Shortform Books

Career Reflection: The 3 Stages of Self-Examination

Why is self-reflection important in career development? What aspects should you reflect on with regards to your career? According to Peter Drucker, the author of Managing Oneself, career reflection is part of the process of taking responsibility for yourself and will help you to advance in your career. Drucker says that, once you have greater self-knowledge, you can and must actively seek out situations where you’ll thrive. Learn about the three stages of professional self-reflection that Drucker recommends to manage yourself so that you learn who you are—and what your personal recipe for career success is.

How to Remember Something and Make It Stick

What makes information easy to remember? What are some specific factors of memorability? If you want to get information to stick in your memory, it helps to recall it often. Of course, it also has to be memorable to begin with. Memorability increases as the information connects to more and more parts of your brain. Read more to learn how to remember something by making it more memorable in the first place.

Why Ray Dalio Says Pain + Reflection = Progress

Do you take time to reflect on your mistakes? How does reflecting on the pain and consequences of your mistakes help you progress faster? Ray Dalio says that pain is a necessary part of getting stronger. He sums it up in his equation Pain + Reflection = Progress. He says that when you make a mistake, take full responsibility for it and relish the chance to get better, rather than being ashamed about it. Here is why you should reflect and savor the pain, instead of avoiding it.

What Causes Codependency? The Underlying Factors

What causes codependency traits to form? How are codependency and stress linked? Is there a way to combat codependent tendencies? In her book Codependent No More, Melody Beattie states that codependency is a reaction to prolonged stress. In most cases, you won’t even realize that your codependent tendencies are forming, because they build up over time. Below is an exploration into what causes codependency.

Too Many Choices: Beware the Consequences

Do you ever feel overwhelmed when you’re hungry but can’t decide what to eat? Or you’re bored but can’t choose something to watch? Why does having too many choices stress people out this way? This is exactly the dilemma that Barry Schwartz explores in his book The Paradox of Choice. Schwartz says that it takes time and energy to make decisions and, when we have to deliberate every decision extensively, we get worn out and sometimes become unable to process even simple decisions. Continue reading to learn about the negative consequences of living in a world with expanded choices.

The Importance of Team Bonding (+Foolproof Strategy)

Why is it important to build strong bonds amongst your team members? What is the best way to increase team bonding in your organization? The importance of team bonding cannot be underestimated: it helps team members become closer, build trust, and strengthen team cohesion. Team bonding happens in situations that create a shared meaning for everyone present—experiences that underscore a common mission. Creating such moments is a three-step process: 1) create a shared moment, 2) allow for voluntary struggle, and 3) reconnect members with their work’s meaning. Let’s explore each step in more detail.

Stress and Sex Drive: How Stress Affects Libido

What exactly is stress? How does stress affect sex drive? Stress is an emotion-based systems in the mesolimbic cortex that greatly impacts our sexual arousal. It’s a process or system of changes in our minds and bodies that occurs in response to threats, and it underlies all types of negative emotions, including anxiety, fear, irritation, frustration, and anger. In this article, we’ll explore the issues around sex and sex drive and how understanding and managing the stress systems can positively affect our sexual experience.

Overwhelmed by Choices? Here’s How to Decide

Are you ever overwhelmed by choices and don’t know what decision to make? What tips can help you come to a decision that you’ll be satisfied with? You’ve probably experienced this before: you’re starving, but you keep scrolling through delivery apps and can’t decide what to eat. Finally, you get so frustrated that you just give up and heat up some leftovers, or you just pick something at random. We’ve all been there—it’s called decision paralysis. Here are 11 tips for how to make a decision when you’re overwhelmed by choices.

Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski: Book Overview

What is Emily Nagoski’s book Come as You Are about? What misconceptions about sex does modern culture perpetuate? In her book Come as You Are, Emily Nagoski uses scientific research and her years of experience as a sex educator to change the negative way that women talk, think, and feel about their sexuality. Arguing that a scientific perspective on sexuality can free women from unrealistic standards and help them to appreciate their individual experiences, Nagoski considers sexuality from every biological angle while dispelling cultural misconceptions along the way. Below is a brief overview of the key themes explored in the

The Link Between Sex and Emotional Attachment Style

What is the connection between sex and emotional attachment? How does attachment style influence sexuality? Depending on how our caregivers raised us as children, we develop different styles of attachment. According to sex researcher Emily Nagoski, your attachment style not only dictates your behavior in romantic relationships but also affects your sexual experience. Here is how people with different attachment styles approach sexuality.