Normally, more intelligence is a good thing. Yes, we all know examples of the anxious overthinker or the scholastic introvert who can’t get a date. But, for the most part, being smarter helps in life. However, I’ve noticed one problem that mostly strikes really smart people. The smarter you are, the more likely you are […]
You’re Lazier Than You Think
Most people vastly overestimate their willpower. After four years of detailed feedback from readers on habit changes, I can come to no other conclusion. If willpower were cash, most people empty their wallets on the first day. Keeping this in mind, when I set the first 30 Day Trials for the group of students enrolled […]
Want Better Results for 2010? Commit to Fewer Things
My new motto for 2010, inspired by Cal’s similar suggestion, is to work hard, but commit to less. To be fair, it isn’t a new motto. I’ve been running with this one for the latter half of 2009, so it isn’t exactly a resolution, but an affirmation of what I’ve already been doing. However, even […]
Do You Trust Your Productivity System?
Cal Newport, author of Study Hacks an excellent student productivity blog, offered an interesting idea to me in a recent conversation: More important than the type of productivity system you use is that you trust it. Nothing is worse that the people who attempt to follow a plan, and then (either in anxiety or guilt) […]