“I hope I’ll make some progress on that project this week.” “Hopefully, I’ll be able to get myself to study.” “I hope I can exercise in the morning.” These are phrases I sometimes hear from coaching clients and students. And while I understand the sentiment behind these expressions of hope, I take issue with the mindset they reveal. It’s always within your power to do the thing. You have to… Read More »The Trouble With “Hope”
Should you tell people about your goals? The answer to this question is both surprising and important. Getting it right often makes the difference between success and failure. The answer, it turns out, depends on the type of goal you’re pursuing. The two major categories of goals are quitting and creating. Quitting goals are things like giving up sugar, getting sober, or staying off of social media. Creating goals are… Read More »Should You Tell People About Your Goals?
I’ve had a tumultuous relationship with to-do lists over the years. On the one hand, I need them. They lighten my cognitive load and remind me of tasks that I would otherwise forget. They provide a menu of productive options when I’m unsure what to do with my time. But on the other hand, I’ve found them to be unwieldy and even overwhelming. I used to just collect all possible… Read More »Organizing Your Tasks With To-Do List Categories
Planning your day the night before has long been touted as a keystone habit of highly productive people (by, for example, Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People). But there’s another reason to plan your day the night before, one that might be more important to you than getting things done: It will make you happier. 1. Mental Offloading Planning tomorrow tonight reduces your cognitive load, which… Read More »4 Reasons Planning Your Day the Night Before Will Make You Happier