The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you actively look for ways to help other people? Do you act compulsively or deliberately? According to John C. Maxwell, building character should be your primary goal in life. He suggests two mindsets that will help you do this. First, continually seek opportunities to serve others. Second, consciously act in alignment with your values. Keep reading to learn more about Maxwell’s advice on how to develop character.
Do you believe you’re incapable of growth? What’s the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset? As you’ve gotten older, you’ve probably discovered certain abilities that you excel at and ones you struggle with. But this doesn’t mean that you’re stuck with what you have. A growth mindset helps you improve by embracing challenges and learning new things. Let’s look at what a growth mindset is and four ways that developing a growth mindset can be a smooth process for you.
Why do humans have a need for self-esteem? What happens if it goes unmet? Scott Barry Kaufman created a new hierarchy of human needs in his book Transcend. Our need for self-esteem is a major security need in Kaufman’s hierarchy, and we need to feel valuable and confident in our lives for this need to be met. Read on to learn why humans need self-esteem and how our lives can be affected without it, according to Kaufman.
What do affirmations do for us? Are positive affirmations always effective? How can you use them most effectively? Author Gary John Bishop distilled years of research and experience as a life coach and personal development consultant into his book Unfu*k Yourself. In the book, he explains the power of positive affirmations and what they can do for your self-talk and overall mindset. Read on to learn what affirmations do for you and how to make the most of them, according to Bishop.
Do you sometimes feel like you’d like to get away from it all? Do you then realize that you can’t actually do that? Former Vedic monk and award-winning content creator Jay Shetty claims that the route to happiness and fulfillment is to Think Like a Monk. According to him, monks are the calmest and happiest people in the world because they live with a sense of purpose that aligns with their true, inner selves. Continue reading for two Think Like a Monk exercises that will help you apply the principles in the book.
Do you feel like a terrible person because of a mistake you made? How can you deal with shame in a healthy way? A common reaction people have when they’ve done something wrong is to feel shame. It’s a completely normal emotion to feel in these types of situations, but it can have detrimental effects on your mental health. Luckily, there are ways to overcome shame. Continue reading to learn how to deal with shame and accept your mistakes.
What does it mean to have good character? What difference does character make when it comes to success or failure? According to John C. Maxwell, everyone should prioritize building character over all other goals. That’s because it’s an essential part of personal growth. On the road to true success in life, there are no substitutes for—or shortcuts around—character-building. Continue reading to learn about the importance of character-building when it comes to reaching your potential.
Are you trapped by religious dogma? Do you think more in terms of “I” than “we”? How often do you do things just for fun? Philosopher Alan Watts argues that the ego illusion—the false sense of being an individual separate from everyone and everything else—causes destruction and hardship in Western society. He provides recommendations for how people can escape from the ego illusion and achieve cosmic unity. Continue reading to learn how to become one with the universe, according to Watts.
What is Scott Barry Kaufman’s new hierarchy of needs? How has Maslow’s theory of needs changed over the years? In Transcend, Scott Barry Kaufman offers a new hierarchy of needs, updating Abraham Maslow’s ideas about what people need to reach their full potential. He argues that Maslow’s “pyramid” is misunderstood, and his updated view is more in line with modern science and Maslow’s full body of work. Read on to learn about Kaufman’s new hierarchy of needs, according to his book Transcend.
Want to know how to stop holding yourself back with negative thoughts? How do negative thoughts limit us? According to author and life coach Gary John Bishop, the way you think dictates your reality. To learn how to break free of negativity and stop holding yourself back, you have to first learn to reframe your mindset, which Bishop helps his readers do in his book Unfu*k Yourself. Read on to learn how to stop holding yourself back with negative thoughts, according to Bishop’s advice.