Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ 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
Sway summary
Ori Brafman
The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior
15 mins
Brief summary
Sway by Ori Brafman reveals how irrational behavior affects our decision-making process. Using vivid examples, the book explains how we are influenced by factors beyond our control and how to avoid falling prey to them, allowing for smarter and more strategic choices.
Topics
Table of Contents
Sway
Summary of 8 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 8
Nobody likes to lose; so to avoid a feeling of loss, we often act irrationally.
We like to think of ourselves as logical, rational beings. Yet the truth is that all humans behave irrationally. Even experts, such as airplane pilots and surgeons, can make grave mistakes.
But what motivates us to act irrationally?
In short, nobody likes to lose. Our fear of loss, or loss aversion, is one of the hidden forces that drives irrational behavior.
Interestingly, the pain of loss is a much stronger feeling than the joy of winning; so when faced with the prospect of losing, we will do anything we can to avoid it.
Our sensitivity to changes in the price of an item illustrates this crisis. As an increase in price feels like a loss, we react to this much more intensely than we do a decrease in price.
U.S. Department of Agriculture professor Daniel Putler studied egg sales to see how people reacted to price increases and decreases. He found that when prices decreased, people only slightly increased the number of eggs they purchased. However, when prices rose, people cut their consumption of eggs by two and a half times.
Since a price increase feels like we’re losing money, we react disproportionately strongly to the change.
Putler’s study shows how we often rush to make sacrifices just to avoid loss. Sometimes, we’re even willing to pay more to prevent a loss.
If you’ve ever rented a car, then you’ve experienced this firsthand. Rental car damage waivers can be expensive and are in fact useless, as your own car insurance and credit card offer sufficient protections should an accident actually occur.
Yet the fear of loss makes you reconsider whether you are safe enough, and may well encourage you to sign up for the coverage regardless – a product designed specifically to take advantage of customers’ irrational assumptions!
Want to see all full key ideas from Sway?
Key ideas in Sway
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.
What is Sway about?
Sway sheds some light on the mysterious forces that cause humans – usually rational and logical – to behave strangely or act without thinking. In short, the book explains why we often act irrationally.
Sway Review
Sway (2008) explores the hidden forces that shape our decisions and how we can overcome them. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- With intriguing case studies and examples from diverse fields, it reveals the irrationality that often drives our choices, leading to valuable insights.
- The book provides a deeper understanding of human behavior and the biases that influence our decision-making processes, shedding light on our own actions.
- By examining the psychological factors that sway our thinking, the book offers practical strategies to avoid common pitfalls and make better decisions.
Best quote from Sway
The deeper the hole they dig themselves into, the more they continue to dig.
—Ori Brafman
Who should read Sway?
- Anyone interested in behavioral psychology
- Anyone who has ever wondered about the science behind irrational behavior
Categories with Sway
Book summaries like Sway
People ❤️ Blinkist
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.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
31 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Sway FAQs
What is the main message of Sway?
The main message of Sway is that our decision-making is often irrational and influenced by various biases.
How long does it take to read Sway?
The reading time for Sway varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Sway a good book? Is it worth reading?
Sway is a thought-provoking book that sheds light on the hidden forces impacting our choices. It's definitely worth reading for anyone interested in understanding human behavior.
Who is the author of Sway?
Ori Brafman is the author of Sway.
What to read after Sway?
If you're wondering what to read next after Sway, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Adaptive Markets by Andrew W. Lo
- The Upside of Your Dark Side by Todd Kashdan and Robert Biswas-Diener
- Elevate by Joseph Deitch
- Millennial Money Makeover by Conor Richardson
- Words on the Move by John McWhorter
- Maps of Meaning by Jordan B. Peterson
- Fast. Feast. Repeat. by Gin Stephens
- Buddhism – Plain and Simple by Steve Hagen
- When Genius Failed by Roger Lowenstein
- Workstyle by Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst