Shortform Books

Why Do You Need a Will? The Wealthy Barber Explains

Why do you need a will? What would happen to your assets if you don’t have one? An important part of sound personal finances is protecting yourself and your family. If you don’t have a will, all of your financial planning and success could be lost after you’re gone. David Chilton, in his book The Wealthy Barber, strongly advises that you have a will in order to leave a strong financial legacy and protect your family. Read more to learn why it’s important to have a will.

Symposium: Plato’s Quotes on Love

Are you looking for Symposium Plato’s quotes? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? Plato’s Symposium tells the story of a group of Athenian men at a party all giving speeches in praise of love. Their speeches and discussions quickly lead them to try and answer the question, “What is love?” Plato explores this question through the different characters in attendance, and in the process explains the connection between love and philosophy. Below is a selection of quotes from Plato’s Symposium.

How to Understand Human Behavior Through Systems

Would you like to know how to understand human behavior better? Do you want to change your own behavior? A lot of the ideas in The Great Mental Models Volume 3 are concerned with understanding behavior. In fact, when the authors talk about systems, they are most interested in how systems explain behavior. In particular, they discuss what feedback loops and algorithms tell us. Let’s look at how systems shape our behaviors and explore some factors to keep in mind if the goal is behavior change.

How to Structure a Presentation in 6 Simple Steps

What’s the best way to organize a presentation? Should you deliver your point at the beginning or at the end? If your presentation doesn’t follow a clear structure, your point will likely get lost in the ramble. According to communication expert Jay Sullivan, the author of Simply Said, your should organize your presentation into six parts: 1) opener, 2) conclusion (yes, the conclusion comes second), 3) your premise (what’s in it for them?), 4) supporting evidence (why should they believe you?), 5) recap, and 6) action steps. Here’s how to structure a presentation to make sure your message gets across.

Evolution of Ideas: How Learning Mimics Evolution

How does learning mimic evolution? How do ideas evolve? Theoretical physicist David Deutsch rejects the idea that humanity will someday know everything there is to know. He also believes that like genes, ideas reproduce and are extremely hard to change. Here’s why the evolution of ideas is very similar to genes, according to Deutsch’s book The Beginning of Infinity.

The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan: Overview

What does Carl Sagan mean when he says that the world is “demon-haunted”? What does he recommend as a solution to this problem? Renowned astronomer and science popularizer Carl Sagan believes the world is in a precarious position. Science has taught us a great deal about the world and brought about many beneficial changes to humanity, yet we still cling to unscientific beliefs and ideas at an alarming level. Sagan argues that, as we advance into the 21st century and beyond, our collective ignorance of scientific methods, values, and thinking may be catastrophic to us and the world we live

The Difference Between Internal and External Motivation

What’s the primary source of your motivation? Is your reference point yourself or others? The book The Gap and The Gain lays out the difference between Gap- and Gain- thinking, which are two ways to measure your progress and success in life. One feature that distinguishes these two mindsets is the source of your motivation. Gap-thinking is associated with external motivation (relying on standards set by others), while Gain-thinking involves internal motivation (relying on standards set by you). Continue reading to understand the difference between internal and external motivation and what impact they each have on your happiness.

Stranded at Sea: The Endurance Crew’s Survival Story

How did the Endurance crew survive at sea? How did they get stranded at sea in the first place? Alfred Lansing’s book Endurance tells the story of how Ernest Shackleton kept his crew alive after their expedition to Antarctica went horribly wrong. When their ship sank and their camps became inhospitable, they rowed to land. Keep reading to learn how the Endurance crew survived at sea.

Why Changes in Relationships Are Completely Healthy

Have you hit a rough patch in your relationship? How can making changes mend your relationship? In Getting the Love You Want, Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt suggest that you and your partner need to make changes to fulfill your needs. These changes are important for personal growth. Here’s how to effectively make changes in relationships so you and your partner can be happier.

Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership: In Turbulent Times

What is Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership: In Turbulent Times about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In Leadership: In Turbulent Times, Doris Kearns Goodwin describes the personal crises of four U.S. presidents—Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), and Lyndon B. Johnson. Specifically, she discusses how these experiences affected their leadership through four different national crises: the Civil War, the coal strike of 1902, the Great Depression, and the civil rights movement. Below is a brief overview of Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin.