The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you have a vision for the future? Do you make present-day decisions based on how you think you’ll feel later? Social psychologist Daniel Gilbert explains in his book Stumbling on Happiness that, when you make life choices based on how you assume you’ll feel in the future, you tend to make poor choices. Your first mistake is assuming that you’ll feel the same in the future as you do now. Here’s why people tend to make choices they regret in the future.
When you think about your future, do you assume that you’ll want lots of variety in life? Does variety make you happier? According to social psychologist Daniel Gilbert, variety is actually the opposite of what most people want. But many people fail to recognize that fact and end up forcing variety into their lives, ultimately making themselves unhappy. Here’s why you need less variety in life than you think.
Why do they say “trust your gut”? How do you know when your gut is right? Gut decisions can be advantageous in some circumstances, but they can lead you astray in others. Malcolm Gladwell suggests that you can make better instinctive decisions by providing the unconscious mind with structure. This involves rehearsing your desired spontaneous responses and developing rules that you can fall back on in times of stress. Here’s how you can “train your gut” to make better decisions, according to Gladwell.
Why do people tend to make such bad comparisons in life? How can those bad comparisons affect your future? Humans don’t have a great track record for making good choices and comparisons. This is especially prevalent when we make comparisons to the past and present when making big decisions for the future. Learn why your bad comparisons may be making you unhappy.
Do you avoid making risky decisions in life? Are you afraid of living with regret? As it turns out, people often assume that they’ll regret making risky decisions when, in reality, they have more regret when they don’t make those decisions. What you think is the “safe option” is probably the choice that’s going to make you the least happy. Here’s why you should take risks in your life if you want to be happy.
Is trusting your gut ever a good idea? Under what circumstances does trusting your instincts make sense? There is indeed some truth to the “trust your gut” adage: intuitive, snap decisions are advantageous in some circumstances. But they can also lead to disaster in others. Here’s why following your instincts is a double-edged sword.
Can you hate your job and still be happy? Why do so many people continue working unfulfilling, soul-sucking jobs, not even trying to escape? Considering you spend a third of your life working, that might be a tall order. Working an unfulfilling job day in and day out is soul-sucking, yet many people won’t even try to escape because they conceive of their work as something they have to endure. Here’s how this line of thinking—that work is something you have to endure—erodes your happiness.
Are you looking for The Happiness Equation quotes by Neil Pasricha? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? Happiness has many benefits—it positively impacts your attitude, your chances of success, and the circumstances that play out in your life. Despite knowing this, many people find it difficult to feel consistently happy. In The Happiness Equation, best-selling author Neil Pasricha claims you can overcome this difficulty by training yourself to feel happier. He explores common obstacles to happiness and provides solutions that help boost your enthusiasm for life. Below is a selection of passages with explanations.
Does God have a plan for your life? What’s the connection between a fulfilled life and obedience to God? You probably have a plan for your life. God, too, has a plan. That’s the view of Christian author Joyce Meyer, who argues that God’s plan is supreme and that you should choose to follow God’s will if you want to live a truly fulfilled life. Read more to learn about Meyer’s view on following God’s plan for your life.
Are you looking for Steal Like an Artist quotes from Austin Kleon? How can these quotes help you create better art? In Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon (a self-described “writer who draws”) shares his tips for maximizing your creativity, finding inspiration, breaking out of a creative rut, and connecting with other people doing exciting work. His advice applies to anyone who uses creative thinking in their work, not just to artists in the traditional sense. Here are the top Steal Like an Artist quotes with explanations.