Darya Sinusoid, Author at Shortform Books

How Did Donald Trump Win Against All Odds?

How did Donald Trump win the election when all odds were against him? What were the key factors that helped him secure the Republican nomination in June 2015? When Trump launched his campaign for the Republican nomination in June 2015, he was a novelty candidate who stood little chance of actually winning. A total outsider to GOP politics, he had no close institutional ties to the party and seemed to lack even the most basic grounding in conservative ideology—not to mention his anti-immigration rhetoric that many leaders in the Republican Party considered to be extreme and outlandish. Here is how

What Makes You You? It’s Up to You

What makes you you? Do you think what you are is determined by internal factors (thoughts, feelings, moods) or external factors (your circumstances and social identity)? There are many different views about what makes someone who they are. Some argue that one’s self is a repertoire of their internal world (their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, values, etc.). Others say that you are the product of a combination of your genetics and conditioning. Continue reading to understand what makes you you.

The Importance of Networking: You Are Not Self-Made

Is networking absolutely necessary for success? How can networking with the right people help you achieve your goals? You might think that building connections with others is unnecessary because some successful people are described as “self-made.” According to Brian Tracy, however, a totally self-made person is a myth. Even entrepreneurs who started their empires from virtually nothing relied on family, friends, financial backers, and customers to build their businesses. Here’s why the importance of networking with the right people cannot be underestimated.

Levitsky and Ziblatt: How to Save American Democracy

Can American democracy be salvaged? What can be done to save the country from democratic decay? According to Levitsky and Ziblatt, the authors of How Democracies Die, democracy is a shared enterprise in which all participate together. The key to preserving democracy, they argue, is to transcend the partisan divide. To this end, they propose some reforms that can help rescue and strengthen it. In this article, we’ll discuss what can be done to save democracy in America, according to Levitsky and Ziblatt.

The Problem With Self-Help Books

Do you read self-help books? Have you ever thought that reading self-help literature can actually hinder, not help, your progress and self-esteem? While the desire to better yourself is commonly accepted as a positive character trait, it can be taken too far—damaging both how you view yourself and how you view other people. There are two main problems with self-help books: 1) they can ingrain the message that there’s something inherently wrong with you, and 2) they overemphasize the self. Keep reading to learn about the problems with self-help books and the self-help genre as a whole.

Planning Your Goals: Practical Tips From Brian Tracy

Why is it important to plan your goals? How do you come up with a plan that is realistic and achievable? Once you’ve clarified what you want, identified the challenges, and determined the resources you need, you are ready to move on to the planning phase. Even though circumstances are bound to change and not everything will go according to plan, the act of planning your goals can better prepare you for the challenges that will come your way. Here’s how to plan your goals, according to Brian Tracy.

Asymmetric Polarization in U.S. Politics: The 2 Causes

What is asymmetric polarization? Why are the political parties becoming increasingly polarized in America? Asymmetric polarization is where one party becomes more extreme than the other in its political stance. In their book How Democracies Die, Levitsky and Ziblatt argue that growing asymmetric polarization in American politics is due to two factors: 1) the power of conservative interest groups, and 2) the cultural homogeneity of the party’s base. We’ll discuss both of these factors below.

Stephen Covey: Synergy and Its Benefits

How does Stephen Covey define synergy (habit six)? How does synergy relate to the previous five habits? According to Stephen Covey, synergy is the culmination of the first five habits. You need a deep conviction of your principles and values, a Win/Win paradigm, and the skills to develop and nurture effective interdependent relationships. Read more to learn about Covey’s concept of synergy, its benefits, what it entails, and how to improve your ability to synergize.

How to Stick to Your Goals: The 2 Qualities You Need

Do you struggle to stick to your goals? How do you keep pushing after the initial motivation wears off? With a clear goal and a solid plan in the execution phase, all that’s left to do is to keep moving forward. However, it’s more easily said than done. Many people struggle to stick to their goals with proper consistency. Here’s how to stick to your goals—no matter what challenges come your way.

The Impact of the 1968 Nomination of Hubert Humphrey

Who was Hubert Humphrey? How did Humphrey secure the Democratic Party nomination for the president without competing in the primaries? Hubert Humphrey served as the 39th vice president of the United States under Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration. In 1968, Hubert Humphrey became a nominee of the Democratic Party, despite him not having completed any primaries. According to political scientists Levitsky and Ziblatt, Hubert Humprey’s nomination is what prompted the call for the reform of the old presidential nomination system. Here’s why Humphrey’s nomination was such a blow to the old party system, according to Levitsky and Ziblatt.