The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you often write for business? What are some things to keep in mind when writing a professional e-mail, memo, or report? If you want to improve your business writing skills, the number one thing to keep in mind is simplicity. And don’t be afraid to add some personality rather than sounding like a robot. Here are some tips on how to improve your business writing.
How do you continue training with an injury? How can you use your injury as an opportunity to grow? Skipping training to let your body heal from an injury is frustrating. While many choose to see injuries as setbacks, you can choose to see them as opportunities to grow. American tai chi champion Josh Waitzkin says you should keep training through injury but only practice psychological aspects of your skill. Here’s why you shouldn’t stop training when injured.
Do you want to improve your writing skills? What does taste have to do with writing? In his book On Writing Well, American writer, journalist, and teacher William Zinsser explains how to improve your writing. The key, he says, is to develop a taste for good writing. Zinsser believes that you should choose authors whose style you admire, then try to emulate their style until you develop your own voice. Here’s why developing good taste is the first step to improving your writing.
Do sex and gender affect the way we think? Is there evidence of differences in male and female brain structures? While most of the cognitive differences between male and female brains are shaped by social expectations, there are some differences that molecular biologist Dr. John Medina suspects have a profound impact on behavior. Medina posits that the male and female brains react differently to a number of situations. Here are the physical and psychological differences in male and female brains.
What are the top quotes from Brief Answers to the Big Questions? What did Hawking have to say about some of humanity’s biggest questions? In Brief Answers to the Big Questions, prominent astrophysicist Stephen Hawking discusses science, philosophy, human destiny, and how they relate to each other. Writing at the end of his career, Hawking offers his readers some final words of wisdom on the issues he considers most important. Below are the top Brief Answers to the Big Questions quotes—with explanations.
What is the chunking study method? What makes chunking such an effective way to learn? In the context of learning, chunking is where you learn the basic elements of a skill, then combine them into compound skills. Learning via chunking enables you to perform more complex skills with intuitive ease, executing multiple elements in tandem. Learn about the chunking learning method, why it works, and how to implement it.
What exactly is cluttered writing? How does unnecessary wordiness compromise your writing? In his book On Writing Well, William Zinsser points out five common types of clutter: wordy phrases, euphemisms, adverbs, too many adjectives, and qualifiers. By reducing or eliminating these types of clutter in your writing, you will write more clearly and communicate your point more effectively. Let’s look at a few common types of cluttered writing and how to avoid them.
What ideas are found in the book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success? What are some of its most thought-provoking quotes? Many people measure success in terms of how much they achieve or accumulate. According to best-selling author and world-renowned well-being practitioner Deepak Chopra, this definition of success limits you and keeps you trapped in a cycle of achievement and accumulation that creates more anxiety than success. Keep reading for The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success quotes.
Who was Sun Tzu, and why is he important? What was Sun Tzu’s military philosophy? Sun Tzu is an influential figure in ancient Chinese history. Sun Tzu’s book The Art of War, written over two thousand years ago, remains an iconic text on military strategy and conflict resolution. Sun Tzu’s principles guide you through the steps required to become a competent leader and fighter. They also teach you how to determine victory, when to engage in combat, and when to use intelligence and intimidation to dissolve conflict without confrontation. The following are some historical examples that augment Sun Tzu’s principles
How often have you or your organization come up with an amazing plan, showed it off, admired it, been sure that it’s the solution to all your problems—only to have it die a slow death over the following months? In hindsight, what do you think prevented you from putting your plan into motion? In their book The 4 Disciplines of Execution, Chris McChesney, Jim Huling, and Sean Covey say this isn’t uncommon, because strategy (making the perfect plan) is much easier than execution (actually carrying out your plan). McChesney, Huling, and Covey’s system—or 4 Disciplines—addresses this challenge with a framework