{"id":135911,"date":"2024-11-20T16:54:38","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T20:54:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=135911"},"modified":"2024-11-22T16:55:51","modified_gmt":"2024-11-22T20:55:51","slug":"focus-on-the-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/","title":{"rendered":"Focus on the Process, Not the Results (Chop Wood Carry Water)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What makes the difference between achieving your goals<\/a> and falling short? How can you stay motivated<\/a> when progress feels slow or uncertain?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lesson of Joshua Medcalf’s Chop Wood Carry Water<\/em> is that the path to success<\/a> isn’t just about reaching the finish line\u2014it’s about embracing every step along the way. When you focus on the process instead of fixating on results, you’ll maintain momentum<\/a> and find joy<\/a> in your daily efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to explore three practical methods that will transform how you approach your goals and help you create lasting success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Focus on the Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Medcalf recommends that you focus on the process of achieving your goals rather than fixate solely on the results. This approach helps you maintain motivation<\/a>, develop essential skills, and find fulfillment in your daily efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: James Clear (Atomic Habits<\/em><\/a>) clarifies how focusing on the process maintains motivation. He distinguishes among three types of habits<\/a>: 1) Goal-driven habits<\/a>, which focus on achieving specific outcomes (like acing a test); 2) system-driven habits<\/a>, which focus on routines (like studying regularly); and 3) identity-driven habits<\/a>, which are rooted in self-perception<\/a> (like being a good student). Clear notes that goal-driven habits are limited in scope\u2014for example, once you ace the test, you lose motivation to continue studying. System-driven habits, on the other hand, put processes in place that indefinitely produce the outcomes you want; this helps you consistently do your work, regardless of your motivation level.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s explore the three methods Medcalf offers for embracing the journey toward your goals: committing to daily practice, being patient, and viewing challenges as opportunities<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Method 1) Commit to Daily Practice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First, Medcalf says you should perform seemingly small and mundane goal-related tasks with consistency and care.<\/strong> Medcalf explains that adopting a daily, process-oriented approach will, over time, help you develop the skills, habits, and traits required to achieve your goals<\/a>. Additionally, it will deepen your engagement with your work, allowing you to find meaning and satisfaction in routine tasks<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you\u2019re a software developer, instead of fixating on creating a billion-dollar app, commit to honing your coding skills and contributing to open-source projects. Though these fundamentals are less glamorous, immersing yourself in them will build your expertise, create opportunities, and help you cultivate a genuine passion for your craft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Kotler (The Art of Impossible<\/em><\/a>) clarifies how adopting a daily, process-oriented approach amplifies your abilities and makes routine tasks feel more satisfying. He explains that each time you complete a task<\/a>, you trigger a dopamine spike that increases your motivation and concentration. This neurochemical reward makes you want<\/em> to tackle increasingly challenging tasks. Thus, consistent daily practice creates a positive feedback loop<\/a> that makes it both easy and pleasurable to gain momentum toward achieving your goal.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Method 2) Be Patient<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Next, understand that meaningful progress requires <\/strong>consistent<\/em><\/strong> effort and patience.<\/strong> Medcalf explains that improvement often takes the shape of plateaus followed by sudden breakthroughs. Recognizing this pattern helps you stay motivated during periods of apparent stagnation and encourages a more strategic approach to your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, say you\u2019re learning a new language. Instead of expecting overnight fluency, know that daily practice and cultural immersion will eventually allow you to hold a full conversation. With this awareness, you\u2019ll find it easier to appreciate small wins, like understanding a new phrase, even when your speaking skills seem to plateau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plateaus: Causes and Solutions<\/strong>

Experts agree that plateaus are a natural part of learning. They suggest that plateaus result from eight different problems<\/a>, each with its own solution.

1. You become desensitized to things that once worked well. Combat this by introducing different approaches and methods to shake up your routines.

2. You choose immediate benefits over long-term ones. Overcome this by extending your planning horizon and focusing on bigger future gains.

3. You work hard at ineffective moments and waste effort. Instead, learn to use strategic periods of rest as part of the process.

4. Your resources fail in multiple ways\u2014through depletion, costly jumps in needs, bottlenecks, or unforeseen obstacles. Address these by finding ways to replenish resources, sharing costs with partners, working around limitations, and recognizing that you can\u2019t account for everything perfectly.

5. You make decisions based on flawed information. Instead, take time to seek the objective truth that lies beneath your assumptions about how things work.

6. You lose effectiveness by trying to multitask. To overcome this, actively engage with one task at a time and adapt to shifts in priorities.

7. You don\u2019t see gradual decline until it\u2019s too late. Rather than wait for failure, set clear benchmarks\u00a0 that help you assess your progress and identify problems before they become serious.

8. You get stuck trying to achieve perfection. To keep moving forward, focus on taking first steps toward your goals<\/a>, and learn to accept \u201cgood enough\u201d results.

This list suggests that to manage the obstacles holding you back<\/a> and make meaningful progress, you need not only consistent effort and patience but also proactive adaptability.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Method 3) View Challenges as Opportunities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Finally, reframe obstacles and setbacks as chances to learn and improve.<\/strong> Even with a positive attitude, you\u2019ll inevitably face challenges as you work toward your goals. During these times, Medcalf recommends looking for ways to grow from the experience. This will shift your focus from frustration to problem-solving, allowing you to adapt and make the best of the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you\u2019re a researcher facing a failed experiment, rather than seeing it as a waste of time or a reflection of your abilities, analyze what went wrong and use your insights to refine your methodology and improve the overall quality of your research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Tony Robbins (Awaken the Giant Within<\/em><\/a>) suggests a practical way to reframe setbacks as opportunities to learn and improve: Ask yourself empowering questions<\/a>.\u00a0 For example, if you\u2019re facing a failed experiment, ask yourself, \u201cWhat can I learn from this result?\u201d or \u201cHow can I use this experience to improve my research methods?\u201d Empowering questions encourage your mind to effortlessly come up with proactive and positive solutions that help you make progress.)\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise: Embrace the Process of Growth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Medcalf emphasizes that authentic success comes from embracing the process of growth rather than fixating on end results. In this exercise, we\u2019ll explore how you can apply his strategies to feel more fulfilled as you work toward achieving your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Reflect on one of Medcalf\u2019s methods for cultivating a positive attitude<\/a> (manage your thoughts, recognize your worth, define your priorities, or build a supportive network). How might applying this method change your approach to one of your current goals?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Pick a goal you\u2019re currently working toward and consider how you might commit to a daily practice that supports it. Be specific about what small, consistent actions you can take.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Recall a recent setback or challenge you faced while pursuing this goal. How might you reframe this situation as an opportunity for growth?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Based on Medcalf\u2019s strategies, what\u2019s one concrete change you plan to make in how you approach your goals or daily life? How do you think this change will impact your journey toward success and fulfillment?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    What makes the difference between achieving your goals and falling short? How can you stay motivated when progress feels slow or uncertain? The lesson of Joshua Medcalf’s Chop Wood Carry Water is that the path to success isn’t just about reaching the finish line\u2014it’s about embracing every step along the way. When you focus on the process instead of fixating on results, you’ll maintain momentum and find joy in your daily efforts. Read on to explore three practical methods that will transform how you approach your goals and help you create lasting success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":135918,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,43],"tags":[1670],"class_list":["post-135911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motivation","category-self-improvement","tag-chop-wood-carry-water","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nFocus on the Process, Not the Results (Chop Wood Carry Water) - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The lesson of Joshua Medcalf's Chop Wood Carry Water is that you should focus on the process instead of fixating on results. Take a look.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Focus on the Process, Not the Results (Chop Wood Carry Water)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The lesson of Joshua Medcalf's Chop Wood Carry Water is that you should focus on the process instead of fixating on results. Take a look.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-11-20T20:54:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-11-22T20:55:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/man-looking-down-and-hiking-up-mountain.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1344\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Elizabeth Whitworth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Elizabeth Whitworth\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Elizabeth Whitworth\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2928cf6c11a69ced1491d6a5b74fb13\"},\"headline\":\"Focus on the Process, Not the Results (Chop Wood Carry Water)\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-11-20T20:54:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-11-22T20:55:51+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/\"},\"wordCount\":1207,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/man-looking-down-and-hiking-up-mountain.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"Chop Wood Carry Water\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Motivation\",\"Self-Improvement\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/\",\"name\":\"Focus on the Process, Not the Results (Chop Wood Carry Water) - Shortform Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/man-looking-down-and-hiking-up-mountain.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-11-20T20:54:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-11-22T20:55:51+00:00\",\"description\":\"The lesson of Joshua Medcalf's Chop Wood Carry Water is that you should focus on the process instead of fixating on results. Take a look.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/man-looking-down-and-hiking-up-mountain.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/man-looking-down-and-hiking-up-mountain.webp\",\"width\":1344,\"height\":768,\"caption\":\"A man hiking up a mountain, seen in profile, who is looking down at his feet illustrates a focus on the process\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Focus on the Process, Not the Results (Chop Wood Carry Water)\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"description\":\"The World's Best Book Summaries\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":74,\"caption\":\"Shortform Books\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2928cf6c11a69ced1491d6a5b74fb13\",\"name\":\"Elizabeth Whitworth\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1fff9d65a52ac4340660218e7b63ee5e365cf08e7aa7adff79a0142cd4b96f84?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1fff9d65a52ac4340660218e7b63ee5e365cf08e7aa7adff79a0142cd4b96f84?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Elizabeth Whitworth\"},\"description\":\"Elizabeth has a lifelong love of books. She devours nonfiction, especially in the areas of history, theology, and philosophy. A switch to audiobooks has kindled her enjoyment of well-narrated fiction, particularly Victorian and early 20th-century works. She appreciates idea-driven books\u2014and a classic murder mystery now and then. Elizabeth has a Substack and is writing a book about what the Bible says about death and hell.\",\"sameAs\":[\"rina@shortform.com\"],\"award\":[\"Contributions to joint task force efforts (FBI)\",\"Contributions to Special Operations Division (DOJ & DEA)\",\"Efforts to fight the war on drugs (NSA)\",\"Contributions to Operation Storm Front (US Customs Service)\"],\"knowsAbout\":[\"History\",\"Theology\",\"Government\"],\"jobTitle\":\"Senior SEO Writer\",\"worksFor\":\"Shortform\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/elizabeth\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Focus on the Process, Not the Results (Chop Wood Carry Water) - Shortform Books","description":"The lesson of Joshua Medcalf's Chop Wood Carry Water is that you should focus on the process instead of fixating on results. Take a look.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Focus on the Process, Not the Results (Chop Wood Carry Water)","og_description":"The lesson of Joshua Medcalf's Chop Wood Carry Water is that you should focus on the process instead of fixating on results. Take a look.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/","og_site_name":"Shortform Books","article_published_time":"2024-11-20T20:54:38+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-11-22T20:55:51+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1344,"height":768,"url":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/man-looking-down-and-hiking-up-mountain.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Elizabeth Whitworth","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Elizabeth Whitworth","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/"},"author":{"name":"Elizabeth Whitworth","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2928cf6c11a69ced1491d6a5b74fb13"},"headline":"Focus on the Process, Not the Results (Chop Wood Carry Water)","datePublished":"2024-11-20T20:54:38+00:00","dateModified":"2024-11-22T20:55:51+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/"},"wordCount":1207,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/man-looking-down-and-hiking-up-mountain.webp","keywords":["Chop Wood Carry Water"],"articleSection":["Motivation","Self-Improvement"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/","name":"Focus on the Process, Not the Results (Chop Wood Carry Water) - Shortform Books","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/man-looking-down-and-hiking-up-mountain.webp","datePublished":"2024-11-20T20:54:38+00:00","dateModified":"2024-11-22T20:55:51+00:00","description":"The lesson of Joshua Medcalf's Chop Wood Carry Water is that you should focus on the process instead of fixating on results. Take a look.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/man-looking-down-and-hiking-up-mountain.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/man-looking-down-and-hiking-up-mountain.webp","width":1344,"height":768,"caption":"A man hiking up a mountain, seen in profile, who is looking down at his feet illustrates a focus on the process"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-the-process\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Focus on the Process, Not the Results (Chop Wood Carry Water)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","name":"Shortform Books","description":"The World's Best Book Summaries","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Shortform Books","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","width":500,"height":74,"caption":"Shortform Books"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2928cf6c11a69ced1491d6a5b74fb13","name":"Elizabeth Whitworth","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1fff9d65a52ac4340660218e7b63ee5e365cf08e7aa7adff79a0142cd4b96f84?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1fff9d65a52ac4340660218e7b63ee5e365cf08e7aa7adff79a0142cd4b96f84?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Elizabeth Whitworth"},"description":"Elizabeth has a lifelong love of books. She devours nonfiction, especially in the areas of history, theology, and philosophy. A switch to audiobooks has kindled her enjoyment of well-narrated fiction, particularly Victorian and early 20th-century works. She appreciates idea-driven books\u2014and a classic murder mystery now and then. Elizabeth has a Substack and is writing a book about what the Bible says about death and hell.","sameAs":["rina@shortform.com"],"award":["Contributions to joint task force efforts (FBI)","Contributions to Special Operations Division (DOJ & DEA)","Efforts to fight the war on drugs (NSA)","Contributions to Operation Storm Front (US Customs Service)"],"knowsAbout":["History","Theology","Government"],"jobTitle":"Senior SEO Writer","worksFor":"Shortform","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/elizabeth\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/man-looking-down-and-hiking-up-mountain.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135911"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135911\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":135917,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135911\/revisions\/135917"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}