Becca King, Author at Shortform Books

Andy Stanley’s Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets: Book Overview

A light shining on an open book on the ground in the forest.

Why do we make bad decisions, and how can we make better ones? What does Andy Stanley’s Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets teach about decision-making? Andy Stanley, Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets author and pastor, says we make bad decisions because we lie to ourselves. Then, he explains how questioning your biases can help you stop lying to yourself and make better decisions. Continue reading to learn how to make choices you won’t regret.

What Is a Good Decision? Basing Your Choices on Your Values

A man standing at two crossroads in front of a city, deciding what makes a good decision.

What is a good decision, and how do you know you’re making one? What is the best way to evaluate your choice? A good decision moves you towards your goals and takes your values into account. According to some experts, slow and thoughtful decisions are more likely to do this. Read on for more on how to recognize good choices.

Bad Decision-Making: 3 Choices We Tend to Regret Afterward

Teenagers participating in bad decision-making by taking cigarettes out of a person's hand.

How can you recognize bad decision-making in your life? How can you avoid it? Bad decision-making often falls into three categories: unnecessary purchases, unhealthy relationships, and harmful habits. What these have in common is that they cause regret. Learn how to avoid regret by making better decisions.

Slow but Steady: Does It Really Win the Race?

A snail crossing a crack in the ground, representing a "slow but steady" mindset.

Is slow but steady always the best approach? Or are there times when snap decisions are better? A slow but steady approach to decision-making can help you make more purposeful and thoughtful decisions. However, having expertise in an area allows you to make good quick decisions, too. Read on for more on the benefits and drawbacks of a more thoughtful approach.

Do You Regret Purchases? Explaining Buyer’s Remorse

A sad woman regrets purchases as she holds her hand against a glass window displaying a coat in the city.

Why do we regret purchases after we make them? How can we make better buying decisions? When you regret purchases, it’s because your desire for something blinded you from thinking through the decision rationally. Often we think rationally only to justify these purchases after the fact. Learn why we get buyer’s remorse and why rationalizing purchases doesn’t help.

The Talent Myth: Why Talent Has Nothing to Do With It

A teenage boy sprinting on a track with people cheering him on in the stands.

Is talent a myth? What makes someone good at something? The talent myth is the idea that inherent talent dictates how well you will perform, and it has been shown to be false. Instead, practice plays a much more important role in determining how much someone will excel. Read on for more on what makes someone excellent.

Leaving a Bad Relationship: When and Why to End It

A couple contemplating leaving a bad relationship as they argue with each other.

Why is leaving a bad relationship so hard? How do you know it’s time to go? Leaving a bad relationship instead of talking yourself into staying can be difficult, but it can also help you avoid regret. It’s important to recognize when you have mismatched values that can’t be reconciled. Here’s why you should evaluate your relationships early and honestly.

What Is Deliberate Practice? Working on Specific Weak Points

A woman swimming laps underwater in a public pool.

What is deliberate practice, and how can you use it to get better at something? What can this style of practicing do for your performance? Deliberate practice is a method of identifying your weaknesses and specifically targeting them, instead of generally practicing an entire set of skills. This process focuses your energy on where you need improvement the most. Continue reading to learn how deliberate practice works.

How to Avoid Regret By Building Good Habits

A woman stretching her arms in bed to avoid regrets.

Do you know how to avoid regret? What is the best way to break bad habits that cause it? To avoid regret, recognize and fix bad habits before they grow and develop further. Bad habits lead to the worst regret because they’re decisions that we make repeatedly over time. Keep reading to see why forming good habits is so important.

10,000 Hours to Become an Expert: Why Practice Matters

A silhouette of a pesron writing at a desk with gears and clouds in the sky.

Does it take 10,000 hours to become an expert? What does research say about how much practice you need? The idea that you need 10,000 hours to become an expert is backed by the research of psychologist Anders Ericsson and is famously cited in Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers. While there’s some debate around this exact figure, most agree that a lot of practice makes the difference between experts and non-experts. Read on for a look at all sides of the 10,000-hour debate.