Shift - by Ethan Kross (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"A revolutionary guide to mastering your emotional life."--Charles Duhigg
"Brilliant, engaging, and deeply insightful."--Lisa Damour
"A blueprint for navigating the emotional curveballs that life throws at us every day."--The New York Times

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER - One of Oprah Daily's Best Self-Help Books for Personal Growth in 2025, Next Big Idea Club's Highly Anticipated Books, and Adam Grant's 10 New Books to Feed Your Mind

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

A myth-busting, science-based guide that addresses the timeless question of how to manage your emotional life using tools you already possess--from the bestselling author of Chatter.

Whether it's anxiety about going to the doctor, boiling rage when we're stuck in traffic, or devastation after a painful break-up, our lives are filled with situations that send us spiraling. But as difficult as our emotions can be, they are also a superpower. Far from being "good" or "bad," emotions are information. When they're activated in the right ways and at the right time, they function like an immune system, alerting us to our surroundings, telling us how to react to a situation, and helping us make the right choices.

But how do we make our emotions work for us rather than against us? Acclaimed psychologist Dr. Ethan Kross has devoted his scientific career to answering this question. In Shift, he dispels common myths--for instance, that avoidance is always toxic or that we should always strive to live in the moment--and provides a new framework for shifting our emotions so they don't take over our lives.

Shift weaves groundbreaking research with riveting stories of people struggling and succeeding to manage their emotions--from a mother whose fear prompted her to make a spur-of-the-moment decision that would save her daughter's life mid-flight to a nuclear code-carrying Navy SEAL who learned how to embrace both joy and pain during a hellish training activity. Dr. Kross spotlights a wide array of tools that we already have access to--in our bodies and minds, our relationships with other people, and the cultures and physical spaces we inhabit--and shows us how to harness them to be healthier and more successful.

Filled with actionable advice, cutting-edge research, and riveting stories, Shift puts the power back into our hands, so we can control our emotions without them controlling us--and help others do the same.

Review Quotes

"[Shift] puts the problem of overreaction in a new light."--The New Yorker

"A blueprint for navigating the emotional curveballs that life throws at us every day."--The New York Times

"[A] lucid guide to emotion regulation."--The Wall Street Journal

"The expert guide to taking control of your emotions."--BBC

"Illuminating . . . this will be a boon to readers looking to take better charge of their inner lives."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"This book does much more than make sense of emotions--it breaks new ground on how to manage them. Ethan Kross has done something remarkable: he's written a page-turner that's grounded in science and filled with practical insights. If you think you can't control what you feel, he's about to make you think twice."--Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the podcast Re: Thinking

"Shift is a brilliant, engaging, and deeply insightful exploration of our often untapped ability to manage our emotions. Kross masterfully explains how even small shifts in our thinking can lead to profound improvements in our emotional well-being. This must-read book will change your life for the better!"--Lisa Damour, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers

"Ethan Kross presents a revolutionary guide to mastering your emotional life. With groundbreaking research, Kross dismantles persistent myths and offers a fresh perspective on harnessing our emotions as a source of strength. Whether you're navigating daily frustrations or significant upheavals, Shift offers actionable strategies to ensure your emotions amplify your capabilities, rather than hinder them."--Charles Duhigg, New York Times bestselling author of Supercommunicators and The Power of Habit

"With a scientist's rigor and a storyteller's ease, Ethan Kross uncovers the hidden levers that move our emotions. His actionable insights on reframing your perspective, redirecting your attention, and reshaping your surroundings can turn emotions from adversaries to allies--and transform how you navigate high-pressure work environments and the unpredictability of daily life."--Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Power of Regret and Drive

"For anyone who has wondered whether they'll ever be in charge of their emotions, this book has the answer: yes. Easy to read and winningly personal, this gem of a book is a complete toolkit of science-based strategies for managing how you feel."--Angela Duckworth #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grit

About the Author

ETHAN KROSS, PhD is one of the world's leading experts on emotion regulation. An award-winning professor in the University of Michigan's top ranked Psychology Department and its Ross School of Business, he is the director of the Emotion and Self-Control Laboratory. Ethan has participated in policy discussion at the White House and has been interviewed about his research on CBS Evening News, Good Morning America, Anderson Cooper Full Circle, and NPR's Morning Edition. His research has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The New England Journal of Medicine, and Science. He completed his BA at the University of Pennsylvania and his PhD at Columbia University.