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How Constraints Make Us Better
by David Epstein
How do we do more with less? From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Range, why limits are the key to stimulating creativity, innovation, collaboration, and personal contentment.
We live in a world that gives us seemingly infinite choices and prizes freedom above all else. We have an unprecedented number of options regarding what to do, who to be, and how to spend our time. All that choice is wonderful; it is also overwhelming. The irony is that total freedom can be paralyzing, and unlimited resources don't necessarily lead to the biggest breakthroughs. In fact, overvaluing complete freedom can be disastrous for everything from starting a company to harnessing creativity to finding personal satisfaction.
David Epstein argues that all of us—individuals, businesses, institutions, even societies—can benefit from narrowing our options. He dives into the science and practice of constraints, exploring exactly when and how guardrails can be beneficial, whether we're working with limited resources or using self-imposed boundaries to tap unexpected wells of focus and innovation.
Original, galvanizing, and deeply researched, Inside the Box tells absorbing stories of people and organizations that embraced constraints to transform themselves, and the world—as well as a few that struggled from a lack of limits. Epstein reveals how boundaries create breakthroughs, and how setting the right constraints can help you become the most creative, productive, and satisfied version of yourself.
"[A] counterintuitive and groundbreaking exploration…Through captivating case studies, Epstein reveals the transformative power of obstacles. It's a game changer." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"From UPS routes to early computers to Bach's strictly structured musical conventions to Michelangelo's David, set limits and sharper focus produce the best results...This is for anyone who has ever been overwhelmed in a grocery aisle." —Booklist
"David Epstein is one of my favorite writers, and Inside the Box is my favorite of his books—wonderfully personal, blessedly practical, full of stories I found myself retelling. A gift for anyone who, like me, needs to be reminded that less can be more." —Angela Duckworth, bestselling author of Grit
"A masterful case that limits are what set us free. David Epstein is one of the best science writers on the planet, and he shows how smart boundaries can unblock insight, unleash creativity, and unlock potential." —Adam Grant, bestselling author of Hidden Potential and Think Again
This information about Inside the Box was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
David Epstein is the author of the number one New York Times bestseller Range and the New York Times bestseller The Sports Gene. He has master's degrees in environmental science and journalism and has worked as a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and as an investigative reporter for ProPublica. He lives in Washington, DC.
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