Shortform Books

How to Live Off Your Investments: Let Your Money Do the Work

Would you like to work less and enjoy life more? How can you put your money to work for you instead of the other way around? In Early Retirement Extreme, Jacob Lund Fisker teaches you how to invest your savings and become financially self-sufficient for life. He shares two tips: Educate yourself on investing strategy, and pick investments based on the work you prefer. Read on to learn how to live off your investments and start enjoying the early retirement lifestyle.

Simon Sinek Book Club Exercises to Discuss & Put Into Practice

Have you read Simon Sinek’s books? Are you looking for discussion questions to use individually or with a group? Author Simon Sinek gives us a lot to talk about and act upon. We’ve put together several exercises based on the content in four of Sinek’s books. The exercises include questions that will help you discuss and implement each book’s ideas. Continue reading for Simon Sinek book club questions that will allow you to get even more out of Sinek’s books.

Reasoning in the Brain: The Surprising Role of the Right Brain

Is reasoning in the brain strictly a function of the left hemisphere? What accounts for “aha!” moments? Iain McGilchrist thinks that pop psychology puts an unwarranted emphasis on the left brain, arguing that the right brain plays a vital role in many functions. One of these is reasoning, typically associated only with the left hemisphere. Read more to learn what contribution the right hemisphere makes to our reasoning.

How to Preserve Your Mental Energy & Empower Your Mind

What is mental energy? How does empowering your mind keep you energized? Just like you need to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet in order to have a strong body, The Everyday Hero Manifesto by Robin Sharma says that you need to “feed” your mind with educational and empowering ideas in order to strengthen it. At the same time, you need to be aware of how much mental energy you’re using. Keep reading to learn how to use your mental energy wisely.

How to Get Past Small Talk: 3 Tips From a Social Interaction Expert

Do you ever get stuck in the shallow pool of small talk? Would you like to learn how to take conversations into deeper territory? Small talk is an excellent way to start a conversation. But, if it stays there, the conversation can feel shallow and pointless. Social interaction specialist Patrick King shares some practical tips for transitioning from small talk to meaningful conversation. Read more to learn how to get past small talk and make the most of your interactions.

The 3 Different Types of Learning Styles: Which Are You?

What are the three different types of learning styles? How does understanding your learning style help you stay organized? There are three types of learning styles: auditory, visual, and tactile. According to Order From Chaos by Jaclyn Paul, your learning style determines how well your organizational system operates. Keep reading to learn more about how your learning style affects you, especially if you have ADHD.

How to Heal ADHD Without Medication (Adults & Children)

Can you heal ADHD? Why can’t medication treat ADHD? Since ADHD results from the underdevelopment of your brain and psyche, Scattered Minds by Gabor Maté theorizes that you can heal your ADHD by leveraging blain plasticity to your advantage. This is your brain’s ongoing reactivity to environmental stimuli. Here are Maté’s tips for how to heal ADHD in yourself and in your children.

How Restaurant Communication Saved Eleven Madison Park

Why is restaurant communication so important? How did the prestigious restaurant Eleven Madison Park (EMP) thrive by prioritizing communication? In Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara goes into detail about how he transformed the poor relationships at EMP by communicating the values of the restaurant. In return, the employees openly shared what they wanted the restaurant’s culture to look like. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of restaurant communication.

The Origin of Eukaryotes: Beyond Bacteria and Archaea

How did complex life emerge? What distinguishes eukaryotic life from simpler life forms? In his quest to understand the origin of life, biochemist Nick Lane examines the transition from the simplest life forms (bacteria and archaea) to more advanced organisms (eukaryotes). He explains his research and his resulting proposal in The Vital Question. Read more to understand Lane’s ideas about the origin of eukaryotes.

4-Day Workweek Trials: Here’s How They’re Going

Is a shorter workweek any closer to being a reality? What signs point to “yes”—and what barriers prevent it from happening? Countries around the globe have been running 4-day workweek trials and touting the benefits for years, yet implementation of the policy has been limited. Barriers to the policy’s implementation are keeping many companies from testing out the new schedule. Keep reading to learn about the results of the 4-day workweek trials, and why some companies are still reluctant to try it.