Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
The Negativity Fast summary
Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success
19 mins
Brief summary
The Negativity Fast by Anthony Iannarino outlines a method for eliminating negative thoughts and behaviors. It guides readers through practical steps to cultivate a positive mindset and achieve personal and professional transformation.
Table of Contents
The Negativity Fast
Summary of 5 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 5
Understanding negativity
You’ve likely noticed the increase in negativity around you. This shift toward a more cynical, skeptical world has its roots in historical events, including the 9/11 attacks, wars, economic crises, and the pandemic, compounded by everyday stressors like inflation and geopolitical tensions. This negativity isn’t baseless; it’s anchored in what’s called negativity bias, which consists of elements like strong negative emotions, a tendency to focus on negative events, and the complex nature of negative experiences compared to positive ones.
Negativity, from an evolutionary standpoint, served as a survival mechanism. Our prehistoric ancestors were focused on threats to their survival, which led to an inherent leaning toward negativity. This biological inclination means that our tendency toward negativity, to some extent, is hardwired – influenced by basic needs and drives like hunger, sleep, and physical activity.
Rapid societal changes, as forecast by futurists like Alvin Toffler, have escalated feelings of negativity. The pace of change in technology, as well as globalization and the blurring of work-life boundaries, all contribute to increased mental health issues. We’re living in a world that is constantly and rapidly changing, often faster than we can adapt, leading to heightened negativity.
Your interactions with people around you also fuel negativity. From family dynamics to workplace conflicts, these social environments can often become sources of stress and negativity. Media and news, focusing predominantly on negative events, further reinforce this bias. But it’s important to remember that experiencing negativity is a natural human response and can coexist with positive aspects of life.
Mindfulness, a practice of being present and fully engaged with the current moment without judgment, can be a powerful tool in managing your negativity. It helps to create a distance between you and your thoughts, providing a clearer perspective. Practiced by many successful individuals, mindfulness can regulate emotions, enhance compassion, improve cognitive function, and reduce stress. It’s not about eliminating negative thoughts, but about understanding and managing them effectively.
By leveraging the insights and practices of mindfulness, you can begin to transform your internal dialogue, steering away from the pitfalls of negativity toward a more balanced and positive mindset.
This sets the stage for the first step in your journey.
Want to see all full key ideas from The Negativity Fast?
Key ideas in The Negativity Fast
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 The Negativity Fast about?
The Negativity Fast (2023) presents a transformative approach to personal growth, emphasizing the power of positivity and effective management of negative emotions. It guides you through a process of eliminating negativity and nourishing your mental outlook with optimism, offering concrete strategies for perspective-taking and coping with conflicting beliefs.
The Negativity Fast Review
The Negativity Fast (2021) by Anthony Iannarino is a book that offers practical strategies for overcoming negativity and cultivating a positive mindset. Here are three reasons why this book is worth reading:
- It provides concrete techniques for breaking free from negative thought patterns and shifting towards a more optimistic outlook.
- Iannarino shares insights from his own experiences and offers relatable examples, making the book relatable and applicable to everyday life.
- The book's emphasis on personal growth and its message of how positivity can lead to success make it a motivating and insightful read.
Who should read The Negativity Fast?
- Stressed-out individuals who need effective ways to counteract negativity
- People sensitive to global events and political discourse
- Social media users seeking to guard their mental well-being
Categories with The Negativity Fast
Book summaries like The Negativity Fast
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
37 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
The Negativity Fast FAQs
What is the main message of The Negativity Fast?
The main message of The Negativity Fast is to eliminate negativity from our lives and cultivate a positive mindset.
How long does it take to read The Negativity Fast?
The reading time for The Negativity Fast varies depending on the reader's speed. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Negativity Fast a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Negativity Fast is a valuable read for anyone looking to overcome negativity. It offers practical strategies to shift one's mindset and improve well-being.
Who is the author of The Negativity Fast?
The author of The Negativity Fast is Anthony Iannarino.
What to read after The Negativity Fast?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Negativity Fast, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Don't Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen
- The Art of Positive Thinking by Elizabeth R. Brown
- The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest
- The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein
- Level Up by Rob Dial
- Stop Doing That Sh*t by Gary John Bishop
- How Not to Age by Michael Greger
- Young Forever by Mark Hyman
- Good Energy by Casey Means
- The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason