Shortform Books

The Environmental Factors of Self-Confidence

How to Build Faith in Yourself and Change Your Life

Is confidence a matter of nature or nurture? What role does the environment play in confidence development? Confidence isn’t a matter of nature versus nurture—both biology and environment are implicated. Scientists estimate that around 25-50% of confidence stems from our genes, and there is also a lot of evidence in favor of nurture. In this article, we’ll look at what role the environment plays in confidence development, focusing on the environmental factors of self-confidence that affect women, who often lack the self-belief men have.

George Eliot: Biography and Character Development

Who was George Eliot (a.k.a. Mary Anne Evans)? What did she do for living? What are her most famous works? George Eliot (birth name: Mary Anne Evans), was the acclaimed author of many fictional works including Silas Marner and Middlemarch. She had a difficult upbringing and struggled to find her place in the world but developed her sense of self through the devouring of books and information. Keep reading for George Eliot’s biography.

Our Iceberg Is Melting: Review, Context, and Reception

Is the fable Our Iceberg Is Melting worth reading? How can this book help drive change in your company? John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber’s fable is about a colony of penguins who must make quick and drastic changes in order to save their colony. This fable is meant to help companies during the change process and was a New York Times bestseller. Continue below for our Our Iceberg Is Melting review, including the book’s background and critical reception.

Your Mission From God: Spread the Word of His Love

How has God called you to reach out beyond your spiritual community? Does your mission mindset need a reset? Evangelism isn’t just for preachers. If you’re a Christian, God called you to share the message of hope with the world. Your mission is to share your personal life message as well as the Gospel. Pastor Rick Warren outlines the four aspects of your life message and identifies three ways you might need to reset your mission mindset. Read more to learn how to be more effective in fulfilling your mission.

The 5 Acts of Worship: How to Make God Happy

Do you know how to make God happy? What are the various acts of worship that please God? In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren identifies and explains five practical acts of worship that bring pleasure to God and connect you to him. They bring you joy, as well. Read more to learn how to make God happy with these five acts of worship.

Group Guidelines: Following the CUDOS Rules

How should a group function? Are there clear group guidelines that shape constructive behavior? Sociologist R.K. Merton created four rules of engagement for how he thought the scientific community should operate. Thinking in Bets author Annie Duke believes that these group guidelines also work well for a group of people whom you call on to help you make better decisions. Continue reading to learn about R.K. Merton’s recommended group guidelines.

Take Delight in the Lord and Improve Your Well-Being

What does it mean to take delight in the Lord? How can taking delight in the Lord improve your mental well-being? The cure for cynicism and negativity is to learn to take delight in the Lord and his goodness. You implement this strategy by cultivating awe and appreciation of beauty. Keep reading to find out what it means to take delight in the Lord, and how you can do it.

Overcome the Spirit of Fear With This Advice

Do you want to know how to overcome the spirit of fear? What advice can help you do this? In her book Get Out of Your Head, Jennie Allen looks at common mental battles people face. One of these battles is to overcome the spirit of fear, which can be achieved by learning to deal with anxiety and surrendering your fears to God. Overcome the spirit of fear with Allen’s advice below.

J.L. Collins: How to Balance Your Investment Portfolio

Do you want to get into investing? What factors should you consider as you decide what to do with your investment money? How much risk should you incur? Two stages in your investing life determine the mix of assets in your portfolio: the wealth accumulation stage, and the wealth preservation stage. According to financial blogger J. L. Collins, if you are young, you should focus on accumulating wealth. When you are approaching the retirement age, you should focus on preserving it so you can continue to live on it. Once you’ve determined your investment stage and allocated the desired percentages

The 2 Ways to Create Interest: Mystery and Curiosity

How can you keep people’s attention once you have it? How can you create interest so people don’t tune you out? It’s one thing to grab attention. It’s another to keep it. You can create interest in two ways—by presenting a mystery or by generating curiosity. Read more to learn about these two ways of creating interest and keeping it.