A psychologist studying the lives of identical twins once interviewed two brothers who had been raised by a father who was a terrible alcoholic. One of the twins was leading a life just like his father’s: struggling with alcoholism, bad finances, and an unhappy family life. “What else could I have done?” he explained. “You know what my father was like.” This was exactly what the researcher had expected to… Read More »Excuses vs. Explanations
I recently read an eye-opening book called Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke, MD. This book breaks down the new neuroscience of pleasure and pain, which is both surprising and practical. Here are the most important takeaways: The Treadmill to Hell You’ve probably heard of the “hedonic treadmill” – the fact that, when we pursue pleasure, the happiness it gives us is fleeting, and we’re left craving more:1 You eat a… Read More »Why Indulgence Makes You Less Happy
Having a brain is weird. You have a brain, but you also kind of are your brain. I mean, as far as we know you wouldn’t exist without your brain. Sometimes you choose to think about something, but a lot of the time, thoughts just seem to happen on their own. You can direct your behavior, but sometimes you find yourself doing something without thinking about it or choosing to… Read More »5 Rules for Having a Brain
Imagine a world-champion chess player facing off against an amateur chess player. The grand master will surely win. But now imagine that we’ve stacked the board against them. Their king is cornered. All of the powerful pieces have been captured or blocked. The amateur is just a move or two away from checkmate, and there’s nothing the grand master can do. In such a position, all their brilliance and experience… Read More »How to Position Yourself to Thrive