concept in real life.
Yoshitake conveys his inspirational message in a personable manner, often explaining how the Force provided him with answers to questions ranging from which of his two children ate his Doritos to whether he should quit his high-salaried job to work for himself. The author also includes sprinklings of Star Wars quotations. Discussing the topic of faith versus fear, for instance, he inserts Obi-Wan Kenobi’s quote from Attack of the Clones: “Be mindful of your thoughts, Anakin; they betray you.”
Overall, this is a smooth, pleasant ride with an agenda similar to Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret. Readers’ reaction to the text will likely mirror their feelings about the latter. One issue here is an inconsistency in Yoshitake’s description of the nature of The Force: He sometimes describes the energy as neutral, other times as positive. Removal of this ambiguity would provide more confidence in his ideas.
On the whole, however, Living With the Force provides a quick read that should serve as a mood lifter, especially for Star Wars fans.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
