How the Mind Works

The books, in order

1. 1

   Science · 15 min

   Thinking, Fast and Slow

   Daniel Kahneman

   Your fast mind answers before you even realize a question was asked, and it doesn't always answer the right question.

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2. 2

   Psychology · 15 min

   Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

   Carol S. Dweck

   Believing that talent is fixed makes you avoid risk, and avoiding risk is exactly what keeps you from growing.

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3. 3

   Psychology · 15 min

   Emotional Intelligence

   Daniel Goleman

   A diploma full of top grades doesn't guarantee that someone knows how to handle their own anger in a real argument.

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4. 4

   Psychology · 16 min

   Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain

   David Eagleman

   Explaining why you did something after the fact is easy; knowing whether the reason is the true one is much harder.

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5. 5

   Habits and Discipline · 15 min

   The Power of Habit

   Charles Duhigg

   A habit isn't made of willpower, it's made of structure: a cue, a routine, and a reward locked into an automatic loop.

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6. 6

   Personal Development · 14 min

   The Chimp Paradox

   Steve Peters

   Reacting fast is not the same as reacting right: the emotional impulse only wins because it arrives first, not because it knows more.

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7. 7

   Career and Work · 15 min

   Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know

   Adam Grant

   Changing your mind when a new fact comes up isn't weakness: it's a sign your head is still working, not stuck on autopilot.

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8. 8

   Psychology · 14 min

   How the Mind Works

   Steven Pinker

   A fear of snakes comes pre-installed while a fear of debt is learned, which is why the second one is so often underestimated.

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9. 9

   Psychology · 17 min

   Status Anxiety

   Alain de Botton

   The desperate pursuit of material goods often masks a deep-seated need to be welcomed and respected by the people around us.

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