Feel better, get done more and become a nicer person
In this age of social media, fake news, individualism and information overload, the certainties we relied on in the past are gone. In our quest for assurance and support, the only seemingly dependable pillar left is other people. So we look to them. But they are unsettled too. And by looking to them, we create and perpetuate our own vicious stress-cycle. As a result, we lose our sensible selves. And we go bananas.
But there is good news. If we look around us, there are people who withstand the collective lunacy and stay grounded. They do something that most of us have a hard time doing: they stay themselves. And the best news is that what they can do, you can do too. It doesn’t require any special talents or supernatural powers. It only requires doing.
In this amiable, open and accessible book, Jeroen Kraaijenbrink takes you on his personal journey out of Bananaland. Drawing from cognitive psychology, martial arts, Saint Benedict, personal experience, and a wide range of other sources, the book offers a nine-step approach with some remarkably practical advice for keeping a cool head in the collective lunacy.
Free yourself from the collective lunacy and reclaim your calm and sensible self
Table of Content
PREFACE
PART 1: PROBLEMS
CHAPTER 1: We Are Going Bananas
- Some Effects of Going Bananas
- What Is Going On?
- But What about Real Problems?
- Is There Hope?
- How to Regain Your Senses
CHAPTER 2: How Bananas Are We?
- The Future of Bananas
- Bananas Today
- Bananas in the Past
CHAPTER 3: The Science of Bananas
- The Basic Banana Mechanism
- Banana Biology
- Banana Psychology
- Banana Sociology
- Banana Technology
- Banana Economy
- Conclusion: The Five Banana Forces
PART 2: SOLUTIONS
CHAPTER 4: Leaving Bananaland
- How Great People Get Great
- Another Take on How to Do It
- The Nine Steps to Bananalessness
- Stages You May Go Through
- Your Personal Banana Demons
- How to Get the Most Out of this Book
CHAPTER 5: Step 1: Calm Down
- Switch Off Notifications
- Consume Less Information
- Stop Babbling
- Seek the Silence
- Channel Your Thoughts
- Conclusion
CHAPTER 6: Step 2: Let Go
- Stop Ruminating
- Cut Down on Planning
- Stop Controlling
- Forgive
- Release Stress
- Conclusion
CHAPTER 7: Step 3: Take Responsibility
- Quit Complaining
- Stop Blaming
- Speak Out
- Allow Feeling Bad
- Accept the Consequences
- Conclusion
CHAPTER 8: Step 4: Dethrone Yourself
- Control Your Emotions
- Stop Soul Searching
- Enjoy Your Averageness
- Embrace Your Unimportance
- Celebrate Your Temporality
- Conclusion
CHAPTER 9: Step 5: Build Character
- Ignore Apps and Advice
- Deviate from the Herd
- Take a Risk
- Guard Your Boundaries
- Adopt a Work-Rest Rhythm
- Conclusion
CHAPTER 10: Step 6: Detox Yourself
- Challenge Your Beliefs
- Rethink Your Aspirations
- Question Your Habits
- Filter Your Words
- Change Your Yardsticks
- Conclusion
CHAPTER 11: Step 7: Get Organized
- Clean Up Your Stuff
- Get Rid of Work
- Stop Procrastinating
- Multitask Sequentially
- Plan for Uncertainty
- Conclusion
CHAPTER 12: Step 8: Think Sensibly
- Assess Importance
- Check Facts
- Question the Source
- Explore Perspectives
- See the Bigger Picture
- Conclusion
CHAPTER 13: Step 9: Pay Attention
- Welcome the Unexpected
- Listen and Respond
- Monitor Yourself
- Read and Repeat
- Use Your Senses
- Conclusion
NO MORE BANANAS!
About the author
Jeroen Kraaijenbrink is a writer, advisor and lecturer on leadership and strategy. He lectures at the University of Amsterdam Business School and the TSM Business School in Enschede. He advises leaders in corporate and non-profit organizations and is also an active contributor on forbes.com.
No More Bananas is Jeroen’s third book. After writing two earlier books on strategy based on his professional expertise, No More Bananas reflects his personal journey to stand strong against the collective lunacy of today. Jeroen lives in the Netherlands, with his wife Caroline and their cat.
For more information about this book, Jeroen, or his other work, visit www.jeroenkraaijenbrink.com or www.nomorebananas.com.
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