The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you strive to fulfill God’s purpose for your life? Why should you? You were created to fulfill God’s purpose for your life. Pastor and author Rick Warren outlines six reasons why you should embrace your reason for being. Keep reading to learn why you should seek to fulfill God’s purpose for your life.
In what ways did Eisenhower repress himself to please others? How did Eisenhower’s self-sacrificing nature eventually win him a seat as President? In his book The Road to Character, David Brooks highlights some historical figures who put “we” before “me” and made sacrifices for the sake of humanity. One of the figures he discusses is Dwight D. Eisenhower. Continue reading to learn about Dwight D. Eisenhower’s accomplishments and life story.
What are alternative futures? Do you consider them when you make decisions? Whenever you make a decision, you’re choosing between alternative futures—outcomes that result from particular decisions. To make better decisions, you should adopt an “alternative futures” mindset. Keep reading to learn about thinking in terms of alternative futures.
What is mental time travel? How can it help you make better decisions? Mental time travel is a decision-making strategy in which you look at the past and imagine the future. It helps you learn from your experiences and keep your vision in mind. Ultimately, it guides you to make better decisions. Continue reading to learn how to leverage mental time travel.
What role do rewards play in motivation? Have you ever done something purely for fun, then started getting paid for it? How did getting paid change how you felt about the work, and how motivated you were? According to Daniel H. Pink, the author of Drive, rewards—specifically, extrinsic rewards—are only effective when the job is low-skill, routine and, monotone. However, when the job requires creativity and intelligence, extrinsic rewards actually diminish motivation and performance. In this article, you’ll learn about the psychology behind rewards and motivation. Specifically, we’ll discuss why extrinsic rewards are ineffective in motivating performance in the long-term.
What is God’s purpose for your life? Why should you embrace it? Understanding and fulfilling God’s purpose for your life is central to your existence. The Purpose Driven Life author Rick Warren shares six reasons why you should embrace God’s purpose. Read on to learn why you should accept God’s purpose for your life.
What is autonomy in the context of motivation? How does autonomous motivation improve performance? Autonomy gives you more internal choice over what to do and how to do it. Autonomous motivation has been associated with: greater conceptual understanding, better grades, job satisfaction, higher productivity, less burnout, faster company growth, and better psychological health. According to Daniel Pink, autonomy is acting with internal choice but it is different from independence. In this article, you’ll learn about the autonomy component of motivation.
What is a Ulysses contract? How can it help you make better decisions? A Ulysses contract is a commitment you make to yourself. It’s a way to use your rational mind now in an effort to override your irrational mind later, when it’s time to make a decision. Keep reading to learn about Ulysses contracts.
What is intrinsic motivation? What are the three elements of intrinsically motivated behavior? As the name suggests, intrinsic motivation is an internal drive to perform a behavior or engage in an activity. According to Daniel H. Pink, the author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, there are three components of intrinsic motivation: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. In the book, he gives a number of tips on how to increase intrinsic motivation. We’ve grouped them into three categories: 1) personal motivation, 2) motivation in the workplace, and 3) motivation with your children.
How did the penguins in Our Iceberg Is Melting recover from failure? What advice do John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber suggest for overcoming setbacks during change? In their fable about leadership and change, John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber discuss how to handle setbacks during the change process in an organization. They talk about the importance of having failure resilience and of empowering employees to boost their morale. Continue reading for advice on how to overcome setbacks during change.