Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 5,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Positivity summary
Barbara L. Fredrickson
Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3 to 1 Ratio That Will Change Your Life
Listen to the first key idea
Key idea 1 of 8
4.4 (142 ratings)
20 mins
8 key ideas
Audio & text
What is Positivity about?
Positivity presents the latest research into the positive emotions that are the foundation of our happiness. By presenting different strategies to increase the amount of positive emotions you experience, this book will help you adopt a positive general attitude toward life.
About the Author
Barbara L. Fredrickson is Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina. Her research into positive emotions has significantly shaped the field of positive psychology. She is also the author of Love 2.0.
Table of Contents
Key idea 1 of 8
The power of positive emotions has been underestimated for far too long.
Everyone knows good feelings have a positive impact: they give us energy to get more done, and our positive energy makes others like us better.
But surprisingly, up until recently, researchers mainly focused on our negative feelings, such as fear or anger.
This is because negative feelings can seem to have a more serious impact, for example, leading to depression or despair. And we’re usually more aware of negative feelings, while positive ones are a more subtle experience.
But why are negative feelings so much “louder”?
Because they have been crucial to our survival in our evolutionary past: our ancestors intensely experienced negative feelings like fear when they focused on a given threat, like a predator or enemy, so they could concentrate all their energies on fleeing or fighting.
The study of these negative emotions has allowed psychiatrists to ease many mental disorders. But only recently have researchers wondered what impact a focus on positive emotions and a general positive attitude toward life might have. And when they did, they soon came to realize what a great effect positive emotions have on our day-to-day existence.
In large doses, positive feelings such as love, joy, gratefulness, hope or pride can change our whole lives. And while they often pass unnoticed, these “silent stars” make us more resilient and help guide us through many tough times.
Furthermore, positive psychologists have shown that if you manage to increase the amount of positive emotions you experience, you’ll reap many benefits.
You’ll be more successful in your career, enjoy more stable and fulfilling relationships, and live a generally happier, less stressful life!
Want to see all full key ideas from Positivity?
Key ideas in Positivity
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
Who should read Positivity
- Anyone interested in the power of positive emotions
- Anyone who wants to enjoy greater happiness and life satisfaction
- Anyone interested in positive psychology and happiness research
Categories with Positivity
Books like Positivity
What our members say
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
Start growing with Blinkist now
25 Million
Downloads on all platforms
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
91%
Of Blinkist members create a better reading habit*
*Based on survey data from Blinkist customers