The World's Best Book Summaries
What determines happiness? Which happiness factors are within your control? According to Sonja Lyubomirsky, three main factors influence your overall happiness. She contends that your genetics influence 50% of your long-term happiness, your circumstances influence 10%, and your thoughts and behaviors influence 40%. Keep reading to understand the power of each of these happiness factors.
What’s a leadershift? What changes must you make if you want to keep growing as a leader? In his book Leadershift, John Maxwell argues that today’s leaders must abandon traditional management practices and make “leadershifts.” This is the word he uses to describe changes in how people think, communicate, and act as leaders. Continue reading for an overview of Leadershift.
What were Christian men like during the Victorian Era? How and why did masculinity change around the turn of the 20th century? A professor of history and gender studies at Calvin University, Kristin Du Mez, presents an intriguing perspective of Christianity in the Victorian era in her book Jesus and John Wayne. She focuses on men and masculinity and argues that they were quite different than they became in the 20th century. Read more to understand Du Mez’s views.
Do you need other people? Are you a giver or a taker? Do you tend to run ahead of others and leave them behind? Many leaders think in terms of what’s best for themselves and base their decisions on their personal goals and opinions. John C. Maxwell writes that, to be an effective leader, you must prioritize your team’s needs over your personal ambitions. Keep reading for Maxwell’s advice on how to practice selflessness in leadership.
How are happiness and wellness connected? What are some practical ways to get these significant parts of your life to work together? Sonja Lyubomirsky contends that you can assert some control over your long-term happiness by boosting your physical and mental health. She recommends three strategies to help you strengthen your mental and physical resilience, deepen your appreciation for life, and live authentically. Continue reading to find out more about these strategies and outcomes that illustrate the natural link between happiness and wellness.
How are the election and presidency of Ronald Reagan connected to American Christianity? Who popularized the religious right? In Jesus and John Wayne, history and gender studies professor Kristin Du Mez traces the link between politics and evangelical Christianity in America. She lays out the roots of the religious right and how it entered the mainstream in the 1980s. Continue reading to learn about the rise of the religious right in America.
What’s the relationship between Donald Trump and Christianity—especially evangelicalism? Why do so many Christians endorse him? In Jesus and John Wayne, Kristin Du Mez traces the development of evangelicals’ conception of masculinity since the 1900s, outlining how the genteel masculinity of Victorian-era Christianity transformed into the militaristic masculinity that led evangelicals to embrace Trump wholeheartedly. Read more to get Du Mez’s take on the intriguing link between Donald Trump and Christianity.
Do you have positional authority? Do you have moral authority? Which is more powerful? As a leader, you must develop your influence over others. To do so, you must gain moral authority—respect and recognition for exemplary personal qualities, values, and actions. Having positional authority may force people to follow you, but earning moral authority makes people want to follow you. Read more to learn how to earn moral authority as a leader.
Where are you headed in life? What are you striving toward? Do you believe that your life has value and meaning? In The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky unpacks the factors that fuel happiness and provides practical strategies to nurture and sustain it. One way is to find and create purpose in your life. Keep reading to see how having a purpose in life can bring you lasting happiness.
How does your brain health impact your overall health? What are the best ways to take care of your brain? In his book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, Daniel G. Amen asserts that, even if your brain’s health has been compromised, it has the potential for recovery and rejuvenation. Alongside insights gained from cutting-edge brain scans, he provides practical strategies for optimizing your brain’s health. Continue reading for an overview of Dr. Amen’s book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.