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October 2019
Too often, people see generosity as a chore—something they have to do. We want kids (and adults) to see it as a choice—something they get to do.
 
With that in mind, my wife Allison and I are delighted that our children's book on generosity, THE GIFT INSIDE THE BOX, just launched this week. We hope it will make a great holiday gift for the generous kids in your life.

For GRANTED subscribers, we're giving away 25 signed, personalized copies. To enter, sign up here.
Without further ado, some standout articles this month:

1. Why Some People Become Lifelong Readers (Atlantic)
If you want your kids to love reading, don't just fill your home with books. Make them part of your life. (a) Let your kids see you reading regularly
(b) Talk about books during meals or car rides
(c) Visit libraries or bookstores
(d) Give books as gifts
 
2. The Thinking Ladder (Wait But Why)
My new favorite equation: arrogance = ignorance + conviction.
Humility is a filter: it converts evidence and experience into knowledge and wisdom. Arrogance is a rubber shield: new information just bounces off of it.
 
3. Experience Doesn’t Predict a New Hire’s Success (HBR)
81 studies of over 24,000 people: in most jobs, prior experience has little to no bearing on performance. Hey managers: it's time to stop requiring experience in job applications. It's a poor proxy for knowledge, skill, and motivation.
 
4. With Goals, FAST Beats Smart (MITSMR)
High-performing individuals set goals that are ambitious and specific. High-performing teams make their goals transparent and discuss them frequently.

From My Desk:


5. We Need to Talk About ‘The Giving Tree’ (NYT)
It’s a classic, but many kids—and parents—take the wrong message away from it. There’s a big difference between selflessness and generosity. Generosity is not sacrificing yourself for others—it’s helping others without harming yourself. It’s not dropping everything any time someone needs you—it’s prioritizing your needs along with theirs. It’s not giving to takers—it’s giving in ways that nurture more givers.
 
6. The Gift of Giving (TODAY)
Instead of just talking with your kids about family values, sit down to create them together. You learn what matters to them—and they gain a sense of ownership over them. We did it a few weeks ago, and ended up with six family values: kindness, happiness, learning, honesty, responsibility, and grit.
Cheers,
Adam
Adam Grant, Ph.D.
Organizational psychologist at Wharton, author of ORIGINALS, GIVE AND TAKE, and OPTION B, and host of WorkLife, a TED original podcast
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