Tom Asacker

Hi there, Tom here.

No need to wade through my bio. A quick search will tell you more about my books, talks, awards, and the whole “me” story (much of which I’ve conveniently forgotten anyway). Let’s just say I’ve spent most of my career in the fascinating world of belief and behavior change, and how it impacts both personal and professional lives.

Now, you might be curious: what’s been brewing lately? Excellent question! To provide some context, let’s look back at my research for my bestselling book, "The Business of Belief."

During that process, I uncovered a groundbreaking insight: people’s desires act as the architects of their beliefs, which in turn dictate their actions. This fundamental principle unlocks the key to understanding human behavior.

But here’s the persistent question that’s lingered ever since: If this desire-belief-action cycle is so foundational (and extensive evidence confirms it), then why are so many people grappling with a lack of fulfillment and a general sense of disengagement? Is it something they truly desire?

Enter my latest book, "Unwinding Want: Using Your Mind to Escape Your Thoughts." In essence, the book explores the idea that what people do, or allow to continue in their lives (including their thoughts), is, in fact, what they want.

It’s a paradoxical idea, I admit. You’re likely feeling some confusion, perhaps even a nudge to reject the premise. But if you stay open-minded and investigate the reality of it deeply, this exploration will force you to reconsider your assumptions. And, if you want it to, it will change your life.

And now, something new.

I've taken everything I've explored about belief, desire, and the trance most of us live in—and put it on a stage. My play, "Six Hundred Times (or A Book of Trees)," is about two people on a park bench: Marcus, who's become very good at a life that no longer feels like his own, and Maya, who's arranged her life around a different question entirely. It's a search for a door one of them can't see, but the other knows was never locked.

Same obsessions. Different form. If the books were me trying to explain the cage, the play is me trying to help you feel the way out.