Shortform Books

Does Technical Analysis Work? Here’s Why It Doesn’t

What is the best method for predicting the movement of stock prices? Does technical analysis work? Technical analysis uses the past movements of stock prices to predict future prices. For example, if a stock has risen over the course of a day or several days, a technical analysis will show confidence in the stock. Technical analysts argue that stock prices tend to follow trends, meaning they can sometimes be susceptible to the irrational optimism of other investors. Does technical analysis work? Find out below.

Questions in Sales: What to Ask Your Sales Prospects

What questions should you ask in sales? What is the point of asking questions in sales? There are two goals when questioning your prospects: determining their interest in your products, and learning about their problems and concerns. Each goal requires asking different questions. Keep reading for Jordan Belfort’s advice on what questions you should ask a prospect and why.

The 5 Elements of the Strategic Choice Cascade

What is the strategic choice cascade from Playing to Win? How can you apply the strategic choice cascade? The strategic choice cascade sets out five key questions that companies must answer before they can effectively make the right strategic choices. The answers to these questions will help companies develop winning strategies. You can only apply the cascade effectively when you make each strategic choice with the goal of winning and not simply competing. Read on to learn more about the key elements of the strategic choice cascade.

Acceptance of Reality Is a Key to Mental Health

How is acceptance of reality related to mental wellness? What if you have a distorted perception of reality? You live according to what you believe to be true. If you have a distorted perception of truth, you live out of sync with reality. According to psychiatrist M. Scott Peck, living according to a belief system that doesn’t align with reality is the basis of most mental illnesses. That’s why acceptance of reality is so important. Continue reading to learn how acceptance of reality is a key to mental health.

Patrick Lencioni’s Fable About The Ideal Team Player

What are the three virtues of Patrick Lencioni’s ideal team player? How does cultivating these qualities in your employees help you level up their performance? In his book The Ideal Team Player, Patrick Lencioni explains how to spot, hire, and coach a model team player—someone who is humble, hungry, and smart. Through the fictional story of a man who takes over his uncle’s troubled construction company, he explains how these three simple qualities combined can transform any organization. Here goes the fable of Patrick Lencioni’s ideal team player model.

Advantages of Laughing, Singing, and Dancing

What are the advantages of laughing, singing, and dancing? Can engaging in these playful activities actually impact your mental and physical health? Brené Brown’s last step for living Wholeheartedly is to engage in laughter, singing, and dancing—and for a good reason. Studies show that there are many health benefits of engaging in this behavior including strengthening your immune system, reducing depression, increasing fitness, and more. Keep reading to learn about the various advantages of laughing, singing, and dancing and how to overcome the problem of self-consciousness.

Practical Value in Marketing: Useful Products Sell

What is practical value in marketing? How can you effectively provide value for your customers? A key aspect of contagious products and ideas is that they are useful to the customer. You can add practical value to your product or idea by creating an amazing discount, or by providing useful information for your customers once they’ve brought your product. Keep reading for more about practical value in marketing.

The Factors That Cause Salary Inequality

Why do some people earn more than others? What factors determine a person’s pay? Labor—people’s time, energy, knowledge, and skills—is a scarce resource. Just like any other resource, pricing labor allocates scarce resources that have alternative uses. For example, paying engineers higher salaries than artists shifts people’s time toward engineering, where their output to society may be larger. In this article, we’ll discuss what determines a person’s pay and why salary inequality is the case.

How to Implement Change in an Organization

How can you successfully implement change in an organization? What is the key to enacting change that sticks? In their book Switch, Chip and Dan Heath dive into the inner workings of change, offering actionable advice for creating changes that not only succeed but stick. They share four ways to implement change in an organization, while also providing keys to change in general. In this article, we’ll take a look at four practical ways to implement change in an organization: insider advice, emotional appeals, progress acknowledgement, and praise.

Why Fad Diets Don’t Work and What to Do Instead

What’s all the backlash against fad diets? Why do most people gain the weight back after losing it on a fad diet? If you tried a fad diet and lost weight but you either gained it back or found it too hard to maintain, you’re not alone. Fad diets don’t work in the long term for these four reasons: they rely on the user losing water weight, you get bored of eating the same foods, your food choices are too limited, or you don’t feel satisfied with the foods you’re eating. Here is why fad diets don’t work and what