Shortform Books

Is the British Monarchy Ending? Some Think So

Does the passing of Queen Elizabeth II mean the beginning of the end for the British monarchy? Would this be a good or bad change? Does it even matter? The passing of Queen Elizabeth II marked the end of an era—one in which the institution of the monarchy arguably mattered. But moving forward, some say, the monarchy will no longer add value either to Britain or to the world, and it will continue to lose relevance until eventually, it’s abolished. Here’s why some say Great Brian is entering a new era.

Clockwork: Book Overview (Mike Michalowicz)

What is Mike Michalowicz’s Clockwork about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In his book Clockwork, Mike Michalowicz presents a process entrepreneurs can follow to become hands-off visionaries. A hands-off entrepreneur trains her employees to take care of the hands-on work instead of overseeing the daily operations herself. Below is a brief overview of Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself by Mike Michalowicz.

Why Redefining Success Helps You Achieve More

What does redefining success mean? Do you have a healthy idea of success? How can you redefine your idea of success? Psychotherapist Russ Harris wrote The Confidence Gap for people who struggle to carry out their life goals and seek to change their thinking to be more empowering. According to him, you need to relate differently to the idea of success to effectively pursue goals in the long term. Keep reading to learn how to redefine an unhealthy relationship with success, according to Harris.

Poverty Alleviation Projects: Who Should Run Them?

How should you begin a poverty alleviation project? Should you be in charge? In When Helping Hurts, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert advise that sometimes, other people or organizations are in a better position to minister to a given community than you or your church are. If that’s the case, you should let the people who are most qualified to do the project take charge of it. Read below to learn why you should step back on your poverty alleviation project.

Brian Muraresku on Mysticism and Christianity

What is the connection between mysticism and Christianity? Why did the early church want to overthrow mystical practices? At the time of the birth of Christianity, the Greeks practiced a polytheistic religion, which included a rich mystical element. Practitioners sought to attain a profound spiritual connection with the supernatural through a direct mystical experience, which was facilitated by the ingestion of psychedelic brews. Here’s how Christianity put an end to Greek mystical traditions and overtook the Greco-Roman world.

How to Create a Must-Have Product or Service

How do you create a must-have product? What are some of the characteristics of products that are considered “must-haves”? To create a product or service that won’t go out of business, you need to ensure that your customers won’t want to miss out on it. A must-have product delivers so well on a target market’s needs that people would be unhappy if they lost it. Here’s how to create a must-have product.

Resource Theory: Identify & Cater to What People Value Most

What’s resource theory? How can you leverage it to deepen relationships? In Captivate, Vanessa Van Edwards provides strategies to help you become a social superstar. She explains how you can apply Uriel G. Foa’s resource theory to understand people better, communicate with them effectively, bring out the best in them, and ultimately connect with them on a deeper level. Read more to learn how to identify what people value most in life and then use that information to strengthen your relationships.

The 3 Future Work Skills You Need to Thrive in the 21st Century

What skills do you bring to the table? How can you compete in this economy—and in the economy of the future? The world is changing fast. Thomas L. Friedman, in his book The World Is Flat, explains that the increasingly globalized nature of the world requires workers to have three skills to keep up: cooperation, integration, and versatility. Continue reading for a discussion of these future work skills and an exercise that will help you consider your career in the globalized world.

The 2 Causes of the Influx of Migrants to the U.S.

Why are so many migrants crossing the United States border? What does the Biden administration have to do with it? Border state governors are busing thousands of immigrants to northern cities to pressure the Biden administration to stop a surge of border crossings. Critics call the gambit cruel and inhumane. But neither side has a plan to fix the underlying problem. Let’s take a look at what’s causing the influx of migrants in the first place.

How to Transition to a Hands-Off Management Style

What are the benefits of hands-off management? Is the hands-off approach right for your business? Adopting a hands-off approach to running your business enables you to reorient your focus from getting mired in the daily work towards improving your company’s framework. However, there are many things to consider before you relinquish your management responsibilities and hand them over to your team. Mike Michalowicz shares three steps for switching to a hands-off management style.