The World's Best Book Summaries
What’s scientific reductionism? Does it mess with our true sense of self? Philosopher Alan Watts defines the ego illusion as the false sense of being an individual who exists as an entity separate from other people and the environment. He points the finger at Western science as one of the ways we perpetuate the ego illusion. Read more to learn the argument that Watts makes in The Book.
What teaching practice horrified Richard Feynman? What shocked him about textbooks? While Richard Feynman injected his lifelong learning with a casual sense of fun and exploration, one thing he took very seriously was his role as a teacher. In his memoir Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! he writes about his trials and triumphs in teaching. Keep reading to learn about Richard Feynman’s teaching experience and what it taught him.
Want to learn some positive affirmations for change in life? How can you motivate yourself to take action? According to self-help author Gary John Bishop, to truly achieve freedom from the thoughts that are holding you back, you must be open to changing your self-limiting thoughts and beliefs. In his book Unfu*k Yourself, he offers positive affirmations for change and taking action toward your goals. Read on to learn Bishop’s positive affirmations for change and the best ways to apply them to your life.
Why is it important to confront reality? How does confronting your reality help you live a better, happier life? According to Curtis Jackson (50 Cent) and Robert Greene, it’s important to confront reality when we feel like avoiding our problems because it helps us to gain an acute awareness of our circumstances. Gaining this acute awareness, they argue, is the secret to improving your future and leading a more fulfilling life. Read on to learn five ways to confront reality, according to Jackson and Greene’s advice.
Are you burdened by stress? How do you healthily manage stress and anxiety? When you feel stressed, you can take a constructive approach to it and calm yourself through constructive and grounding practices. In Stop Overthinking, Nick Trenton outlines several ways to approach stress by gaining a sense of control over yourself and the situation. Let’s look at how managing stress and anxiety can be done with these constructive and grounding approaches.
What are innovation techniques in business that you should use? How do these techniques help you create more ideas and products? Vijay Kumar’s methods for managing innovation projects include impressive techniques that anybody can use in their business. In his book 101 Design Methods, he covers these key techniques. Let’s look at these innovative techniques in detail.
What are mindfulness values? How do patience and perseverance make mindfulness easier to practice? Returning to mindfulness every day can be challenging for some people, but there are values that can make the process simpler. The values outlined by Jon Kabat-Zinn in his book Wherever You Go, There You Are can be summarized as simplicity, patience, vulnerability, and perseverance. Keep reading to learn about the importance of these mindfulness values for your self-improvement journey.
What tactics do conservative intellectuals use to combat their ideological opponents? What’s their relationship with America’s power elite? C. Wright Mills suggests that the majority of American intellectuals fail to acknowledge, question, or challenge the rule of the power elite. This has taken power away from the American people by depriving them of their ability to understand what’s going on in government. Let’s take a look at what Mills has to say about conservative intellectuals in particular.
What are the top five travel myths? Have you allowed any of these myths to hold you back from traveling? There are so many misconceptions about travel that deter people from ever setting foot outside their home country. These myths range from the cost of travel to safety concerns to the ability to travel with children. Here’s why these beliefs, and other myths about travel, are false and shouldn’t hold you back from experiencing what the world has to offer.
Want an overview of Coaching for Performance by Sir John Whitmore? What does a performance coach do? In Coaching for Performance, Sir John Whitmore explores the ins and outs of performance coaching in business, the coaching session structure, and ways to measure organizational culture. The book models the “we’re in it together” mindset to show how leaders can maximize coachees’ performance. Read on for an overview of the main advice in Coaching for Performance by Sir John Whitmore.