The Science of Success

How we can all achieve our goals.

by Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D.

The Motivational One-Two Punch for Overcoming Bad Habits

By Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D. on March 23, 2010 in The Science of Success

When it comes to food, I'm what you might call a "grazer." Rather than eat three substantial meals a day, my natural tendency is to eat pretty much all day long. Which would probably be fine if, like most grazing animals, I was limiting myself to grasses. Unfortunately, like most Americans, I much prefer to snack on foods that aren't very good for me - highly processed foods that are high in fat, sugar, and calories. In addition to being a great way to pack on unwanted pounds, snacking turns out to be a very hard habit to break. Read More

how about dopamine responses to ingestion of carbs

Submitted by Mary Sojourner on March 23, 2010 - 2:24pm.

Good stuff to consider. The wily brain loves that dopamine and will get it any way it can. Thanks for a compassionate article!

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"If... then" works!

Submitted by ShawnG on March 24, 2010 - 2:15am.

Two years ago, I knew two things: that I wanted to go back to school, and that I was in danger of being downsized at work. I did an if... then plan by looking at programs, ordering transcripts, asking for recommendations, and paying down debt (that was the hardest part, but I knew it was an essential step toward my goal).

When the lay-off came, I was ready. Now I'm in a grad school I love, making enough money to live a decent life, and free of credit card debt. This isn't empty self help stuff; it works, and it's great to see that a real scientist is backing it up with real evidence.

Being prepared is better than being lucky -- I just wish I had known that when I was younger. Thanks, and keep up the good work!