Do you dread stepping on the scale to check your weight? It’s time to adjust your mindset. Your weight is just a data point—a simple, straightforward update on how your daily eating habits are affecting your body. While some experts recommend relatively infrequent weigh-ins (such as once a week), others think daily feedback is better. […]
How to Mix Things Up
Companies like Facebook, Google, and Twitter are constantly harvesting your data in the name of improving their offerings. But did you know that, if you use their services frequently, they are also likely performing experiments on you? It’s all part of smart experimentation in the age of Big Data. Companies in the 21st century have learned […]
Self-help for Pessimists
Have you ever forgotten to pay your phone bill? Or been late for an important meeting? Or misplaced your wallet (or your keys, or your passport…again)? If you’re feeling disorganized and out of sorts, you’re definitely not alone. You need to ask yourself what’s wrong with your life, pinpoint the cause, and figure out how […]
Where the White House Went Wrong
Donald Trump’s White House endured a great deal of criticism for how it handled its response to the pandemic. Now one of Trump’s closest public health advisers, Dr. Scott Atlas, has come forward with a controversial rebuttal to those claims. When Atlas was brought on board the Coronavirus Task Force in July 2020, he was […]
Who is Out to Get You?
In nature, some predators are camouflaged to better hunt their prey. The coloration of owls blends in seamlessly with the trees where they perch, watchful for dinner on the ground below. Green snakes blend into the leafy trees of the rainforest, while brown snakes almost disappear in the dirt. Human predators are the same way. […]
Impossible is a State of Mind
The Olympics, which ended on Sunday, were a good reminder that elite athletes routinely perform extreme feats that most of us consider impossible. Sure, their training schedules are intense. But researchers have found that mental state is just as important as physical ability and discipline to extreme athletes. Think about it: today’s runners can beat a […]
Democracy is Out of Date
The American system is crumbling. But the situation isn’t hopeless. Like your old laptop, US systems and institutions simply need to be brought up to date—or, in some cases, replaced. With an entrepreneur’s eye and his Silicon Valley sensibility, former presidential candidate Andrew Yang suggests a host of upgrades for the US government in the […]
Are Americans in Denial?
Bestselling author and psychologist Mary L. Trump is Donald Trump’s niece—and one of his most outspoken critics. In her new book The Reckoning, Ms. Trump examines the societal traumas that have been imprinted on the American psyche. From the history of slavery and racism to her uncle’s presidency, society’s collective forgetting has corrupted the country. It […]
Why You Need to Push Yourself
The human body is constantly evolving. For most of us, modern life has removed the acute stress of threats like predators. Our bodies are no longer optimized for outrunning wooly mammoths. They’re more conditioned for activities like watching TV. When there isn’t an urgent need for survival, our bodies store energy for later use. And […]
You’re Being Watched
Every second of every day, big companies are spying on you (and everyone else). They know where you live, what you purchase, and who you care about. They know your address and your search engine history. And they’re getting better at influencing your behavior, based on what they know about your past. Unfortunately, it will […]
