The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you stay calm when you face adversity? Can you see the bright side in difficult times? The Stoic philosophers taught that the human powers of reason and choice are of paramount importance. Epictetus discussed how to use those abilities to overcome hardships, explaining that challenges are opportunities for growth. Continue reading to learn how you can take advantage of tough situations.
Wondering how to keep your New Year’s resolutions? Why is it difficult to keep resolutions? Scientists say that if you struggle to keep your New Year’s resolutions, you might just be thinking about them wrong. To fulfill your resolutions, they say not to make resolutions at all. Instead, try setting intentions. Read on to learn tips for how to keep your New Year’s resolutions by setting intentions.
What are the three feelings shame produces? How does shame affect our everyday lives? According to Brené Brown in her book I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t), shame takes shape in three ways: fear, blame, and disconnection. Brown’s definition of shame further claims that sometimes we allow shame to consume our minds. Keep reading to read shame-breaking advice by Brené Brown and shame’s hold on our mind.
Why is it important to learn to let go? How can you put the pains of the past behind you? We all carry things that weigh us down—grudges, blame, painful memories, emotional burdens, or attachments to the things that are no more. The inability to let go of the things that don’t serve us traps us in a state of stagnation and prevents us from turning the page and moving on with our lives. If this sounds like you, check out our roundup of the best books about letting go and moving on.
Is there value in small talk? What’s the Stoic view of dignity? How should you spend most of your time? According to Epictetus, Stoicism is about living well through dignity and discipline. He offers four rules for living as a Stoic: speak less, maintain an air of seriousness, focus on developing your mind (while not neglecting your body), and start practicing Stoicism now. Continue reading to learn more about these four rules.
What’s the purpose of affirmations? How can repeating affirmations help you rewire your thinking? Repeating affirmations is a great tool to envision your ideal reality and motivate you to take action to achieve it. With regular practice, repeating positive affirmations for success can make a tremendous difference in your life by reinforcing more positive and effective ways of thinking. Here’s how repeating affirmations can help you reprogram your mind for success along with some examples of affirmations you can use for your practice.
Why do some people pretend to be rich by spending money on luxury items and premium experiences? How does trying to project wealth prevent you from creating it? For some people, it’s more important to create the illusion of wealth than to acquire actual wealth. However, projecting wealth and generating wealth are mutually exclusive. When you spend money to create the illusion of wealth, you’re sabotaging your long-term financial prospects. Here’s why pretending to be rich is a bad idea.
What is Brené Brown’s shame resilience theory? How can you combat shame with empathy? Shame is a natural human emotion, but it doesn’t mean you should feel it all the time. In I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t), Brené Brown explains her shame resilience theory that helps you develop three practices to break down shame. Let’s explore the three main practices that Brown recommends you integrate into your daily life.
Would you like to have more peace in life? What could you do differently—and how could you think differently—to live well? The Stoic philosophers believed they knew the secret to the good life. Epictetus, one of the most influential of these philosophers, offers three pieces of advice: take life as it comes, treat others well, and be mindful of your mortality. Read more to learn how to live a good life as Epictetus envisioned.
What role does mindset play in financial success? How do you identify and overcome financial beliefs that hold you back? According to MJ DeMarco, the author of Unscripted, the state of your finances depends on your financial mindset, that is, your beliefs about money. If you want to get rich, you need to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset. To do that, you must first dismantle your limiting beliefs about money. Here are eight unproductive beliefs about money you must overcome if you want to build serious wealth.