Shortform Books

The Oz Principle: Understanding the Victim Mentality

What is the victim mentality? How can you tell when someone’s actions stem from a place of victimhood? The victim mentality is the collection of beliefs, attitudes, and thinking patterns that emphasize your powerlessness in the face of circumstances and other people’s actions. In their book The Oz Principle, authors Craig Hickman, Roger Connors, and Tom Smith distinguish between two types of victim behavior: passivity and selfishness. In this article, we’ll discuss what being a “victim” means in the context of “the Oz Principle,” and what the consequences of victimhood are.

Waking Unconsciousness: Are You Living on Autopilot?

How much time do you spend thinking about things besides what is happening in the present moment? Are you always consumed in thought to the neglect of what is happening in your immediate awareness? When you are living on autopilot, you are in a state of unconsciousness. Living in a state of unconsciousness prevents you from experiencing the bliss of who you are—your true being. Instead, it makes you identify with your ego (the thinking self) and prevents you from really connecting with everything and everyone around you. Here is how living on autopilot eats away from your happiness and

No More Mr. Nice Guy: What Does It Mean?

What is the meaning of the phrase “no more Mr. Nice Guy? Where did it originate? The phrase “no more Mr. Nice Guy” is a key aspect of Dr. Robert Glover’s book of the same name, but it has been around much longer than that. The meaning of the phrase “no more Mr. Nice Guy” depends on the context in which it is used. In his book, Glover offers advice for avoiding the Nice Guy mindset, which we will explain fully in this article. Find out the true meaning of “no more Mr. Nice Guy” below.

Daniel Pink: Sell Experiences, Not Products

What does it mean to sell experiences? Why do people identify more with experiences than material goods? Sales specialist Daniel Pink says that you should always try to get buyers excited about the experience of using a product rather than about the product itself. This is due to a number of factors, including the fact that experiences are easier to relate to and that customers are motivated by emotions. Here is why you should sell experiences, not products.

Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box

What does it mean to lead outside the box? What makes the Zagrum company an out-of-the-box company? In the Arbinger Institute’s story Leadership and Self-Deception, they tell of a company called Zagrum that manages to keep people focused on results while treating others as people—this makes them an out-of-the-box company. And if the main character Tom wants to keep his job, he’ll need to learn the Zagrum way. Continue reading for Leadership and Self-Deception advice for getting out of the box.

No More Mr. Nice Guy: Book Overview & Key Points

Are you looking for a No More Mr. Nice Guy book overview? How can this book help you move from insecurity to confidence? Released in 2003, No More Mr. Nice Guy is a book by marriage and family psychotherapist Dr. Robert Glover. It promises to help you understand and conquer the frustrating—and often manipulative—Nice Guy mindset so that you can become what Glover calls a fully realized and self-accepting “Integrated Male.” Here’s our No More Mr. Nice Guy book overview, with everything you need to understand the book’s key lessons.

The Co-Founders of 37signals Share Their Secrets

Who are 37signals? What do the company founders attribute their success to? Co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson of 37signals, a company that creates project-management software and other online management tools, believe that anyone can start and operate a business with fewer resources than they think. Based on their own startup success, they champion a simpler, cheaper, less labor-intensive way to manage any company. Here are 10 insights they gained while keeping 37signals intentionally small and lean.

Overcome the Einstellung Effect: 2 Ways to Get Unstuck

What is the Einstellung effect? How does it prevent you from solving problems? The Einstellung effect is when you have such a fixed idea about problems that you can’t see new solutions. Basically, you default to the same old solutions because you think it’s the same old problems. Your brain needs a reset so that you can see each problem individually and in fresh ways. The book Think Like a Rocket Scientist offers two suggestions to get unstuck. Read more to learn about the Einstellung effect and effective problem-solving.

What Is Biohacking?—A Beginner’s Guide

What is biohacking and how do you do it? Can you really hack your biology? What are some biohacking practices that can help enhance your health and ramp up your performance? Biohacking is a concept that gained traction in media relatively recently. Biohacking refers to the pursuit of enhanced physical health and mental performance by optimizing your lifestyle, environment, sleep, eating patterns, etc. In this article, you’ll learn how to biohack your way to optimum health with simple diet, sleep, and lifestyle modifications.

Responding to Feedback: Tips for Managers

What is the best way to respond to co-workers’ feedback? How do you overcome defensiveness in the face of negative feedback? Requesting feedback from your colleagues is the first step to improving your management skills, but that feedback means nothing if you don’t know how to respond to it. You need to resist the urge to become defensive and instead, figure out what you can do to improve. Here is how you should go about responding to feedback from your colleagues.