Shortform Books

Jamaican Runners: Nature or Nurture?

Why are Jamaicans so good at sprinting? Is their sprinting ability a matter of training or genetics? Just as Kenya is known for producing talented distance runners, Jamaica is known for producing talented sprinters. Since Jamaicans have largely West African ancestry, a high ratio of fast-twitch muscle fibers may provide an initial advantage, but this doesn’t explain how Jamaica continues to produce so many elite sprinters. According to David Epstein, Jamaican culture can help explain why there are so many elite Jamaican runners. Here are three reasons why Jamaica produces a disproportionately large number of elite sprinters.

Stephanie Kelton’s The Deficit Myth: An Overview

What is Stephanie Kelton’s The Deficit Myth about? How was the book received by critics? In The Deficit Myth, economist Stephanie Kelton—a former Senate Budget Committee staffer and 2016 campaign adviser to Bernie Sanders—writes that nearly all of the public discourse about national debts and deficits gets the facts entirely wrong. Naturally, a controversial stance like this attracted a lot of criticism. Continue reading for a brief overview of The Deficit Myth.

The Top 2 Techniques for Everyday Meditation

Do you want to meditate every day but don’t know how to fit it into your schedule? Does everyday meditation have real-life applications? In his book 10% Happier, meditation convert Dan Harris says that one method to incorporate meditation and mindfulness into everyday life is to use the RAIN technique. Similarly, psychologist Elisha Goldstein proposes the STOP technique. Continue reading to learn about both techniques to help you improve your everyday meditation practices.

How to Work With a Red Personality Type

What are some of the traits of the red personality type? How can you adapt your behavior to work cooperatively with a red-dominant person? According to Thomas Erikson in Surrounded by Idiots, Red personalities are unapologetically ambitious and self-confident. They like to be in charge and are comfortable taking risks. People with this personality are extroverted and not afraid to speak their mind, even when it causes conflict. Erikson notes that Hippocrates calls this behavior type “choleric.” Here’s how to manage a working relationship with a red-dominant person.

Fast-Twitch and Slow-Twitch Muscle Fibers in Sports

What is the difference between fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers? Is it possible to change your ratio of fast-twitch to slow-twitch muscle fibers through training? Fast-twitch muscle fibers support explosive muscle activity (e.g., lifting heavy objects or sprinting short distances), while slow-twitch muscle fibers support activities requiring endurance (e.g., long-distance running). To some degree, we can train our fast-twitch muscles to have more endurance and our slow-twitch muscles to become stronger, but we cannot actually change the ratio of slow-twitch to fast-twitch fibers that we are born with. Here’s how fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers impact sports.

The Art of Loving: Quotes by Erich Fromm

Harnessing the Force of Love to Change Your Life

Looking for The Art of Loving quotes? What lessons does Fromm teach about false love and genuine love? The Art of Loving was originally published in 1956, but many of its lessons are just as relevant today as they were in the 20th century. Erich explores what makes love genuine, what mature love is, and the importance of self-love. Continue below for quotes from Erich Fromm with explanations.

3 Ways to Practice Being in the Present Moment

Do you often find yourself lost in thought about the past or the future? Are you disconnected from the present? In his book The Happiness Trap, Russ Harris refers to being in the present moment as “connection.” Harris writes that connection is the practice of using our observing self to shift our attention away from the past and future in order to be fully engaged in the present. He offers the following three exercises for developing the skill of connection.

Ray Dalio: Meditation as a Tool to Generate Ideas

What are the benefits of meditation? How does meditation help with creativity? According to Ray Dalio, meditation can help sprout new innovative ideas by reconciling the two yous: the conscious you and the subconscious you. When you are only engaging your conscious mind, you are missing out on the fountain of creative ideas buried in your subconscious, Here is how meditation can help you unleash your creative potential.

Monetary Sovereignty Means No National Debt

What is a monetary sovereign? Why does Stephanie Kelton, the author of The Deficit Myth, believe monetary sovereigns can print unlimited amounts of money? A monetary sovereign is a country that is the sole issuer of its own currency, and its currency isn’t tied to a finite object or another country’s currency. Believers of modern monetary theory such as Kelton argue this means they can never be in debt because they can always print more money. Continue reading to learn more about monetary sovereignty and for criticism of their arguments.

Dan Harris’s Meditation Journey: Skeptic to Teacher

How did author and former news correspondent Dan Harris go from being a meditation skeptic to writing a book on mindfulness? What sparked his change in mindset? Dan Harris is best known for his on-air panic attack that sparked his long journey from drug addict to self-help author. Dan Harris’s meditation and mindfulness book, 10% Happier, explores his personal journey while providing the advice he learned along the way. Harris hopes to help others overcome anxiety and addiction by providing instructions for easy, everyday meditation practices. Continue reading for an overview of Dan Harris’s journey.