Shortform Books

The Bigger Leaner Stronger Workout: Get Strong & Healthy Fast

What’s the most significant driver of muscle growth? How often should you strength train? How can you make sure you cover all of the major muscle groups? Michael Matthews promotes progressive tension overload—a workout approach that maximizes muscle growth. In his book Bigger Leaner Stronger, he teaches you how to apply this technique to your personal fitness goals and get strong and healthy fast. Continue reading to understand the principles of the Bigger Leaner Stronger workout and to learn how to create a plan for yourself.

The Downside of Empathy: 5 Ways It Harms More Than Helps

When is kindness not in harmony with morality? Why is empathy unsustainable? Yale psychologist Paul Bloom makes a case against empathy—specifically, emotional empathy. He argues that emotional empathy reinforces our biases, motivates actions that are kind but morally wrong, prioritizes individuals over groups, wears us out, and even motivates violence. Continue reading to learn about the downside of empathy.

What Is an LBO? The Takeover of a Company, Explained

What is an LBO? Are LBOs considered hostile in the business industry? A leveraged buyout (LBO) is when a group of executives makes a company private by buying all of the company’s stock. There’s still much debate on whether a leveraged buy-out is considered a hostile takeover of a company. Read more about LBOs, according to Barbarians at the Gate by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar.

Jim Simons and Mathematics: A Passion-Turned-Career

Where did Jim Simons’s love for mathematics come from? How did he turn his childhood passion into a groundbreaking career? For Jim Simons, mathematics is everything. According to The Man Who Solved the Market by Gregory Zuckerman, Simons thought equations and theorems would be the answer to the universe’s biggest mysteries. Keep reading to learn more about Simons’s passion for mathematics.

Black Monday: The Stock Market Crash That Shook the World

What was the Black Monday stock market crash? How did the market suffer from this day? In Liar’s Poker, Michael Lewis writes about the day the financial world felt a shock unmatched since the Great Depression. On Monday, October 19, 1987, the global stock market crashed, wiping out trillions of dollars in investments. Learn more about Black Monday and how the investment bank Salomon Brothers and Lewis attempted to recover from the crash.

How to Use Empathetic Parenting to Meet 3 Big Challenges

Do your children ever throw tantrums? Do they fight with each other? Are they scared or anxious sometimes? Dr. Becky Kennedy discusses the importance of empathy in parenting in her book Good Inside. She identifies common parenting challenges and explains how you can use empathy as a tool to deal with tantrums, sibling rivalry, and kids who are fearful, anxious, or crying. Keep reading to understand the power of empathetic parenting and how you can use this practical tool with your children.

How to Get Your Kids to Listen: 3 Tools to Elicit Cooperation

Do your kids ignore you when you tell them to do something? Do they talk back or attempt to negotiate? Clinical psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy is also a mother of three, so she knows the struggle. She recommends using connection, validation, and playfulness to make your interactions less confrontational and more effective. Continue reading to learn how to get your kids to listen with these three tools.

How to Practice Intentional Focus: Choosing to Stay on Task

Do you struggle to stay on task? How much more could you get done if you stayed focused? Focus doesn’t just happen; it’s a result of a decision you make. Manage Your Day-to-Day provides advice on practicing intentional focus, including setting up the right environment, handling internal discomforts to minimize distractions, focusing for longer periods of time, and embracing boredom. Read more to learn about these practical tips from Dan Ariely, Chris Bailey, Nir Eyal, Cal Newport, and Leo Babauta.

4 Tiers of Managerial Goals: From To-Dos to the Ultimate Vision

Do you set goals for your team members? Do you help them set and reach their own objectives? Regardless of your managerial level, you have a duty to help your team set and reach their own goals as well as contribute to the overall objectives of your organization. In When They Win, You Win, Russ Laraway outlines four tiers of managerial goals and shares two ways to measure your effectiveness. Keep reading to learn how you can help your team set and reach goals that benefit the organization as a whole.

Fitness Discipline: 3 Ways to Boost Willpower & Stay on Track

How can you neutralize the urgency of temptations? What are some ways you can minimize distractions while you exercise? Even if you’re motivated to get and stay fit and have an excellent plan to do it, temptations can creep in and get you off track. Michael Matthews, a certified personal trainer and the founder of Legion Athletics, shares three tips to help you build up your willpower while you build up your body. Keep reading for this practical advice that will improve your fitness discipline.