Content tagged with "self-help"

This might be the perfect self-help book, because it doesn’t really introduce anything new. I mean, think about it, when it comes to habit formation, is there anything new to know? I think behavioral science has got a pretty good handle on why we make and break habits. But, what this book does is…

A pleasant book about overcoming negative self-talk through Christian faith. There’s a lot of evangelism in here, and some of it is repetitive. The book is at its best when it offers a few “lifehack-ish” things you can do to re-direct your thoughts when they turn dark.

My wife bought me this at the Global Leadership Summit. It was one of the top three selling books there . The book is…awful? I almost don’t want to call it that, because I don’t think I was the target audience. I think the target audience is someone who needs spiritual motivation; someone who is…

I feel like an idiot for this one, I really do. I’m very curious. I look up stuff all the time, and I even keep track of it all. So, the title of this book made me thinking it was about…I don’t know what? Research? Learning? Satisfying your curiosity? It’s not. This is a mainstream self-help book….

A book about applying military principles to business. It’s not a bad book, but the hook is clearly the Navy SEAL angle. Every chapter starts with a novel-esque recounting of some warfare scenario in Ramadi, Iraq, then segues into how that applies to business. It’s all very gung ho and ‘MURICA! But,…

It’s ironic that I haven’t written a review for this book yet . This book might have affected my life more than any other. I have recommended it to thousands of people via social media, and dozens of people in multiple countries have told me they read it because I recommended it. I bought a…

I struggled with this book. I didn’t finish it, but I tried. I even tried to go back and read it in pieces. In fact, I kept it on my reading table for a week, picking it up over and over and try and make some sense of it. Here’s a problem – it was written in French and translated. I feel like…

Here’s the basic idea – When we’re young, we have what’s called “fluid intelligence.” We’re energetic, creative, and not weighed down by old thinking and prejudices. But, as we get older, our thinking moves to “crystallized intelligence.” Basically, we get wise. At this point, we have wisdom – lots…

A very mainstream self-help book, with the “hook” that it digs deep into the hormonal science of the brain. It discusses happiness in terms of four chemicals – endorphin, serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine – why they make us happy, and what we can do to maximize their levels. It’s…okay. The book is a…

This is a great book…but there’s no trick. If you pick up this book and think there’s some magic trick, you’re going to be disappointed. This book is about being a better person. Having integrity, thinking of others, becoming a mentor, etc. It makes a pretty good case that’s there’s no shortcut to…

Sometimes I buy books out of pedagogical curiosity – I’m just curious how they might explain their topic. This is one of those books. I’m not rating it, because I could really relate to it because I feel like I can talk to anyone about anything at any time. But it did a good job explaining what it…

A book which makes a wonderful claim: not everything has to be perfect. We spend our lives thinking we need to get everything organized, but this book argues that often, we just…don’t. An early and establishing example from the book – Two people are asked to find a specific playing card from a…

I’ll basically read anything Cal Newport writes. After So Good They Can’t Ignore You and Deep Work, I was just hooked on the dream he offers – deep work, without interruption, toward tangible, consistent results. Mind you, it’s a dream I’ve never quite been able to reach, but I keep reaching for it….

This was recommended by a friend. I assumed it was straightforward self-help, but it’s something very different. It should be classified as “New Age.” There’s a lot in here about “spiritual energy,” which does nothing for me. I was willing to overlook that, but then the author started to make…