Shortform Books

Is Confidence Genetic?—Yes, to an Extent

Is confidence genetic? And if so, how much do genes contribute to one’s sense of self-confidence? It’s scientifically accepted that the big five personality traits—agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, extroversion, and openness are responsible for around 50% of our personalities. Confidence and optimism are related to these traits, and scientists estimate that 25-50% of our confidence comes from our genes. Here is what science has to say about the role of genetics in confidence.

Building Trust in a Team in Times of Change

Why is teamwork so important when it comes to making changes in an organization? How do you build trust in a team? In the fable Our Iceberg Is Melting, the main character, Fred, noticed that the iceberg his colony lives on is full of cracks and won’t survive the winter. He puts together a meeting to initiate change, but that’s only the first step when it comes to making major changes, The second step is to make a team. Continue below to learn how to to build trust in a team, according to John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber.

Bond Investment: The Risks and the Benefits

Are bonds a high-risk investment? What are the key risks associated with bond investing? When you buy bonds, you are loaning your money to a company or government entity. Although bond investing is generally viewed as safer than stock investing, it has several risks. In this article, we’ll take a quick look at the major bond investment risks you should know about.

Asa Philip Randolph: A Civil Rights Movement Hero

Who was Asa Philip Randolph? What was her contribution to the Civil Rights movement? Asa Philip Randolph was a major player in the Civil Rights movement. He organized a Black labor union, started the first Black American magazine, advocated for nonviolent resistance, and more. If Randolph hadn’t given up his salary job to advocate for Blacks, the world might not be the same place. Keep reading to learn about the life of Asa Philip Randolph.

Learn From Your Past With Mental Time Travel

What is mental time travel? How can it help you make better decisions? Mental time travel is a decision-making strategy in which you look at the past and imagine the future. It helps you learn from your experiences and keep your vision in mind. Ultimately, it guides you to make better decisions. Continue reading to learn how to leverage mental time travel.

When God Seems Distant: The 4 Ways to Reconnect

What do you do when God seems distant? How can you feel his presence again? When you experience difficult circumstances, you may feel that God has abandoned or forgotten you in some way. Bringing him pleasure will likely be the last thing on your mind. However, it’s vital to continue your worship in the hard moments when God seems distant—because this is when God is testing your character most. Read more to learn four things you can do when God seems distant.

Bible Scriptures to Help You Overcome Complacency

What is said about complacency in the bible? How can you manage complacency? In her book Get Out of Your Head, Jennie Allen argues that complacency leads to a useless and ultimately soul-killing life of self-indulgence and mediocrity. Here are some key complacency bible scriptures and some tips for managing complacency. Keep reading for examples of complacency in the bible.

Humble Yourself Before God: How to Practice Humility

Why should you humble yourself before God? Why is humility so important? Rampant in 21st-century consumer culture, self-importance is the idea that you’re awesome, and even more: that fixating on your own awesomeness is a great thing. To combat this, it’s important to humble yourself before God. Humility involves having a proper estimation of yourself through recognizing that God is awesome and that your calling on earth is to serve other people. Keep reading to find out how to humble yourself before God—and why you should.

The Role of Extrinsic Rewards in Motivation

What role do rewards play in motivation? Have you ever done something purely for fun, then started getting paid for it? How did getting paid change how you felt about the work, and how motivated you were? According to Daniel H. Pink, the author of Drive, rewards—specifically, extrinsic rewards—are only effective when the job is low-skill, routine and, monotone. However, when the job requires creativity and intelligence, extrinsic rewards actually diminish motivation and performance. In this article, you’ll learn about the psychology behind rewards and motivation. Specifically, we’ll discuss why extrinsic rewards are ineffective in motivating performance in the long-term.

Memory Hooks: The Blue-Eyes Brown-Eyes Exercise

What was the blue-eyes brown-eyes exercise? What can it teach us about memory hooks? School teacher Jane Elliott’s blue-eyes brown-eyes exercise in 1968 taught her students about discrimination. That lesson is still powerful to this day. It also teaches us how to use memory hooks to create a message that sticks with people. Read more to learn about memory hooks and the blue-eyes brown-eyes exercise.