The Happiness Hypothesis : Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom

Corey L. M. Keyes, Jonathan Haidt

Psychology has made great strides in understanding mental illness, but how much has it learned about mental health? When people want to reflect upon the good life and how to live it, they turn to philosophers and novelists, not psychologists. The emerging field of positive psychology aims to redress this imbalance. In Flourishing, distinguished scholars apply scientific analyses to study the good life, expanding the scope of social and psychological research to include happiness, well-being, courage, citizenship, play, and the satisfactions of healthy work and healthy relationships. Their findings reveal that a sense of meaning and a feeling of richness emerge in life as people immerse themselves in activities, relationships, and the pursuit of intrinsically satisfying goals like overcoming adversity or serving one's community through volunteering. This provocative book will further define this evolving field. Baca lagi…

Martin Elias Pete Seligman

A national bestseller,__Authentic Happiness__launched the revolutionary new science of Positive Psychology—and sparked a coast-to-coast debate on the nature of real happiness.According to esteemed psychologist and bestselling author Martin Seligman, happiness is not the result of good genes or luck. Real, lasting happiness comes from focusing on one’s personal strengths rather than weaknesses—and working with them to improve all aspects of one’s life. Using practical exercises, brief tests, and a dynamic website program, Seligman shows readers how to identify their highest virtues and use them in ways they haven’t yet considered. Accessible and proven,__Authentic Happiness__is the most powerful work of popular psychology in years. Baca lagi…

Godin, Seth

"The only way to get what you're worth is to stand out, to exert emotional labor, to be seen as indispensable, and to produce interactions that organizations and people care deeply about." In bestsellers such as Purple Cow and Tribes, Seth Godin taught readers how to make remarkable products and spread powerful ideas. But this book is different. It's about you - your choices, your future, and your potential to make a huge difference in whatever field you choose. There used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labor. Now there's a third team, the linchpins. These people invent, lead (regardless of title), connect others, make things happen, and create order out of chaos. They figure out what to do when there's no rule book. They delight and challenge their customers and peers. They love their work, pour their best selves into it, and turn each day into a kind of art. Linchpins are the essential building blocks of great organizations. Like the small piece of hardware that keeps a wheel from falling off its axle, they may not be famous but they're indispensable. And in today's world, they get the best jobs and the most freedom. Have you ever found a shortcut that others missed? Seen a new way to resolve a conflict? Made a connection with someone others couldn't reach? Even once? Then you have what it takes to become indispensable, by overcoming the resistance that holds people back. Linchpin will show you how to join the likes of ... \*Keith Johnson, who scours... Baca lagi…

By Ramit Sethi

At last, for a generation that's materially ambitious yet financially clueless comes I Will Teach You To Be Rich , Ramit Sethi's 6-week personal finance program for 20-to-35-year-olds. A completely practical approach delivered with a nonjudgmental style that makes readers want to do what Sethi says, it is based around the four pillars of personal finance— banking, saving, budgeting, and investing—and the wealth-building ideas of personal entrepreneurship. Sethi covers how to save time by not wasting it managing money; the guns and cars myth of credit cards; how to negotiate like an Indian—the conversation begins with "no"; why "Budgeting Doesn't Have to Suck!"; how to get things rolling—for real—with only $20; what most people don't understand about taxes; how to get a CEO to take you out to lunch; how to avoid the Super Mario Brothers trap by making your savings work harder than you do; the difference between cheap and frugal; the hidden relationship between money and food. Not to mention his first key lesson: Getting started is more important than being the smartest person in the room. Integrated with his website, where readers can use interactive charts, follow up on the latest information, and join the community, it is a hip blueprint to building wealth and financial security. Every month, 175,000 unique visitors come to Ramit Sethi's website, Iwillteachyoutoberich.com, to discover the path to financial freedom. They praise him thoughtfully ("Your site summarizes... Baca lagi…

David Brooks

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER With unequaled insight and brio, New York Times columnist David Brooks has long explored and explained the way we live. Now Brooks turns to the building blocks of human flourishing in a multilayered, profoundly illuminating work grounded in everyday life. This is the story of how success happens, told through the lives of one composite American couple, Harold and Erica. Drawing on a wealth of current research from numerous disciplines, Brooks takes Harold and Erica from infancy to old age, illustrating a fundamental new understanding of human nature along the way: The unconscious mind, it turns out, is not a dark, vestigial place, but a creative one, where most of the brain's work gets done. This is the realm where character is formed and where our most important life decisions are made'the natural habitat of The Social Animal. Brooks reveals the deeply social aspect of our minds and exposes the bias in modern culture that overemphasizes rationalism, individualism, and IQ. He demolishes conventional definitions of success and looks toward a culture based on trust and humility. The Social Animal is a moving intellectual adventure, a story of achievement and a defense of progress. It is an essential book for our time'one that will have broad social impact and will change the way we see ourselves and the world. BONUS: Includes new material. Read more... Abstract: #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER With unequaled insight and brio, New York Times... Baca lagi…

Chip Heath And Dan Heath

Why is it so hard to make lasting changes in our companies, in our communities, and in our own lives?The primary obstacle is a conflict that's built into our brains, say Chip and Dan Heath, authors of the critically acclaimed bestseller Made to Stick. Psychologists have discovered that our minds are ruled by two different systems - the rational mind and the emotional mind - that compete for control. The rational mind wants a great beach body; the emotional mind wants that Oreo cookie. The rational mind wants to change something at work; the emotional mind loves the comfort of the existing routine. This tension can doom a change effort - but if it is overcome, change can come quickly.In Switch, the Heaths show how everyday people - employees and managers, parents and nurses - have united both minds and, as a result, achieved dramatic results:- The lowly medical interns who managed to defeat an entrenched, decades-old medical practice that was endangering patients (see page 242)- The home-organizing guru who developed a simple technique for overcoming the dread of housekeeping (see page 130)- The manager who transformed a lackadaisical customer-support team into service zealots by removing a standard tool of customer service (see page 199)In a compelling, story-driven narrative, the Heaths bring together decades of counterintuitive research in psychology, sociology, and other fields to shed new light on how we can effect transformative change. Switch shows that successful... Baca lagi…

Hanson, Rick

Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, Gandhi, and the Buddha all had brains built essentially like anyone else's, yet they were able to harness their thoughts and shape their patterns of thinking in ways that changed history. With new breakthroughs in modern neuroscience and the wisdom of thousands of years of contemplative practice, it is possible for us to shape our own thoughts in a similar way for greater happiness, love, compassion, and wisdom. Buddha's Brain joins the forces of modern neuroscience with ancient contemplative teachings to show readers how they can work toward greater emotional well-being, healthier relationships, more effective actions, and deepened religious and spiritual understanding. This book will explain how the core elements of both psychological well-being and religious or spiritual life-virtue, mindfulness, and wisdom-are based in the core functions of the brain: regulating, learning, and valuing. Readers will also learn practical ways to apply this information, as the book offers many exercises they can do to tap the unused potential of the brain and rewire it over time for greater peace and well-being.From Publishers WeeklyThe brain physiology associated with spiritual states has been fertile ground for researchers and writers alike. Neuropsychologist andmeditation teacher Hanson suggests that an understanding of the brain in conjunction with 2,500-year-old Buddhist teachings can help readers achieve more happiness. He explains how the brain evolved to... Baca lagi…

Jonathan Haidt

"Jonathan Haidt skillfully combines two genres-philosophical wisdom and scientific research-delighting the reader with surprising insights. He explains, for example, why we have such difficulty controlling ourselves and sticking to our plans; why no achievement brings lasting happiness, yet a few changes in your life can have profound effects, and why even confirmed atheists experience spiritual elevation. In a stunning final chapter, Haidt addresses the grand question 'How can I live a meaningful life?,' offering an original answer that draws on the rich inspiration of both philosophy and science"-- Publisher's description Baca lagi…

Jonathan Haidt

After I read this book, I was so impressed that I passed it around the house, and pestered everyone in the family until they read it, which they were all very happy about in the end. Everyone agrees it is incredibly well-written, in a very clear and engaging style. It presents enough specifics and examples to support the larger points being made, and builds logically and seamlessly as it progresses. It illuminates so many interesting insights into how the mind really works and what really motivates us. The "rider on the elephant" metaphor for the relationship between the conscious mind and the automatic, largely subconscious mind is really so useful and powerful in so many contexts. I have only one minor quibble, and this is because I was particularly interested in how the book deals with meditation practice. Haidt suggests that the Buddha was teaching people how to be "happy" by being "indifferent" to one's experiences. Actually, the Buddha encouraged people to be \*liberated from suffereing\*, not happy, by cultivating \*equanimity\*, which is not at all the same as indifference. This misunderstanding may be widespread in our society, and presenting Buddhism in this light worked in terms of the overall message, but it is still a misunderstanding. However, it's still a fantastic book. Baca lagi…

Martin Elias Pete Seligman

“This book will help you flourish.” With this unprecedented promise, internationally esteemed psychologist Martin Seligman begins __Flourish,__ his first book in ten years—and the first to present his dynamic new concept of what well-being really is. Traditionally, the goal of psychology has been to relieve human suffering, but the goal of the Positive Psychology movement, which Dr. Seligman has led for fifteen years, is different—it’s about actually raising the bar for the human condition. __Flourish__ builds on Dr. Seligman’s game-changing work on optimism, motivation, and character to show how to get the most out of life, unveiling an electrifying new theory of what makes a good life—for individuals, for communities, and for nations. In a fascinating evolution of thought and practice, __Flourish__ refines what Positive Psychology is all about. While certainly a __part__ of well-being, happiness __alone__ doesn’t give life meaning. Seligman now asks, What is it that enables you to cultivate your talents, to build deep, lasting relationships with others, to feel pleasure, and to contribute meaningfully to the world? In a word, what is it that allows you to __flourish__? “Well-being” takes the stage front and center, and Happiness (or **P**ositive Emotion) becomes one of the five pillars of Positive Psychology, along with **E**ngagement, **R**elationships, **M**eaning, and **A**ccomplishment—or **PERMA**, the permanent building blocks for a life of profound fulfillment.... Baca lagi…

Susan Greenfield

How does the human brain produce your private world? Critically acclaimed neuroscientist and author Susan Greenfield, who holds the prestigious position of Director of the Royal Institution in England, weaves together a thought-provoking examination of childhood experiences, primal emotions, such as fear and euphoria, and the effects drugs have on our personalities to probe the most intriguing mystery facing today’s scientists: How does the human brain create consciousness and a unique sense of self? In this absorbing, lyrical exploration, Dr. Greenfield presents a provocative new theory that treats emotions as the building blocks of our consciousness and provides an illuminating glimpse into the human brain that reveals the astonishing essence of who we are. Baca lagi…

Steven Pressfield

From Publishers Weekly Novelist Steven Pressfield (The Legend of Bagger Vance; Gates of Fire) goes self-help in The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle. Dubbing itself a cross between Sun-Tzu's The Art of War and Julie Cameron's The Artist's Way, Pressfield's book aims to help readers "overcome Resistance" so that they may achieve "the unlived life within." Whether one wishes to embark on a diet, a program of spiritual advancement or an entrepreneurial venture, it's most often resistance that blocks the way. To kick resistance, Pressfield stresses loving what one does, having patience and acting in the face of fear. From Library Journal Drawing on his many years' experience as a writer, Pressfield (The Legend of Bagger Vance) presents his first nonfiction work, which aims to inspire other writers, artists, musicians, or anyone else attempting to channel his or her creative energies. The focus is on combating resistance and living the destiny that Pressfield believes is gifted to each person by an all-powerful deity. While certainly of great value to frustrated writers struggling with writer's block, Pressfield's highly personal philosophy, soundly rooted in his own significant life challenges, has merit for anyone frustrated in fulfilling his or her life purpose. Successful photographer Ulrich (photography chair, Art Inst. of Boston; coeditor, The Visualization Manual) explores the creative impulse and presents an approach to developing creativity that,... Baca lagi…

Richard Dawkins, Lalla Ward Richard Dawkins

Epilogue to 40th Anniversary EditionScientists, unlike politicians, can take pleasure in being wrong. A politicianwho changes his mind is accused of ‘flip-flopping’. Tony Blair boasted thathe had ‘not got a reverse gear’. Scientists on the whole prefer to see theirideas vindicated, but an occasional reversal gains respect, especially whengraciously acknowledged. I have never heard of a scientist being malignedas a flip-flopper.In some ways I would quite like to find ways to recant the centralmessage of The Selfish Gene. So many exciting things are fast happening inthe world of genomics, it would seem almost inevitable—even tantalizing—that a book with the word ‘gene’ in the title would, forty years on, needdrastic revision if not outright discarding. This might indeed be so, were itnot that ‘gene’ in this book is used in a special sense, tailored to evolutionrather than embryology. My definition is that of George C. Williams, one ofthe acknowledged heroes of the book, now lost to us along with JohnMaynard Smith and Bill Hamilton: ‘A gene is defined as any portion ofchromosomal material that potentially lasts for enough generations toserve as a unit of natural selection.’ I pushed it to a somewhat facetiousconclusion: ‘To be strict, this book should be called ... The slightly selfishbig bit of chromosome and the even more selfish little bit of chromosome.’ Asopposed to the embryologist’s concern with how genes affect phenotypes,we have here the neo-Darwinist’s concern with... Baca lagi…

Neil Pasricha

#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER What’s the formula for a happy life? Neil Pasricha is a Harvard MBA, a Walmart executive, a New York Times–bestselling author, and a husband and dad. After selling more than a million copies of his Book of Awesome series, he now shifts his focus from observation to application. In The Happiness Equation, Pasricha illustrates how to want nothing, do anything, and have everything. If that sounds like a contradiction, you simply haven’t unlocked the 9 Secrets to Happiness. Each secret takes a common ideal, flips it on its head, and casts it in a completely new light. Pasricha then goes a step further by providing step-by-step guidelines and hand-drawn scribbles that illustrate exactly how to apply each secret to live a happier life today. Controversial? Maybe. Counterintuitive? Definitely. The Happiness Equation will teach you such principles as: · Why success doesn’t lead to happiness · How to make more money than a Harvard MBA · Why multitasking is a myth · How eliminating options leads to more choice The Happiness Equation is a book that will change how you think about everything—your time, your career, your relationships, your family, and, ultimately, of course, your happiness. Baca lagi…

Robert B. Cialdini, Phd

Title from PDF title page (viewed on July 9, 2009). Baca lagi…

Jonathan Haidt

To understand what drives the rift that divides our populace between liberal and conservative, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has spent twenty-five year examining the moral foundations that undergird and inform two differing world views: the political left and right place different values of importance on order, care, fairness, loyalty, authority, and liberty. From one of our keenest dissectors of moral systems, __Why Do They Vote That Way?__ explains how deeply ingrained moral systems have estranged conservatives and liberals from one another while crossing the political divide in a search for understanding the miracle of human cooperation. A Vintage Shorts Selection. An ebook short. Baca lagi…