Meet Blinkist, The App That Will Help You Reach Your Full Potential

Albert Einstein famously said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. This applies to many things but especially to our lives. We need to change to get better and grow. Getting started is often the hardest part of making a change but what if the first step could be as easy as downloading an app?

Blinkist is a learning app that’s propelling people’s self-development and helping them change, grow and reach their full potential. The app gathers key lessons from the world’s best nonfiction books into 15-minute explainers that can be read or listened to. There are more than 3,500 titles to choose from spanning 27 categories like productivity, entrepreneurship and creativity.

People love Blinkist because it helps them learn, no matter how busy their schedule is. Users can access the best nonfiction, leading authors and ideas which can help them change their life.

Founded in 2012, the four founders originally designed Blinkist to help them catch up on their reading. Since then, it’s gained popularity as a powerful tool for self-improvement.

(LtoR: The Blinkist founders: Niklas Jansen, Tobi Balling and Holger Seim. Not pictured: Sebastian Klein

It now has 13 million users and has received $35 million in funding. The app has been named by Apple as one of 20 best apps for lifelong learning along with the likes of TED, Udemy, Coursera and Khan Academy. It was even mentioned in the latest book by self-improvement guru Tim Ferris, Tribe of Mentors, which gathers advice, routines, and habits from the world’s most successful people and those at the top of their field. Blinkist was one recommendation from Liv Boeree, one of the world’s best poker players.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is even a user. He visited the Blinkist office in Berlin and is a fan of the app’s mission to help more people learn from books.

Impressed with the growing and talented team at @Blinkist. Helping everyone understand and experience some of the best non-fiction books is a great example of how a single idea from college can evolve into a solution for a problem we all share — too little time! pic.twitter.com/8rRrms7BMY

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 30, 2019

So, how does the app work?

1. It Has World-Class Titles That Will Help You Develop as a Person

There are more than 3,500 titles on the app with 40 new ones being added every week. These span 27 categories including those aimed at improving your professional and personal life. You can find 15-minute explainers of every noteworthy self-help book including classics like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Getting Things Done, and Rich Dad, Poor Dad.

Aside from personal development titles, psychology, communication skills, and management & leadership are the most popular categories on Blinkist. There are also more specific categories like parenting, mindfulness and nutrition.

“I read a lot of management, self-improvement, and entrepreneurial books through Blinkist because I can gain specific knowledge on my industry or on ways to improve myself.” – Steven Renwick, CPO of Regis24

The app also has curated lists in case you need ideas for what to read, which usually either center on a specific topic or list recommendations from a leading thinker. The most popular curated lists include The New York Times Bestsellers, Bill Gates’ Favorite Reads and Top 13 Books Recommended on the Tim Ferriss Show.

2. It’s Praised by Successful People from All Walks of Life

Before it became broadly popular, Blinkist was primarily used by high achievers like CEOs, coaches, artists and academics as it helps them get and stay ahead. This is what some of them have to say about it.

It lets them fit personal development into their busy lives.

“I use Blinkist when I’m in between meetings and can’t get a giant task done, but at least I can be productive.” – Sarah Schupp, Professor & Founder of UniversityParent.com

They can explore their love for reading.

“As a productivity coach and one of the life long learners, I can’t tell you how happy I was to find Blinkist. If you enjoy nonfiction reading and are short on time, Blinkist will be your new favorite app.” – Karen Trepte, Huffington Post

It’s easy to catch up on books that they’ve always wanted to learn from.

“What it does is it reads all those humongous educational books for people like me who haven’t got time to read them, like Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. I wanted to read it, but I knew it would take me two years.” – Actress and Ballerina, Francesca Hayward speaking to The Telegraph

3. It’s Backed by Science and Helps People Make Changes in Their Lives

Each book-explainer is written by experts and reviewed by at least seven people to make sure that it captures the most important ideas from the book in just 15 minutes. Their intention isn’t to replace the book but to give you an overview of the key ideas. Often, people use these to make sure a book is really for them before diving in and to stumble upon books they would have never have picked up otherwise.

To cut down on my impulse book buying I’ve subscribed to @blinkist app – I’ve found that if a book is still interesting after reading the highlights I end up buying the book anyway. I now buy half as many, the ones I do buy are higher quality and more impactful

— Daley Ervin (@daleyervin) July 23, 2019

The content is also created using neuroscientific principles so it’s easy to understand and remember. Practical tips are included so people can apply what they learn to their own lives straight away. At the end of each explainer, you also get a summary of the key takeaways. These are great for revisiting to ensure you never forget what you’ve learned.

And Blinkist users see results. After surveying 3,500 users in the US, the app found that 87.5% often make changes to their lives based on what they learned on Blinkist.

4. You Can Read or Listen to the Content

The content can be listened to as well as read in just 15 minutes. The audio explainers use sound effects and scripts specifically written for listeners to make them sound natural and engaging.

If you like what you hear and want to listen to the full thing, audiobooks for many titles are available directly within Blinkist at a discounted price.

“Blinkist has helped me read more — period. I love that I can get the key learnings from 10+ books a week, and immediately implement them in my own life. Blinkist has also helped me filter the books I purchase — if I couldn’t get enough of the Blinks, I buy it. ” – Hitha Palepu, entrepreneur and author

Blinkist rounds up the latest and greatest nonfiction and presents it in a quick and easy format. No matter how busy you are, you can access these lessons and start your own journey of self-improvement. Make like Einstein and make a change to take your first step towards your full potential by downloading the Blinkist app.