Shortform Books

How to Make a Daily Routine for Yourself (and Stick to It!)

Looking to learn how to make a daily routine for yourself? What strategies do productivity experts suggest? If you want to make the most of your time and be more productive, learning how to make a daily routine for yourself is the first step. Experts agree that learning to prioritize your tasks, protect your focus time, and align your priorities with your values sets the foundation for a fulfilling daily routine. Read on to learn how to make and maintain a daily routine for yourself, according to five expert tips.

Mark Manson’s Everything Is F*cked: Overview & Takeaways

Why are we becoming more and more unhappy despite improved living conditions? Why do we have a mental health crisis? Mark Manson argues that the hope that makes us feel fulfilled inevitably leads us to harm ourselves and others. Thus, to be happy as individuals and thrive as a species, we need to find a source of fulfillment that doesn’t rely on hope for a better future. Keep reading for an overview of Mark Manson’s Everything Is F*cked.

Gamification Rewards: How to Use Them in Business & Marketing

What are gamification rewards? What are the different types? How can you use gamification in your business? According to Yu-kai Chou, gamification rewards can make or break a game, and designing them effectively for your business can be a challenge. In his book Actionable Gamification, he explains that the key to motivating players with rewards is randomness and mystery. Read on to learn how to design the most effective gamification rewards, according to Chou.

Is the Housing Market Crashing? What the Experts Predict

Suburban Flight and The Role of The Government

Is the housing market crashing or is it normalizing? Why do experts offer varied viewpoints on this subject? As the U.S. emerges from the pandemic-fueled housing boom—with high mortgage rates, a potential recession, and now the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank—many are wondering if the housing market is crashing again. As experts offer differing opinions, it can be difficult to determine the market’s future. Read on to discover experts’ viewpoints on the housing market and whether it’s crashing or normalizing.

Understanding the Psychology of the Subconscious Mind

How does your subconscious mind influence your behavior? How can you program your subconscious mind to work in your favor? Your subconscious mind determines your life outcomes in that it attracts experiences that correspond to its contents. For example, if you always think about how lonely you are, you will imprint this sentiment on your subconscious mind, and this will prompt you to act in ways that reinforce your loneliness. Keep reading to learn about the psychology of the subconscious mind and how you can train your subconscious to produce goal-oriented behavior.

What Is the Role of Body Language in Communication?

What role does body language play in communication? How can you get better at decoding people’s body language? Our bodies convey our emotions and intentions far faster and more accurately than our words. We pick up on body language cues instinctively because they have been wired into us over millions of years of evolution. Keep reading to learn about the role of body language in communication.

David Brooks’s The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life

Are you an individualist or a relationalist? What commitments have you made in life? What approach do you take to each one? David Brooks contends that the Western individualist worldview breeds selfishness and deprives your life of greater meaning. Consequently, he argues that you should embrace relationalism—the worldview that prioritizes selflessness and service to others—to lead a deeply fulfilling life. Continue reading for a comprehensive overview of David Brooks’s The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life.

Is the Weather Getting More Extreme? What the Trend Reveals

Is the weather getting more extreme? What’s the actual long-term trend? Former energy industry scientist Steven E. Koonin claims that public misconceptions about human-induced climate change are common. One of these misconceptions is that manmade climate change is causing extreme weather. Let’s take a look at Koonin’s argument and see what the evidence is.

Visualize Success: The 2 Strategies to Achieve Your Goals

Obsession with Success: The Key to Becoming Wealthy

How do you visualize success? What visualization techniques are helpful for achieving difficult goals? When you actually visualize your success, you have a much better chance of believing you can achieve anything. In The Way of the SEAL, Mark Divine offers two visualization techniques that build confidence during the worst of times. Continue reading for the key strategies to visualize success in your future.

What Are the 5 Discovery Skills? (The Innovator’s DNA)

How can the five Discovery Skills make you a disruptive innovator? Is it necessary to master all five? What’s the most important one? Creative thinking is crucial to innovation. The authors of The Innovator’s DNA describe five behaviors and skills—what they call “Discovery Skills”—that are most likely to generate creative ideas. These are associative thinking, questioning, observing, idea networking, and experimenting. Keep reading to learn the five Discovery Skills, a couple of important considerations about them, and tips for practicing each one.