{"id":140049,"date":"2025-01-20T14:08:28","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T18:08:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=140049"},"modified":"2025-01-21T15:01:05","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T19:01:05","slug":"power-of-desire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Desire: It Pushes You Toward Joy & Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What drives you<\/a> to chase your dreams and pursue personal growth<\/a>? How can you tell if you’re following your true desires<\/a> or someone else’s expectations?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In The Desire Map<\/em>, Danielle LaPorte explores the power of desire as a guiding force in our lives. She reveals how our deepest desires can lead us toward genuine fulfillment, while also warning about the pitfalls of pursuing shallow wants or others’ expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get ready to discover how your feelings can be your most trusted compass in making life-changing decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Power of Desire<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

LaPorte begins by saying that desire <\/em>is a powerful force that drives you toward personal discovery, growth, and achievement. This is because it pushes you to figure out how to get what will make you happy.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you desire the security of a well-paying job, you\u2019ll be driven to work hard and master a lucrative skill set. Alternatively, if you desire the joy of being in a relationship with a certain person, you\u2019ll naturally try to learn about that person\u2019s interests and work to connect with them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Neurochemistry can help explain the power of desire as a motivator. In The Molecule of More<\/em><\/a>, Lieberman and Long explain that desire is sustained by a chemical called dopamine<\/a>. Your brain releases dopamine when you make progress toward goals that are important to you. That dopamine release creates intense feelings of pleasure, which motivates you to keep working toward your goals in order to recapture that dopamine high<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll explain how the power of desire can guide you to long-term fulfillment and happiness. We\u2019ll also discuss how peer pressure, and your own preconceived ideas, can drive you to chase things you don\u2019t actually desire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why You Should Trust Your Feelings<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Many people believe that logic is the best basis for decisions because it\u2019s based on objective truths, while emotions are subjective. However, LaPorte says that your feelings, particularly the feeling of desire, are important supplements to logic in the decision-making<\/a> process. This is because desire acts as an internal compass, leading you toward things that will make you happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The author clarifies that this internal compass works only with deep-seated, consistent desires.<\/strong> For example, many people have a deep-seated, consistent desire to feel useful, like they\u2019re doing important work and making a positive impact on the world. If you come home from work every day with that sought-after sense of usefulness and importance, then your feelings are saying that your job is a good fit for you. If you don\u2019t <\/em>feel fulfilled by your job, your internal compass will point you elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notably, says LaPorte, deep-seated, consistent desires are different from shallow wants that change day by day<\/strong>. Pursuing those shallow whims will only leave you frustrated and dissatisfied<\/strong> because you\u2019ll keep getting things you think you want, only to find that you never really desired those things at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continuing the example, suppose you see that a leadership position has opened up at your workplace. You would most likely feel a strong urge to apply for that higher position\u2014perhaps because it pays more or is more illustrious than your current role. Imagine that upon getting the promotion, you find that you\u2019re only happy for a short time, and management work doesn\u2019t provide the sense of satisfaction you had before in a more hands-on role. Now, your feelings are telling you that you gave up the job you truly desired for a new position that you thought <\/em>you desired but is less suitable to your personal goals and interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unpleasant Feelings Are Also Important Guides<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Just as positive feelings help guide you toward what you truly want, says LaPorte, negative feelings tell you that what you\u2019re doing isn\u2019t aligned with who you are<\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people view negative feelings like sadness or frustration as problems to be solved. They might run from such feelings by immersing themselves in a hobby, suppressing them with alcohol or other drugs, or simply ignoring them and pretending they don\u2019t exist. However, LaPorte argues that feeling bad isn\u2019t a problem in and of itself. Instead, it\u2019s a sign that there\u2019s some deeper problem with your life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that said, remember that your surface-level emotions will shift with your circumstances, and only the feelings that remain steady over time will guide you accurately.<\/strong> So, for example, feeling frustrated after a difficult shift at work isn\u2019t necessarily a warning that you\u2019re in the wrong job\u2014it could just mean that you had a bad day. On the other hand, if you find yourself going to the bar every day after work to forget about how much you hate your job<\/a>, that\u2019s a clear sign that something needs to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peer Pressure and Your Assumptions Will Mislead You<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Following your desires can lead you to long-term happiness and life satisfaction, but LaPorte cautions you to first make sure that they\u2019re really your <\/em>desires. This warning is needed because many people find themselves pursuing goals<\/a> that others have chosen for them.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, someone might follow their parents\u2019 wishes by becoming a doctor, then feel unhappy in that role. This person is dissatisfied because they devoted their life to fulfilling someone else\u2019s <\/em>desire. LaPorte offers some guidance on how to make sure that you\u2019re really pursuing your own desires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your own assumptions and expectations about your desires can also cloud your judgment, says LaPorte. <\/strong>These preconceived notions may <\/strong>lead you to chase things you don’t genuinely want or dismiss opportunities for real fulfillment. <\/strong>For example, you might know that you desire a career offering both creativity and stability, but you expect it to take the form of a high-powered business leadership role. Then you discover a love for, say, event planning\u2014it fulfills your desires, but it isn\u2019t the prestigious corporate role you imagined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this example, your preconceived ideas of what will make you happy (a high-paying, high-profile job) are at odds with the feelings telling you that event planning makes you genuinely happy. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, LaPorte urges you to dismiss your previous assumptions and, as the saying goes, \u201cfollow your heart.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What drives you to chase your dreams and pursue personal growth? How can you tell if you’re following your true desires or someone else’s expectations? In The Desire Map, Danielle LaPorte explores the power of desire as a guiding force in our lives. She reveals how our deepest desires can lead us toward genuine fulfillment, while also warning about the pitfalls of pursuing shallow wants or others’ expectations. Get ready to discover how your feelings can be your most trusted compass in making life-changing decisions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":140056,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,9],"tags":[1726],"class_list":["post-140049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motivation","category-psychology","tag-the-desire-map","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Power of Desire: It Pushes You Toward Joy & Growth - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Desire is a powerful force that helps you figure out how to get what will make you happy. Get Danielle LaPorte's advice on harnessing desire.\" \/>\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\/power-of-desire\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Power of Desire: It Pushes You Toward Joy & Growth\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Desire is a powerful force that helps you figure out how to get what will make you happy. Get Danielle LaPorte's advice on harnessing desire.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-01-20T18:08:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-21T19:01:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/smiling-gray-haired-older-woman.jpg\" \/>\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\/jpeg\" \/>\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=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Elizabeth Whitworth\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2928cf6c11a69ced1491d6a5b74fb13\"},\"headline\":\"The Power of Desire: It Pushes You Toward Joy & Growth\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-20T18:08:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-21T19:01:05+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/\"},\"wordCount\":1064,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/smiling-gray-haired-older-woman.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"The Desire Map\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Motivation\",\"Psychology\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/\",\"name\":\"The Power of Desire: It Pushes You Toward Joy & Growth - Shortform Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/smiling-gray-haired-older-woman.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-20T18:08:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-21T19:01:05+00:00\",\"description\":\"Desire is a powerful force that helps you figure out how to get what will make you happy. Get Danielle LaPorte's advice on harnessing desire.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/smiling-gray-haired-older-woman.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/smiling-gray-haired-older-woman.jpg\",\"width\":1344,\"height\":768,\"caption\":\"A smiling gray-haired woman outdoors with trees and grass in the background illustrates the power of desire\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Power of Desire: It Pushes You Toward Joy & Growth\"}]},{\"@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":"The Power of Desire: It Pushes You Toward Joy & Growth - Shortform Books","description":"Desire is a powerful force that helps you figure out how to get what will make you happy. Get Danielle LaPorte's advice on harnessing desire.","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\/power-of-desire\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Power of Desire: It Pushes You Toward Joy & Growth","og_description":"Desire is a powerful force that helps you figure out how to get what will make you happy. Get Danielle LaPorte's advice on harnessing desire.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/","og_site_name":"Shortform Books","article_published_time":"2025-01-20T18:08:28+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-01-21T19:01:05+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1344,"height":768,"url":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/smiling-gray-haired-older-woman.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Elizabeth Whitworth","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Elizabeth Whitworth","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/"},"author":{"name":"Elizabeth Whitworth","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2928cf6c11a69ced1491d6a5b74fb13"},"headline":"The Power of Desire: It Pushes You Toward Joy & Growth","datePublished":"2025-01-20T18:08:28+00:00","dateModified":"2025-01-21T19:01:05+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/"},"wordCount":1064,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/smiling-gray-haired-older-woman.jpg","keywords":["The Desire Map"],"articleSection":["Motivation","Psychology"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/","name":"The Power of Desire: It Pushes You Toward Joy & Growth - Shortform Books","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/smiling-gray-haired-older-woman.jpg","datePublished":"2025-01-20T18:08:28+00:00","dateModified":"2025-01-21T19:01:05+00:00","description":"Desire is a powerful force that helps you figure out how to get what will make you happy. Get Danielle LaPorte's advice on harnessing desire.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/smiling-gray-haired-older-woman.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/smiling-gray-haired-older-woman.jpg","width":1344,"height":768,"caption":"A smiling gray-haired woman outdoors with trees and grass in the background illustrates the power of desire"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/power-of-desire\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Power of Desire: It Pushes You Toward Joy & Growth"}]},{"@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\/2025\/01\/smiling-gray-haired-older-woman.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140049","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=140049"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":140055,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140049\/revisions\/140055"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/140056"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=140049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=140049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=140049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}