Shift

Managing Your Emotions—So They Don’t Manage You

“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

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Synopsis:

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

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.

Instant National Bestseller

Now available in over 20 languages

A Publishers Weekly and Behavioral Science Best Nonfiction Book of the Year

An Amazon Best Business and Leadership Book of the Year

One of Oprah Daily’s Best Self-Help Books for Personal Growth in 2025

An Adam Grant Top 10 Book Pick

A Next Big Idea Club Highly Anticipated Selection

“In Shift, Dr. Ethan Kross presents a revolutionary guide to mastering your emotional life. With groundbreaking research, Dr. Kross dismantles persistent myths—such as the notion that avoiding our feelings is inherently harmful, or being present is always best—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
“Shift is a brilliant, engaging, and deeply insightful exploration of our often untapped ability to manage our emotions. Kross draws on his own extensive research and key research findings to shed light on clear, actionable strategies that readers can instantly apply. Through relatable examples and highly enjoyable writing, he masterfully explains how even small shifts in our thinking can lead to profound improvements in our emotional well-being. This must-read book will - without question - change your life for the better!”
— Lisa Damour, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers
“For anyone who has wondered whether they'll ever be in charge of their emotions, this book has the answer: yes. But to manage your emotions, you first you need to understand them. In Shift, renowned psychologist Ethan Kross explains why we have emotions in the first place and how, in surprisingly simple ways, we can shift them. 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
“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
“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