The secret to getting another person to hang on your every word is simple — talk to them about them. If you talk about them, they will listen to you all day. Always keep in mind, the other person is dying to tell his or her story but doesn’t care about hearing yours. The minute…
The pursuit of happiness is alive and well according to an article written by Taffy Brodesser-Akner that appeared in Spirit Magazine. As it turns out, the benefits of happiness are well worth the pursuit. The article states that there are at least 225 studies which tell us that once we become a happy person, we’re…
When you share with those around you that you’re getting ready to follow your dream–change careers, start your own business, go back to school—don’t expect them to tell you to go for it. Instead, expect them to say negative things like, “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Or, “You’re taking an awfully big…
In his book, Work Rules!, Laszlo Bock, mentions an article written by Chris Argyris, a professor emeritus at the Harvard Business School. Professor Argyris looked at the performance of Harvard Business School graduates ten years after graduation. For the most part, these people got stuck in middle management when they had all hoped to become…
Some people choose to float through life–sitting back and watching the world go by while passing on opportunities and challenges that require any risk or effort. I had one such person share with me her strategy for dealing difficult challenges and tasks. She said, “If you wait long enough, someone will come along and do…
David Brooks, Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times, wrote an essay titled “The Moral Bucket List” which was posted in the Sunday Review section of nytimes.com. He began his essay with the following paragraph: “About once a month I run across a person who radiates an inner light. These people can be in any…
Sociologist Shanna B. Tiayon posted an excellent article titled, “How Memories of Kindness Can Make You Happy,” in Greater Good Magazine. In the article, Ms. Tiayon points out that research has shown for quite some time that performing kind acts makes us happy. It also lowers our blood pressure and encourages stronger social connections. She…
Pursuing happiness is one of the major drivers of our behavior. However, an article written by Professor Adam Grant, which was posted on Linkedin.com suggests that our “…quest for happiness might be a recipe for misery.” The reason is: “Happiness is an individual state, so when we look for it, it’s only natural to focus…
If you want to make your journey through life fun as well as exciting, pick a dream that you’re truly enthused about. Once enthusiasm enters the picture, there’s no procrastination because you won’t be able to hold yourself back. Also, enthusiasm is contagious and therefore attracts other people. This means you won’t have to chase…
Dr. B. J. Fogg, author of Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything presented his formula for adopting new habits in The Wall Street Journal. He said his formula applies to everything from flossing your teeth to running marathons. In his words, “To instill a habit, the first thing you need is motivation; Pick a behavior…