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Chris Loper

Chris Loper has been writing about self-improvement and helping busy adults with habit formation since 2017. He also writes an education blog for parents and students for Northwest Educational Services. Along with Greg Smith, Chris is the cocreator of Parenting for Academic Success, a series of transformative classes that create empowered parents, confident students, and harmonious families. His most recent endeavor combines his academic and habit-formation expertise to help students thrive in college. Visit SmartCollegeHabits.com to learn more. In 2021, Chris published a humorous memoir titled Wood Floats and Other Brilliant Observations, a book that blends crazy stories with practical life lessons. He lives in Issaquah, WA where he is the owner of South Cove Tutoring.

9 Ways to Actually Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution

Happy New Year! The holiday parties are over, the cookies have been eaten, and that can only mean one thing: It’s time to make your New Year’s resolution. But this year’s going to be different. You’re actually going to succeed in this annual ritual of behavioral change. Why? Because this year you’re going to be strategic. Before we dive in, two caveats in case you’re reading this after January 1st:… Read More »9 Ways to Actually Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution

Combine Your Strengths

To find a satisfying career and a satisfying life, you should work towards the intersections of the ikigai diagram, seeking as much overlap as possible. Now let’s zoom in on the “what you’re good at” section of the diagram. Odds are, you’re not just good at one thing. And that’s great because, to have a successful career, you probably need multiple strengths. Perhaps if you’re a violinist or a chess… Read More »Combine Your Strengths

If You’re Going Through Hell, Keep Going

There’s a common saying, often attributed to Winston Churchill,* that goes like this: “If you’re going through Hell, keep going.” Let’s unpack that piece of wisdom because there’s more to it than you might think. Imagine a person walking through a desert, trying to get from one side to the other. It’s painfully hot. They’re thirsty and exhausted. Stopping won’t do them any good. The only way to get out… Read More »If You’re Going Through Hell, Keep Going

When No One Is Watching

I often write about self-perception – the idea that your brain is always watching what you do for clues about how to feel and what to think. This means your actions influence your thoughts and emotions just as much as the other way around. And in this dynamic, actions speak louder than thoughts, which is great because so many of our thoughts are unhelpful or just plain wrong. Thus, we… Read More »When No One Is Watching

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For over a decade, I’ve been focused on one question: How do we actually become better, in ways that last?

This blog shares the lessons, tools, and ideas I’ve found most useful—grounded in research and experience.

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