Years ago, I was waiting for a train to the airport wearing a suit. I walked past, and someone asked me about my shoes. I explained them, and she asked, "Why don't you tell everybody about them?" I was fascinated by the question because I don't typically care to discuss anything that doesn't come up in conversation. Little did I know that this...
Read MoreYou know the feeling: you were just thinking about a song, and you hear it on the radio. You ask for a sign telling you which path to take, and you see a person with a tattoo saying, "Go for it!" You miss a flight only to find out later that the plane crashed. Why did that
Read MoreOne of the all-time great movie quotes comes from Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park: "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." I use this quote or my personal variation ("Just because I can do it doesn't mean I should do it...") frequently because when you are a highly capable human being,...
Read MoreI have read hundreds of books on psychology, philosophy, self-help, and success, so it’s not often anymore that something truly surprises me. I love looking at the world or an idea in a new way, though, so I am always looking for new insights and treasure the “lightbulb moment” when it happens. One day a few years ago, I decided to try a Wayne...
Read MoreThere are many books on how to go after what you want in life. From specific step-by-step instructions in the how-to guides to more universal recommendations in philosophy, religious, and self-help texts, advice for how to get everything you want in life abound. However, texts on how to figure out what you want in life are less common. There are...
Read MoreThree factors determine whether people assess a behavior is ethical: the intention, the action, and the result. For example, if you accidentally (i.e., no intention) kill someone while driving drunk in your car, the punishment is much less severe than if you commit pre-meditated (i.e., intentional) murder. If you attempt (i.e., intention) to kill...
Read MoreSocial species inevitably involve competition and cooperation. Before social species evolved, it was mostly competition as all living organisms fought for survival. Early forms of cooperation were coincidental, as bacteria move in patterns and birds clean the teeth of crocodiles. But once animals began to form large families and communities, mass...
Read MoreThere are times in your life when nothing can seem to be more important than that one thing in your life: that job you're applying for, the big game, or that test coming up. You can win championships, graduate from school, or make your first million dollars. Heck, you can get that bike you wanted more than anything for Christmas. No matter what...
Read MoreEveryone faces adversity, challenges, and trauma in life. For example, a soldier will see horrors that they wouldn’t wish upon anyone, and a star athlete will experience inevitable injuries that will prevent them from performing at their best. Many traumas are near-unavoidable, such as childhood trauma when you are under the custodianship of your...
Read MoreEmotions are human responses to internal and external stimuli. They provide both a signal to react to certain conditions in your environment and a reward or incentive for beneficial behaviors (or punishment for harmful behaviors). Freud put it best in his Pleasure Principle that people seek pleasure and avoid pain, but to broaden that point out...
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