Research psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky's pioneering concept of the 40% solution shows you how Drawing on her own groundbreaking research with thousands of men and women, research psychologist and University of California professor of psychology Sonja Lyubomirsky has pioneered a detailed yet easy-to-follow plan to increase happiness in our day-to-day lives-in the short term and over the long term. The How of Happiness is a different kind of happiness book, one that offers a comprehensive guide to understanding what happiness is, and isn't, and what can be done to bring us all closer to the happy life we envision for ourselves. Using more than a dozen uniquely formulated happiness-increasing strategies, The How of Happiness offers a new and potentially life- changing way to understand our innate potential for joy and happiness as well as our ability to sustain it in our lives. Beginning with a short diagnostic quiz that helps readers to first quantify and then to understand what she describes as their "happiness set point," Lyubomirsky reveals that this set point determines just 50 percent of happiness while a mere 10 percent can be attributed to differences in life circumstances or situations. This leaves a startling, and startlingly underdeveloped, 40 percent of our capacity for happiness within our power to change. Lyubomirsky's "happiness strategies" introduce readers to the concept of intentional activities, mindful actions that they can use to achieve a happier life. These include exercises in practicing optimism when imagining the future, instruction in how best to savor life's pleasures in the here and now, and a thoroughgoing explanation of the importance of staying active to being happy. Helping readers find the right fit between the goals they set and the activities she suggests, Lyubomirsky also helps readers understand the many obstacles to happiness as well as how to harness individual strengths to overcome them. Always emphasizing how much of our happiness is within our control, Lyubomirsky addresses the "scientific how" of her happiness research, demystifying the many myths that unnecessarily complicate its pursuit. Unlike those of many self-help books, all her recommendations are supported by scientific research. The How of Happiness is both a powerful contribution to the field of positive psychology and a gift to all those who have questioned their own well- being and sought to take their happiness into their own hands.

    Rest is something to do when the important things are done-but they are never done. Looking at different forms of rest, from sleep to vacation, Silicon Valley futurist and business consultant Alex Soojung-Kim Pang dispels the myth that the harder we work the better the outcome. He combines rigorous scientific research with a rich array of examples of writers, painters, and thinkers---from Darwin to Stephen King---to challenge our tendency to see work and relaxation as antithetical. "Deliberate rest," as Pang calls it, is the true key to productivity, and will give us more energy, sharper ideas, and a better life. Rest offers a roadmap to rediscovering the importance of rest in our lives, and a convincing argument that we need to relax more if we actually want to get more done.

    But today, success is increasingly dependent on how we interact with others. It turns out that at work, most people operate as either takers, matchers, or givers. Whereas takers strive to get as much as possible from others and matchers aim to trade evenly, givers are the rare breed of people who contribute to others without expecting anything in return. Using his own pioneering research as Wharton's youngest tenured professor, Grant shows that these styles have a surprising impact on success. Although some givers get exploited and burn out, the rest achieve extraordinary results across a wide range of industries. Combining cutting-edge evidence with captivating stories, this landmark book shows how one of America's best networkers developed his connections, why the creative genius behind one of the most popular shows in television history toiled for years in anonymity, how a basketball executive responsible for multiple draft busts transformed his franchise into a winner, and how we could have anticipated Enron's demise four years before the company collapsed - without ever looking at a single number. Praised by bestselling authors such as Dan Pink, Tony Hsieh, Dan Ariely, Susan Cain, Dan Gilbert, Gretchen Rubin, Bob Sutton, David Allen, Robert Cialdini, and Seth Godin-as well as senior leaders from Google, McKinsey, Merck, Estee Lauder, Nike, and NASA - Give and Take highlights what effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and leadership skills have in common. This landmark book opens up an approach to success that has the power to transform not just individuals and groups, but entire organizations and communities.

    His second book is the natural extension of Start with Why, expanding his ideas at the organizational level. Determining a company’s WHY is crucial, but only the beginning. The next step is how do you get people on board with your WHY? How do you inspire deep trust and commitment to the company and one another? He cites the Marine Corps for having found a way to build a culture in which men and women are willing to risk their lives, because they know others would do the same for them. It’s not brainwashing; it’s actually based on the biology of how and when people are naturally at their best. If businesses could adopt this supportive mentality, employees would be more motivated to take bigger risks, because they’d know their colleagues and company would back them up, no matter what. Drawing on powerful and inspiring stories, Sinek shows how to sustain an organization’s WHY while continually adding people to the mix.

    The core message has hit home with over 5 million people as it focuses on the need to "feel" loved. This need is felt by married and singles alike. Dr. Chapman now tackles the unique circumstances that singles face, and integrates how the same five love languages apply in their relationships. For example, in a business environment, when and how is physical touch appropriate? Take the love language test included.

    It opens with snapshots of her troubled childhood and early adult life in two difficult marriages. It quickly transitions to our first meeting, friendship, and relationship - not without their own complications. Through those trials, she showed tremendous strength and heart. We eventually married and lived a love story that others marveled at for years. We travelled, went to concerts, built a home, and remained completely devoted. While still in her early sixties, she lost a piece of herself. Words became harder to find. Steps to perform the simplest tasks became impossible to follow. We knew something was wrong but had no idea the severity of her condition. Our world turned upside down.The latter half of the book chronicles in exacting detail her diagnosis and life with Frontotemporal Degeneration, a dementia known as FTD. I cared for her for the three and a half years of this disease. Her mental state deteriorated rapidly. I changed to a more flexible job to stay with her more during the day as she lost even the most basic functions of eating alone, toileting, or using a phone. We still created tender moments and danced but she was losing a tremendous amount of weight and required greater and greater care.Financials not allowing me to quit work, I succumbed to the recommendations of multiple professionals and made the painful decision to place her in memory care. I visited her every day, two to three times per day, and we made the best of a horrible situation. We still shared many tender moments during this last year, including the moment I held her hand as she passed. The story is told in a vulnerable and unfiltered manner. It collects writings from both husband and wife through journals, letters, and social media posts integrated into the main narrative. It captures our real-life, undying love story through this incurable disease

    Their lives, like all of ours, are filled with a bewildering blizzard of emails, phone calls, yet more emails, meetings, projects, proposals, and plans. Just staying ahead of the storm has become a seemingly insurmountable task.In this book, we travel inside Emily and Paul's brains as they attempt to sort the vast quantities of information they're presented with, figure out how to prioritize it, organize it and act on it. Fortunately for Emily and Paul, they're in good hands: David Rock knows how the brain works-and more specifically, how it works in a work setting. Rock shows how it's possible for Emily and Paul, and thus the reader, not only to survive in today's overwhelming work environment but succeed in it-and still feel energized and accomplished at the end of the day.YOUR BRAIN AT WORK explores issues such as:- why our brains feel so taxed, and how to maximize our mental resources- why it's so hard to focus, and how to better manage distractions- how to maximize your chance of finding insights that can solve seemingly insurmountable problems- how to keep your cool in any situation, so that you can make the best decisions possible- how to collaborate more effectively with others- why providing feedback is so difficult, and how to make it easier- how to be more effective at changing other people's behavior

    With Search Inside Yourself, Chade-Meng Tan, one of Google’s earliest engineers and personal growth pioneer, offers a proven method for enhancing mindfulness and emotional intelligence in life and work.Meng’s job is to teach Google’s best and brightest how to apply mindfulness techniques in the office and beyond; now, readers everywhere can get insider access to one of the most sought after classes in the country, a course in health, happiness and creativity that is improving the livelihood and productivity of those responsible for one of the most successful businesses in the world.With forewords by Daniel Goleman, author of the international bestseller Emotional Intelligence, and Jon Kabat-Zinn, renowned mindfulness expert and author of Coming To Our Senses, Meng’s Search Inside Yourself is an invaluable guide to achieving your own best potential.

    Godin shows that winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt--until they commit to beating the right Dip.Every new project (or job, or hobby, or company) starts out fun...then gets really hard, and not much fun at all. You might be in a Dip--a temporary setback that will get better if you keep pushing. But maybe it's really a Cul-de-Sac--a total dead end. What really sets superstars apart is the ability to tell the two apart.Winners seek out the Dip. They realize that the bigger the barrier, the bigger the reward for getting past it. If you can beat the Dip to be the best, you'll earn profits, glory, and long-term security. Whether you're an intern or a CEO, this fun little book will help you figure out if you're in a Dip that's worthy of your time, effort, and talents. The old saying is wrong--winners do quit, and quitters do win.

    Through the combined wisdom of interviews with 50 self-made millionaire entrepreneurs, this book takes you on your own personal master class in success, as experienced through the eyes of Tom, a frustrated employee who is upgraded on a long haul flight, and finds himself sitting next to self made millionaire Michael. During the flight Michael shares the science and secrets behind his own success.Better than any in-flight movie, Millionaire Upgrade gets you inside the minds of successful entrepreneurs and self-made millionaires giving you the inside track on how they think and act.Praise for Millionaire Upgrade: -It took me a long time to learn this stuff--I wish I'd been on that plane 30 years ago!- --Simon Woodroffe - YO! Sushi & Dragons Den-The principles of success apply equally whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, chief executive of a large plc or simply looking for inspiration for your own personal life. Here's where you start, by reading this book.- --Allan Leighton - Chairman, Royal Mail-If you want a toolkit to help you become a successful entrepreneur, read this book. Then put it into practice.- --Duncan Bannatyne - Bannatyne Leisure & Dragons Den-Everything in business is a learning experience. I should know! I'd recommend all would-be entrepreneurs to read this book and be inspired to boldly set out on your own entrepreneurial journey. You won't regret it.- --Rachel Elnaugh - Red Letter Days and Dragons' Den-It is refreshing to find a book that describes the key difference between the entrepreneur and the rest - attitude. So often in life a cigarette paper's thickness separates success from failure and Richard has written a book that perfectly captures this and suggests a way of thinking that can transform the tin of dog food into a thoroughbred racehorse.- --Tim Smit - Eden Project-Millionaire Upgrade captures the essence of what it takes to be successful in anything you choose to do. The rules of success are timeless and simply explained so you can apply them in your own business or personal life.- --BJ Cunningham - Founder of Death Cigarettes-In Millionaire MBA, Richard decoded entrepreneurs and unpicked their millionaire mindset. With Millionaire Upgrade, he has put it all back together again through IBELIEVE and a compelling story. Very clever and a must read for any budding entrepreneur!- --Rene Carayol - Leadership Guru-It takes a certain mindset to succeed in creating your own business. This book spells out how you need to think and act to succeed - whether you are an entrepreneur or a professional manager. It's a great read too.- --Matthew Barrett - Chairman, Barclays Bank

    The ability to keep going despite setbacks is more important than your IQ, character or other external factors like your upbringing or surroundings.But what does it really mean to “never give up”? What exactly is grit? How do you persevere when faced with larger than life difficulties? How do you keep going when you’re at the brink of exhaustion and all your hard work hasn’t been rewarded yet?I wrote this book to explore the subject of persistence from a more scientific point of view than cliché self-help sayings. I want to share with you how exactly to stick to your goals according to peak performers and science – not vague motivational advice that assumes we have unlimited strength once we’re motivated enough.Here are just a couple of things you will learn from the book:- A crucial piece of advice you can learn from the first people who reached the South Pole. If you make the wrong choice, you’ll burn out – guaranteed.- What famous American comic Jerry Seinfeld did in his early days of career to keep going. It’s a simple trick that provides huge results.- What a study on top musicians, athletes, actors and chess players can teach you about achieving results and persistence. The elite performers practice much fewer hours than you believe.- Five of the most common ways you lead yourself to self-sabotage. Usually, you’re not even aware of how many of your efforts go for naught simply because of the five things I discuss in this book.- According to studies, this one trait is strongly associated with grit and persistence. Learn what it is and how to develop it in five different ways.- Five focusing questions to keep going. Asking yourself these questions will help you boost your motivation when you’re at the brink of giving up.- How listening to others whining makes a part of your brain shrink and affects your ability to persevere when faced with setbacks.- Six bestselling authors and bloggers share their best techniques on how to keep going when you want to give up: Stephen Guise (author of “Mini Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results”), Joel Runyon (blogger at ImpossibleHQ.com), Serena Star-Leonard (bestselling author of “How to Retire in 12 Months: Turning Passion into Profit”) Derek Doepker (bestselling author of “Why You’re Stuck”), Michal Stawicki (bestselling author of “Trickle-Down Mindset: The Missing Element in Your Personal Success”), and Hung Pham (bestselling author of “Break Through: 12 Powerful Steps to Destroy Your Mental Barriers and Achieve Success”).There’s no reason why you should give up if you’re working on the right goal. Learn how to make sure you’ll reach your objectives. Scroll up and buy the book now.For more free resources, sign up for my self-improvement newsletter:http://www.profoundselfimprovement.co...

    And yet we have sacrificed conversation for mere connection. Preeminent author and researcher Sherry Turkle has been studying digital culture for over thirty years. Long an enthusiast for its possibilities, here she investigates a troubling consequence: at work, at home, in politics, and in love, we find ways around conversation, tempted by the possibilities of a text or an email in which we don’t have to look, listen, or reveal ourselves. We develop a taste for what mere connection offers. The dinner table falls silent as children compete with phones for their parents’ attention. Friends learn strategies to keep conversations going when only a few people are looking up from their phones. At work, we retreat to our screens although it is conversation at the water cooler that increases not only productivity but commitment to work. Online, we only want to share opinions that our followers will agree with – a politics that shies away from the real conflicts and solutions of the public square. The case for conversation begins with the necessary conversations of solitude and self-reflection. They are endangered: these days, always connected, we see loneliness as a problem that technology should solve. Afraid of being alone, we rely on other people to give us a sense of ourselves, and our capacity for empathy and relationship suffers. We see the costs of the flight from conversation everywhere: conversation is the cornerstone for democracy and in business it is good for the bottom line. In the private sphere, it builds empathy, friendship, love, learning, and productivity. But there is good news: we are resilient. Conversation cures. Based on five years of research and interviews in homes, schools, and the workplace, Turkle argues that we have come to a better understanding of where our technology can and cannot take us and that the time is right to reclaim conversation. The most human—and humanizing—thing that we do. The virtues of person-to-person conversation are timeless, and our most basic technology, talk, responds to our modern challenges. We have everything we need to start, we have each other.

    The most extraordinary thing he found when writing about his experiences is that the most common comment about his work is "OMG that's me. You are telling my story. I don't feel so alone now."Living with mental illness is hard, but it's especially difficult when dealing with more than one condition at the same time. Many books about coping with mental illness focus on one disorder, such as bipolar disorder, anxiety, panic attacks, or depression. Because Dave Mowry didn't see any that dealt with his situation of living with multiple disorders simultaneously, he decided to write about it himself.OMG That's Me! is sometimes funny, often poignant, but always deeply honest, open, and personal. Mowry's stories let others know there is help and there is hope, and that they too can recover and live a full life. This book is a must read for family members and friends who will gain true insight into the experiences of loved ones living with a mental illness. This book is a must read for mental health professionals who will better understand the symptoms faced by their patients. And ordinary people will see the strength, resilience, and beauty of people that will shatter the stigma surrounding mental illness.

    Maybe you’re quick to notice the details others miss or you need more time to process events.  You may feel emotions deeply and hear, “You’re just too sensitive.” But what if you learned you’re not “too sensitive”? What if your sensitivity is part of your design and comes with corresponding strengths? One in five people are HSPs—Highly Sensitive Persons—with the genetic trait of sensory sensitivity. As an HSP, you are not fragile or frail. You can be a strong friend in relationships, strong partner in business, and strong member of your community.Sensitive and Strong is your guide to navigating the HSP journey of exploration and growth. It will help you…discover you’re different, not defectiveunderstand your genetic disposition to an over-abundance of stimulisee how your sensitivities correlate to key strengthsrespond to stressful situations with confidence and calmharness your strengths to serve othersRelease the worry that you’re “too high maintenance” or just plain “too much” and embrace the many ways you can be both sensitive and strong.

    An internationally renowned success coach, he shares the best of what he’s learned—about inspiration, motivation, well-being, relationships, finances, and more—from more than15 years of training thousands of people to have what they want and create a life that makes them go “Wow!”Let him do the same for you . . . and you’ll experience more happiness and greater success than ever before!