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One of Alfred Adler’s best-known works, this new and revised edition of UNDERSTANDING LIFE  sets out the key principles of Adler’s positive, practical psychology, an early forerunner of the Positive Psychology movement. Central to his "science of living" is equality and the fostering of encouragement, at home, at school, and in the workplace, to create an environment in which, individuals can flourish and develop their full potential. Introducing all his key theories, from the inferiority and superiority complexes to early memories and the interpretation of dreams, Adler demonstrates how we can all gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, and provides useful tools for breaking free of our negative thinking and patterns of behavior to change for the better. About the Author Alfred Adler a contemporary of Sigmund Freud and C. G. Jung, was one of the founding fathers of modern psychology. He was a core member of the famous Vienna Psychoanalytic Society, of which he became president in 1910. Following an ideological split from Freud, he resigned to found Individual Psychology. Adler is perhaps best known for the concept of the inferiority complex. However, his famous holistic approach to the study of personality, and his seminal theories on child-rearing, character development, equality between the sexes, community spirit, and family dynamics revolutionized psychoanalysis and influenced such notable figures as Rollo May, Viktor Frankl, and Abraham Maslow. Adler died in 1937 leaving some 300 articles and books on child psychology, marriage, education, and the principles of Individual Psychology that continue to influence the progress of psychology in the twenty-first century. Table of Contents  Introduction  About this Book  Key Concepts of Individual Psychology  Adler’s Work  Adler: ‘A Man Ahead of his Time’  Adler’s Personality  Individual Psychology in Practice  Therapeutic Education  Individual psychology — the science of living  Striving Towards a Goal  Ways of Seeing the World  Parental Influences  Birth Order  Exploring Childhood Memories  Private Logic  The Importance of Social interest  Feelings and Emotions  The General Approach The inferiority complex  Consciousness and Unconsciousness  Our Social Relationships  Language and Communication  Social Training  Overcoming Limitations  Feelings of Inferiority The superiority complex  The Goal of Superiority  Avoiding Real Solutions  Superiority and Inferiority  Self-Interest  Boasting and Confidence  Healthy Ambition  The life style  Recognizing Life Style  The ‘Normal’ Life Style  The ‘Maladjusted’ Life Style  Methods of Diagnosis  Developing Social Feeling  Overcoming Depression and Fear  Childhood memories  Discovering the Prototype  Types of Memories  Death in the Family  The Memories of Pampered Children  Specific Memories  Predictive Analysis  Expressions of the life style  Body Language  Timidity  Moods  The Development of Personal Characteristics  Masters of our own Fate  Envy and Jealousy  The Masculine Protest  Dreams  The Life of Dreams  The Purpose of Dreams  Dream Logic  Methods of Interpretation  Dreamers and Non-Dreamers  Sleep and Hypnotism  Problem children  Principles of Education  Understanding Parents and Children  The Superiority Complex in Problem Children  Some Characteristics of Problem Children  Gifted Children  How to Encourage Children  Birth Order and Family Dynamics  Social adjustment  The Social Context  Behavioural Problems  Adjusting to School  Facing the Three Tasks of Life  The Need to Build Character  Social feeling and common sense  Social Usefulness  Hidden Complexes  Symptoms of Neurosis  A Case History  Providing Encouragement  Intimate relationships  The Importance of Preparation  Equality of the Sexes  The Dynamics of Attraction  The Spoilt Child  Offering Advice  Mistaken Attitudes  Danger Signs  Marriage as a Social Task  Sexuality and sexual problems  Fact and Superstition  Childhood Sexuality  The Life Style and Sexuality  A Criminal Case  Sexual Excess  Conclusion  Index