Shortform Books

Bill Gates Talks About the Importance of Knowledge in Business

Are you trying to establish credibility in your field? How did Bill Gates do it when he was starting out? Alex Banayan interviewed successful people from a wide range of fields to discover what insights, tricks, and motivations helped them find success. He chose interviewees who started out as unknowns and, thus, lacked credibility. One of these is Bill Gates, who shared how he got people to invest in him. Continue reading to learn what Bill Gates has to say about the importance of knowledge in business, especially as you seek to build credibility.

What Does the Cerebral Cortex Do? Function and Structure

What does the cerebral cortex do? What’s the difference between the cerebral cortex’s functions on the left side and the right side of the brain? Jill Bolte Taylor’s book Whole Brain Living describes four characters that help the brain function. Two of these characters (Characters 1 and 4) make up the cerebral cortex. Discover more about the functions of the cerebral cortex and how it forms your thought processes.

Scaling Strategies: 4 Ways to Help Your Idea or Business Succeed

Have you ever had an idea with the potential to change your organization, your city, or even the world? How can you give it the best chance to succeed? In The Voltage Effect, economist and professor John A. List offers his advice for how to take things from the small scale to the big stage. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an activist, or anyone else with a brilliant idea, you can make use of his scaling strategies. Keep reading to find out how to help your idea succeed over time.

Observational Learning Theory: What It Means for Kids & Parents

What is the observational learning theory? How do children learn from imitating others? The observational learning theory proposes that children (and even adults) can acquire new knowledge simply by watching other people. In The Gardener and the Carpenter, Alison Gopnik explains how you as a parent can adjust your teaching patterns to support this type of learning in your children. Learn more about how children pick things up by observing you, other children, and other adults.

How to Slow Down in Life by Gamifying Patience

Do you feel the need to keep up with everyone else’s fast-paced life? How could you get ahead by actually slowing down? In The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer explains why we rush through life and how such a hurried pace harms us. He provides recommendations on how to slow down in life and, by doing so, get more out of it. Keep reading to learn how to slow down your life and discover the benefits that you’ll reap from a slower pace.

Resisting Capitalism: The Wrong & the Right Ways to Fight Back

Are you feeling burned out? Do you sometimes feel like retreating from the world, either temporarily or permanently? In her book How to Do Nothing, Jenny Odell discusses different ways people try to resist capitalism, particularly the attention economy mindset of placing a monetary value on time and attention. She identifies the methods she believes are flawed and then shares what she thinks is a better way. Read more to learn about the wrong and right ways to resist capitalism and take back control of your life.

How to Overcome Fear in Sports (Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect)

Is your fear controlling you while you golf? How is your fear messing up your game? Many golfers have a fear of failing, which puts them in a bad mental state out on the green. But a part of building confidence as a golfer is learning how to overcome fear. Below we’ll discuss how to overcome common fears in sports, according to Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect by Bob Rotella.

How the Mind-and-Body Connection Affects Your Health

How are the mind and body connected? How do your thoughts influence your cells? While some people believe that your thoughts can’t have a direct effect on your cells’ environment, Bruce Lipton’s book The Biology of Belief says differently. In fact, your mood and stress level can create a harmful environment for your cells, affecting you physically. Let’s dive into this mind-and-body connection, and how it works.

Overcoming Challenges to Success: 3 True Stories of Inspiration

How does Laga Gaga respond to criticism? What does Jane Goodall’s story teach us about the career challenges that women face? Why isn’t Quincy Jones afraid to make mistakes? Alex Banayan interviewed several successful people for his book The Third Door. Many of them told stories of overcoming difficult challenges to success. Lady Gaga, Jane Goodall, and Quincy Jones gave Banayan insights on how to bounce back from setbacks so that you don’t derail your progress. Keep reading to learn how each of these people achieved success despite major challenges.

How to Live Peacefully by Coordinating Your Brain’s Modules

Are you stressed out and in need of a break? How can you live peacefully? There are four “characters” in your brain that work together to bring inner peace to your life. It’s not until you learn how to coordinate all four characters that you’re able to achieve said peace. Let’s dive into how to live peacefully, using Jill Bolte Taylor’s amazing advice from Whole Brain Living.