Shift by Ethan Kross Summary
Overview of Shift
In "Shift," renowned emotion scientist Ethan Kross reveals how to master your feelings before they master you. Endorsed by Adam Grant and featured in Oprah Daily, this national bestseller shares how a mother's mid-flight decision and Navy SEAL techniques can transform your emotional life.
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Key takeaways
The Voice in Your Head: Friend or Foe?
Have you ever found yourself trapped in a spiral of negative thoughts at 3 AM, replaying an embarrassing moment or worrying about tomorrow's presentation? That voice in your head-your internal narrator-can be your greatest ally or your worst enemy. The difference lies in how you engage with it. Our minds constantly chatter, producing up to 4,000 words per minute of internal dialogue-enough to fill a novel every day. This isn't necessarily problematic; it's how we're wired. But when this chatter turns negative, it can hijack our wellbeing, relationships, and performance. The science is clear: how we talk to ourselves matters profoundly. When Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam faced life-threatening situations, he couldn't simply turn off his fear. Instead, he learned to transform his inner dialogue, treating his emotions as intelligence rather than obstacles. This represents a fundamental shift in understanding our relationship with our thoughts. Our inner voice evolved as a powerful tool for processing experience and solving problems, but like any sophisticated instrument, it requires proper technique to use effectively. What's fascinating is that this internal dialogue shapes not just how we feel, but how our brains and bodies function. When we're caught in negative chatter, our prefrontal cortex-responsible for rational thinking-becomes overwhelmed, while our amygdala-the brain's alarm system-goes into overdrive. The good news? We can learn to conduct this mental orchestra with greater skill.
The Illusion of Introspection
The Power of Psychological Distance
Reframing: The Art of Cognitive Shifting
The Environment-Emotion Connection
The Social Dimension of Emotions
Putting It All Together: Your Emotional Toolkit
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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