Self-Improvement Archives

David Epstein: The Sports Gene—Book Overview

What is David Epstein’s The Sports Gene about? What role does genetic makeup play in sports success? In The Sports Gene, David Epstein explores how our underlying genetic differences impact our performance on the sports field. As the title implies, the author suggests a strong genetic component to success in sports. However, the book also recognizes that, as complex human beings, athletes cannot be defined by genes alone. Here’s our overview of the book’s background, context, impact, and approach.

The Worst Self-Help Books: According to Dan Harris

What are the worst self-help books, according to self-help author Dan Harris? What makes these books so unhelpful? As Dan Harris navigated the world of self-help, he encountered a few popular self-help gurus. Given his unique position as a journalist, he was often able to interview them. He admits that some of their ideas resonated with him and his understanding of mindfulness, but he found it difficult to fully embrace each guru’s ideology. We’ll talk about three of these gurus: Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, and Tara Brach.

How to Live a Fulfilling Life: 4 Tips for Happiness

Do happy people see the world differently than others? Can you choose to be happy or does happiness depend on circumstance? In their book The Courage to Be Disliked, Kishimi and Koga argue that happiness is a mindset and a choice. They outline the four ways that happy people choose to see the world that sets them apart from unhappy people. Here’s how to live a fulfilling life by changing your mindset.

Tips for Communicating With Different Personality Types

How should you adapt your communication to fit each of the four personality colors? Why will a persuasion technique that works for a Red not work for a Blue? When you work with a team of people, you need to keep in mind that not every person shares your personality type. Instead of getting frustrated and feeling like you’re “surrounded by idiots,” you should try adapting your communication style for each personality type. Here are Thomas Erikson’s tips for communicating with different personality types.

10% Happier: Review, Background, and Reception

Is Dan Harris’s book 10% Happier worth reading? What are the pros and cons of the book and how was it received upon publication? Former ABC News anchor Dan Harris believes anyone can benefit from meditation. In 10% Happier, he offers a skeptic’s journey through the world of self-help following his meltdown on live television. Harris explains how meditation allowed him to get control of his anxiety, manage his ego, and become a more compassionate person. Below is our 10% Happier review complete with an analysis of the context and approach.

Being Happy Is a Choice, According to Ichiro Kishimi

Is being happy really a choice? If so, then why do so many people choose to be unhappy? Is it possible to change your mindset? In the book The Courage to Be Disliked, Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga write that being happy is a choice—despite your circumstances in life. They base many of their beliefs on psychologist Alfred Adler’s “individual psychology” school of thought. They propose that even a difficult past cannot make you unhappy if you don’t let it. Read more about Kishimi and Koga’s views on happiness below.

Urge Surfing: Battling Urges With Mindfulness

What is urge surfing? How can practicing the urge surfing technique help you resist the impulse to perform unwanted behaviors? Urge surfing is a therapeutic technique for dealing with unwanted urges. It’s based on the idea that most urges won’t persist for longer than 30 minutes, provided that we don’t give in to the urge or “refresh” it by giving it attention or fighting it. Keep reading to learn about the concept of urge surfing and how it can help you resist unwanted behavior.

The Best Self-Help Authors, According to Dan Harris

Who does self-help author Dan Harris list as the best self-help authors? What made these authors stand apart from the rest? Despite finding a few pieces of helpful advice from Tolle, Chopra, and Brach, Harris still had many questions about mindfulness. He eventually found mentors who introduced him to meditation and Buddhism and who helped shape his appreciation of mindfulness. Three of these gurus were Mark Epstein, Joseph Goldstein, and Spring Washam.

The Courage to Be Disliked: Book Overview

What is the book The Courage to Be Disliked about? How does the book relate to the “individual psychology” school of thought? The book The Courage to Be Disliked argues one major point: happiness is a choice. The book is essentially a retelling of famous psychologist Alfred Adler’s ideas in a self-help format. Continue below to learn more about The Courage to Be Disliked book.

The Happiness Trap: Review, Background, & Reception

What is Russ Harris’s The Happiness Trap about? What’s the key message to take away from the book? In The Happiness Trap, Russ Harris explores Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, a psychological discipline developed by Steven C. Hayes in 1982. While Harris didn’t develop ACT, his 2007 book helped popularize ACT, which uses a combination of behavioral and mindfulness principles and strategies. Here is our review of The Happiness Trap: Stop Struggling, Start Living by Russ Harris.