Shortform Books

Living a Goal-Oriented Life: The Benefits of Goal Setting

Do you set goals for yourself? How far into the future do you aim? How can the act of goal setting help you improve and move forward in your life? There are three main benefits to setting goals. First of all, setting goals for your life encourages you to develop new skills. Secondly, it pushes you to get out of your comfort zone. And thirdly, it helps you to generally grow as a person. Read more about the benefits of goal setting, how to outline and write your goals, and how to increase the likelihood of achieving them.

The Charlottesville “Unite the Right” Rally

What happened during the 2017 Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally? How did this rally mark a cultural shift? In 2017, the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally marked a cultural shift because it was the largest public gathering of white supremacists in decades. Many believe this was partly inspired by the election of Donald Trump and was a prelude to the 2021 Capitol attack. Continue reading to learn what happened before, during, and after the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally, and what it means for the resurgence of racial bias.

Racial Categorization: People Aren’t Categories

What does “racial categorization” mean? Is it possible to fight the brain’s urge to categorize? What methods can you use to stop stereotypes from forming? Racial categorization is when you see a person of another race as a representative of that race, rather than as an individual. This inclination to categorize people comes from the brain’s need to sort information. However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to fight this urge to form stereotypes. Here is the psychology behind racial categorization and how to prevent it.

Modern Sales: The Actionables for Success

What are the three core components of modern sales? Why should you upserve rather than upsell? According to Daniel Pink in To Sell Is Human, the three components of modern sales are the pitch, the ability to improvise, and serving others. In addition, Pink says that you must always be in the mindset of “What can I do for others?” rather than “What can others do for me?”. Continue on for Daniel Pink’s modern sales tips.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Fatima

Who was Fatima in Behind the Beautiful Forevers? What was Fatima’s role in the story and why did Fatima set herself on fire? Fatima in Behind the Beautiful Forevers was a mentally unstable woman who was mocked by the residents of Annawadi because of her deformed leg. In the book, Fatima set herself on fire to get back at the Husain family because they ignored her complaints about noise caused by the family’s renovations. Read on to discover how the actions of Fatima in Behind the Beautiful Forevers altered the lives of the Husain family.

A Business Growth Plan: 3 Keys to Next-Level Success

Is your business up and running, but you wonder how to keep it going strong? Are you ready for a business growth plan to take your company to the next level? In The E-Myth Revisited, Michael E. Gerber shares three elements of an effective business growth plan for ongoing success. It involves three activities: innovation, measurement of results, and execution. In the book, he explains why this process is critical to realizing the American small business dream. Keep reading to learn about the three key pieces of a successful business growth plan.

Climate Change Science: The Early History

What is the early history of climate change science? What role did doubt-mongering play? Addressing climate change involves regulating energy use, the keystone of economic activity. This has made it a target of doubt-mongering—an attempt to discredit the science behind it. Historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway discuss the early debate about climate change science in their book Merchants of Doubt. Read more to learn about early climate change science and the merchants of doubt.

The Power of Your Words: Why the Truth Matters

Are you careful with your words? What do you think your life would be like if you always told the truth? Your words—spoken and unspoken—have a powerful effect on you and those around you, yet you don’t often think about this power. Being honest and telling the truth can be difficult. You might worry about being judged, feeling uncomfortable, or facing someone’s anger. But telling the truth is an important part of being an authentic person. Lying requires energy, and when you don’t do it, you can put that energy toward becoming your best self instead. Keep reading to learn

How to Tap Into Your Intuition: 3 Proven Techniques

What do you do when confronted with a major life challenge? Do you seek help from external sources (e.g. consult friends and family)? Or are you the kind of person who relies solely on internal input? When confronted with a challenge, many people know how to seek outside help. But few know how to access their inner wisdom or intuition. You can learn how to tap into your intuition to help you make decisions. In this article, you’ll learn how to tap into your intuition.

Anthropogenic Global Warming: Science and Doubts

What is the truth about anthropogenic global warming? Is global warming caused by humans? These questions have been part of the climate change debate, especially since the 1992 Rio Conference. Some people and organizations see their agenda or ideology at risk, so they seek to discredit science that points to climate change—and anthropogenic global warming in particular. Historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway discuss this in their book Merchants of Doubt. Read more to learn about the debate surrounding the issue of anthropogenic global warming.