The World's Best Book Summaries
What are the main teachings of the Dalai Lama? What advice does he profess? In his book The Art of Happiness (co-authored with psychiatrist Howard C. Cutler), His Holiness the Dalai Lama walks you down the Buddhist path towards happiness. The Dalai Lama’s advice for achieving happiness is unique in its simplicity and flexibility: learn where your emotions come from and make the effort to change. We’ll discuss several strategies to make that effort.
Is your mind overwhelmed with negativity? Why do people tend to focus more on the negative and take the positive for granted? Research shows that negative events have a greater impact on you than positive ones—your emotional responses are stronger for negative events than they are for positive ones. But that doesn’t mean that you must give in to all this negativity—you can develop a positive mindset if you’re motivated enough to rid yourself of the negativity. Keep reading to learn how to motivate yourself to change your thinking and rewire your mind for more positivity.
What is the root cause of human unhappiness? Why do so many people feel unhappy despite having everything they need? According to Dalai Lama, the root cause of human unhappiness stems from misunderstanding—many people don’t really understand where their emotions—both positive and negative—stem from. The solution, he counsels, is to educate yourself both about your emotions and the circumstances that give rise to them. Here is what Dalai Lama has to say about the main reason for unhappiness and what to do about it.
What is the 37% rule? How can employing the 37% rule help you make better decisions? The 37% rule is designed to solve something mathematicians call an “optimal stopping problem”—something we often encounter in daily life when faced with a series of options. The 37% can help you settle down and commit to the opportunity in front of you if you don’t know what opportunities will be available in the future. Here is how the 37% rule settle on a decision and signal when to stop searching for something better.
Why is it so difficult to make decisions? Do you often regret your decisions, thinking you should have known better? Decision-making is a cognitively taxing process, especially when the future is uncertain and the stakes are high. But it doesn’t have to be this way. According to Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths, humans already have all the tools to make smart decisions. In their book Algorithms to Live By, they explain how to make better decisions using computer algorithms. Let’s take a look at four algorithms intended to help you make better decisions.
How important is listening in the sales process? How might you become a better listener? According to The Sales Bible, listening to customers is probably the most important part of sales. However, many salespeople don’t understand this. Most people are actually pretty poor listeners. Author Jeffrey Gitomer offers three tips to help you become better at listening. Read more for insights on listening to customers.
Is it possible to find lasting happiness? Can true lasting happiness be found externally? Lasting happiness is a mindset you build and isn’t contingent upon external characteristics, like wealth or status. Such factors can’t confer lasting happiness. You see this in daily life: when something great happens, like a promotion, you’re temporarily elated but soon return to your normal level of contentment. Similarly, if you suffer a setback, like a breakup, the negative feelings wear off. Here is why lasting happiness is a mindset that requires deliberate effort to cultivate.
Why do so many people suffer from FOMO? What do you think causes FOMO? Information overload and “fear of missing out” may rank among the biggest contributors to chronic indecision. In their book Algorithms to Live By, Christian and Griffiths compare FOMO to a modem bufferbloat that slows down internet connection. Like their home modems, people who suffer from FOMO feel as if they have to do everything that’s expected of them and assume that there’s something wrong with rejecting a good opportunity. Here is how to deal with FOMO by adopting the mindset of JOMO (the joy of missing
What are some ways to make a good impression on prospective customers? What skills should you sharpen? Jeffrey Gitomer, the author of The Sales Bible, recommends polishing your selling skills in order to impress your prospects. This includes knowledge, preparedness, and several other qualities that can make you an effective salesperson. He shares three strategies that can drive you toward sales success. Keep reading to learn how to improve sales skills.
Tim Ferriss is a famous American entrepreneur, author, podcaster, investor, and lifestyle guru. He is probably most famous for his podcast The Tim Ferriss Show, which is one of the top Apple Podcasts in business, and for his 4-Hour book series. Since Ferriss’s advice is held in high regard, we put together a list of Tim Ferriss’s book recommendations and mentions. Some of these books were directly recommended by Ferriss—whether on his website or his podcast—and others were ones he’s discussed or mentioned. Our list starts with Tim Ferriss’s number one book recommendation, The Magic of Thinking Big. Ferriss said