The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you wish you could be bigger, leaner, and stronger? Are you motivated to get fit and just need a plan that works? In Bigger Leaner Stronger, personal trainer Michael Matthews argues that you can get the physique you want. He presents science-based diet and exercise plans designed for men, and he provides a step-by-step guide to implementing them. Continue reading for an overview of Bigger Leaner Stronger by Michael Matthews.
Why is there so much bad management around? How can you make sure you’re not part of the problem? In his book When They Win, You Win, employee experience expert Russ Laraway explains that employee engagement in the workforce is at an all-time low. But, it’s not the employees who are at fault; it’s their managers. Continue reading for an overview of this book that can help you become the kind of manager you want to be.
How do you spend your time? What would you discover if you accounted for every minute of your day? Radio journalist Celeste Headlee made positive changes to the way she lives and works. Now, she shares how you can live a healthier life—with ample leisure and social connection—by being more intentional about how you spend your time. Continue reading to see how this works and how you can change your relationship with time.
How can empathy get in the way of treating others well? What truly motivates us to care for people? In Against Empathy, psychologist Paul Bloom asserts that we don’t have to empathize with someone to treat them kindly. In fact, we often shouldn’t empathize. He discusses several other emotions and desires that should be at work instead. Read more to learn how to be kind to others—without employing empathy.
When is it rational to act irrationally? How might irrational thinking devastate an entire community? Steven Pinker examines how people make rational decisions as part of a group. He discusses game theory, which looks at how rational thinking is affected when the needs of an individual are pitted against the needs of others. In this context, he explains the zero-sum game, the volunteer’s dilemma, and the tragedy of the commons. Continue reading to understand rationality in game theory with examples from Pinker.
How many bad managers have you had? Are you sure you’re a good manager? What common assumption about good employees is misguided? Employee experience expert Russ Laraway says poorly trained, ineffective managers are everywhere, and they’re costing companies billions of dollars every year. However, he says he has the solution: By developing a few key leadership skills, you can greatly improve your team’s morale and performance. Read more to learn why ineffective management is so common, how you can determine your own effectiveness, and why improving your skills is easier than you might think.
Are you looking to build muscle? Should you burn fat first? You’ve decided you want to change your physique in some way. Before diving into a diet and meal plan, you should clarify your diet goal. In Bigger Leaner Stronger, personal trainer Michael Matthews discusses three aims you can choose from—losing fat, maintaining your current physique, or bulking up. Keep reading for Matthews’s insights on these three diet goals.
Do you use the Pomodoro technique when you work? Is quiet quitting for you? Does collaboration help or hurt productivity? Celeste Headlee wants to help you rebel against the productivity culture and get your life back. She urges you to free up time by doing more focused work, stop working more than you need to, work with a group when you can, and create a dream schedule that includes leisure time. Read more to learn about these four healthy work habits that can change your professional and personal life for the better.
What causes cruelty? What role does empathy play? Does empathy have a dark side that we must avoid? There’s a common perception that cruelty is rooted in a lack of empathy. However, psychologist Paul Bloom argues that the real culprit is misused or misplaced empathy. He believes that empathy can motivate us to behave in ways that are unjust, irrational, violent, and cruel. Keep reading to understand Bloom’s argument that violence and cruelty don’t result from a lack of empathy.
What is motivated reasoning? Why is it important to be able to recognize it in yourself and others? Humans, despite our intelligence and ingenuity, often behave irrationally. Steven Pinker explains that people frequently fall victim to cognitive blunders that lead them down an irrational path. One of these blunders is motivated reasoning. Continue reading Pinker’s advice on how you can overcome this tendency and think more rationally about your choices.