Almost everyone has experienced situations where, despite knowing what they should do, they’re compelled by an inner voice to do something easier or more enjoyable. In The Power of Discipline, Daniel Walter explains that if you allow these temptations to dictate your actions, you’ll never reach your full potential. He argues that to combat temptations that hinder your success, you must strengthen your ability to self-discipline.

In this guide, we’ll explore what self-discipline is and why we struggle with it. We’ll also explore the biological tendencies that hinder our ability to self-discipline and how to strengthen self-discipline so you can achieve your goals and reach your full potential. In our commentary, we’ll explore arguments and methods from other books on attaining your goals and reaching your full potential, including Awaken the Giant Within (Tony Robbins) and The Power of Habit (Charles Duhigg).

When most people think of microbes, the first things that come to mind are disease-causing germs or healthy probiotic yogurts. We go about our lives largely unaware of the trillions of microbes on every surface and throughout our bodies. In his debut book, science journalist Ed Yong explores the mysterious and fascinating world of microbes: microscopic organisms with the ability to make sea creatures glow, eradicate diseases, and nudge ecosystems into disarray.

He argues that not only are microbes ubiquitous, but they’re also integral to animal bodies (including humans)—although we often think of ourselves as individuals, we’re essentially walking ecosystems containing countless species of microbes living in symbiotic partnership with us. He contends that by understanding the ways that we’re interdependent with microbes, we can then explore opportunities to use microbes to improve our health. And since our understanding of microbes is constantly shifting, our guide will also update Yong’s examples and dive deeper into the health implications of microbial phenomena.

Whether you’re unhappy at work, interested in another field, or worried your job will become obsolete, it’s never too late to make a career change. Barbara Oakley asserts that whatever your age or occupation, you can have a mindshift, which means opening up new opportunities through transformative learning. In Mindshift, she writes that it’s possible to overcome perceived barriers—such as age, imposter syndrome, or a lack of money—and gain new skills so you can reinvent yourself.

Oakley is proof that it’s possible to make a big change and flourish despite presumed weaknesses. She grew up thinking she was bad at math and science but developed a passion for those subjects later in life, obtaining a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering.

In this guide, we’ll discuss why it’s important to have a mindshift in the modern world. Then we’ll outline Oakley’s strategies for overcoming perceived limitations so that you can have your own mindshift. We’ll also supplement Oakley’s ideas with other experts’ tips for supercharging your learning and maximizing your potential.

Media are rife with haunting stories of true crime, but some accounts are more chilling than others—particularly those that involve torture and murder. In If You Tell, Gregg Olsen recounts the story of notorious abuser and murderer Shelly Knotek, who, along with her husband Dave, abused and tortured their daughters, nephew, and two boarders—resulting in three deaths. Olsen is a best-selling true crime author and novelist who was asked to write this story by the Knotek daughters themselves.

In our guide, we'll discuss the ways in which Shelly abused her victims along with Dave’s help. We’ll also look specifically at how she lured two friends to become boarders at her home and then killed them, and we’ll look at the events leading up to Shelly and Dave’s arrests and convictions. Additionally, we’ll add information about the psychology of abuse and psychopathy, compare it to similar stories of child abuse, and add context about the legal system and its responsibilities in cases like these.

Is there something you’ve dreamed of doing, but never have? Are you waiting for the right motivation to move you toward your goal? If so, then you’re going about it all wrong. In The Motivation Myth, Jeff Haden argues that you shouldn’t wait for motivation to start you down the road to success. Instead, you make your own motivation by creating a plan, breaking it into achievable steps, celebrating every win, and persevering through disappointments. Motivation isn’t a push—it’s momentum that you generate yourself.

In this guide, we’ll explain Haden’s approach to kickstarting your path to success and creating a cycle of positive reinforcement that builds motivation as you go along. We’ll compare Haden’s suggestions with those of other productivity experts with practical tips on managing time, avoiding distraction, and maintaining mental focus. We’ll also explore what wellness experts say about chasing ambition versus finding contentment in everyday life.

Do you often think about what you need to do to turn your child into a well-adjusted, successful adult? If so, you may be acting as a carpenter parent—a parent who adheres rigidly to the blueprint for raising a "successful child"—instead of a gardener parent—a parent who nurtures the innate interests and talents of their child. In The Gardener and the Carpenter, Alison Gopnik explains that the goal of raising and caring for children should be to allow them to blossom into their unique selves and that parenting should not be a form of work but rather an act of love.

Gopnik is a professor of psychology, affiliate professor of philosophy, and author of multiple books on how to be a good parent. In our guide, we’ll explore the flaws in the current parenting model, how children naturally learn and grow, and how the schooling model also fails to effectively support children’s learning. We’ll add advice from other child-care experts, contextualize Gopnik’s ideas in psychology, and add research and statistics that support or contradict Gopnik’s theories.

Does the thought of public speaking make you nervous? Do you have something to say but don't know how to get your message across? In The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication, internationally renowned speaker John C. Maxwell shares his secrets to becoming a confident and effective communicator capable of delivering any message to any audience. According to Maxwell, anyone can master public speaking, connect with their listeners, and make a lasting impact with their words by following the 16 laws he’s developed from a lifetime of public speaking.

In this guide, we’ll discuss how to become a credible speaker people want to listen to, craft a powerful message, and form a meaningful connection with your audience. Along the way, we’ll compare Maxwell’s techniques with those of other communication experts and provide actionable tips for improving your speaking skills.

Do you feel like the job market is changing faster than ever? Does job stability seem like a thing of the past? In The Startup of You, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and entrepreneur Ben Casnocha argue that to build a successful career in the modern world, you must approach your career as if it were a startup company—something that’s always growing and adapting. By applying principles of entrepreneurship to your career, you can overcome unexpected career obstacles and react quickly to opportunities.

In this guide, you'll learn about the changes to modern work and how to approach your career as if it were a startup company using three entrepreneurship tactics. We’ll supplement Hoffman and Casnocha’s strategies with those of other business professionals and provide suggestions on how to apply their strategies to your career.

Do you feel like social justice advocacy has gone too far? Or like you have to constantly be careful about what you say? The authors of Cynical Theories agree and explain how this came to be. While past movements for equality used to fight for concrete issues, the authors contend that contemporary activists and scholars are instead more concerned with policing language and culture, shutting down rational debate, and challenging the very foundations of liberal society.

In our guide to Cynical Theories, we’ll show how, in the authors’ view, social justice scholarship and activism changed from a force for good to a dangerous movement with totalitarian tendencies. We’ll also discuss why the tenets of liberalism—namely freedom of speech and belief in science—are more important now than ever. Through our commentary, we’ll offer insights and alternate views on the history of social justice and its impact on our modern world.

In this comprehensive biography, journalist Ron Chernow describes the life and influence of Alexander Hamilton, arguing that Hamilton has been unfairly overlooked compared to other Founding Fathers. Though he never served as president, he had a profound impact on the structure of the American government and its economy. While Hamilton’s life ended in scandal and a fatal duel, Chernow believes that America today is the realization of Hamilton’s vision, far more so than that of his political rivals like Thomas Jefferson.

This guide will consider Hamilton’s life and legacy, including his unlikely ascension from a poor student from the Caribbean to a trusted advisor of George Washington and leader of one of the US’s earliest political parties. We’ll also discuss additional historical context for the 18th century, how the events of Hamilton’s life have influenced America today, historians’ responses to Chernow’s work, and the book’s adaptation into a hit 2015 musical.