Shortform Books

Importance of Environmental Protection: Save the Planet

What is the importance of environmental protection? What effects do climate change and warming temperatures have on the planet? The natural environment is threatened every day. Humans are cutting down forest ecosystems, droughts are causing dangerous flooding, and high temperatures are lowering the GDP. This is all because humans are intervening with the environment, and it’ll only get worse if nothing is done to stop it. Let’s look at the reasons why environmental protection is important for human lives, the economy, and the planet.

What Is Memory Distortion & How Does It Happen?

What is memory distortion? Can we change our memories? In Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me), Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson say that one way we overcome cognitive dissonance is through memory distortion. This is when we falsely remember information and events to put ourselves in a good light. Continue reading to learn more about memory distortion.

Bad Investments, According to Warren Buffett

What assets should you never invest your money in, according to Warren Buffett? Why are these investments dangerous? Warren Buffett prefers equities over other forms of investment. He cautions against bad investments such as unproductive assets, junk bonds, and financial derivatives. Keep reading to learn why you should steer clear of these investments, according to Buffett.

Why Invest in Index Funds? They Outperform Mutual Funds

Why invest in index funds over mutual funds? Could mutual funds beat the market in the long run? Only a tiny fraction of actively managed mutual funds will outperform index funds in the long run. This is because financial assets tend to converge to the average price over time—a statistical tendency called “reversion to the mean.” Here’s what reversion to the mean means for mutual fund investors.

How to Become a New Person Through Neuroplasticity

How to Build Faith in Yourself and Change Your Life

Do you want to shed your old personality and become a new person? How can you break free from your old ways and begin to think and act in alignment with the vision of the person you want to be? According to Joe Dispenza, our brains have the capacity for neuroplasticity. This means that you have the power to totally rewire your personality and become a whole new person. To do that, you have to ingrain new patterns of thinking, feeling, and behavior. With this in mind, here’s how to become a new person, according to Joe Dispenza.

Team Workload Management: 2 Strategies for Tech Teams

How can you keep teams from getting overwhelmed? What’s the “right” amount of work? In Team Topologies, Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais show you how to set up software development teams to work as efficiently as possible. Basing their approach on Conway’s Law, they recommend that you assign teams the right amount of work. Continue reading to learn two strategies for team workload management.

Self-Observation: 2 Reasons to Monitor Your Thoughts & Feelings

Do you want a better understanding of why things are the way they are? How can you intentionally ignore unwanted circumstances? Vadim Zeland claims that self-observation has two major benefits. First, it helps you understand why you’re experiencing your version of reality instead of the version of reality that you want. Second, it breaks the feedback loop that perpetuates your current version of reality. Read more to learn how observing your thoughts and emotions helps you weaken unwanted circumstances and reclaim your emotional energy.

Leadership in the Workplace: The 3 Soft Skills You Need

What makes a good leader? What kind of leaders do modern organizations need? A good leader isn’t defined by the title. Ultimately, leadership in the workplace is all about dealing with people. And dealing with people, first and foremost, requires soft skills—attributes like empathy, compassion, and emotional intelligence. With this in mind, here are three leadership qualities modern workplaces need.

The Ultimate Guide to Budgeting: Strategies and Tips From Pros

Do you know how much money you’re actually spending? Or does your end-of-the-month bank balance come as a surprise? Why is it important to budget your expenses? Many people don’t budget their expenses: They just spend whatever is left after all their essential bills (e.g. rent and utilities) have been paid off. This is because creating a budgeting strategy that works for you is time-consuming, work-intensive, and complicated. Here are several budgeting strategies so you can either choose one that works for you or use them as an inspiration to create your own.

Why Asking Questions Is Important (+Useful Techniques)

Why is asking questions important in communication? How can you ask better questions? According to leadership expert Michael Bungay Stanier, asking questions is important in all forms of communication because it helps you to avoid the advice-giving trap. In his book The Advice Trap, he explains the benefits of asking questions versus the drawbacks of offering suggestions. Read on to learn why asking questions is important, including Stanier’s tips for asking better questions.