Shortform Books

Maxwell Maltz: What Is Psycho-Cybernetics?

What is Psycho-Cybernetics? How did Maxwell Maltz develop his Psycho-Cybernetic theory of goal-oriented behavior? Psycho-Cybernetics utilizes a mechanical perspective of your brain’s inner workings to explain goal-oriented behavior. Maltz’s research into the process the mind goes through to achieve goals led him to the work of Dr. John von Neumann, who explored the parallels between computers and the human mind. Neumann’s concepts led Maltz to develop an interest in cybernetic theory—a branch of science that studies the goal-oriented behavior of mechanical systems. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of Psycho-Cybernetics and illustrate how your mind works like a machine

Erin Meyer: What Is Affective Trust?

What is affective trust? How do people from personal cultures approach professional relationships? Affective trust is trust that develops based on how you feel about the other person. Affective trust is the trust that people of all cultures feel towards their family and friends. But in personal cultures, it’s also the cornerstone of professional relationships. In this article, we’ll look at how members of personal cultures build trust and present some tips you can use to build trust in a personal culture.

How to Gain Peace of Mind and Inner Calm

Is your mind filled with racing thoughts and incessant worry? What can you do to slow down your mind and bring it to a calmer, more stable state? Living with strain and anxiety is difficult while living in a state of harmony makes for an easy, calm existence. There are several methods by which you can learn how to gain peace of mind, serenity, and calm attitudes. Try these strategies for quieting your mind and attaining inner peace.

Doubt Avoidance Tendency: Explained With Examples

The 25 Cognitive Biases: Doubt Avoidance Tendency

What is the doubt avoidance tendency? How can you control your fight or flight response? The doubt avoidance tendency is the inclination to make quick, poorly thought-out decisions during stressful situations. The pressure to remove doubt causes you to make ill-informed choices. You can control this tendency by scheduling deliberate delays when under pressure to carefully strategize before reaching a final decision. Read on to learn more about the doubt avoidance tendency.

Overcoming Your Limitations: Unchain Your Mind

What’s one thing you want to do but are too afraid to take action on because you believe you’ll fail? Why do you believe that this endeavor is doomed to fail? People see their limitations as proof of their inability to succeed. But when you believe you can’t improve, it prevents you from even trying. Therefore, the first step to overcoming your limitations is to get yourself to believe that you can. In this article, we’ll explore three methods you can use to overcome your (often self-imposed) limitations.

Building an Effective Team: 3 Tactics for Success

What are the keys to building an effective team? How should you approach new hires and current team members? An all-star team is crucial to successfully grow your business. In Scaling Up, Verne Harnish offers three tactics for building an effective team—two for new hires and one for current employees. Read more to learn how to build an effective team.

The 3 Most Effective Learning Strategies

What are the three slow learning strategies from Daniel Epstein’s book Range? Why are these strategies more effective than the traditional learning methods? In his book Range, Epstein describes three effective learning strategies: the generation effect, the spacing effect, and interleaving. All three of these methods would be considered slow and difficult learning methods because they require time and analysis rather than memorization and cramming. Keep reading to learn about Epstein’s three most effective learning strategies.

The Importance of Transferrable Skills for Your Career

Why is it better to experiment with different skills and hobbies rather than mastering one specialty? What is the importance of transferable skills? The traditional way of thinking says that it’s best to choose one specialty and focus your efforts on mastering it. However, according to David Epstein, the author of Range, it’s actually better to have a broad range of transferrable skills than one specialist skill. Here is why broad experience is better than specializing.

What Are the Disadvantages of Job Specialization?

What are some of the disadvantages of job specialization? How does being an expert in one area narrow your perspective? David Epstein, the author of Range, says that one of the big downfalls of being a specialist in anything is that it can narrow your perspective. He says that the more details you know about something, the more confident you’ll be in your opinion of that matter, even if your opinion is extreme. This overconfidence can lead to a number of issues. Here is what Epstein has to say about job specialization.

How Does the Subconscious Mind Work?

How does the subconscious mind work? What information does it store and how does it interact with the conscious mind? Your subconscious mind is your passive mind. It’s always awake because it regulates all of your bodily functions, and it records and stores your every experience even when you’re not consciously paying attention. Over 90% of your brain’s activity takes place in your subconscious mind: It’s a reservoir of thoughts, feelings, and memories that lies beneath your conscious awareness. In this article, we’ll explore how the subconscious mind works, according to Joseph Murphy.