loved this very realistic book about setting good, healthy habits and sticking to them!!! it feels super relatable and not so judgy. well done!

Steve's latest title is helpful, and I found the information to be well organized. I appreciated the practical ways to begin again. I often feel stuck with projects and relationships, but after reading this book, I'm better equipped to move forward. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This review is based on an ebook received from NetGalley. For me, one of the most important chapters in this book was 'Pause'. Rather than keep trying, take a 'time out' to evaluate and look at the situation/failure. Within this same chapter is the epiphany that you never start back at the beginning, but you have learned something which places you on a different rung of the ladder. After Pause, come 'Accept', 'Change', then 'Try' again. Not only excellent advice but a framework on 'How to Try Again'. The last two chapters complete this framework - 'When Life Kicks Your Ass, Here's What to Do' and 'How to Navigate with Flexible Resilience'. This last chapter resonated with me and how I've coped with different adversities throughout life, both personal (family and ...) as well as professional. This is an excellent book for those looking at a failure but also for those who are reflecting on thier life.

Pulled from the description: "The false promises of optimized wellness and productivity are a recipe for personal blame and frustration. Fortunately, escaping this doom loop is Steve Kamb’s superpower." This is why I decided to read this book. There are so many self help books out there that have unrealistic expectations for those of us who work full time jobs, have a family, and a life. While the intentions are good, there's just no way to hit the target with those books. Steve Kamb's book wasn't afraid to say you will fail... and it's ok! Outlining ways to help you be successful, celebrating the small wins, and setting realistic expectations definitely helped you feel like you could set a goal and achieve it.

As I was reading the book, I found myself sharing bits of it with my husband and coworkers. One part in particular- "If I don't have time for a ten-minute walk, I probably need a twenty-minute walk." At my job, we had just been talking about the importance of taking PTO- taking a break from the job, logging out, and not checking emails while on vacation. This sentence really drove that point home.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I will definitely be sharing this book with friends!

Steve Kamb’s How to Try Again by Steve Kamb is a refreshingly compassionate take on personal growth, especially for anyone who feels stuck in cycles of quitting, restarting, and beating themselves up along the way. The book is well organized and easy to follow, and what stood out most to me was how practical it is. Kamb doesn’t just talk about failure in abstract, motivational terms—he shows you how to begin again in real, doable ways.
One of the most powerful ideas in the book is learning to embrace failure rather than hide from it. Kamb reminds us that we never truly start back at square one; failure is the first step, not the last. He encourages readers to stop suffering in silence and to share their failures, which immediately removes some of their power. His P.A.C.T. model offers a helpful framework for moving forward, while concepts like redefining what “enough” means right now, expecting less, and doing less feel surprisingly freeing. I also appreciated the reminder that there is no real “normal,” and that setting boundaries and giving yourself compassion are not signs of weakness, but necessities.

Kamb offers thoughtful tips for overcoming hurdles and making new habits actually attainable, especially when life feels random and unpredictable. One of the biggest takeaways for me was the shift from following a rigid plan to staying on a meaningful path. The book made it clear that being overly tough on myself hasn’t been helping me improve—it’s been holding me back. How to Try Again is a supportive, honest guide for anyone ready to fail more compassionately and try again differently.

★★★★★

(I received a copy of this title from NetGalley and the publisher for review purposes. This is my honest opinion.)

I am not usually a fan of self-help type books but something about this one sounded especially relevant to me, an elder Millennial doing the best I can and constantly feeling kicked in the teeth, and it absolutely was.

This book is written in such a relatable, down-to-earth way that I can say with absolutely certainty that the author is between 35 & 45. This is a book for people who need a different approach than 'get over it and keep going'. That's not an approach that works with this generation of people. We were all promised the American Dream-- go to school, do well, and you'll be set for life. Well, even those of us who went to (lots!) of school, did the things (bought a house at low interest! Waited to have kids until we were financially stable! Fund that 401k!) and followed the road map that worked for every generation before us.... are getting screwed by "once in a generation" crises. This book takes all that frustration and basically says, "Yes, and, we're stuck with it so what can we do right now to make it less hateful?"

To that end, my absolutely favorite point in this book was the author's discussion about treading water. Older generations tend to think that treading water is a bad thing because you're not getting anywhere. This author points out that while obviously treading water is not ideal, and it's not putting you ahead, it's also way better than drowning. If you conserve your energy and just focus on not making your situation worse, you keep your head above water and maybe when you've stored up you can try to swim again. This book focuses on ways to set habits that are slow and steady and able to be done consistently in a way that works. It's such a refreshing, reasonable approach and I really appreciated it.

I have been a fan of Steve Kamb for years and absolutely love his work with Nerd Fitness, so when I saw he had a new book coming out, I instantly knew I had to read it. He has a genius way of making exercise feel totally accessible by weaving in nerdy video game references and a fun, geeky vibe that is incredibly empowering. It is the ultimate roadmap for anyone who has had a bad experience with the gym or just struggles to get started.

How to Try Again is a powerful, high-energy read that reminds you that fitness belongs to everyone, regardless of your background. As a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), I especially loved the focus on failing compassionately and starting over without the guilt—a message I champion in my own professional practice for building real-world resilience. It’s basically the Main Character Energy manual for your health—less about the 4 AM grind and more about winning the game on your own terms. This is the inspiring, motivating guide we’ve all been waiting for to ditch perfectionism and make change finally stick.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy of this book. I am writing this review voluntarily and these are my honest opinions.