Psychology, page 4
How minds work: biases, behaviour, motivation, emotions, research on people. 266 links, newest first. Page 4 of 6.
Links 151 to 200
How Visualisation Can Change Your Life
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #158
In a TEDxUniversityofGlasgow talk, psychology and business student Ana Isabel Bacallado argues that visualizing a goal can help you achieve it, summed up as "If you can visualise it, you can make it happen." She ties the idea to her own story, including moving to another country with her family and starting a small business at age 11.
Summary
In a TEDxUniversityofGlasgow talk, psychology and business student Ana Isabel Bacallado argues that visualizing a goal can help you achieve it, summed up as "If you can visualise it, you can make it happen." She ties the idea to her own story, including moving to another country with her family and starting a small business at age 11.
Addiction is an adaptation to isolation
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #158
Isolated rats chose drugged water and almost always overdosed, per the speaker
Summary
Addiction is an adaptation to isolation, and its opposite is connection rather than sobriety.
The speaker says common beliefs about addiction are wrong. In the classic rat experiment, isolated rats given a choice between water and drugged water usually chose the drugged one. Professor Bruce Alexander's Rat Park, a more social environment, cut overdose rates from almost all isolated rats to none. The speaker concludes that addiction is an adaptation to environment, and that the opposite of addiction is connection.
Key points- Isolated rats chose drugged water and almost always overdosed, per the speaker
- In Rat Park, with happier connected rats, overdoses dropped to zero
- Trauma or isolation pushes people to bond with something that brings relief
Set a 23-minute timer to beat temptation
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #158
The speaker says he found temptation takes about 23 minutes to pass
Summary
Temptation always passes, so set a 23-minute timer and go do something else until it fades.
The speaker advises reminding yourself that any temptation will pass, citing a saying about a devil who gives up after knocking at a door that never opens. They say the urge fades in about 23 minutes for them, so when tempted, set a timer for 23 minutes and do something else.
Key points- The speaker says he found temptation takes about 23 minutes to pass
- When battling temptation, set a timer for 23 minutes and do something else
- The clip cuts off before naming the best weapon against temptation
Avoid conflict by not opening with accusation
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #157
'You always forget' invites defensiveness and turns the talk into a list of past examples
Summary
Most conflict can be avoided by not opening with an accusation, which pulls the conversation off topic.
The speaker claims 80% of conflict can be avoided by not opening with an accusation. In a dishes example, a request answered with "you always forget" turns into an argument about the trash, because accusations change the topic and invite defensiveness. Instead, they suggest waiting before getting angry, then explaining your own need and asking for help next time. The aim is a negotiation about the actual request.
Key points- 'You always forget' invites defensiveness and turns the talk into a list of past examples
- Wait, then once the task is done, calmly ask for help next time without anger
- Name the reason you need help, such as the house being clean before friends arrive
Visualise goals as true, then feel gratitude
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #157
Picture the goals in detail, seeing, feeling, tasting and hearing them as real
Summary
Spending five minutes vividly visualising your goals as already true, then feeling gratitude, shifts the brain from fear to trust.
The speaker suggests being clear about what you want, then spending five minutes visualizing those things as already true. They advise seeing, feeling, and even tasting and hearing the scene, then giving gratitude for it. In their view, this moves the brain from a fear state to a trust state, which is the gateway to making changes.
Key points- Picture the goals in detail, seeing, feeling, tasting and hearing them as real
- Stay with it for five minutes or longer, then be grateful for all of it
- The speaker calls this the gateway to making the changes you want
A good apology acknowledges, grows and agrees
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #155
The speaker credits Marshall Rosenberg with calling sorry a shame system
Summary
Saying sorry can work as a shame system; acknowledge the mistake, show how you will grow, and make new agreements.
The speaker argues against the habit of saying "I'm sorry," which they say can be a cop-out that makes people feel ashamed without changing anything. Citing Marshall Rosenberg's idea of "jackal speak," they recommend acknowledging the mistake, explaining how they will improve, and agreeing on new arrangements. A sample exchange shows a partner saying they were late, why, and that they will leave earlier next time.
Key points- The speaker credits Marshall Rosenberg with calling sorry a shame system
- Name what happened, why it matters, and how you will accommodate it next time
- Sorry gets worn out as a cop out, but a deliberate, sincere apology is still appreciated
Why Time Flies
Tool · maximiliankiener.com · Issue #154
Maximilian Kiener's Why Time Flies argues that time seems to speed up as we age, because each year is judged against the total life already lived.
Summary
Maximilian Kiener's Why Time Flies argues that time seems to speed up as we age, because each year is judged against the total life already lived. A week is a quarter of life at four weeks old but only a fiftieth by the end of the first year. The theory is credited to Paul Janet in 1897, and the piece closes with a call to act rather than postpone things.
The Atlas of Emotions
Tool · atlasofemotions.org · Issue #153
The Atlas of Emotions, created by Paul and Eve Ekman with Stamen Design, is an interactive guide to five emotion continents: anger, fear, disgust, sadness and enjoyment.
Summary
The Atlas of Emotions, created by Paul and Eve Ekman with Stamen Design, is an interactive guide to five emotion continents: anger, fear, disgust, sadness and enjoyment. It shows how each emotion has states of varying intensity, triggers, and constructive or destructive actions, and links moods and personality traits to related conditions. It draws on scientific consensus and cites Paul Ekman's work.
How to Get Out of Your Own Way
Read · untetheredmind.co · 4 min · Issue #153
Alex Mathers's Untethered Mind post opens with a streamer who repeatedly chokes on critical par-five holes in a golf game, and uses it to explore self-sabotage.
Summary
Alex Mathers's Untethered Mind post opens with a streamer who repeatedly chokes on critical par-five holes in a golf game, and uses it to explore self-sabotage. The advice on getting out of your own way is in the paid part of the article, which can be read free through an author link.
Adopt beliefs that help, the expectation effect
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #152
People who expect to heal or learn quickly tend to do so
Summary
Expectations shape outcomes, so adopt the beliefs most likely to help you, which the speaker calls the expectation effect.
The speaker says research suggests expectations shape outcomes. People who believe they can do something are more likely to do it, expect to heal faster, expect medication or therapy to work, or expect to learn a skill easily tend to achieve those results. The speaker argues that positive thinking works partly by training these expectations, so adopting helpful beliefs is worthwhile.
Key points- People who expect to heal or learn quickly tend to do so
- Expecting medication or therapy to work raises the chance that it does
- Positive thinking trains expectations, which makes better outcomes more likely
Why Therapy Sucks for Men
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #151
HealthyGamerGG's video argues that therapy can pose unique challenges for men, largely because of social expectations, stereotypes and stigma around seeking help.
Summary
HealthyGamerGG's video argues that therapy can pose unique challenges for men, largely because of social expectations, stereotypes and stigma around seeking help. Its topics include how men handle emotions, reluctance toward couples counseling, differences in male communication, and the link between physical and emotional health. The platform's coaches are peer supporters, not trained professionals.
End a pitch with one more thing
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #151
The peak-end theory says memory is shaped by the peak and the ending
Summary
End a pitch with a one-more-thing idea, since people remember an experience by its peak moment and its ending.
The speaker says people remember an experience by its peak moment and how it ends, citing the peak-end principle with a movie example. The speaker recommends ending a pitch with a one more thing idea, a fresh suggestion for the client, so the proposal stands out after the meeting.
Key points- The peak-end theory says memory is shaped by the peak and the ending
- Save an innovative one-more-thing idea for the close of the meeting
- A memorable hook helps you stand out when clients review all proposals
Vsauce: What's the Scariest Thing?
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #150
Vsauce's video asks what the scariest thing is and explores how fears develop and whether a single unifying terror exists.
Summary
Vsauce's video asks what the scariest thing is and explores how fears develop and whether a single unifying terror exists. Topics include fear conditioning, the roles of the amygdala and hippocampus, innate aversions, fear of death, nomophobia, and how fear spreads socially through vicarious learning. It also draws on a patient with non-functioning amygdalae.
People care more about earning above peers
Short · youtu.be · Issue #149
Most pick 90k with peers at 80k over 100k with peers at 110k
Summary
The speaker says people care more about earning above their peers than about earning more in absolute terms.
The speaker poses two choices. Most people would rather earn 90,000 when colleagues earn 80,000 than earn 100,000 when colleagues earn 110,000. Most also prefer six weeks of vacation when colleagues get nine over three weeks when colleagues get one. The speaker says people care about status when it comes to money, but not when it comes to time off.
Key points- Most pick 90k with peers at 80k over 100k with peers at 110k
- Most pick six vacation weeks when peers get nine, since vacation carries no status
- The speaker says humans are weird because status matters more than money
What Type of Brain Do You Have?
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #148
Mike and Matty argue that knowing your brain type helps you find a study style that suits you, since generic study tips give generic results.
Summary
Mike and Matty argue that knowing your brain type helps you find a study style that suits you, since generic study tips give generic results. Matty says his grades got worse when he tried his brother's methods. The video links to a three-minute brain type quiz, and a paid study course is also promoted.
Triggers are events magnified by your trauma lens
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #148
Your reaction comes from your trauma lens, not from the event alone
Summary
Triggers come from the event magnified through your trauma lens, which turns an ambiguous remark into a worst-case reading.
The speaker says people are not triggered by an event itself but by that event magnified through the lens of their past trauma. A neutral remark or action gets translated into a perceived betrayal, such as cheating.
Key points- Your reaction comes from your trauma lens, not from the event alone
- The speaker's example is an ambiguous remark translated into cheating
Missed windows open again and again
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #148
Concedes elite gymnastics often needs training to start by age six
Summary
The speaker argues it is nonsense to say your chance has passed, since windows like this open again and again.
A dialogue presents two views. One voice says that a window has closed, such as gymnasts needing to start by age 6, and that a missed potential is a personal failure. The other argues that reaching a peak would bring no lasting bliss, that the daily work is enjoyable, and that striving out of fear is suffering.
Key points- Concedes elite gymnastics often needs training to start by age six
- Says most elite mathematicians do their best work before age 25
- Argues that reaching a peak does not guarantee lasting happiness afterwards
This Is a Teenager: Tracking Hundreds of Teens Into Adulthood
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #147
The Pudding's video follows hundreds of teenagers first sampled in 1997 and tracks them into adulthood.
Summary
The Pudding's video follows hundreds of teenagers first sampled in 1997 and tracks them into adulthood. It looks at how childhood experiences relate to later life outcomes, using a large dataset. An interactive version of the study is hosted on the Pudding site. The video was published on YouTube in April 2024.
Teaching victimhood primes people for discrimination
Short · youtu.be · Issue #147
Women told they had facial scars reported more discrimination after the scars were removed
Summary
The speaker argues that teaching people they are victims primes them to see discrimination, and teaching strength is better.
The speaker describes an experiment in which women were told they were attending interviews to study discrimination against facial disfigurement and were shown scars that were later removed. Afterward they reported more discrimination, which the speaker links to priming. The speaker argues young people should be taught that they are strong and capable rather than victims.
Key points- Women told they had facial scars reported more discrimination after the scars were removed
- They took interviewers' comments as referencing scars that were no longer there
- The speaker says young people should be taught they are strong and capable
On Spending Time Alone
Read · theguardian.com · 10 min · Issue #147
A Guardian article on time spent alone looks at how the pandemic made working from home routine for many people.
Summary
A Guardian article on time spent alone looks at how the pandemic made working from home routine for many people. The author notes that for many of them the flat is also the office.
Rehearsing problems makes them grow
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #142
Rumination, obsessing over pain, is described as the number one symptom of depression
Summary
Thinking and talking about problems over and over makes them grow, and rumination is a core symptom of depression.
In a conversation about a book on rumination, the speaker says that repetitively dwelling on pain is a core symptom of depression, and that activity such as running errands helps more than talking about problems. They argue human history is a story of resilience, that a little anxiety and bad memories are normal and can be useful, and that treating every hardship as trauma can backfire.
Key points- Rumination, obsessing over pain, is described as the number one symptom of depression
- Good therapists break that pattern first, while many just indulge it
- The speaker says the worst thing that happened to you is the worst thing for you
What I've Learned (YouTube channel)
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #141
Joseph Everett runs the What I've Learned channel, which aims to connect ideas, draw conclusions and weigh them against what he calls modern dogma.
Summary
Joseph Everett runs the What I've Learned channel, which aims to connect ideas, draw conclusions and weigh them against what he calls modern dogma. Topics include health, productivity, cognitive capability and self-improvement. Each video is meant to offer a takeaway that applies to daily life.
Change comes when current pain outweighs fear
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #140
The speaker says you can stand at the door looking into the abyss
Summary
Change happens when the pain of your current reality becomes greater than your fear of the unknown.
The speaker cites a saying that people change when the pain of their current reality becomes greater than their fear of the unknown. They describe standing at the edge of an abyss until the discomfort is strong enough to step into it, at which point the change happens.
Key points- The speaker says you can stand at the door looking into the abyss
- Change happens only once the pain is painful enough to walk through
- Presented as a saying the speaker believes in
What popcorn brain means
Short · vm.tiktok.com · Issue #135
A short item on so-called popcorn brain .
Summary
A short item on so-called popcorn brain .
Knowing rescue is possible keeps people fighting
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #131
The first castaway gave up after 30 minutes of swimming and drowned
Summary
Knowing rescue is possible keeps people fighting, and the speaker argues a castaway who had been rescued before survived longer.
The speaker tells a story about two castaways with the same abilities. The first gave up after 30 minutes, while the second fought for six days because he had been rescued before and knew help was possible. The speaker attributes the comparison to a study by Kurt Richter and applies it to setbacks: believing that a way out exists keeps people fighting and helps them reach their goals.
Key points- The first castaway gave up after 30 minutes of swimming and drowned
- The second, already rescued once before, fought the sea for six days
- The speaker says belief that someone is looking for you keeps you fighting
Adding context to a no prevents worst assumptions
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #129
A bare no creates no narrative, so the listener invents one, often the worst
Summary
Adding context to a no stops others from filling the gap with the worst assumption.
The speaker contrasts a bare no with Unfortunately, I can't, which adds a frame. Without context, the speaker argues, people build their own narrative and often assume the worst, protecting themselves in the process. Leaders and partners should share their context and story so others do not fill the gap for them.
Key points- A bare no creates no narrative, so the listener invents one, often the worst
- Saying unfortunately, I can't gives context people understand
- The speaker says leaders risk letting others fill in the context for them
Corporate math makes good work mean more work
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #127
Booking 30 minutes, using 25, and giving back five still wastes the full 30
Summary
A satirical corporate math lecture argues that saved time is lost and good work simply brings more work.
The post shares five questions from a Reddit thread for judging a relationship. They ask whether being called like your partner would be a compliment, whether you feel fulfilled or just less lonely, whether you can be yourself, whether you love your partner as a whole or only their good side and potential, and whether you'd want a future child to date someone like them.
Key points- Booking 30 minutes, using 25, and giving back five still wastes the full 30
- Delivering ten projects on time and under budget leaves you with twenty
- Calls this corporate's first law of motion: good work equals more work
The 48 Laws of Power, Animated Summary
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #126
A 29-minute animated video from the YouTube channel illacertus condenses every chapter of Robert Greene's book The 48 Laws of Power.
Summary
A 29-minute animated video from the YouTube channel illacertus condenses every chapter of Robert Greene's book The 48 Laws of Power. The creator presents the book as a guide to recognizing manipulative tactics so people can protect themselves, and says he is not advocating ruthlessness. He describes Greene's approach as intense realism, meaning seeing situations as they are. The video is free to watch on YouTube.
Positive psychology studies what makes people flourish
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #126
Seligman founded learned helplessness theory and led the APA in 1998
Summary
The speaker credits Seligman with founding positive psychology, which studies what makes people flourish, not just what is wrong.
Positive psychology founder Martin Seligman, per a TikTok summary of his 2004 TED talk, proposed three dimensions of happiness. The pleasant life comes from savoring everyday pleasures and staying present, the good life from using personal strengths in enjoyable activities and relationships, and the meaningful life from applying strengths to something greater than oneself. The speaker argues these practices help people under high stress.
Key points- Seligman founded learned helplessness theory and led the APA in 1998
- Uses the elephant rope folk tale to illustrate learned helplessness
- Positive psychology asks how happy people differ, not only how miserable people do
Emotion comes first, reasoning justifies it later
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #124
Claims the brain detects only 0.00035% of the electromagnetic spectrum
Summary
The speaker says the brain runs a survival simulation, so emotion comes first and reasoning justifies it afterwards.
The speaker says the brain perceives only a tiny fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum and runs a simulation built to keep us alive, not to make us happy or successful. Emotion comes first and the brain then justifies it. The speaker says emotions are tied to beliefs, and anger is often tied to insecurity, so decisions should not rest on them.
Key points- Claims the brain detects only 0.00035% of the electromagnetic spectrum
- Says the body gives the emotion first and the brain then rationalises it
- Claims anger is usually tied to insecurity, so do not decide based on emotion
This Is How They Program Your Brain
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #123
A YouTube episode from Iman Gadzhi, premiered October 2023, titled THIS is how they are programming YOUR brain.
Summary
A YouTube episode from Iman Gadzhi, premiered October 2023, titled THIS is how they are programming YOUR brain. The page presents it as episode 2 of an ongoing series. The description links to a sign-up for a WhatsApp group holding the assets mentioned in the episode.
Perspective gives an edge over perception
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #121
Perception is your own unique interpretation, so it gives no advantage
Summary
Perspective, not perception, gives you an advantage, because you think like the other person and learn what they face.
The clip, titled as a CIA trick, names perspective over perception as the most useful spy technique. Perception is one's own interpretation of the world and is unique to each person, while perspective means observing from the other person's seat and asking what their life and feelings are like. The speaker says this approach helps win arguments and succeed in careers and sales.
Key points- Perception is your own unique interpretation, so it gives no advantage
- Imagine the other person's life, what they feel, and their stressors today
- The speaker says most people stay trapped in their own perception
Attractiveness depends on context and surroundings
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #121
Says one sister gets attention because she is prettiest within her family and school
Summary
The speaker claims attractiveness is relative, so context and surroundings decide who gets the attention.
The video argues that attractiveness is relative. It compares two people in a photo, and two food stalls whose menu photos differ, one using a smaller bun to make its hot dog look bigger. It also uses a circle illusion, where a circle looks bigger between smaller ones, to show how context changes perception.
Key points- Says one sister gets attention because she is prettiest within her family and school
- Uses a circle illusion where the same circle looks bigger between smaller ones
- Argues nothing is absolute and compares a food stand where a smaller bun changes perception
The Problem of Caring What Others Think
Read · moretothat.com · 3 min · Issue #121
Lawrence Yeo's More to That post argues that worry about what others think mostly reflects your own opinion of yourself, since it is rarely about that person's opinion of you.
Summary
Lawrence Yeo's More to That post argues that worry about what others think mostly reflects your own opinion of yourself, since it is rarely about that person's opinion of you. People show different selves to different people, and switching between them is exhausting. The remedy he offers is equanimity across these selves, through reflection or distancing from people who pull you toward behavior you dislike.
Crystal: Personality and Career Assessments
Tool · crystalknows.com · Issue #120
Crystal is a personality, career and goals platform that combines 43 assessments across frameworks such as DISC, Enneagram, Big Five and Character Strengths.
Summary
Crystal is a personality, career and goals platform that combines 43 assessments across frameworks such as DISC, Enneagram, Big Five and Character Strengths. Users complete a short Morning Check-in and Evening Reflection that produce a daily insight and plan. Assessments, profile and daily insights are free, while Premium at $49 per month or $490 per year adds advanced advice and planning. The site reports 2.5 million users.
Drop expectations that do not serve you
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #119
Expectations are assumptions about what others should do, while standards are chosen values
Summary
Unhappiness comes from unmet expectations, so drop the ones that do not serve you without lowering your standards.
The Minimalists argue that unhappiness comes from expectations about how life should go that are not met. A child in Africa given rice can be euphoric, while a billionaire at a three-Michelin-star restaurant may complain. The speaker recommends reasonable expectations and eliminating unnecessary ones without lowering standards, since an expectation is an assumption about what others should do.
Key points- Expectations are assumptions about what others should do, while standards are chosen values
- Realistic expectations of a partner lead to a better relationship
- Eliminate expectations that get in the way of happiness, but keep your standards
The Physics of Relationships: Going Positive and Going First
Read · fs.blog · 3 min · Issue #119
Shane Parrish of Farnam Street applies Newton's third law to people: warmth tends to be returned with warmth and hostility with hostility.
Summary
Shane Parrish of Farnam Street applies Newton's third law to people: warmth tends to be returned with warmth and hostility with hostility. He recommends going first with kindness without expecting anything back, and describes four relationship types (win/win, win/lose, lose/win, lose/lose), arguing that only win/win avoids pushback. Pushback can arrive later, through withheld help or information.
People have not changed since Renaissance Italy
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #118
A finance minister threw a party that outshone Louis XIV, then was imprisoned
Summary
The speaker says people have not changed since Renaissance Italy, and outshining a leader can get you punished.
Robert Greene argues that people are no more progressive than in Renaissance Italy in Machiavelli's time. Manipulators today are less violent but still do similar things. He illustrates with Louis XIV's finance minister, who threw a lavish party to win promotion, was jailed the next day because people liked him more than the king, and whose story opens Greene's book The 48 Laws of Power.
Key points- A finance minister threw a party that outshone Louis XIV, then was imprisoned
- The speaker says this story opens the 48 Laws of Power
- Claims modern power plays are similar to Machiavelli's, just without the violence
How to Make Better Decisions About Your Career
Read · hbr.org · 5 min · Issue #118
A 2021 Harvard Business Review article by clinical psychologist Timothy Yen on making big career decisions.
Summary
A 2021 Harvard Business Review article by clinical psychologist Timothy Yen on making big career decisions. It proposes a five-step framework: examine your feelings about possible careers, identify your values, consider how loved ones are affected, assess your options realistically, then put it together and revisit earlier steps if needed.
Feelings are evidence of happiness, not its definition
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #117
Compares feelings to a turkey smell being evidence of Thanksgiving
Summary
The speaker says feelings are evidence of happiness, not its definition, which is enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose.
In this Simon Sinek clip, Arthur Brooks argues that feelings are evidence of happiness, not happiness itself. He says happiness has three parts, enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose, that science can explain. He adds that faith, family, friendship and service bring these more reliably than money, power, pleasure and fame.
Key points- Compares feelings to a turkey smell being evidence of Thanksgiving
- Happiness has parts like a dinner has macronutrients: enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose
- Says faith, family, friendship and service bring happiness more than money or fame
Wendy Suzuki on Anxiety as a Feature, Not a Bug
Watch · youtube.com · 8 min · Issue #114
In this Big Think video from August 2023, neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki argues that anxiety is an evolved feature rather than a defect, and that it can be redirected toward positive outcomes.
Summary
In this Big Think video from August 2023, neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki argues that anxiety is an evolved feature rather than a defect, and that it can be redirected toward positive outcomes. She describes six superpowers of anxiety and explains that the amygdala activates automatically under stress, while the prefrontal cortex can shut down when it is needed most. Cognitive flexibility is one way to put anxiety to use.
Detail: The Difference Between Interested and Obsessed
Watch · youtube.com · 3 min · Issue #112
Alan Stein Jr.'s July 2023 video is titled 'The Difference Between Interested and Obsessed'.
Summary
Alan Stein Jr.'s July 2023 video is titled 'The Difference Between Interested and Obsessed'. The description promotes his speaking work, the Raise Your Game Show podcast and a free series of PDFs on leadership reading.
Laurie Santos on Discovering Your Signature Strengths
Watch · youtube.com · 6 min · Issue #107
A Big Think video from The Well, published July 2023, in which Laurie Santos argues that regularly using your signature strengths matters more for fulfillment than general character strengths.
Summary
A Big Think video from The Well, published July 2023, in which Laurie Santos argues that regularly using your signature strengths matters more for fulfillment than general character strengths. She draws on Aristotle, Seligman and Peterson's 24 character strengths and suggests identifying yours through a survey, then practicing them, including at work.
Annie Duke at Talks at Google: Thinking in Bets
Read · youtube.com · 6 min · Issue #107
A 2018 Talks at Google event, about 84 minutes long, with former professional poker player Annie Duke discussing her book Thinking in Bets, moderated by Jordan Thibodeau.
Summary
A 2018 Talks at Google event, about 84 minutes long, with former professional poker player Annie Duke discussing her book Thinking in Bets, moderated by Jordan Thibodeau. Duke applies lessons from cognitive psychology and her poker career to decision-making under uncertainty.
Thinking in Bets: Deciding Like a Poker Player
Read · fronterablog.com · 5 min · Issue #107
A Frontera article on Annie Duke's 'thinking in bets' framework, drawn from her poker background.
Summary
A Frontera article on Annie Duke's 'thinking in bets' framework, drawn from her poker background. It argues that judging decisions by their outcomes is misleading, because luck also shapes results. The three steps are imagining a friend betting against your prediction, calculating expected value and reviewing past decisions apart from their results.
Laurie Santos on How to Be Happier
Watch · youtube.com · 8 min · Issue #105
Yale psychologist Laurie Santos, in a Big Think video from The Well series, argues that happiness is hard to reach because the brain is not wired for it.
Summary
Yale psychologist Laurie Santos, in a Big Think video from The Well series, argues that happiness is hard to reach because the brain is not wired for it. She recommends a set of practices she calls re-wirements, including prioritizing social connection, being other-oriented, practicing gratitude and exercising regularly. The video frames happiness as an ongoing practice, not a fixed state.
Pardon My Piano: Are You Tone Deaf or Musically Gifted?
Watch · youtube.com · 12 min · Issue #104
A Pardon my Piano video from June 2022 is an ear test that scores your musical ear from 0 to 15 as a 'tone awareness' score.
Summary
A Pardon my Piano video from June 2022 is an ear test that scores your musical ear from 0 to 15 as a 'tone awareness' score. The test has six parts: pitch recognition, pitch memory, harmony awareness, tonality, resolution and perfect pitch. The channel posts piano covers, classical piano and music tests.
Seniority and pay do not reflect competence
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #104
Says only about 10% overlap exists between confidence and competence
Summary
The speaker claims seniority and pay do not reflect real competence, and promotions often follow relationships and background.
The speaker argues that seniority, pay and education do not reliably show competence, and that relationships and pedigree often decide who is hired or promoted. Citing a claimed 10% overlap between confidence and competence, the speaker says the most outspoken person is often not the most capable. The speaker recalls joining an executive search firm and finding senior leaders less impressive than expected.
Key points- Says only about 10% overlap exists between confidence and competence
- Recounts finding senior leaders unimpressive while assessing them at a search firm
- Advises learning the game, dressing sharp, and dropping imposter syndrome
If It Were My Home: Compare Living Conditions Across Countries
Tool · ifitweremyhome.com · Issue #103
IfItWereMyHome.com asks how your life would differ if you had been born in another country.
Summary
IfItWereMyHome.com asks how your life would differ if you had been born in another country. Users pick a region on a map and compare living conditions with another country. The site also has a disaster visualization tool, with the Pakistan flood and the BP oil spill as examples, and a weekly Country of the Week feature.
Solve stuck problems by advising a friend
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #102
The technique is called self-distancing, and the speaker says it fixes a brain glitch
Summary
When stuck, ask what you would tell your best friend, because distance makes problems easier to solve.
The speaker describes self-distancing, a technique where you ask yourself what you would tell your best friend to do. People are good problem solvers but struggle with their own problems because they are too close to the details. The question lets you zoom out, see the big picture and find a solution when you cannot decide.
Key points- The technique is called self-distancing, and the speaker says it fixes a brain glitch
- Asking it zooms you out and shows the bigger picture
- The question is nine words: what would I tell my best friend to do?
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