2 Easy Ways To Increase Willpower — Courtesy Of The Cookie Monster
llpower Is Destiny Haven't we all heard of Mischel's Marshmallow Self-Control Test by now? If not, here's a quick summary: Stick a little kid alone in a room with nothing but a marshmallow. Tell the kid they can eat it now or, if they wait 15 minutes, they get two. Then you leave the kid alone. Some children eat the marshmallow immediately, others wait and earn two. Big deal, right? Wrong. It's a huge deal. Check with those kids 20 years…
3 minutes
The Scientific Way To Survive The Zombie Apocalypse
's Halloween! Let's talk to a PhD neuroscientist about the zombie brain and the scientific way to survive the zombie apocalypse. Bradley Voytek is a neuroscientist and cognitive scientist at UCSD. He did his PhD in neuroscience at UC Berkeley and post-doc research in neurology at UCSS. He’s also one of the "leading experts" on the zombie brain and is currently writing a book on it for Princeton University Press. Bradley and I spoke about the zombie brain, the most realistic zombie…
3 minutes
How To Be More Confident: 5 Research Backed Methods
one doubts the value of confidence. In fact, research shows people often prefer confidence over actual expertise. G. Richard Shell teaches at the Wharton School and his book Springboard: Launching Your Personal Search for Success has a great chapter on how to be more confident. Here's what you need to know. Surround Yourself With People Who Believe in You I've posted a lot about how the power of context can improve behavior. And people are a part of that. When you're told you're…
4 minutes
How To Develop A Photographic Memory: 4 Easy Steps
ould you memorize the order of a deck of cards in under 30 seconds? (Hat tip to Josh.) Don't feel bad; I can't remember what I ate for lunch yesterday. In fact, one-third of British people under 30 can't remember their home phone number. Via Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science…
5 minutes
FBI Profiler Jim Clemente Talks Serial Killers, Deception And Danger
terview with FBI Profiler Jim Clemente Jim Clemente is a retired FBI profiler who worked at the elite Behavioral Analysis Unit at Quantico. He investigated serial killers, serial rapists, child abduction, child homicide cases, and was part of the team that cracked the DC Sniper case. Jim worked undercover on Wall Street, participated in the Whitewater investigation, was on the scene after the towers fell on 9/11 and was brought in to consult on interrogation after the controversy at Guantanamo. He…
6 minutes
4 Things Astronauts Can Teach You About A Good Night’s Sleep
o knows about sleep? Astronauts. They have to. Their bodies are cut off from many of the normal external cues that remind us what time it is. But actually, it's even worse than that. In orbit they can experience a dozen sunrises and sunsets a day which makes their circadian rhythm go completely haywire. When you're in a tin can floating through the cold darkness of outer space, being off your game due to lousy sleep can have very bad results.…
5 minutes
The Underrated Skill That Can Benefit Every Area Of Your Life
at's my vote for the most underrated skill? Storytelling. Being a great storyteller has immense value across five key areas of your life. It's a shame we don't require it in schools. Here's the research behind how the art of storytelling can benefit you -- and how you can get better at it. 1) RELATIONSHIP John Gottman is one of the leading researchers on what makes relationships succeed or fail. He can listen to a couple for 5 minutes…
4 minutes
Mutant Powers: What A DNA Test Can Tell You About Yourself
m probably going to live longer than you are. I can't be sure, of course, but I have two genes associated with exceptional longevity, so all other things being equal, well, I'd take those odds in Vegas. I have two working copies of ACTN3 in my muscle fibers, which is associated with elite athletic performance and means my body is optimized for power sports like sprinting and weight lifting. I also lack a functional FUT2 gene, so I'm immune to stomach flu. (If…
5 minutes
