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Constraints Help Creativity

“The fact that some choice is good doesn’t necessarily mean that more choice is better.” –Barry Schwartz1 Many people believe that creativity flourishes under absolute freedom. Arguing that constraints limit the possibility of ideas. They bring up the Soviet Union, which placed strict limits on expression, and rightly point out that creativity was impoverished artistically, technologically, and economically. But there is another line of thinking, less popular, that argues in… Read More »Constraints Help Creativity

How to Get Into Flow at Work and at Home

“Flow is an optimal state of consciousness, a peak state where we both feel our best and perform our best. It is a transformation available to anyone, anywhere, provided that certain initial conditions are met. Everyone from assembly-line workers in Detroit to jazz musicians in Algeria to software designers in Mumbai rely on flow to drive performance and accelerate innovation. And it’s quite a driver. Researchers now believe flow sits… Read More »How to Get Into Flow at Work and at Home

5 Surprising Reasons to Try Fasting

DISCLAIMER: Please consult your doctor before trying fasting. It may not be safe for everyone. A couple of weeks ago I did a 24-hour fast. I do one four times per year, with the changing of the seasons. I did not do this as part of a diet or to lose weight. I’m quite skinny already, and fasting isn’t a good weight-loss strategy. (Nor is dieting in general, for that… Read More »5 Surprising Reasons to Try Fasting

Simple is Not the Same as Easy

  Most healthy behaviors are simple. Eat vegetables. Exercise. Read. See? Nothing complicated there. Very simple to do. But unless you have established these behaviors as habits, they’re not easy to do. Simple is not the same as easy. Meditation is simple. You just sit still with your eyes closed and focus on your breath. But it’s not easy, so if you want to start a meditation habit, you’ll need… Read More »Simple is Not the Same as Easy

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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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