Think Like a Freak: The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain
Now in Paperback—the New York Times bestseller—and follow up to the revolutionary bestsellers Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics—with a new author Q&A. With their trademark blend of captivating storytelling and unconventional analysis, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner take us inside their thought process and teach us all how to think a bit more productively, more creatively, more rationally. In Think Like A Freak, they offer a blueprint for an entirely new way to solve problems, whether your interest lies in minor lifehacks or major global reforms. The topics range from business to philanthropy to sports to politics, all with the goal of retraining your brain. Along the way, you’ll learn the secrets of a Japanese hot-dog-eating champion, the reason an Australian doctor swallowed a batch of dangerous bacteria, and why Nigerian e-mail scammers make a point of saying they’re from Nigeria.Levitt and Dubner plainly see the world like no one else. Now you can too. Never befor
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Are you willing to start thinking like a freak? A great book for approaching life in a creative way.,
The only problems that I have with the book are the length, just over 200 pages, and it rehashes a lot of stuff that they go over in other works. This book is easy enough that you can probably read in one or two sittings and it is very captivating throughout. I really enjoyed the anecdotes they use to bring across the point of the book that everyone can benefit by thinking differently about the world (i.e. think like a freak).
One of the main things that I liked is how they describe the way children ask questions and are so curious about everything. Children don’t have a set worldview and are eager to learn by asking a lot of questions. Parents often dismiss these questions when it might be valuable to see the world through a child’s eyes and challenge set it stone opinions or thoughts.
The writers also make a good point about how the three hardest words in the English language are “I don’t know” and how it should be okay to say these words. By applying these words to our lives, we will first of all lie a lot less and more importantly be able to demonstrate a willingness to find out answers to questions we simply don’t know.
As I stated before, I wish that this book was longer, but I really did enjoy all that was written and would recommend “Think like a Freak” for those interested in challenging their current worldview and seeking to approach life in a creative way.
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|Freakonomics / Super Freakonomics shows you how the world works. Think Like A Freak shows you how to better live in the world.,
Like many other people, after reading both of the Freakonomics books, I felt like I learned a ton, but I wasn’t sure how it would apply directly to my life.
And that’s okay. They weren’t writing a self help book, and I read their work because I was genuinely curious in understanding how the world works.
But this book departs from their usual method of explaining how the world works and instead shows you how you can better live in the world.
And that’s why I believe this is their best book yet.
Here’s a little summary of what I learned:
1. In one chapter, the three hardest words in the english language, they talk about one of the main problems that plagues people today – the inability to say “I don’t know.” And they show you how it’s a deadly combination because “cocky plus wrong” is a recipe for disaster. They then show you how to avoid making this mistake. They even give a word for word script you can use.
2. In another chapter, “WHat’s your problem,” they share the story of Kobayashi and how he became a professional hot dog – and food eater. They walked through his entire process and how he went on to eat 50 hot dogs when people thought eating 30 was impossible. And even though they’re talking about hot dogs, you’ll see how this can apply to everyone.
As an example, back when I started creating videos for Social Triggers TV, a friend of mine told me they were filming about 6 videos a day. And I thought, “Well, I’m new at this ther’s no way ill get there.” And I would film 3 videos a day. Eventually, as I got good, I got to the magic number – 6 videos in a day and I felt like I was on top of the world. Until I spoke to another friend who told me they do 15 or 20 videos in a day. I was SHOCKED. But I went back to the drawing board, refined my process, and eventually got up to 17 videos in a day.
I’m being vague here, mainly because I want you to read the book. But it’s funny seeing how the same process I used to increase my video production was used by the hot dog champ as well.
3. And my favorite part of the book is when they talk about what they call “the once and done” technique. If you’re a non-profit, you’ll LOVE reading about this because you’ll see how you can potentially increase donations a drastic amount by using this simple marketing tactic.
And that’s it.
Great book and I suggest you buy it and read it.
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