Like many, I used to think of myself as a fairly rational person who made most decisions based on objective facts. I now realize that assumption is just one more example of the kinds of stories we tell ourselves. I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them … Read more
With our everyone-is-special, participation-trophy culture and the fact that, in 2013, “selfie” was named word of the year, the time is ripe for a good dose of narcissism-removing reality check. Understanding the earth revolves around the sun and not around us is a lesson best learned sooner rather than later. Pencil-sharpener Captain One day, years … Read more
In a Scottish poem, ‘To a Mouse,’ Robert Burns wrote, “The best-laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men gang aft agley.” Which translates to “The best-laid schemes of mice and men often go awry.” When things don’t go to plan, we can either hope the plan somehow will magically work itself out or figure out ways … Read more
In 1982, HG Brown published a book titled Having It All: Love, Success, Sex, Money…even if you’re starting with nothing. The phrase “having it all” has since evolved to represent whether women can have both—glowing family life and an equally stellar career, a topic of intense debate worldwide. Twelve Superwomen An editorial published in the … Read more
Almost every knowledge discipline relies on us having a fundamental grasp of logical reasoning; however, it’s not a subject we’re taught in school. In 1995, NY Times published a story with the headline “An Argument, A Shooting, A Fatal Crash of a Plane.” The headline succinctly described what had taken place. An ex-pilot who worked … Read more
If you can’t decide whether the new pair of shoes you’re trying on in the store look good on you and have to turn to Instagram to confirm with your followers, then you’re clearly a victim to the curse of social validation. Social proof has always existed, but when our self-esteem ebbs and flows based … Read more
It’s no secret I’m a self-help junkie. So, when I heard phrases such as “find your calling” or “do what you love,” I couldn’t help but take them seriously. After years of trial and error, I have reached one simple conclusion. A lot of advice comes from a place of privilege and carries the stench … Read more
Having two or more of everything, “just in case”, does not signify great planning. It points to poor decision-making. Simplify your life. It’s easy to complicate things but genius is in keeping it simple and stupid. Diamonds and other baubles On Nov 1, 1972, the New York Times published an article that began with this … Read more
Instead of minding our own businesses, why do we “waste” time discussing others’ comings and goings? Shouldn’t we be solving the hard problem of consciousness instead of commenting on Lady Gaga’s red carpet appearance (she literally seemed to have worn the red carpet instead of just walking on one) at the last Presidential inauguration? Read … Read more
While not an official health condition, Shiny Object Syndrome (SOS) can inflict significant pain and remorse. But like with most other health conditions, an ounce of prevention here is worth a pound of cure. Alisha stops by five times on her way to the park to pick up fallen twigs and flowers and once to … Read more
After an hour of doomscrolling on my phone, I switched gears to doomscroll on Netflix, instead. That’s when I stopped to watch a documentary (mockumentary?) on the power of affirmations. I saw folks claiming to have transitioned from genuinely desperate situations—serious emotional, financial, or relationship troubles—into becoming happy, thriving individuals. They attributed the change in … Read more
The fastest, guaranteed way to go from being happy and contented to becoming miserable and gloomy is by comparing yourself to others. So why do we indulge in such comparisons, and how do we rid ourselves of this tendency? Let’s start with an incident from 1995—a bank robbery that led to a critical behavioral psychology … Read more
You may have many reasons for not pursuing your dreams and ambitions. Holding back for fear of criticism, though, is probably the dumbest of them all. Understanding how to take criticism well is a critical (pun intended) life skill. Read more to find out why. And while at it, why not learn how to be … Read more
What is nothingness? What does our brain do when it’s actually not focused on something? Why does our mind wander, and why should we even care? The answer to all these questions is in your head — or, to be more specific, in your Default Mode Network. Neuroscientists business Neuroscientists like to put people under … Read more
Do you feel like an unmotivated blob sometimes? I certainly do. I bet every one of us, even Jim Rohn, had his share of blue days. This article discusses seven ways on how you can get yourself out of a funk. Laziness: Being incredibly motivated to do nothing December is here. At least in the … Read more
Why do we always think of the perfect comeback after the fact? What stops us from being the Smart Alecks we believe we are (in our minds)? Newsflash: We aren’t as good at thinking on our feet as we’d like to be. This article has seven tips on how to change that. The Wrong Guy … Read more
Robert Watson Watt, a British physicist, gave the world the cult of the imperfect. It’s a philosophy we would all do well to adopt. Watts said, ‘Always strive to give the military the third-best because the best is impossible and the second best is always too late.’ Watt reiterated Voltaire’s earlier pronouncements that perfect is … Read more
What do a few top researchers, at least six bestselling authors*, umpteen media articles and blog posts, Ben Franklin, I, and now you have in common (I added you to the list, assuming you are here because of the title)? Answer: An interest in pondering whether practice makes perfect. *Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers), Angela Duckworth (Grit), … Read more
That patience is a virtue is a lesson we’ve all been taught. Unfortunately, our current cultural context makes it difficult to practice patience. Try surfing the internet on a dial-up modem, if you don’t believe me. And if you haven’t seen a dial-up modem in your life or don’t understand what that is, you probably … Read more
Newsflash: We humans are not always rational decision-makers. We make some questionable economic (and other) choices, because, in Nobel prize-winning Professor Thaler’s words, ‘We are humans, not econs’. We operate in a world of sales pitches and marketing traps. To avoid severe buyer’s remorse, we would be well served to understand three fundamental concepts in … Read more