The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you tend to procrastinate until the last minute? How can you prevent procrastination before it takes hold of your mind? The longer you procrastinate on an unpleasant or difficult task, the harder it is to get yourself to do it. That’s why it’s important to counteract procrastination before it has a chance to get started. Here’s how to prevent procrastination before it’s too late.
What does it mean to be a supportive parent? Why is it important to be supportive? How does being a supportive parent benefit children? According to author Alfie Kohn, today’s parenting advice focuses almost exclusively on a punishment-and-reward system of discipline. Not enough attention is paid to learning how to be a supportive parent outside of disciplining kids. Keep reading for Kohn’s advice on being a supportive parent and why it’s so important.
How does overconfidence affect decision-making? What are some ways to mitigate hubris in your decision-making? Our hubris—or overconfidence in decision-making—makes us feel certain in our predictions about a decision’s outcome. If the outcome is different than we predicted, we’re left surprised and unprepared to deal with it. We can overcome our hubris by: 1) accepting that we can’t predict the future, and 2) preparing for a range of possible outcomes. Here are some strategies for overcoming decision-making hubris.
How did Dr. Suzanne Simard overcome gender discrimination in her career? How did her gender slow down her research? Dr. Suzanne Simard (author of Finding the Mother Tree), who grew up in a logging family in British Columbia and earned a Ph.D. in forest sciences in 1997, is a pioneer in the research of the cooperative relationships among plant life. But many of her coworkers and colleagues opposed her research because she’s a woman. Learn how Dr. Suzanne Simard proved her coworkers wrong.
Are you a new parent? What should you know about raising a child for the first time? Parenting can be difficult at times, especially for first-time parents. Luckily, many books provide the best advice for new parents to make sure they’re equipped for the challenges that are coming their way. Read below for essential tips that will make your parenting journey go smoother.
How does Martin Seligman define learned optimism? What is an optimistic mindset? How can you learn to be more optimistic? Psychologist Martin Seligman coined the term “learned optimism” as a way of demonstrating that the traits of an optimistic person can be learned by anyone, even natural pessimists. In his book, Learned Optimism, Seligman explains the concept of learned optimism, including techniques for breaking out of a pessimistic mindset. Read on to learn Seligman’s definition of learned optimism, plus how you can teach yourself optimism.
What does Lisa Feldman Barrett say about emotions? How can it help you better understand your own emotions? According to neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett, emotions don’t simply happen to you, rather they are constructed by you depending on your past experiences. Barrett has spent years studying emotions in the human brain, publishing her book, How Emotions Are Made, to share her findings. Keep reading for Lisa Feldman Barrett’s surprising explanation of how you create your own emotions.
What are some of the best quotes from The Prince? What captures the essence of Machiavelli’s message? In his 16th-century political treatise The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli describes how authoritarian leaders, or “princes,” should rule their states. The Prince is an unapologetic depiction of the “real truth” of politics, where states and leaders are motivated by ambition as much as by their ideals. Keep reading for several quotes from The Prince, along with context and explanation.
What is Siddhartha Mukherjee’s The Gene: An Intimate History about? What have we learned about genetics? The book The Gene: An Intimate History explores scientists’ efforts to learn about people by studying the genes that create us. The book traces the history of genetics from Darwin’s Origin of Species to modern gene sequencing technology, as well as taking a brief look at what genetic engineering might mean for humanity’s future. Here’s a brief overview of The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee.
What are good work habits? Do you want to develop a strong work ethic? Exhibiting good work habits not only makes you stand out to managers or other employees, but it can help you achieve your work goals. These work habits can cater to anybody—whether you want to run your own business, want to get solo projects done, or want to get a raise. Here are some great work habits to develop so you can have a successful career.