The World's Best Book Summaries
Are you a perfectionist? How does striving for perfection hinder your progress? A perfectionist mindset eats away at your self-esteem and productivity. To combat perfectionism, focus on what you are doing well and how you’re improving over time. Keep reading to learn about the dangers of perfectionism and how you can move toward overcoming perfectionist tendencies.
What causes alcoholism? Is alcoholism psychological or genetic? Many people assume that alcoholism is a biological disease, but that’s simply not the case. As Holly Whitaker’s book Quit Like a Woman suggests, alcoholism can also stem from psychological factors such as trauma and mental health issues. Keep reading to learn what causes alcoholism and the first step to treating it.
How can exaggerations keep you from being happy? How can you bring your perceptions into better alignment with reality? An exaggeration is a distorted perception of reality. This distortion causes you to have unrealistic expectations. When those expectations aren’t met, you suffer. Keep reading to discover how exaggerating interferes with your happiness.
What does it mean to be in alignment with yourself? How can you tell if you’re misaligned? How does misalignment impact your happiness? Martha Beck argues that misalignment with your true self is the source of most—if not all—chronic psychological misery in our lives. It’s very hard to find happiness if you’re not connecting and listening to your personal nature—the part of yourself that knows what would make you happy. Keep reading to understand Beck’s theory about happiness and see whether you might find joy by following her advice.
How do memories impact the here and now? How can you minimize the distortions? Humans don’t remember everything exactly the way it happened. While the past is the past, your perception of it is now—and it’s affecting the present. Your distorted memories can cause you to see the present inaccurately. Continue reading to understand how this works and learn what you can do about it.
What role should emotions play in decision-making? How can you mitigate their influence? In Solve for Happy, Mo Gawdat argues that emotional decision-making is dangerous. He recommends that you put your reason in the driver’s seat, and he shares advice on how you can keep your emotions from getting in the way of your decisions. Continue reading to learn Gawdat’s argument and recommendations.
What is your true self? Is there something to intuition? How do you trust yourself? Martha Beck argues that, at your deepest level of self, you know what will make you happy and what kind of life you want to lead. You also know how you feel and what is true about your own life. This deepest level of self is your personal nature. Continue reading to learn more about Beck’s theory of identity.
What’s Stoic negative visualization? How can it actually make you happier? You can develop a Stoic practice by following six basic techniques derived from ancient philosophy. The first technique is negative visualization. Considering that Stoicism aims to offer a path toward joy, this practice is counterintuitive. But, it works. Continue reading to learn what Stoic negative visualization is and see how you can use this technique to appreciate more, handle disappointments better, and even grieve with less pain.
What triggers your fear response? What’s your personal instinct when reacting to dangerous situations? In Becoming Bulletproof, former U.S. Secret Service agent Evy Poumpouras teaches you how to pursue the life you want without fear. Her book offers strategies for building resilience by teaching you how to understand your responses to fear and danger and how to control them. Read on to learn about how your fear response influences you, according to Poumpouras.
How can it be dangerous to make assumptions? Why should you be careful when making predictions? Why are stereotypes harmful? In Solve for Happy, Mo Gawdat discusses several weaknesses (or “blind spots,“ as he calls them) that can cause you to be unhappy. Some of these are faulty assumptions that can take the form of predictions or stereotypes. Read more to understand why you make faulty assumptions and learn how you can mitigate them.