Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

Product Storytelling: Who Wants Your Product, and Why?

What’s the most important step when creating a product? How does a product’s story guide both the product and its marketing? Tony Fadell wrote a book called Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making. He says that the key to knowing what is actually worth making is in discovering your story. Your product story answers vital questions about your product, so it’s an indispensable step in the process. Read on to learn about product storytelling from Fadell, along with some related advice from Eric Ries, John Brooks, and Donald Miller.

How to Inspire Yourself: 3 Practical Tips for Internal Motivation

What do you do when your plans get disrupted? Do you tend to lose sight of your goals and your reasons for them? Like everyone, you need motivation and inspiration to set goals and achieve them. It’s great when others cheer you on and help clear your path of distractions. But, you can’t always count on others. You must develop internal motivation—finding ways to keep yourself going when the going gets tough. Read more to learn how to inspire yourself and keep moving onward and upward.

The Cycles of History: Strauss & Howe’s Intriguing Theory of Time

What are the four cycles of history? Based on recent American history, does the “four Turning” theory hold water? In The Fourth Turning, William Strauss and Neil Howe explain that human history is characterized by a cyclical progression through four “Turnings.” The First Turning is a High, the Second Turning is an Awakening, the Third Turning is an Unraveling, and the Fourth Turning is a Crisis. Read on to learn what characterizes each Turning; how the most recent First, Second, and Third Turnings played out; and the authors’ predictions for the next Fourth Turning.

How Being a Slow Learner Can Give You an Edge

Are you a slow learner? Do you feel pressure to learn faster? How much do you learn when you cram for a test? Imagine that the tortoise and the hare are in a learning race. Now, imagine the tortoise crossing the finish line first. In Limitless Mind, math educator Jo Boaler explains why slow learning gives you an advantage. Keep reading to learn how being a slow learner can put you ahead.

Capitalism and Innovation: How Competition Stifles Ideas

How does capitalism impact innovation? What does history tell us about the drivers of innovation? In Where Good Ideas Come From, Steven Johnson contends that good ideas and novel innovations are largely the result of social collaboration. He argues that capitalist competition can get in the way of this productive cooperation. Continue reading to understand Johnson’s view of the connection between capitalism and innovation.

Product Evolution Lessons From the Co-Creator of the iPhone

At what point does market disruption go too far? How should you time the second generation of your product? When should your focus shift to profit? At Apple, Tony Fadell built several generations of the iPod and the iPhone. Now he shares his advice about product evolution in his book Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making. Keep reading to learn how to release and subsequently evolve a product.

How to Become More Creative: Practical Steps You Can Take Today

How broad is your knowledge? Do you deliberately repurpose works that you’ve already created? In Someday Is Today: 22 Simple Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life, Matthew Dicks discusses ways to free up time to maximize your creative potential. He specifically recommends boosting your creativity by consuming varied content and reusing your old work. Continue reading to learn how to become more creative in these two ways.

Rote Learning Method vs. Conceptual Knowledge in Education

What’s conceptual knowledge? Is it superior to the rote learning method? In Limitless Mind, math educator Jo Boaler shares the latest science about how people learn. Based on the research, she argues that flexible approaches to learning and teaching are more productive than older, more rigid practices. Continue reading to compare the two approaches of rote learning and conceptual knowledge in education.

The Science of Inspiration: What Happens When Ideas Click

Do you ever have sudden bursts of inspiration that lead you to a solution to a problem? What’s going on in your brain when that happens? Sometimes, ideas result from slow hunches that develop over time. Other times, they come quickly in an epiphany. In Where Good Ideas Come From, Steven Johnson explores the fascinating science of inspiration. Keep reading to discover how some good ideas just pop into your head.

Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making

What are the secrets to being successful in your career? How do you build a world-changing product-based business? Entrepreneur Tony Fadell answers these questions and more in Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making. The book is part career encyclopedia and part memoir, detailing Fadell’s journey building the iPhone and starting Nest, a smart home device company. Keep reading for an overview of this interesting and instructive book.