
Discover why high bonuses can backfire and how your IKEA furniture obsession reveals deep psychological truths. Dan Ariely's bestseller challenges conventional wisdom with evidence that our irrational behaviors - studied by business leaders worldwide - might actually be our greatest advantage.
Feel the book through the author's voice
Turn knowledge into engaging, example-rich insights
Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning
Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way
Break down key ideas from The Upside of Irrationality into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Distill The Upside of Irrationality into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.

Experience The Upside of Irrationality through vivid storytelling that turns Pixar’s innovation lessons into moments you’ll remember and apply.
Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

Get the The Upside of Irrationality summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.
What if I told you that offering someone a massive bonus might actually make them perform worse? That the very incentives we've built our economy around could be sabotaging the outcomes we seek? This counterintuitive reality sits at the heart of human irrationality-a fascinating terrain where our assumptions about logic, motivation, and decision-making crumble under scrutiny. We like to think we're rational creatures, carefully weighing costs and benefits before acting. Yet the truth is far messier and infinitely more interesting. Our brains didn't evolve to maximize efficiency or make perfect choices-they evolved to navigate a complex social world where emotions, meaning, and connection matter as much as cold calculation. Understanding this gap between who we think we are and who we actually are isn't just intellectually fascinating; it's the key to designing better lives, workplaces, and societies.