Shortform Books

How Former Malaysian PM Najib’s 1MDB Scandal Fell Apart

How did former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib’s 1MDB scandal fall apart? What did he do once the scandal was exposed? Billion Dollar Whale describes the shocking story of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s involvement in the 1MDB scandal and how it all fell apart. Authors Tom Wright and Bradley Hope unravel the exploits of Jho Low and his relationship with Najib as they stole from Malaysia’s sovereign funds. Read on to learn how Najib’s 1MDB scandal fall apart, according to Wright and Hope.

Matthew Perry: Family, Parents, and Feeling Alone

Who were Matthew Perry’s parents? Was his family supportive of his acting career? Matthew Perry’s family is detailed to a great extent in the author’s memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. However, Perry doesn’t have the fondest memories of growing up as an only child of divorced parents. Keep reading to learn about Matthew Perry’s family troubles growing up.

Importance of Good Friends: 4 Reasons Friendship Matters

What is the importance of good friends? What aspects of life depend on friendship? Friendships allow us to be with like-minded people who help us grow. Outside of sharing interests, friendships can benefit other areas of our lives, such as our romantic relationships and self-esteem. Let’s break down the importance of good friends by looking at four reasons why they matter in your personal life.

How to Be Flexible in Life and Adjust Your Focus

Do you have trouble coping in uncomfortable situations? How can you be flexible in life to shift your mindset? Having a positive mindset requires learning to “zoom in and out” every once in a while. This means broadening or narrowing your focus depending on the situation at hand. Here’s how to be flexible in life by adjusting your focus to what’s important.

The Feeling of Longing: Why We Pine for More

What causes the feeling of longing? Why do some of us long for something more in life? According to award-winning author Susan Cain, the feeling of longing for something more is a common experience for people with a bittersweet disposition. From a desire for belonging to a yearning for a better world, Cain explores the complexities of different kinds of longing in her book Bittersweet. Read on to learn more about where our feelings of longing come from, according to Cain.

How to Concentrate Better: 6 Tips for Restoring Your Focus

Want to learn how to concentrate better? What do experts recommend when it comes to restoring concentration? If you find yourself easily distracted and unable to focus, then learning how to concentrate better is essential for achieving your goals, but this can often lead to frustration. Rather than trying to concentrate all the time, experts recommend that you learn ways to refocus yourself to avoid attention fatigue. Read on to learn how to concentrate better by restoring your focus, according to six expert tips.

5 Principles to Help You Make the Most of Your Time

Do you feel like you’re not making the most of your time in the day? How can you channel your time more effectively? Time is the most important resource you have. If you don’t use your time intentionally, it will fly by without you noticing. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your time both in your personal and professional life.

Vocation vs. Career: A Difference in Purposes & Rewards

What’s the difference between a vocation and a career? Which do you have? David Brooks tackles the “vocation vs. career” question by asking it in the context of two different approaches to life: individualism and relationalism. He connects careers to individualism and vocations to relationalism. Continue reading to understand how vocations and careers reflect different purposes and, thus, garner different rewards.

The Law of Success: Quotes by Napoleon Hill

Are you looking for The Law of Success quotes by Napoleon Hill? What are some of the key passages worth revisiting? In his book The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons, Napoleon Hill argues that the key to success lies in your subconscious mind. Therefore, to achieve success in anything, you have to retrain your subconscious mind to work in your favor. Below is a selection of passages with explanations.

Experimentation and Innovation: How Testing Unlocks the Future

What’s the relationship between experimentation and innovation? Why is it useful to take things apart? How can you figure out what will work in the future? In The Innovator’s DNA, Hal Gregersen, Jeff Dyer, and Clayton Christensen describe five behaviors and skills—what they call Discovery Skills—that are most likely to generate creative ideas. One of these is experimentation. Read more to understand how experimentation in business is critical for innovation and to learn four ways to experiment with new ideas.