The World's Best Book Summaries
What is the Zeigarnik effect? How can you leverage it to be more creative? Creative insights might seem random, but you actually can deliberately spark them by leveraging a peculiar neural phenomenon called the Zeigarnik effect. It’s when your brain continues to work on unsolved problems—even when you don’t realize it. Here are four ways to unleash your creativity using the Zeigarnik effect.
Why is rest so important for your brain? What are the best ways to let your brain relax? Chris Bailey, the author of Hyperfocus, argues that brain rest is essential for productivity. He discusses why rest matters, the two ideal methods of rest, and the importance of sleep when it comes to cognitive performance. Continue reading to learn how to relax your brain.
What is Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers about? What is the key message to take away from the book? Outliers is a collection of stories, each exploring a variety of external factors that contribute to success. Malcolm Gladwell argues that extraordinarily successful people—or outliers—reached that point not just because of hard work and determination, but also thanks to luck, timing, and opportunities. He challenges the notion of self-made success through anecdotes and insight from various disciplines, including history, sociology, and psychology. Here’s our book review of Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.
What is the importance of humility in leadership? How do you strike a balance between trust in others and self-reliance? Being a leader doesn’t always mean telling people what to do—often, other team members are better equipped than you to make the right decisions. However, if you’re too reliant on others and lack confidence in your leadership, you may end up following others’ lead in situations where you know better. Here’s how to strike a balance between trust in others and confidence in your ideas.
What’s the difference between focused and diffuse thinking? How can you leverage these two modes to maximize learning? Authors Barbara Oakley and Terrence Sejnowski offer a number of tips for enhancing your learning that are based on your brain’s ability to alternate between different modes of thinking. They assert that your brain operates in two separate modes, each of which contributes to learning and problem solving in different ways. They call these two modes “focused thinking” and “diffuse thinking.” Read on to learn these ways of improving your learning ability.
What is the difference between meditation and mindfulness? How do you get started with these practices? Productivity expert Chris Bailey argues that meditation and mindfulness can contribute to your productivity by training you to focus. He makes a distinction between the two practices and explains how you can reap their benefits by making them daily habits. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of meditation and mindfulness and how to make them a part of your daily routine.
Can practice override talent? Is it true that to master a skill, you need to put in 10,000 hours of practice? Although we tend to think of practice as an equalizer, having the time to practice enough to master a skill is a luxury afforded only to the privileged. In fact, there are studies that show that the most masterful individuals in their fields have practiced their craft for at least 10,000 hours, which averages nearly 20 hours every week for 10 years. Here’s why practice is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to skill mastery.
Do you know how to learn effectively? What are some practical study habits you can use to learn more? In their book Learning How to Learn, Oakley and Sejnowski explain how neural pathways are created in your brain. Then they suggest four learning strategies that take advantage of the way your brain stores information: embracing a multisensory learning style, making up metaphors, skimming books first, and diversifying your studies. Keep reading for details on these strategies.
What is “scatterfocus”? What are the benefits of letting your mind be in the scatterfocus state? “Scatterfocus” is intentional mind-wandering—letting your mind roam free without any point of focus. According to Chris Bailey, the author of Hyperfocus, practicing “scatterfocus” can actually help you improve your ability to focus your attention. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of intentional mind-wandering, why you resist it, and why you should do it anyway.
How does childhood conditioning shape our behavior in adulthood? Is it possible to shake off the weight of early conditioning? Childhood conditioning often weighs on people even in their adult years. This conditioning may leave some adults feeling like they don’t have the power to make their own choices in life. Luckily, this is a behavior growth obstacle that can be overcome. Here are four steps for developing autonomy in adults, according to psychiatrist Eric Berne.