The Best of Eric Barker

We never seem to get a straight answer on how to eat healthy. Here's a round up of the science on nutrition from Harvard...

Military and sports research has shown old school ideas about toughness don't work. Here's what really increases resilience...

«Next, focus on your average performance, not your best. Benchmarking against your best days leads to disappointment.»

Your happiness level is pretty static -- but we can change that with gratitude. Here's the best way to get started...

«Watch Your Language!: Your Inner Critic does not get the last word. Change how you talk to yourself and you’ll change how you feel.»

The research says it's hard to get smarter -- but there's a lot we can do to be less dumb. Here's what you need to know...

«Teens who received A’s averaged about fifteen more minutes sleep than the B students, who in turn averaged fifteen more minutes than the C’s, and so on.”»

Life is a constant series of negotiations. Here's what the research says about how you can become a great negotiator...

How do we get motivated? The latest research has secrets that can help us get going and get things done even when we don't feel like it...

What really improves your life over time? Your personal habits. Here's what scientific research says will help you start good habits that stick.

«Thinking about the details makes you more likely to follow through. And another small thing that makes a big difference is just writing down your plan.»

The ancient philosopher Epicurus had some tips on how to be happier. And they're all about having fun. Here's what he had to say...

«Seek “Enough”: Satisfaction beats success. What we call “success” is often just slavery to Corrosive desires»

There's a lot of stuff about happiness on the internet, but what do neuroscientists say can *really* make you happy? Here are 4 things backed by research.

«That might seem counterintuitive, but it just goes to show that if you’re feeling anxiety, doing something about it — even worrying — is better than doing nothing.»

What can we learn from experts and scientific research about how to be more interesting? Here's what the most interesting people all have in common.

«The Longevity Project, which studied over 1000 people from youth to death had this to say: The groups you associate with often determine the type of person you become.»

How do you get people to change? We usually go about it all wrong. Here's what the science says can help you persuade others...

«Evoke the reasons for change that are already in their head and support those. This is what motivates people to make a shift without resistance.»

We all want to quit bad habits. But we're going about it all wrong. In fact, bad habits don't exist. Let's look at the research and see what really works.

«When you say, “I wasn’t myself” that’s far more accurate than you ever thought.»

We all have to deal with irrational people. How can we bring them back to sanity and have fewer arguments? Here's what experts advise...

«If you don’t see the other person as a threat – just as a good human having a bad day — you can stay compassionate despite them losing their cool.»

The modern world feels custom designed to make you feel anxious. Here's what it takes to get to calm and feel better...

We get endless bad advice on how to lose weight. But what does the real science say? Here's what you need to know...

«Addiction has a terrifying sound to it, but it’s just the point where something learned is so powerful it can overwhelm constructive behavior.»

How do we keep love alive? How do we make it positively thrive? In my new book I dive into the research. Here's what you need to know...

«Doing things together that are stimulating and challenging stretches our self-concept wider and provides a buzz.»

Modern advice on raising kids often flip-flops. Here's what you can learn from ancient traditions that will make you an awesome parent...