Shortform Books

Why We Procrastinate and How to Avoid It

Do you tend to procrastinate on important projects, delaying them until the last minute? Why do we procrastinate? Is procrastination a symptom of laziness? Before we can tackle procrastination, we need to understand why we procrastinate in the first place. According to Neil Fiore, the author of The Now Habit, procrastination isn’t a character flaw—it’s a symptom of underlying psychological distress. Here’s why we procrastinate and how to avoid it, according to Neil Fiore.

How to Create a Brand Identity in 2 Effortless Steps

How do you create a brand identity? What is the importance of a company’s brand? If you’re building a company from scratch, you’ll need to come up with a brand. Your brand will tell a story about how your company will solve problems differently than other companies. Let’s look at how to create a brand identity in three steps outlined in Play Bigger.

WRAP Decision-Making: Make Smarter Choices

What is the WRAP framework? What are the four steps in Chip and Dan Heath’s WRAP decision-making process? In their book Decisive, Chip and Dan Heath organize the four steps of their decision-making process into a mnemonic called “WRAP.” Each letter in the acronym stands for a step in their process: Widen Your Options, Reality-Test Your Assumptions, Attain Distance Before Deciding, and Prepare to be Wrong. Let’s examine the four steps of the WRAP decision-making process, including specific strategies for implementing each step.

3 Ways to Feel Better About Yourself, Based on Psychology

What are some proven ways to feel better about yourself? Which ways do psychologists recommend? In his book, Learned Optimism, Martin Seligman suggests three ways to feel better about yourself by focusing on others. Seligman says that, by focusing your attention outward, you can feel better about yourself on the inside. Read on to learn Seligman’s three actionable ways to feel better about yourself.

Environment and Genetics: Understanding the Connection

What roles do genes play in behavior? Is your personality largely the product of your genes or your environment? Our genes contain the blueprints for our bodies. Therefore, in a very real sense, our genes determine who we are. Each of us has crucial elements of who we’ll become encoded in our DNA. However, genes only tell a small part of the story because your environment can influence how genes are expressed. Keep reading to learn about the interplay between environment and genetics.

Thought-Provoking Book Club Questions for Being Mortal

Are you looking for book club questions for Being Mortal? What are some of the key ideas to discuss? Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande was widely praised and dubbed one of the best books of the year when it was published in 2014. It brings forth some difficult yet necessary questions about the way we approach aging and dying in the 21st century. Here are some questions to help you reflect on the book’s key messages.

4 Benefits of Optimism That Improve Your Wellbeing

What are some of the best benefits of optimism? How do optimistic people think differently? Psychologist Martin Seligman has studied the science behind optimism and pessimism to understand these mindsets better. According to him, learning to be optimistic does more than simply boost your mood. Keep reading to find out the four important benefits of optimism that improve your wellbeing.

Product Positioning Strategy: 12 Steps to Positioning Any Product

What’s the best way to position a product in the market? What steps should you take, and in what order? In Obviously Awesome, April Dunford proposes a 12-step process that lets you position any product well. Her process takes you all the way from creating a cross-departmental positioning group to sharing your final positioning across the company. Let’s take a look at each step in Dunford’s product positioning strategy.

Philosophical Razors: Cut to the Chase in Problem-Solving

What are philosophical razors? How can you use them to solve problems efficiently? Are they always useful? If you have a problem to solve, you might employ a philosophical razor. Philosophical razors are rules of thumb that help you quickly eliminate unlikely solutions to a problem. Continue reading to learn a few of the most popular philosophical razors.

Was Steve Jobs Mean to His Employees?

What was Steve Jobs like at work? Was Steve Jobs mean to his colleagues and employees? Steve Jobs is remembered as one of the greatest entrepreneurs for creating the technology company Apple. However, Walter Isaacson’s biography of Jobs shows that his cruel attitude towards his employees left much to be desired. Read below to determine if Jobs was needlessly cruel or just a strict leader.