Shortform Books

How to Focus on the Positives When Dealing With Trauma

How do you focus on the positives when you’re constantly exposed to negativity? How can a positive outlook on life help you cope with trauma? It may feel hard to get rid of negative thoughts when you’ve been exposed to secondary trauma as a caretaker. With the help of Trauma Stewardship by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, you can shift your focus to the positive things in life, even if they’re small. Find out how to focus on the positive and get rid of the negativity that’s dampening your mood.

The 5 Mental Errors That Cause Inaccurate Predictions

Have you ever made a prediction that turned out to be wrong? What mental errors thwart accurate forecasting? In The Signal and the Noise, Nate Silver examines mental errors that make your predictions inaccurate. These include making faulty assumptions, being overconfident, trusting data and technology too readily, seeing what you want to see, and following the wrong incentives. Keep reading to learn how these mental errors cause inaccurate predictions.

How Does Someone Manipulate You and Get Away With It?

How does someone manipulate you in a con game? How do they ensure your silence afterward? In The Confidence Game, Maria Konnikova explains that one of the most important parts of a game is ensuring that the victim won’t rat them out. They do this by emotionally manipulating the victim to feel ashamed or embarrassed about their gullibility. Let’s look at how easy it is to become manipulated by others.

How to Learn Concepts: The Value of Conceptual Knowledge

How well can you explain what you know to others? How might you go past a surface-level knowledge of something and reach a deep understanding? True learning entails comprehension. You can memorize a set of facts and never understand them. Not only is conceptual knowledge valuable in itself, but you also can use it as a springboard to elevate you to an even higher level of learning. Continue reading for tips on how to learn concepts—and to understand the value of doing so.

Using Future-Back Thinking to Shape Your Company’s Tomorrow

What’s future-back thinking? How can it boldly take your business into the future? In Lead From the Future, business strategists Mark W. Johnson and Josh Suskewicz argue that, to drastically improve your organization’s chances of successful growth in the long term, you must anticipate and shape the future rather than simply react to challenges as they arise. Read more to learn about this approach and how it can work for your business.

Jordan Peterson: Resentment, Deceit, & Arrogance Are Avoidable

Do you grow more bitter the older you get? Do you justify bad behavior because life’s been hard on you? According to Jordan Peterson, resentment, deceit, and arrogance can easily develop when you travel through life and face its hardships. However, he urges you to resist them and maintain your character as you deal with life’s challenges. Read more to learn how to rise above suffering instead of letting it get the best of you.

Make Time for Fun: Reclaiming the Role of Fun in Your Life

How much time do you waste every day? What if you used that time to have more fun in life? In The Power of Fun, award-winning science writer Catherine Price argues that fun is fundamental to a happy and healthy life. She explains two ways that modern society has made it harder to prioritize fun. Then, she discusses how to make time for fun. Continue reading to get a handle on why making time for fun can be so difficult and to discover the first step you can take to turn that around.

The Benefits of Boredom: 3 Advantages of Idle Moments

How often does your brain get to rest? Do you have near-constant stimuli from technology and other inputs? Modern society seems to shun boredom. You probably sense a need to stay occupied, busy, and productive. The problem is that this doesn’t give your brain a break. Michael Easter contends that this is one of the problems of the modern world that you should fight back against. Keep reading to learn several benefits of boredom.

Shirzad Chamine’s Positive Intelligence: Book Overview

Do you tend to self-sabotage? Is it possible to overcome destructive thinking patterns? Shirzad Chamine’s book, Positive Intelligence, reveals that your stress and unhappiness stem from destructive patterns of thinking known as Saboteurs. In his book, Chamine offers guidance on engaging with your higher self, the Sage, to overcome these adversaries and enhance various aspects of your life. Read on for a brief overview of Shirzad Chamine’s book Positive Intelligence.

What Is the Nocebo Effect and How Can You Avoid It?

What is the nocebo effect? How can innocent expectations increase your risk of death? Whereas the placebo effect might make you feel better, the nocebo effect does the opposite. The Expectation Effect by David Robson warns that thinking too much about a potential side effect or never-ending pain can manifest in real life. Find out how to prevent the nocebo effect from taking over your mind.