Audiobooks by David DeSteno

How God Works: The Science Behind the Benefits of Religion

Drawing on a wealth of new evidence, pioneering research psychologist David DeSteno shows why religious practices and rituals are so beneficial to those who follow them—and to anyone, regardless of their faith (or lack thereof). Scientists are beginning to discover what believers have known for a long time: the rewards that a religious life can provide. For millennia, people have turned to priests, rabbis, imams, shamans, and others to help them deal with issues of grief and loss, birth and death, morality and meaning. In this absorbing work, DeSteno reveals how numerous religious practices from around the world improve emotional and physical well-being. With empathy and rigor, DeSteno chronicles religious rites and traditions from cradle to grave. He explains how the Japanese rituals surrounding childbirth help strengthen parental bonds with children. He describes how the Apache Sunrise Ceremony makes teenage girls better able to face the rigors of womanhood. He shows how Buddhist meditation reduces hostility and increases compassion. He demonstrates how the Jewish practice of sitting shiva comforts the bereaved. And much more. DeSteno details how belief itself enhances physical and mental health. But you don't need to be religious to benefit from the trove of wisdom that religion has to offer. Many items in religion's "toolbox" can help the body and mind whether or not one believes. How God Works offers advice on how to incorporate many of these practices to help all of us live more meaningful, successful, and satisfying lives.

David DeSteno (Author), Arthur Morey (Narrator)

Audiobook

Emotional Success: The Power of Gratitude, Compassion, and Pride

A string of bestsellers have alerted us to the importance of grit-an ability to persevere and control one's impulses that is closely associated with greatness. But no book yet has charted the most accessible and powerful path to grit: our prosocial emotions. These feelings-gratitude, compassion, and pride-are easier to generate than the willpower and self-denial that underpin traditional approaches to grit. And, while willpower is quickly depleted, prosocial emotions actually become stronger the more we use them. These emotions have another crucial advantage: they're contagious. Those around us become more likely to apply them when we do.As this myth-shattering book explains, prosocial emotions evolved specifically to help us resist immediate temptations in favor of long-term gains. Originally, they enabled us to build lasting relationships with other people, and they still do that brilliantly. But they can also be adapted to strengthen our bonds with our own future selves-who will benefit most from the grit we need to succeed in life. No matter what our goals are, Emotional Success can help us achieve them with greater ease and deeper satisfaction than we would have thought possible.

David DeSteno (Author), Dan Woren (Narrator)

Audiobook

Emotional Success: The Motivational Power of Gratitude, Compassion and Pride

"EMOTIONAL SUCCESS is as inspiring as it is practical. DeSteno shows us how to [...] improve our lives - and the world." - Arianna Huffington, author of Thrive and The Sleep Revolution "If you think the key to self-control is overriding your emotions, think again. Moral emotions can strengthen your willpower - and this fascinating book uses the latest social science to explain how." - Adam Grant, author of GIVE AND TAKE, ORIGINALS, and OPTION B with Sheryl Sandberg Gratitude, Compassion and pride - not willpower - hold the secret to achieving your goals. Using cutting-edge research, world-leading psychologist David DeSteno shows you how positive emotions are far more powerful than willpower and self-denial in achieving your goals. Willpower is quickly depleted, but our prosocial emotions become stronger the more we use them. Even better, they're contagious. · Cultivating gratitude, compassion, and pride leads to better cardiovascular health, immune function and sleep · Students who feel proud of their work will work 40% harder and longer than others · Empathy and compassion are the best predictors of team success Our prosocial emotions evolved specifically to help us resist immediate temptations in favour of long-term gains. But they can also be adapted to strengthen our bonds with our own future selves - who will benefit most from the grit we need to succeed in life.

David DeSteno, David Desteno (Author), Dan Woren (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Truth About Trust: How It Determines Success in Life, Love, Learning, and More

What really drives success and failure? Can I trust you? It's the question that strikes at the heart of human existence. Whether we're talking about business partnerships, romantic relationships, child-parent bonds, or the brave new world of virtual interaction, trust, when correctly placed, is what makes our world spin and lives flourish. Renowned psychologist David DeSteno brings together the latest research from diverse fields, including psychology, economics, biology, and robotics, to create a compelling narrative about the forces that have shaped the human mind's propensities to trust. He shows us how trust influences us at every level, from how we learn, to how we love, to how we spend, to how we take care of our own health and well-being. Using cutting edge research from his own lab, he also unlocks, for the first time, the cues that allow us to read the trustworthiness of others accurately. Appealing to readers of Dan Ariely, Dan Gilbert, and David Eaglemen, The Truth About Trust offers a new paradigm that will change not only how you think about trust, but also how you understand, communicate, and make decisions in every area of your life.

David DeSteno (Author), Tim Andres Pabon (Narrator)

Audiobook