Shortform Books

How to Remember What You Learn: Tips for Storage & Recall

Do you have trouble recalling what you’ve learned? Do you rely on last-minute cramming and hope for the best? Often, the first step in any learning process is to absorb and memorize new information, whether it’s a list of historical facts, scientific concepts, or steps to perform a task. The trick is to do it in a way that lets you retain what you’ve learned and access it when needed in the future. Read on for advice on how to remember what you learn and stop squandering your study and practice time.

Lead From the Future: Book Overview & Key Takeaways

Do short-range concerns leave you without the time to plan for the future of your business? Are you vulnerable to missing out on big opportunities and being caught off guard by major problems? In Lead From the Future, Mark W. Johnson and Josh Suskewicz offer business leaders a new mindset and strategic approach. This mindset and approach will promote the growth and relevance of their organizations far into the future. Continue reading for an overview of this how-to book for leaders.

Jordan Peterson: Beauty Deserves a Room in Your Home

Remember the sense of wonder you had as a child? How much of that do you still have? According to Jordan Peterson, beauty plays a vital role in life. In Beyond Order, he urges you to adopt this rule: Try to make one room in your home as beautiful as possible. He explains what difference this can make in your life. Continue reading to learn about the importance of beauty from Peterson’s perspective.

How to Rebel: Pushing Boundaries in the Name of Fun

Are you a rule keeper or a rule breaker? What would happen if you pushed back against your own habits and others’ expectations? In The Power of Fun, Catherine Price uses research and personal anecdotes to explain why fun is fundamental to living a happy and healthy life and how everyone can start having more fun. One of these ways is to push the boundaries of what’s perceived as normal for you and even society. Keep reading to learn how to rebel and have more fun.

Should AI Be Regulated? (& How It Would Be Done)

Should AI be regulated? What are experts’ concerns about AI? Is AI regulation even possible? A growing number of experts are calling for regulation of advanced AI models, saying the technology poses an existential threat to humanity if left to develop unchecked. However, there’s no clear consensus on who should regulate AI or exactly what the process should look like. Here are some possible approaches in which the US government is involved fully, in part, or not at all.

America’s Obesity Epidemic: How Comfortable Diets Can Kill

Do you eat even when you’re not hungry? Do you tend to reach for a pizza instead of a salad? One of the consequences of our modern lifestyles is obesity. Michael Easter discusses some of the harmful effects that comfortable diets have on health, and he points the finger at several causes. Read more to learn about some of the causes of America’s obesity epidemic, including an ancient one.

The 5 Sage Powers: How to Combat Your Saboteurs

What are the five Sage powers? How can they help you to combat your Saboteurs? According to Positive Intelligence, the Sage powers are a set of abilities that can help combat self-sabotage and the influence of Saboteurs. These powers serve as antidotes to the negative influence of the Judge and other Saboteurs that create damaging, irrational thoughts. Read on to learn about the five Sage powers and how to use them, according to Positive Intelligence.

What Is the Placebo Effect in Psychology & How Does It Work?

What is the placebo effect in psychology? How can you make the placebo effect work for you, rather than against you? Perhaps the most well-known expectation effect is the placebo effect. While some people are against the placebo effect, David Robson’s book The Expectation Effect asserts that it can actually be used to improve your health and life. Check out how the placebo effect can create a positive impact on you.

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.