How to Create a Company Vision: Your Business’s Guiding Star

A leader showing the company's vision to employees on a laptop

A company vision consists of the values, beliefs, and principles that guide the business towards its ultimate purpose. Most business owners have a clear idea of what they want their company to become, but the problem is that oftentimes, others in the organization don’t see it. In Traction, Gino Wickman argues that a company vision is a core part of a business’s success. Here is how to create your company vision and make sure it is understood and internalized across all of your business functions.

Simon Sinek on Motivation: How to Inspire Your Team

A motivated team of employees standing next to each other

Motivation is a well-acknowledged aspect of good management. What are Simon Sinek’s views on motivation? Does he have any thoughts on how to increase motivation in employees and inspire a team? We’ll cover Simon Sinek’s thoughts on motivation from his book Start with Why. Then we’ll look at how success can actually be detrimental to an organization’s motivation, and how to keep motivation alive and your company on track.

Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy: Book Overview & Lessons

The silhouette of a person hiking to the peak of a mountain

In Inner Excellence, performance coach Jim Murphy argues that chasing external achievements like promotions, trophies, or perfect scores creates a cycle of temporary satisfaction followed by endless wanting. Instead, he presents a counterintuitive approach: focus on developing yourself from the inside out through mastering your values, beliefs, emotions, and mental focus. When you shift your attention from external validation to internal development, you naturally perform better under stress while experiencing the sense of purpose and aliveness that external success promises but rarely delivers. Keep reading for a full book overview.

Get It Done: Surprising Lessons From the Science of Motivation

A man on a mountaintop triumphantly raising his arm represents Get It Done: Surprising Lessons From the Science of Motivation

Why do so many people struggle to stick with their goals, even when they start with the best intentions? What if the problem isn’t your willpower, but how you design and pursue your objectives? Ayelet Fishbach’s Get It Done: Surprising Lessons From the Science of Motivation reveals science-backed strategies for achieving what matters most. Fishbach’s approach shows how to craft compelling objectives, push through the inevitable middle slump, and balance competing priorities without burning out. Read on to discover how small changes in your goal-setting strategy can improve your success rate and help you finally accomplish what you’ve been putting

Why Shortform Is the Best App for Productivity & Habits

A man sitting at a table with a coffee who is using the Shortform app on his phone

Time feels more limited than ever, and it’s easy to get pulled in a dozen directions at once. You might’ve already tried productivity apps, color-coded calendars, and endless to-do lists, but they don’t always help and can sometimes cause you to become even more stressed.  Shortform takes a different approach. While Shortform is known mostly as a premium book summary app, it’s also one of the best apps for productivity. Here’s why. Get to the Important Stuff, Faster  Shortform has an impressive library of productivity books—from timeless classics like Getting Things Done and Atomic Habits to newer titles like The

Stick With It by Sean Young: Book Overview & Takeaways

A confident woman with curly dark hair, dark suit jacket, and crossed arms

Do your New Year’s resolutions fall apart by February? What if the problem isn’t your willpower, but your approach to change itself? In Stick With It, Sean Young offers a refreshing perspective. The UCLA psychologist’s research-backed method focuses on working with your brain’s natural tendencies rather than fighting against them. Young’s “SCIENCE framework” provides seven tools that make lasting transformation possible. Read on to discover how matching the right strategies to your specific type of behavior can finally help you create changes that actually stick.

Wild Courage by Jenny Wood—Book Overview & Takeaways

A drawing of a business woman reading a book and drinking from a mug while sitting in a chair by a window

Are you letting fear hold you back from your goals? How can you muster the courage it takes to go after what you want? In Wild Courage, Jenny Wood explains that many people struggle in their lives and careers because they’re afraid of taking the bold actions necessary to succeed. To become a success, Wood says to be courageous and act boldly—be authentic, driven, curious, persuasive, and don’t be afraid to lead others.  Continue reading for an overview of Wild Courage.

Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well (Overview)

A woman reading a book with the word "FAILED" behind her on a wall

Do you cringe when things don’t go according to plan? Is your fear of failure holding you back from success? Amy Edmondson’s book Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well can help you turn your defeats into stepping stones for growth. Edmondson’s process involves learning from past failures to achieve better outcomes in the future, putting a positive spin on mistakes and setbacks. Read more in our book overview of Right Kind of Wrong.

Ikigai & Kaizen by Anthony Raymond—Book Overview

A woman reading a book while sitting in a Japanese garden

Do you struggle to take action and make progress toward your goals? How can you overcome the three most common obstacles to reaching your goals? In Ikigai & Kaizen, Anthony Raymond suggests that three obstacles contribute to this struggle—insufficient motivation, unawareness of self-sabotaging behaviors, and fear of taking action. He argues that you can overcome these obstacles by integrating three Japanese strategies: ikigai, hansei, and kaizen. Continue reading for an overview of Ikigai & Kaizen and learn how to reach your goals.

Fumio Sasaki’s 4 Minimalism Tips (From Goodbye, Things)

A minimalist living room that contains a white couch and a side table with a plant next to a large window

Do you want to be a minimalist but struggle to let go of things? How can you keep yourself from buying more stuff? In his book Goodbye, Things, minimalist Fumio Sasaki shares his recommendations for transitioning into a minimalist lifestyle. He explains that minimalism isn’t just about throwing things away; rather, it’s a complete mindset shift. Continue reading for Fumio Sasaki’s minimalism tips.