Shortform Books

The Daily Laws: Robert Greene’s 366 Meditations (Overview)

As an adult, how do you approach learning? How well can you read people? Do you know how to lower someone’s guard? In The Daily Laws, Robert Greene contends that we are steeped in false beliefs and that they direct our lives. His book provides a lesson for each day of the year on how to be more in tune with reality and, thus, find more fulfillment. Continue reading for an overview of The Daily Laws by Robert Greene, a bestselling author and an expert on power.

Linking Industrialization and Climate Change: Cause or Cure?

Should we slow the global efforts of industrialization or accelerate them? Which is better for the planet, including humans? Climate alarmists would have us believe that industrialization is to blame for the planet’s impending doom. Michael Shellenberger urges us to look at the connection between industrialization and climate change from a curative perspective rather than a causal one. Keep reading to see why Shellenberger believes that the solution to our climate problems relies on the industrialization of developing countries.

The Evolution of Communication Throughout Time

Is language biological or learned? What factors crucially impacted the evolution of communication? Language connects people all around the world. Without it, humans wouldn’t get far in life because they wouldn’t be able to communicate with each other. Yet, we’ve managed to go from using language purely as a survival tool to forming relationships with online friends. Let’s dive into the evolution of communication to see how far we’ve come.

Quick Tips for Delegating: Unloading the Necessary But Trivial

Do you have too much to do? What’s the best way to go about getting help with tasks? You’re busy doing big, important stuff. A certain category of tasks keeps getting in your way: necessary but unimportant. The lawn needs mowing, but you’re too busy making a living. This is where task delegation might be the right solution for you. Keep reading for a few tips for delegating that will help you focus on what matters most to you.

Mental Health and Leadership: The Link You Wouldn’t Expect

What’s the connection between mental health and leadership? How does mental illness affect management skills? Many of us consider good mental health to be an important quality for leaders. However, in A First-Rate Madness, psychiatrist Nassir Ghaemi argues that mental illness can make leaders better fit to lead during a crisis. Let’s break down why Ghaemi believes good leadership depends on the state of your mental health.

How to Help Teens With Depression: A Multilevel Approach

Wondering how to help teens with depression? What can parents do to help? What about schools or society at large? Depression among teenagers has been on the rise in the last decade, with over 40% of high school students reporting feelings of sadness and hopelessness. By understanding the causes and implementing targeted interventions, we can help teens with depression and build a brighter future. Read on to learn how to help teens with depression, based on three coordinated approaches.

How Negative Thought Loops Run Your Life

How do your thoughts influence your life outcomes? What can you do to stop negative thoughts from running your life? According to Joe Dispenza, the author of Becoming Supernatural, your life experiences are the result of feedback loops between your thoughts and emotions. A negative thought generates a negative emotion, kicking off a vicious cycle of negative thought loops which perpetuate themselves indefinitely. Here’s how your thought-feeling loops create your reality, according to Dispenza.

Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson (Overview)

Have you ever had a sudden burst of inspiration that led you to a new solution to a problem? Do you ever marvel at seemingly impossible modern inventions like the internet? If so, you might wonder how individuals come up with such incredible innovations and how they develop them over time. In Where Good Ideas Come From, Steven Johnson explains that good ideas and novel innovations are largely the result of social collaboration. Continue reading for an overview of this fascinating book.

The 2 Types of Product Innovation: Which One Is Right for Your Business?

What is product innovation? What are the two types of product innovation you should practice when creating products? In Ten Types of Innovation, Larry Keeley and his co-authors identify only two types of innovation directly related to your product or service. These include innovations related to your core product and innovations related to how it fits into a larger system of products. Keep reading to learn more about the types of product-related innovations.

Triggers: Book Overview and Key Takeaways

What is Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter’s book Triggers about? What’s the key message to take away from the book? In their book Triggers, executive coach Marshall Goldsmith and co-author Mark Reiter examine how triggers derail our efforts to behave in our best interests. They explain how you can become aware of your triggers, define the goals that will best serve you, and do the hard work of changing your behavior. Below is a brief overview of Triggers by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter.