The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you resist change? Do you take a long time to plan and scheme, but when it comes to taking action, you back off? Too often we fail to activate change because we are stuck in thinking mode. We analyze and rationalize, and we get mired in too many details and options. Fortunately, we can learn to get out of paralysis and into action—motivating change in ourselves and others. Here are three ways to motivate change, get unstuck, and spark action.
How do you deal with heartache? What is the most effective way to cope with emotional pain? Grief, sorrow, and other forms of heartache and inner suffering are part of being human. It happens at some point to everyone and there is no surefire way to avoid emotional hurt altogether. Here, Norman Vincent Peale, the author of The Power of Positive Thinking, shares his advice on how to cure heartache.
Do you feel helpless or victimized when you’re faced with problems that are out of your control? How can learning to take responsibility for any situation change your mindset? In The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Mark Manson says that you need to learn responsibility in order to be happy. Only when you accept your ability to make choices, even in the worst situations, will you be happier and feel more in control. Keep reading to learn what Mark Manson has to say about learning responsibility.
What are the advantages of laughing, singing, and dancing? Can engaging in these playful activities actually impact your mental and physical health? Brené Brown’s last step for living Wholeheartedly is to engage in laughter, singing, and dancing—and for a good reason. Studies show that there are many health benefits of engaging in this behavior including strengthening your immune system, reducing depression, increasing fitness, and more. Keep reading to learn about the various advantages of laughing, singing, and dancing and how to overcome the problem of self-consciousness.
How can you successfully implement change in an organization? What is the key to enacting change that sticks? In their book Switch, Chip and Dan Heath dive into the inner workings of change, offering actionable advice for creating changes that not only succeed but stick. They share four ways to implement change in an organization, while also providing keys to change in general. In this article, we’ll take a look at four practical ways to implement change in an organization: insider advice, emotional appeals, progress acknowledgement, and praise.
Do you know how to reach your goals strategically and effectively? What steps should you take? You won’t reach your goals unless you line up the dominoes to connect the present to the future. Strategic thinking, or breaking down the process for achieving a big goal into steps, is critical for getting where you want to go. Just as dominoes fall one at a time, your focus should be on doing one thing at a time. Keep reading to learn how to reach your goals with this winning strategy.
What are the two types of mindset? What’s the role of mindset in behavior change? There are two primary types of mindset: a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. If you have a fixed mindset, you believe that you’re wired a certain way and can’t change. If you have a growth mindset, you believe you can grow if you put in the effort. You’re far more likely to change when you believe that you can. Here’s how having a growth mindset can help you make behavior change a reality.
Why do so many people today fall into the entitlement trap? And Why is entitlement such a big problem? The entitlement trap takes two forms: you feel like you’re entitled to be happy all the time, or you think you’re special or different in some way. The truth is: it’s impossible to feel good all the time, and most of your problems are not unique or exceptional. Keep reading to learn why you are not special, and that’s okay.
Are you easily distracted at work? What steps can you take to reduce your distractions? In his book Deep Work, Cal Newport provides steps on how to create a deep work environment. The steps include creating a designated workspace, getting rid of distractions such as social media, training your focus, and making the most of your focused time. Keep reading to learn how to curb your distractions at work.
Do you know how to build willpower? What drains it? Willpower is critical to success. But you likely will fail if you don’t understand how it works and how to manage it. Once you know how to build willpower and use it effectively, you set yourself up for success. Read more to learn how to build willpower and use it well.