Summary “Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being” by Martin Seligman is a book about positive psychology.  Martin Seligman is the father of Positive Psychology and in this book he explains how it came to be.  I felt that this book demystifies happiness.  Martin Seligman proposes using the term flourishing instead of happiness…

Summary “The New Psycho-Cybernetics” by Maxwell Maltz, edited by Dan S. Kennedy, is a guide to self-improvement using mental techniques.  This book is like the granddaddy to all modern personal development books. This book was first published 1960 and at times it shows its age in the language it uses.  The principles it teaches, however,…

Summary “The Practicing Mind: Developing Focus and Discipline in Your Life” by Thomas M. Sterner is a guide to mastering focus and building discipline.  This book helped me realize one important fact: rushing doesn’t always make you faster.  Quite the opposite is often true. Sometimes (or often?) if you want to accomplish something faster, better…

Summary I liked this book because it gives you practical ideas on how to improve your communication skills.  Still, as with any skill, you need to practice.  And books aren’t very good at helping you practice.  Voss, a former FBI hostage negotiator, shares insights from high-stakes situations to help readers improve their negotiation skills. “Never…

Kevin Horsley is a memory world-record holder. He knows his stuff. People like him often can’t teach, but I found this book very helpful.  In “Unlimited Memory,” Kevin Horsley teaches techniques to improve memory. This book is practical.  It avoids jargon. The focus is on methods you can use immediately. Summary This is one of…

Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck* is a refreshing take on personal development.  It kinda follows from the title.  For me, the greatest value of this book lies in the author’s ability to be honest. Too many authors (and people in general) hide behind a facade. Not the case with Mr.…

This is one of my all-time favorite books.  Stephen Joseph’s What Doesn’t Kill Us: The New Psychology of Posttraumatic Growth explores how trauma can lead to growth. He challenges the idea that trauma only causes harm. He also suggests what exactly lies at the core of each trauma and, therefore, how to heal from it. …

James Clear’s Atomic Habits is a guide to building good habits and breaking bad ones. It’s based on small, actionable steps. I learned about his work through TIm Ferriss’s blog even before reading his book.  I used the approaches he recommends to build many of my life-long habits.  For example, I have missed a total…

Angela Duckworth’s Grit is a book about perseverance and passion. It explores how grit, more than talent, leads to success. “Grit” Summary Duckworth defines grit as a combination of passion and perseverance. She argues that talent alone is not enough. Grit involves hard work and determination over the long term. Key Insights from “Grit” My…

Kelly McGonigal’s The Willpower Instinct literally changed my life.  I bought several copies of it to share with others. I shared the findings with my friends and family.  I teach my son using the techniques in the book.  It delves deep into the science of self-control and habit formation.  Drawing from her popular course at…