Shortform Books

Understand Probability and Randomness to Make Better Decisions

Are you superstitious at all? Can you tell when data is meaningful and when it’s just random? According to Steven Pinker, an important aspect of rationality is getting a good handle on probability and randomness in order to make more accurate assessments and, in turn, better decisions. He looks at two ways that people misunderstand probability and shares a handy tool to counter these flaws in thinking. Keep reading to get a better grasp on how probability works and how randomness comes into play.

How to Control Your Fears and Get Out of Your Own Way

Are your fears getting in the way of you living up to your fullest potential? How can you take control of your fears? According to Existential Kink by Carolyn Elliott, fear and desire cannot exist without each other. But, in order to accept and manifest desires, you must confront what you’re afraid of. Keep reading to learn how to control your fears.

How Can a Business Be Socially Responsible?

What does it mean to have social responsibility? How can a business be socially responsible? Servant Leadership by Robert K. Greenleaf believes that servant leaders will ensure that the businesses they belong to fulfill their social responsibility. They’ll do this by changing these businesses from the inside out with a clear vision of a better path forward. If you’re a leader who wants to avoid business failures by being socially responsible, keep reading.

The 2 Essential Elements of an Authentic Leadership Style

What’s the importance of an authentic leadership style? What makes a leader true to themselves in the workplace? Being an authentic leader involves expressing your true thoughts and feelings, addressing problems honestly and directly with the people involved, and upholding your commitments. According to The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, these are all actions that improve team cohesion and reduce the likelihood of interpersonal conflict. Discover how to sustain an authentic leadership style that everyone will look up to.

5 Time to Think Quotes: Nancy Kline’s Key Insights (+ Context)

What surprising insight did Nancy Kline find during her research on students? How does listening to someone help them think? What and how we think determines everything we do. Nancy Kline asserts that the quality of our thinking is determined by how well we listen to each other. She shares a six-step process for listening to someone to help them engage in higher-quality thinking, resulting in great ideas that lead to powerful action. Read more for five Time to Think quotes that will give you a taste of the book’s concepts.

Against Empathy by Paul Bloom: Book Overview & Takeaways

Are you for or against empathy? Why would anyone ever be against it? Is there such a thing as too much empathy? In Against Empathy, Paul Bloom argues that we rely too heavily on our emotions—especially empathy—to guide our judgments, decisions, and behavior. He suggests that our empathic responses to other people can lead us away from the morally good and right course of action. Continue reading for an overview of this contrarian book.

Liar’s Poker: Book Overview (Michael Lewis)

What is Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis about? How did the Salomon Brothers fall from grace on Wall Street? The cynical view of the financial world says that Wall Street is run by a special breed of traders who exploit investors’ collective fear and greed to enrich themselves. In Liar’s Poker, Michael Lewis backs up this opinion with a first-hand account of the pursuit of ill-gotten riches at the Salomon Brothers investment firm during the 1980s. Read below for a brief Liar’s Poker book overview.

Hooked on Devices: 4 Ways the Overuse of Technology Harms Us

How often do device notifications interrupt you? Do you know how technology messes with your physiology? In today’s fast-paced world, our lives increasingly revolve around productivity, efficiency, and work. It’s normal for people to answer emails during dinner and pack their days with as many tasks as possible. In Do Nothing, Celeste Headlee says the obsession with productivity has led to technology addiction. Read more to learn how our work-obsessed culture has led to an unhealthful overuse of technology.

Cognitive Empathy vs. Emotional Empathy (Paul Bloom)

What’s the difference between understanding someone’s emotions and actually feeling their emotions? Why is it important to make this distinction? In his contrarian book Against Empathy, psychologist Paul Bloom differentiates between two types of empathy that equip us with distinct ways of caring about other people: cognitive empathy and emotional empathy. This distinction is critical for his argument against empathy. Read more to learn about cognitive empathy vs. emotional empathy.

How to Manifest Your Desires: 4 Existential Kink Practices

Do negative patterns and habits have control of your life? How should you manifest your desires? Some desires are difficult to accept, especially if there’s a stigma around them. But, Carolyn Elliott’s book Existential Kink says that you should consciously enjoy them to regain agency in your life. Continue reading to learn how to manifest your desires.