This book by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson delves into the psychological mechanisms behind self-justification, using anecdotal, historical, and scientific evidence. It explains how cognitive dissonance leads people to create fictions that absolve them of responsibility, restoring their belief in their own morality and intelligence. The authors discuss various examples, including political decisions, marital conflicts, and medical errors, to illustrate how self-justification can lead to harmful consequences. The updated edition includes new examples and an extended discussion on how to live with dissonance, learn from it, and potentially forgive oneself.
In 'The Culture Code', Daniel Coyle delves into the secrets of highly successful groups by examining some of the world’s most effective organizations, such as the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team Six, Pixar, and the San Antonio Spurs. Coyle identifies three universal skills that generate cohesion and cooperation: building safety through belonging cues, sharing vulnerability to foster trust, and establishing purpose through clear narratives. The book combines leading-edge science, real-world examples, and practical strategies to help leaders and teams create an environment where innovation thrives, problems are solved, and expectations are exceeded.
In 'The 4-Hour Workweek', Timothy Ferriss presents a step-by-step guide to 'lifestyle design', encouraging readers to question the traditional notion of retirement and instead create a lifestyle that prioritizes freedom, adventure, and personal growth. The book teaches how to outsource life tasks, automate income, and eliminate unnecessary work using principles like the 80/20 rule and Parkinson’s Law. Ferriss shares his personal journey from a corporate workaholic to a location-independent entrepreneur and provides practical tips and case studies to help readers achieve similar results. The book emphasizes the importance of focusing on high-value activities, taking 'mini-retirements', and living life to the fullest in the present rather than deferring enjoyment until retirement.
In 'Quiet', Susan Cain presents a comprehensive argument that modern Western culture misunderstands and undervalues the traits and capabilities of introverted people. She charts the rise of the 'Extrovert Ideal' and explores how it permeates various aspects of society, including workplaces, schools, and social interactions. Cain draws on research from biology, psychology, neuroscience, and evolution to demonstrate that introversion is common, normal, and valuable. The book offers advice for introverts on functioning in an extrovert-dominated culture and advocates for changes to support and recognize the contributions of introverts. It also distinguishes between introversion, shyness, and anti-social behavior, and highlights the unique strengths of introverts, such as deep thinking, persistence, and excellent negotiation skills.
In 'Switch', Chip and Dan Heath explore why making lasting changes is difficult due to the conflict between the rational mind and the emotional mind. They present a framework for successful change by uniting these two minds, drawing on decades of research in psychology, sociology, and other fields. The book provides compelling examples of how everyday people have achieved dramatic results by following this pattern, whether in personal, organizational, or societal contexts.
In 'The 4-Hour Chef', Tim Ferriss uses cooking as a vehicle to teach 'meta-learning', a step-by-step process for mastering any skill quickly. The book is divided into five sections: Meta-Learning, The Domestic, The Wild, The Scientist, and The Professional. It includes tips and stories from world-class chefs, athletes, and other experts, and focuses on overcoming common obstacles in learning and cooking. The book aims to make readers self-sufficient in the kitchen and in life, applying principles of failure points and margin of safety to ensure success.
In 'The Paradox of Choice,' Barry Schwartz argues that the abundance of choices in modern Western society, while seemingly beneficial, can actually be detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. He explains how the explosion in choices, from mundane decisions like buying jeans to profound challenges like balancing career and family, has paradoxically become a problem rather than a solution. Schwartz synthesizes current research in social sciences to make the counterintuitive case that eliminating choices can reduce stress, anxiety, and busyness. He offers practical steps to limit choices, focus on important ones, and derive greater satisfaction from decision-making. The book also introduces the concepts of 'maximizers' and 'satisficers,' highlighting the differences in their decision-making processes and outcomes.
Option B is a book that delves into the themes of grief, loss, and resilience. It begins with Sheryl Sandberg's personal account of her husband's sudden death and her journey through acute grief and isolation. The book extends beyond her personal story to explore how various individuals have overcome different types of hardships, including illness, job loss, sexual assault, and natural disasters. It offers practical advice and research-based strategies for creating resilient families, communities, and workplaces. The authors emphasize the importance of processing feelings, avoiding self-blame, and finding small victories to rebuild emotional equanimity[2][3][4].
Power Moves by Sarah Jakes Roberts is a guide to help readers live life authentically and tap into their most powerful version. The book emphasizes the importance of humility, honesty, and continuous growth, and provides actionable steps to confront and overcome struggles. It helps readers give language to their changing needs, acknowledge and applaud their growth, refuse to bear the weight alone, and release their power. The book encourages readers to determine their truth without judgment and to live out the truth of who God says they are with confidence.
In 'Give and Take', Adam Grant examines the surprising forces that shape success, highlighting the differences between givers, matchers, and takers. Givers contribute to others without expecting anything in return, matchers aim to trade evenly, and takers strive to get as much as possible from others. Grant uses cutting-edge evidence and captivating stories to show how these styles impact success across various industries. The book emphasizes the benefits and challenges of adopting a giver mentality and provides practical advice on how to build successful relationships and achieve extraordinary results.
In 'Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World', Adam Grant delves into the creative process and the mindset of individuals who challenge the status quo. The book discusses how originals manage risk while following their vision, the importance of quantity over quality in idea generation, and the role of procrastination and strategic timing in creative output. Grant also addresses how to communicate original ideas effectively, deal with emotional turmoil, and instill originality in various contexts, including business and child-rearing. The book challenges common myths about success and creativity, offering practical advice and anecdotes from historical figures and contemporary examples[2][4][5].
Adam Grant — The Man Who Does Everything | Brought to you by Zapier and Peloton.
"When you feel like you're not productive, it's not necessarily because you're lazy or because you have bad habits, it's because you're not working on the right projects and you haven't found the ones that are intrinsically motivating and meaningful to you." — Adam Grant
Adam Grant (@AdamMGrant) is an organizational psychologist at Wharton, where he has been the top-rated professor for seven straight years. He is an expert in how we can find motivation and meaning, and lead more generous and creative lives. He is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of four books that have sold over two million copies and been translated into 35 languages: Give and Take, Originals, Option B, and Power Moves. His books have been recognized as among the year's best by Amazon, The Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, and The Wall Street Journal and been praised by J.J. Abrams, Richard Branson, Bill and Melinda Gates, Malcolm Gladwell, and Malala Yousafzai.
Adam hosts the TED podcast WorkLife, and his TED talks have been viewed more than 20 million times. His speaking and consulting clients include Google, the NBA, and The Gates Foundation. He has been recognized as one of the world's 10 most influential management thinkers, Fortune's 40 under 40, and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, and received distinguished scientific achievement awards from the American Psychological Association and the National Science Foundation. Adam writes for The New York Times on work and psychology and serves on The Department of Defense Innovation Board.
He received his B.A. from Harvard and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, and he is a former magician and junior Olympic springboard diver.
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Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.
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