Creative thinking is beneficial for everyone. It’s a valuable skill that can be useful in all aspects of life, from personal to professional. However, it’s something that only some people are taught in school. Thinking differently requires deliberate learning, practice, and guidance from those good at it. These five powerful techniques will help unleash your…
7 Types of Insecurities Holding You Back (and what you can do about it)
Everyone has personal insecurities they must cope with every day. While we all feel unsure of ourselves sometimes, an overly insecure person suffers more and considerably limits their growth and happiness. Regardless of where we stand on the insecurity continuum, all of us can benefit from learning how to cope when we experience self-doubt. While…
3 Levels of Culture That Define Our Identity and How We View Others
The cultures we’re exposed to are important in shaping who we are and our behavior. Most people tend to think about their culture at the most general levels, which can cause us to generalize and stereotype or limit our own identity to what’s accepted in one culture. However, with the rise of globalization, people’s cultures…
Zanshin: How it Can Help You Be More Focused and Conquer Scattered Thinking
In today’s information-overloaded world and always-on, staying focused throughout the day can be hard. Yet, we need our minds to be still, focused, and alert to achieve anything lasting. Many Eastern cultures that practice martial arts teach and embrace this way of being, including the Japanese, who call it “Zanshin,” which means “the mind with…
Character and Reputation: Which is More Important in How Others See You?
We live in an image-oriented world. What we wear, where we work, or what car we drive can dictate our reputations. Yet, these external sources of identity have little to do with who we are on the inside – our character. While our character and reputation both impact our success, it’s important to look at…
Opportunity Costs in Life: How to Determine if Your Sacrifices Are Worth it
Every day, you make several decisions, big and small, that impact your life and the lives of others, even if you don’t realize what you give up by choosing one option over the other. These missed benefits are what economists call the opportunity costs of your decisions. Whenever you say “yes” to an option, you…
Why You Gain More from Win-Win Situations in Relationships (and how to do it)
Entering a negotiation can be daunting, especially if you dislike confrontation or worry that your wants won’t align with the other person. The good news is that you can avoid that by creating win-win situations in your relationship. It does not have to be a zero-sum interaction where one person wins at the expense of…
6 Reasons Why You Should Choose Quality Over Quantity
We’ve all heard the age-old advice, “You should choose quality over quantity.” It states that value is more important than volume. In our culture of excess, this can be challenging advice to follow. In our quest for perfection, we risk focusing too much on the chase for more – more money, status, material objects, and…
Artistic Revolutionaries: Unraveling the Wisdom of Pioneering Artists from History
Throughout history, we’ve had artistic revolutionaries who weren’t afraid to express the unspoken. From master polymaths like Leonardo da Vinci to literary giants like Jane Austen, these artists pushed the boundaries of traditional art, experimenting with new techniques, styles, and subjects. Even if you aren’t an artist in the traditional sense, you are an artist…
Why We Make Bad Decisions and How to Avoid Them
Research reveals that adults make an average of 122 informed decisions every day. Most of them are inconsequential, but many of our decisions have severe and far-reaching consequences, which require a robust decision-making skill set. A significant part involves not making bad decisions. Learn eight causes behind why we make bad decisions and how to…