STFU: The Power of Keeping Your Mouth Shut in an Endlessly Noisy World

by Dan Lyons Narrated by Dan Lyons

Overview

This program is read by the author.

"Lyons is an able narrator who brings self-deprecation and humor to parts that may lose their impact in print. His emphatic delivery is dynamic, and listeners may find themselves nodding along in agreement."- Library Journal

New York Times bestselling author Dan Lyons is here to tell you-and don't take this the wrong way-that you really need to shut the f*ck up!

Our noisy world has trained us to think that those who get in the last word win, when in fact it's those who know how to stay silent who really hold the power. STFU is a book that unlocks this power and will change your life, freeing you to focus on what matters. Lyons combines leading behavioral science with actionable advice on how to communicate with intent, think critically, and open your mind and ears to the world around you.

Talk less, get more. That's what STFU is all about. Prescriptive, informative, and addictively readable, STFU gives you the tools to become your better self, whether that's in the office, at home, online, or in your most treasured relationships. Because, after all, what you say is who you are.

So take a deep breath, press play, and quietly change your life.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt & Company.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Entertaining, illuminating, and inspiring! More than a book, it’s a public service announcement that we’d all do well to—well, STFU and listen to!”
—Sarah Knight, New York Times bestselling author of Calm the F*ck Down

“Read this book—your boss will thank you. Your spouse will thank you. And you'll thank yourself! Good communication is measured not by the speaker, but by the listener. How can you know what's going on in another person's ear? Start by STFU! For most of us, that's easier said than done. Dan Lyons will explain how to do it, and why it will improve your relationships at work and at home.”
—Kim Scott, New York Times bestselling author of Radical Candor

“STFU convinced me that, by keeping my big mouth shut, I will be happier and more productive and so will everyone else in my life. Dan Lyons' ridiculously funny gem taught me how to shut up, pay fierce attention to others, stifle my 'manalogues' and so many more antidotes for my talkaholic tendencies. My only problem is that, after reading STFU, I can’t stop talking about how much I love this book!”
—Robert I. Sutton, organizational psychologist, Stanford Professor, and New York Times bestselling author of seven books including The No Asshole Rule

“Lyons cuts through the noise even as he critiques it. Timely, clever, and important. Need I say more? (Probably not).”
—David Litt, former speechwriter for President Barack Obama and New York Times bestselling author of Thanks, Obama

“Want to help with those loudmouthed jerks, the ones polluting our media and our minds of late? Want to avoid being one yourself? STFU teaches us what we all need to learn: how to listen, pause and speak. How to communicate with intention, and power. The book opens your mind by closing your mouth. I could go on, but I’ll shut up now.”
—Aaron James, New York Times bestselling author of Assholes: A Theory

Previous Praise for Dan Lyons' Disrupted

"You couldn't have written a tastier ending, even for HBO."
—Dwight Garner, New York Times

"Disrupted by Dan Lyons is the best book about Silicon Valley today....Simultaneously hilarious and terrifying."
—Los Angeles Times

"Scathingly funny....Like the show Silicon Valley, Disrupted nails the workings of spastic, hypocritical, delusional tech culture."
—New York Post

Library Journal

12/16/2022

Lyons is a self-proclaimed "talkaholic." A former staff writer for Forbes and author of the international best-seller Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Startup Bubble, he offers a self-help book for those who have talked themselves into trouble and want to be better listeners. Readers will first take a quiz to see whether they are a true talkaholic, and if so, they will be guided through exercises to help them gain control of the way they talk. Even if readers don't consider themselves a talkaholic, they'll find this book to be a well-written reflection on the impact of social media and technology on their mental health—and strategies to overcome that. The presentation is broken down into 10 chapters that encourage readers to practice Lyons's approach on social media, at work, with family members, and in their love life. This book is a guide to improving mental health by taking control of relationships with friends, coworkers, partners, and oneself. VERDICT Every library should get a copy. Readers, especially Lyons's fans, will look forward to this witty, well-researched book.

Kirkus Reviews

2022-11-22
A recovering talkaholic urges us to stop talking constantly and learn to appreciate reticence.

“We live in a world that doesn’t just encourage overtalking but practically demands it, where success is measured by how much attention we attract,” writes tech journalist Lyons, who notes that these circumstances are turning all interactions into pointless shouting matches and creating an epidemic of anxiety and depression. The author admits that, for many years, he was one of the main offenders, prone to “going off the rails, monologuing like Hamlet on crystal meth.” After damaging his personal and professional lives, he realized that his chattering had become an addiction, and he set out to change. He tells his own story as well as looking at the bigger picture, drawing on the expertise of therapists and offering a series of self-assessment tests and exercises. He devotes several chapters to social media, which he sees as one of the primary causes of the problem. Think before you tweet or post, he suggests. Does the world really want your opinion on everything? Do you really need to argue with strangers who disagree with you? Intense use of social media underlies the sociopolitical polarization that is gripping the U.S., notes the author, so turn it off or turn it down. At the very least, disconnect your phone from social media platforms. Do some meditation or take a walk in a forest to recapture the beauty of silence. In conversations, be willing to accept pauses for reflection, avoid interrupting others, and listen more than you speak. A less noisy life is not easy to achieve, Lyons advises, but improvements can be made with small, gradual steps. Think of it as a workout for your mind. Take it easy, let yourself relax, and, most of all, STFU.

In an era when shouting is the norm, this is a sage guide to a quieter, more considered, and more enjoyable life.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175675543
Publisher:	Macmillan Audio
Publication date:	03/07/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	765,417

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