was hesitant to write this. I'm the guy who talks about using evidence-backed stuff -- scientific research -- to get real results. But now I'm going to talk about magic... No, this isn't Hogwarts and I haven't totally lost it. Science gives us clear answers to deal with challenges. Problem is, well, us. We're just not very scientific creatures. Our brains are wired all funny and we're often not terribly rational. As writer Matthew Hutson points out, we often see meaning where there isn't…
ere do you go for most of your answers these days? Google. And it's no surprise that Google's a company full of engineers. Engineers solve problems. That's what they do. And computer software engineers have developed methods -- algorithms -- to solve some of the most insanely complex problems out there. So what if we turned that cold, clinical science toward the warmest and most human of problems? Turns out you can get some amazing solutions. No, you don't need to understand calculus…
at critical voice in your head. Always telling you how you're screwing up. Always putting the worst-case-scenario front and center. We all have it. (I call it "Lefty.") You're hearing a lot these days about how to turn down the volume on your critical inner monologue. (Um, sometimes from me, actually.) But let's try looking at it a little differently for a sec, shall we? What if you don't need fewer voices in your head -- what if you need more…
ow long do you think the average work email goes unread? 10 minutes? 5 minutes? 1 minute? Try 6 seconds. From Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked: In reality, 70 percent of office emails are read within six seconds of arriving. Yes, Houston, we have…
'd all like to know how to stay calm under pressure. Sure, I could pull a bunch of research studies on it and just summarize those for you. But that always leaves the lingering question: "But does this stuff work in the real world?" So who really knows about being cool as a cucumber under the most intense pressure imaginable? I'd read that when top bomb disposal experts approach a device designed to kill them, their heart rate actually goes down. Folks, I think…
at habits, tactics and routines do the most successful people use to achieve their earth-shaking accomplishments? One guy wanted to know. So he talked to over 200 world-class achievers to learn from them. Now I happen to enjoy interviewing experts to get insights -- but if somebody wants to do all the heavy lifting for me, well, I'm not gonna say no. So I figured I should give that guy a call... Tim Ferriss is the bestselling author of The 4-Hour Workweek. His new…
er needed to be productive... but you just don't feel like it? And you literally end up negotiating with yourself in order to get things done? I end up there all the time. So I wondered: what's the best way for me to convince me to be more productive? What's the best way to use the science of persuasion... on myself? I knew the answer was a bit beyond my pay grade, so I called an expert... Robert Cialdini is the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of persuasion.…
u know what you're supposed to be doing... but you've come down with a really bad case of "I-don't-feel-like-it." You just don't have any motivation. Ever feel like that? Well, you're not alone... Research shows lack of motivation is at a record high. Today more than 50% of American workers feel disengaged at their jobs. From Payoff: The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivations: According to Gallup, which has been collecting data on employee engagement for many years, American workers are generally…
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