Shortform Books

What Is the Eat the Frog Technique?

What is the Eat the Frog technique from Brian Tracy’s Eat That Frog? How can learning this technique help you manage your time better? Eat That Frog is based on Mark Twain’s metaphor for getting hard things done: if you have to eat a live frog, do it right away and everything after that will be easier by comparison. Brian Tracy used that metaphor to create the Eat the Frog technique in his time management book. Keep reading to learn about the Eat the Frog technique.

Failure Makes You Stronger: Learn From Your Mistakes

How does failure make you stronger? How did Navy SEAL Admiral McRaven break free of his cycle of failure to become successful? In McRaven’s book, Make Your Bed, he describes two events that took place while he was in the SEALs that solidified the belief that failure makes you stronger. Thanks to those lessons, he was eventually able to prove himself as a strong SEAL leader. Keep reading to learn about McRaven’s journey and how failure makes you stronger.

How to Stop Bad Habits in Just 3 Simple Steps

Do you want to know how to stop bad habits? How can you use the habit loop to break bad habits? Thee habit loop is the system of cues and rewards that help us form habits. You’ll need to understand the habit loop in order to learn how to stop bad habits, too. Keep reading to learn how to stop bad habits.

How to Complete Daunting Tasks: One Step at a Time

How does taking work one step at a time help you complete daunting tasks? Why does a productive workday start with a clean workspace? The best way to overcome procrastination and make a big job doable is by breaking it into smaller steps and focusing on one step at a time. To make it easier to get focused and keep going on an important task, make sure you start with an organized and clean workspace. Keep reading to learn how you can accomplish daunting tasks by taking them one step at a time.

Anne Frank: Diary Entries Show Her Life in Hiding

When did Anne Frank’s diary entries begin? What were the main themes in her writing? Anne Frank’s diary entries began in 1942 when her parents gifted her a diary on her thirteenth birthday. She loved the gift and began confiding it immediately, writing about her life in hiding and her musings on love, identity, and sexuality. Keep reading for the summary of Anne Frank’s diary entries.

Difficult Conversations: Quotes to Ponder and Reflect on

Are you looking for Difficult Conversations quotes? What can these quotes teach you about conflict resolution? Difficult Conversations was written by members of the Harvard Negotiation Project, whose goal is to establish and circulate conflict resolution strategies. The following Difficult Conversation quotes highlight some of the key conflict resolution themes discussed in the book including blaming, intentionality, and listening. Keep reading for Difficult Conversation quotes and their meaning.

The Top 2 Examples of Willpower and What They Mean

What are some examples of willpower? How does willpower work? These examples of willpower can help you contextualize how willpower works. They also show how it’s possible to train yourself to have more willpower, and why it’s necessary. Keep reading for two key examples of willpower.

Trump and the Wollman Rink: Persistence Pays Off

What was Donald Trump’s Wollman rink project? How long did it take and what made it a success? Donald Trump’s Wollman rink deal dates back to the 1980s. It was by far one of his most successful projects. It was finished in just four months—two months ahead of schedule—and more than $750,000 under the projected costs. Read about Donald Trump’s Wollman Rink deal.

Company Vision: Your Business’s Guiding Star

What is a company vision? How do you define and communicate it across all of your business functions? A company vision consists of the values, beliefs, and principles that guide the business towards its ultimate purpose. Most business owners have a clear idea of what they want their company to become, but the problem is that oftentimes others in the organization don’t see it. Here is how to create your company vision and make sure it is understood and internalized across all of your business functions.

Lori Gottlieb on Her Illness: Untangling the Soul

What was Lori Gottlieb’s illness? Does Lori ever get a diagnosis of her symptoms? Lori Gottlieb’s mysterious illness opens up a whole pandora’s box of her deeper psychological concerns. In discussing her symptoms with Wendell, she realizes that what she is really afraid of is uncertainty. Since she doesn’t know her diagnosis, she doesn’t know how it will impact her life going forward. Read about Lori Gottlieb’s illness.