The Science of Success

Many bad habits operate mindlessly, triggered by the context (e.g., watching TV, socializing, feeling stressed), rather than by any particular desire to engage in the behavior. So the key to stopping a bad habit isn't making a resolution - it's figuring our how to turn off the autopilot. It's learning to disrupt the behavior, preferably before it starts. Read More

It's not as if you don't at least suspect, when it's happening, that you're being an idiot. But that doesn't help you, because you tackle your idiocy from the wrong end - you try, by sheer force of will, to purge yourself of your idiotic impulses. This never, ever works. A more effective solution to the problem begins with embracing the idea that dating is like dieting. Read More

Where should you look to find the most creative, flexible, forward-thinking people in any organization - at the top, or in the rank-and-file? Read More

People can be remarkably wrong about why they, and everyone else, do the things that they do. And some of those people turn out to be motivational speakers and authors. Read More

Given the choice, would you prefer to make an iron-clad, no-turning-back decision, or one you could back out of if you needed to? Does that seem like a stupid question? I understand why it might, but bear with me - because it isn't. Read More

Most advice is terrible. Whether you get it from a best-selling author, your boss, or your neighbor, nine times out of ten it's about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. But advice can be useful, if it follows these two principles of advice-giving. Read More

Teams can be smarter and more effective than the individuals who make up the team, but only under the right circumstances. Read More

If you want this to be the year that you finally stop smoking, slim down, or stick to your budget, it's a good idea to start by understanding how willpower really works. Read More

Why miscommunicaton is more common between spouses than strangers. Read More

It's not just that people fear change, though they undoubtedly do.  It's also that they genuinely believe (often on an unconscious level) that when you've been doing something a particular way for some time, it must be a good way to do things.  And the longer you've been doing it that way, the better it is. Read More

Most of us know what it's like to stay in a job or a relationship long after it has ceased being satisfying, or to take on a project that's just too big for us and be reluctant to admit it.  So how can we make it easier to know when to cut our losses? Read More

While some people seem eager to tackle new challenges, many of us are really just trying to survive without committing any major screw-ups. How can we shift our thinking, and approach new responsibilities and challenges with more confidence and energy? Read More

Do you spend your life pursuing accomplishments and accolades, reaching for the stars? Or are you busy fulfilling your duties and responsibilities - being the person everyone can count on? In most situations, do you think you are focused more on what you have to gain, or what you have to lose? Read More

Some types of praise and criticism motivate, and others don't. If you've gotten it wrong in the past (and who hasn't?), then you can do a better job giving your child feedback from now on by sticking to a few simple rules. Read More