Have you ever had this dream? You’re back in school, trying to find your old classroom. When you finally manage to tuck yourself back into your old desk, you’re staring at an exam for which you didn’t prepare. To make matters worse, the words keep squirming around on the page, or your pencil turns into… CONTINUE
Personal Limits and Hidden Benefits
Imagine two professional shoplifters. One is agile, the other clumsy. Both do their best to steal as much as possible, but the agile thief is much better at his trade. Which shoplifter is more ethical? You could say the less skilled thief is more ethical, albeit by accident. He manages to steal less, so he… CONTINUE
Career and Memory Shortcuts
Memory is a funny thing. It tends to use shortcuts. One of these is called the “peak-end” rule. Take your job, for example. You have an overall idea of your job satisfaction, but you don’t remember every day of your job in detail. Instead, your brain remembers the extremes, the “peaks.” It remembers your very… CONTINUE
Recognizing Your True Priorities
What are your priorities? People tend to view this as a philosophical question. They tend to define their priorities based on their belief systems. 9 out of 10 people will tell you their number one priority is their family. But what if you set aside your belief system for moment, and approach this question in… CONTINUE
When is it Time for a Career Change?
Bob picks apples for a living. The thing is, Bob hates picking apples. But he decides to be the best possible apple-picker he can be, hopefully earning him a promotion one day. And one day, Bob does get that promotion. Now he’s no longer picking apples. Now he’s managing other people who pick apples. Now he… CONTINUE
Take the Home Tour . . . or Don’t
You buy a new home and fill it with stuff. Then what? Then you invite over everyone you know and force them to “take the tour,” which requires them to comment on how clever and shiny the various objects you have accumulated are. The downside is you’re required to return the favor when that person… CONTINUE
Is Time Really Money?
Suppose you worked half as much as you currently do, and made half what you currently make. Where would you cut back? Would you downsize your house, your car? Would you eat out less, save less, get rid of cable? Whatever the case, think of all the free time you would suddenly have. What kind… CONTINUE
Is Email Really Worth It?
Email represents a major step forward in human communication, and has made all of our lives much more convenient and efficient. Right? Twenty years or so ago when email started to take over the world, it seemed to promise a new era of time-saving correspondence. If you wanted to communicate with someone on the other side of… CONTINUE