Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

How to Reduce Political Polarization Individually & Together

Do you recognize efforts to sow division between you and your fellow citizens? If so, how do you respond? In Why We’re Polarized, progressive journalist, political commentator, and podcaster Ezra Klein explores the history and roots of polarization in America and its impact on the two major political parties. Then, he discusses how to reduce political polarization through institutional and individual actions. Keep reading to find out how Americans might be able to stem the tide of polarization.

Expert Advice on How to Build a Career That’s Worth Investing In

Are you just getting started in your career or contemplating a new one? How can you do your best to head down the right path? In Tribe of Mentors, Tim Ferriss passes along life and career advice that he received from experts in a variety of fields. Some of the insights cover how to build a career that you’re happy to invest in. Read on to get several practical tips that will help you carve out a fulfilling career path.

Stick to Your Values: Advice From Wozniak, Alba, & Hsieh

Are you clear on what you value most? How does that translate into your life and career choices? Alex Banayan interviewed some of the world’s most successful people for his book The Third Door. One theme that kept coming up was the importance of staying true to yourself and what matters most to you, even if that means making difficult choices. Keep reading to learn why it’s important that you stick to your values on your journey toward success.

How to Evaluate Management Like Warren Buffett: 3 Metrics

How should companies allocate capital? How important is it for businesses to resist trends? If you’re looking at a company as a potential investment, you need to assess its leadership. Warren Buffett looks for three things: how they allocate capital, how transparent they are with their finances, and how resistant they are to trends. Continue reading to discover how to evaluate management in the same way that Warren Buffett does.

How to Use Reward-Based Motivation as You Scale Your Business

Should you pay bonuses before or after the performance period? What’s the best way to use social incentives within a team? In The Voltage Effect, economist and professor John A. List offers his advice for how to take things from the small scale to the big stage. He shares a set of strategies designed to increase your business’s chances of success as it grows. One of these is using reward-based motivation. Read more to learn how to scale successfully by setting the right incentives to motivate your team.

Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein: Book Overview & Takeaways

Why are Americans so politically divided? Can anything be done about it? Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein argues that Americans are split into two sharply contrasting groups rooted in partisan identities. He believes this is a departure from previous eras when political divides were more about issues than identities. Continue reading for an overview of this book that provides insight into what’s going on in America today.

You Are Your Best Investment: Advice From Pitbull & Qi Lu

Are you just getting started in your career (or a new career)? What are you willing to sacrifice now in order to succeed in the long run? When author Alex Banayan wanted to find out how the people at the top got there, he set out to interview them. Here’s what he learned from musician Pitbull and executive Qi Lu: Work hard today for a payoff tomorrow. Read more to learn why you are your best investment.

John Mark Comer’s The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Are you always in a rush? Does it feel like there’s never enough time to do everything you need to do? Pastor and author John Mark Comer’s The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry explores our cultural obsession with rushing and examines how it harms our relationships, health, and spirituality. Comer argues that you can escape this culture of rushing by following the lifestyle of Jesus. Continue reading for an overview of this insightful book that can put you on the path to an unhurried life.

How to Avoid the Sunk Cost Fallacy: Why Quitting Is for Winners

When should you give up on an idea or a project? What’s the best way to identify diminishing returns? Sometimes it’s hard to give up, especially when you’ve invested so much and you don’t want to be a quitter. But, sometimes cutting your losses and moving on is the best course of action. In The Voltage Effect, economist John A. List explains why, sometimes, quitting is for winners. Continue reading to learn how to avoid the sunk cost fallacy and stop wasting valuable resources.

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: Study Guide for Self-Reflection

Are you ready to make some lifestyle changes? What could you do differently to get more out of life? In The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer shares insights on what it means to rush through life, why we rush, and how doing so harms us and others. He provides practical advice on how to live a slower, more fulfilling life by following Jesus’s lifestyle. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry study guide below will help you apply the book’s principles to your life.