Shortform Books

How to Have a Happy Life Through Gain-Thinking

What’s Gain-thinking? How can it improve the quality of your life? What harm can come from Gap-thinking? When you compare who you are now to who you want to be, you’re resigning yourself to a life of unhappiness. Your ideal self is constantly changing, making your goals impossible to reach. Instead, you must compare who you are now to who you used to be so that you can see how far you’ve come. This simple shift in thinking makes all the difference in living a happier life. Read more to learn how to have a happy life through Gain-thinking.

How Life Started on Earth: Carl Sagan Explains

Are you wondering how life started on Earth? How could a ball of gas and dust create life as we know it? In his book Cosmos, renowned astronomer Carl Sagan provides a timeline of how life developed on Earth. He also insists that evolution “is a fact, not a theory” because evolution has been observed in real-time. Here’s how humans came to be on Earth.

Elephant Island to South Georgia Island: A Hard Journey

What is it like to sail from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island? How did Ernest Shackleton endure the difficult journey? Alfred Lansing’s book Endurance recounts the survival story of the Endurance crew, who were forced to flee their ship after it sank on the way to Antarctica. A part of their journey was sailing from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island. Learn how the head of the crew, Ernest Shackleton, was able to make the trip that saved everyone’s lives.

Dating Someone With Childhood Trauma: How to Help

Are you dating someone with childhood trauma? How can you help them? Being in a relationship with someone who has childhood trauma isn’t easy. Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt suggest practicing “Parent-Child Dialogue” to help them overcome their trauma. Keep reading to learn how to use Parent-Child Dialogue to help your partner.

Society Dictates What It Means to Be a Woman Today

How much influence does society have over what it means to be a woman today? Does being a woman mean suppressing your true identity? In the book Untamed, speaker, author, and activist Glennon Doyle explores how she freed herself from the strictures of society and embraced her true identity by rejecting the expectations and limitations society imposes on women. Doyle wants her readers to use her story as a framework to examine their lives and deconstruct societal expectations, thereby liberating themselves from the metaphorical captivity that limits their potential. Keep reading to learn what it means to be a woman

Diotima and Socrates: Love as Eros

What does Socrates say about love in Plato’s Symposium? Why does Socrates cite Diotima in his discussion of love? Socrates’s speech mainly consists of him recounting a past conversation he had with a wise woman named Diotima. Diotima, he says, taught him everything he knows about love. Socrates (and perhaps Plato through him) uses Diotima to appeal to the perceived feminine “expertise” in his arguments, scholars suggest. Let’s examine Diotima’s explanation—but keep in mind Socrates is actually the person present and speaking at the party.

Shortform Reads: A Kindle & a Backpack Full of Books

What book guided Filip through a year full of hardships? How do some self-help books rise above all the others? Based in Europe, Filip is a digital illustrator and graphic designer at Shortform. In a recent interview, we learned a bit about Filip’s relationship with books.

What Causes Evil? The 2 Contributing Factors

What causes evil? Why do people carry out evil acts against their own kind? Throughout history, humans have enslaved each other, fought brutal wars, and committed genocide. At the same time, humans committed many great deeds of kindness and compassion. This begs the question: Are humans good or evil by nature? According to historian Rutger Bregman, human nature is peaceful, and we commit evil actions for two main reasons: 1) to protect our in-group, and 2) to contribute to the “greater good.” Let’s consider each argument in more detail.

How to Visualize What You Want (& Achieve It)

How can you use visualization to achieve your goals? How can you tap into your imagination if you’re new to visualization? The social messages that you must accept—and be nothing but grateful for—have diminished your ability to imagine a new reality. According to author Glennon Doyle, embracing your imagination will help you create a better, more vibrant life and teach you how to visualize what you want. Keep reading to learn Doyle’s advice on how to visualize what you want and her steps for achieving your goals.

How to Change Your Behavior: 3 Steps to a New Life

Are you stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts and behaviors? Are you ready to break out of that cycle? In his book Outwitting the Devil, Napoleon Hill explains that we get set in certain behavior patterns. You can break out of a negative pattern and establish a new, positive one. He recommends three steps: set a life goal, choose faith over fear, and never accept less than you deserve. The overarching principle of these steps is to be confident and committed in everything you do. Read more for Hill’s discussion of how to change your behavior.