Shortform Books

A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel

How to Invest Wisely in the Stock Market

What can you learn from A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel? What are some of the best investment tactics? A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel is designed as an accessible guide to financial markets for the individual investor. The book covers everything from buying life insurance to pricing commodities to understanding credit default swaps. But, for the most part, Malkiel’s focus is on common stocks—shares in individual firms—and the stock market. Keep reading for an overview of A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel.

Science and Faith: Why All the Tension?

Why does there seem to be tension between science and faith? Why are so many scientists atheists? In The Road Less Traveled, Dr. M. Scott Peck touches on the tension between science and faith. He shares two reasons why many scientists reject evidence of God, and he asserts that theists dismiss the legitimacy of science. Keep reading to learn Dr. M. Scott Peck’s view on the perceived discord between science and faith.

The Myth of Self-Sacrificing Love: What’s the Truth?

Is self-sacrificing love genuine? Where can it lead? In The Road Less Traveled, psychiatrist M. Scott Peck asserts that self-sacrificing love is a myth. It’s not genuine love. If you believe it is, you are likely to end up with two destructive results: social sadomasochism and destructive nurturing. Read more to learn about this view of self-sacrificing love.

How to Have an Effective Strategic Discussion

What is a strategic discussion? How do you create the right environment for strategic discussions? A strategic discussion is an interchange of ideas with the goal of gaining insights that will help a company progress towards its objectives. The best environment for strategic discussions is one that is interactive and includes very few people in the room. Read on to learn more about how to conduct an effective strategic discussion.

Deliberative and Reflexive Thinking: A Balancing Act

How can we keep reflexive thinking from causing us to make irrational decisions? What can poker teach us about this? Deliberative thinking involves logic and careful consideration. On the other hand, reflexive thinking leads us to act quickly and instinctively. Because reflexive thinking drives most of our decisions, we have to figure out how to keep it in check. Poker teaches us how. Keep reading to learn about reflexive thinking in regard to decision-making.

Gratitude in the Bible: Recommended Readings

How to Use the Law of Gratitude to Attract Wealth

Why is it important to be grateful? What are some examples of gratitude in the bible? Remaining grateful no matter what life throws at you is one of the hardest—and most rewarding—things you can do. Use our recommended readings about gratitude in the bible to inspire a feeling of thankfulness despite life’s difficulties. Keep reading for some powerful examples of gratitude in the bible.

Daniel Pink: How Purpose Drives Behavior

What is purpose in the context of motivation? How does having purpose motivate behavior? According to Daniel Pink, purpose is the third pillar of his Motivation 3.0 framework. In the context of motivation, purpose is a deep, underlying reason why you perform a behavior or engage in an activity. A particularly common and especially motivating purpose is helping other people. In this article, we’ll consider the role of purpose in motivating behavior.

The 5 Common Fears That Come With Leadership

What do leaders fear the most? What are their top insecurities? Leaders may seem invincible but they are also prone to fears and insecurities. In their book The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, leadership experts Alexander Grashow, Marty Linsky, and Ronald Heifetz point out five main fears that come with leadership: 1) disappointing people, 2) incompetence, 3) hard decisions, 4) failure, and 5) exhaustion. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the five toughest leadership fears.

Economic Inflation and Deflation: What’s the Difference?

What is the difference between inflation and deflation? Can inflation and deflation be happening simultaneously? What is the problem with having extreme inflation or deflation? In the most simplistic terms, inflation is the general increase in prices, while deflation is the overall decrease. Inflation and deflation can happen simultaneously in different classes. Both are problematic for an economy when taken to their extremes. Keep reading to learn about the difference between inflation and deflation and why either is economically problematic.

How to Avoid Paying Taxes in College and Retirement

Mastering Investments and Taxes To Build Wealth

Do you want to know how to avoid paying taxes? What methods can stop you from paying unnecessary taxes on investments like pensions and college tuition? With the surfeit of tax-advantaged retirement plans and investment alternatives on offer, there is simply no good reason you should pay taxes on investment earnings for retirement or expenses like college tuition. Understanding how to avoid paying taxes in certain areas will inevitably save you money. Keep reading for tips about how to avoid paying taxes on certain investments.