Shortform Books

Women in a Patriarchal Society: Dr. Shefali on Female Identity

A woman who lacks confidence listening to her male supervisor at work illustrates women in a patriarchal society

What happens when women try to meet society’s impossible standards? How does living in a male-dominated world affect women’s authentic identity and mental health? Women in a patriarchal society face unique pressures that shape their behavior, appearance, and life choices from childhood. From an early age, girls learn that their worth depends on meeting strict social expectations—expectations that only grow more demanding as they age. Keep reading to discover how these societal pressures impact women’s wellbeing

Why Behavioral Analysis Is a Good Management Example

A female manager wearing a superhero cape in an office as a good management example

What’s an example of good management? What’s the behavioral analysis approach? Aubrey C. Daniels provides an alternative to ineffective management strategies that we’ll call the behavioral analysis approach. He describes this approach as a five-step process. We’ll give an overview of Daniels’s good management example below.

Why You Will Regret Not Living an Authentic Life

A young woman with a backpack on in a forest who is living her authentic life

Do you live authentically, or for others? Why is authentic living so important to happiness? Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse, shares that one of the biggest regrets people have on their deathbed is not living an authentic life. She also provides insights into how to live more authentically in a judgemental world. Continue reading for Ware’s life-changing advice.

How to Define Your Goals: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Steps

A person demonstrating how to define your goals by writing in a notebook with the word "GOAL" on the page

Do you know what you want out of life? How can you lay out the steps to your future? It’s hard to get anywhere in life if you don’t know where you want to go. Arnold Schwarzenegger argues that clearly defining your major aspirations is key to aligning your decisions and your goals. Keep reading to learn how to define your goals and see your future clearly.

Alex Hormozi: Price Your Product High but Fair

A bottle of shampoo with a price tag that says $12.99

What makes a product truly stand out in today’s competitive market? How can strategic pricing transform your business success? Alex Hormozi’s pricing strategies, presented in his book $100M Offers, can help you maximize your profits. His approach combines unique value propositions, niche market targeting, and strategic pricing to build sustainable business models. Read more to explore how Hormozi’s principles can help you elevate your business above the competition and command premium prices that customers are happy to pay.

The First Steps to Starting a Business: 3 Tasks for Entrepreneurs

A professional woman looking at sticky notes on a board illustrates the first steps to starting a business

What market type should your startup target? How can you unite your team around a clear vision for success? In The Four Steps to the Epiphany, Steve Blank writes that the first steps to starting a business include understanding different market entry strategies, establishing foundational principles, and getting everyone on the same page. These initial decisions shape your entrepreneurial journey. Read on to discover how to position your startup for success and build a strong foundation for growth.

Shameless Behavior Is an Attempt to Rid Ourselves of Shame

A man with curly brown hair and glasses talking loudly in a restaurant illustrates shameless behavior

Why do people who feel deep shame often act shamelessly? What drives someone to develop behaviors that seem to contradict their inner feelings? Understanding shameless behavior helps unlock the complex relationship between shame and our coping mechanisms. When we feel ashamed, we might develop strategies to either fix perceived flaws or shift our uncomfortable feelings onto others. Keep reading to discover how perfectionism, power-seeking, and blame-shifting all connect to our deeper struggles with shame.

Product Usability Is Paramount: Expert Advice From Scott Belsky

A woman with dark curly hair and a green coat standing in the middle of a street and using a camera depicts product usability

Why does product development take so long? What makes some products more successful than others? Product usability plays a crucial role in determining success in the marketplace. From the initial concept to the final release, developers must balance complexity with simplicity while meeting customer demands and maintaining intuitive design. Keep reading for insights from product development expert Scott Belsky on creating products that truly resonate with users and stand the test of time.

Who Is Tarana Burke? The Activist’s Childhood, Explained

Activist Tarana Burke giving a speech in front of a black background

Who is Tarana Burke? What was Burke’s childhood like? Burke’s involvement in anti-sexual violence activism is rooted in her own experience of childhood sexual abuse. In her book Unbound, she briefly describes how her victimization and other experiences inspired a deep-seated sense of shame. Let’s look at the experiences that encouraged her to start the “me too” movement.

Mental Shortcuts: 3 Common Ways the Brain Synthesizes Data

A cartoon of a walking brain on a path in the woods illustrates mental shortcuts

What happens when your brain processes constant input from your environment? How do mental shortcuts influence the way you perceive reality? Mental shortcuts help your brain manage the nonstop flow of complex information from your surroundings. Three of these automatic processes—simplifying, filtering, and modifying—shape how you interpret experiences and make decisions, often without your awareness. Keep reading to discover three common mental shortcuts and how they impact your daily life.