The 3 Laws of Mastery = 1. It's a mindset. 2. It's a pain. 3. It's an asymptote.
Peter Drucker didn't believe in "creativity." It was all about PRODUCTIVITY for him. Here's how/why he said no to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's invite to participate in his study.
What will your legacy be? Tune in to your eulogy + Job with a capital J.
Homeostasis is a system's tendency to do what it needs to do to maintain stability. Here's how to use that to our advantage to reach our potential. (This is also a quick look at the science of why we need to exit our comfort zone if we want to improve!)
Do you wake up and high five your Icky Guy? If not, you're missing out. Here's why you want to make your ikigai your new bff.
Did you know your limbic system (think: emotions) and prefrontal cortex (think: rational thoughts) act like a sort of seesaw? When one is up the other is down. Knowing this, we can use some tricks to stay cool under pressure. Here they are.
UBE + GBD. Ugly but effective + Good bad days. That’s where it’s at. When things get wobbly we can’t let it all fall apart. Gotta be a champ and play poorly well. Get scrappy!
Fear strikes. Now what do you do? Try to calm yourself down or lean into it? Learn how to activate your GO! systems when you're feeling high states of arousal. Research says it's often much more effective than slamming on the brakes while driving 80 mph.
Did you know the Sirens in the Odyssey tailored their songs for each voyager's unique weaknesses? Yep. Makes you wonder what they sing to YOU, eh? Let's figure that out and create some Odysseus Contracts to deal with them.
Hope. It's POWERFUL. And, it's different from Fantastizing and Dwelling. Here's what science says it is. (Plus the three facets: Goals + Agency + Pathways.)
How do you evaluate your performance? Most people get it wrong. Do you? (Hint: Don’t start with the negative stuff. Start with the GOOD then think about how you can get BETTER so you can be your BEST.)
Stuart Smalley affirmations aren't awesome but science says self-affirmation is. Here's a quick look at the difference.
Why do you strive to exercise more, eat well and sleep better? Your motivation matters. Here's what science says about how to best optimize. (Hint: Connect how you feel today with what you do today!)
Carol Dweck tells us we can have 2 different frameworks to approach intelligence and achievement. Each has its own goal. Here they are. (P.S. Choose wisely!)
Creativity and anxiety go together. Anxietivity. Let’s remember that a meaningful life in which we’re flourishing and giving ourselves most fully to the world involves stress.
Naive passion is *great*!! Right up to the first obstacle. Then our hero tiptoes out the back door. We need the courage of informed passion.
Malcolm Gladwell tells us some difficulties can be desirable. How about yours?
The ability to hold two contradictory beliefs in your mind simultaneously while accepting both of them AND knowing when to bring the right one to the surface while casting the other aside. It's a powerful tool.
Imagine a ceramics teacher splitting a class in two: One group is graded for quantity, the other for quality. Which one do you think creates the bet stuff? (Hint: Think quantity. :)
Here's a quick look at how to Spark + Sustain + Amplify your motivation as you optimize and actualize. Remember: Ambition + Expectancy + Attention + Effort + Attitude + Environment = Super powerful.
Want a big win? Then small wins are where it's at. Build your momentum. Make progress!
Your brain only weighs around 3 pounds. That's 2-3% of your total body weight. Yet... Your brain is hungry. It consumes 20-30% of your total caloric intake. So, eat wisely!
It’s a LOT easier to get fired up to do something with a strong YES!! What’s your WILDLY awesome goal that’ll help you crowd out all the shallow distractions?
In my interview with Steven Kotler about The Rise of Superman his #1 piece of advice was to remember this: “No pressure, no diamonds.” It’s time to rise.
Imagine your mind as a video game. If you're playing intelligently, you're learning as you advance thru levels. Always better than getting killed by the same monster in the same spot every.single.time, eh?!