Hannah Aster, Author at Shortform Books

The 7 Different Types of Psychological Mind Games

Why do people play mind games? How can you tell that someone is playing a mind game on you? In his 1964 classic Games People Play, Dr. Eric Berne theorizes that playing mind games is a part of psychological development that all people must grow past. He divided the mind games into seven different categories: 1) pseudo-small talk, 2) couples games, 3) sex games, 4) career games, 5) criminal games, 6) therapy games, and 7) positive games. Let’s take a look at Berne’s categories of psychological mind games people play on each other.

How to Put Together a Long-Term Financial Plan

Do you want to put together a long-term financial plan? Why should you be sensible, rather than logical, when planning for the future? To be logical is to make a decision based on known facts, while to be sensible is to show sound judgment. They are similar, but they are not the same. In his book The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel suggests making sensible decisions when making a long-term financial plan because it will put your mind at peace. Here’s how to create a feasible financial strategy, according to behavioral finance expert Morgan Housel.

How to Create Passive Income: Leverage Time

What’s the quickest way to become wealthy? How can you create passive income? MJ DeMarco, multimillionaire entrepreneur and investor, argues that the traditional path to wealth—working for a salary and investing in stocks—is too slow and unreliable. Instead, he says that the fastest way to become wealthy is to create passive income and increase your net worth. Here’s how to become wealthy by leveraging time.

Signs of Emotional Manipulation & How to Stop It

How do you tell if someone is trying to emotionally manipulate you? What are the signs of emotional manipulation you should watch out for? In his book Games People Play, psychiatrist Eric Berne explains how to identify when a mind game is being played on you. He provides three steps for spotting mind games and discusses how you can break that game. Here’s how to identify emotional manipulation, according to Berne.

How to Increase Your Income: 7 Tips From a Millionaire

Do you want to know how to increase your income? What kinds of businesses will make you rich? In his book, The Millionaire Fastlane, entrepreneur and millionaire MJ DeMarco says that the fastest way to become rich is by creating a business that generates passive income—and then compounding that income. However, not all businesses will make you rich. Here are DeMarco’s seven methods for dramatically increasing your income.

How to Financially Plan for Goals to Change

Have your life goals changed over the years? Do you have the same goals you did 10 or 20 years ago? A fact of life is that goals change over time. However, people often deny this fact and try to plan for the future as if nothing will change. That’s why Morgan Housel, the author of The Psychology of Money, says that you should make a financial plan that is flexible. Here’s why you should have finances that can change with your life.

Crash Course: What Is Transactional Analysis?

What is Transactional Analysis? Why do humans crave recognition? What are the three ego states? Transactional Analysis is a psychoanalytic theory and a method of analyzing social interactions. At its heart is the concept of the three ego states: the adult, the child, and the parent. Keep reading to learn about the Transactional Analysis theory and how to use it to analyze interactions.

The 3 (Often Overlooked) Benefits of Small Talk

Do you find small talk awkward and uncomfortable? What are the benefits of small talk? What makes small talk different from friendly conversations? In his book Games People Play, Dr. Eric Berne analyzes human social interactions in order to better understand why people act the way they do. One subject he went into detail on was that of small talk. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of small talk.

Morgan Housel: Why Money Is Happiness

Why do they say “money can’t buy you happiness”? Did you know that statement is fundamentally wrong? In his book The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel explains that money buys you control over time, which is the key driver of happiness. When you have control over how you spend your time, you can spend it on things that bring your happiness. Here’s why money is happiness if used responsibly.

How to Use Pathos in a Persuasive Argument

What is pathos? How can you use pathos to strengthen a persuasive argument? In a persuasive argument, pathos is when you appeal to your audience’s emotions to make them feel a certain way about your cause. The best way to do this is to tell a vivid story. Here’s how to use pathos to persuade an audience.