I used to be terrible at remembering names. I believed that this was just how I was, no more changeable than the color of my eyes. But then it occurred to me that this was a fixed-minded way of thinking, and I had been witnessing the power of a growth mindset in most other areas of my life. So I said to myself, “Hey, I know a lot about learning… Read More »How to Actually Remember Names
In my original willpower article, I described how certain willpower-using behaviors provide a return on investment greater than the initial input. In other words, there are things you can do that cost willpower but which give you back more willpower than you put in. Today, I want to dig deeper into that topic and explain how you can choose to spend willpower in ways that maximize your return on investment.… Read More »Willpower Virtuous Cycles
This week, I’ll be celebrating four years of sobriety, so I’ve been doing some reflection about how much I’ve changed and what lessons that story might have for you. Let’s flash back in time a little more than four years ago. For a long time, I had wished I could change. I was depressed, in part because my way of life had been taken away from me by injuries, and… Read More »You Don’t Really Know What You’re Capable Of
There’s a story from Jim Afremow’s The Champion’s Mind that I’d like to share, as related by Anson Dorrance, who is the women’s soccer coach at the University of North Carolina: “He was driving to work early one morning, and as he passed a deserted field, he noticed one of his players off in the distance doing extra training by herself. He kept driving, but he later left a note… Read More »The Power of Unconventional Priorities