The Best Articles in Better Living

Human beings and computers alike share the challenge of how to get as much done as possible in a limited time. Over the last fifty or so years, computer scientists have learned a lot of good…

After more than two decades as an anchor for ABC News, an on-air panic attack sent Dan Harris's life in a new direction: he became a dedicated meditator and, to some, even a guru. But then an…

Ikigai is really your reason for being, the thing that gives you direction and motivation, and it is at the heart of what we do at Learnlife.

«“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why” - Mark Twain»

INTRO Here’s a short introduction to some of the most fascinating philosophical issues about happiness. We are going to look at three...

How we pick up the torch from the gaslighter and turn it on ourselves.

«Most of us have heard of gaslighting. It’s a form of emotional abuse that uses manipulation and minimization to make someone question their reality.»

There are no quick fixes for low self-esteem: There’s no profound insight your therapist can give you that will suddenly improve your self-esteem There’s no secret mantra that will unlock your inner…

«If you spend your entire childhood learning that you’re not good enough or not lovable, that’s not something that’s going to change overnight.»

Understanding and changing the environment in which habits form is a critical step when it comes to breaking unwanted behaviors and forming healthy ones.

«Instead, we concoct more compelling explanations, like saying we drink coffee to ease our morning fog.»

Digital distractions are all around us. Here's how to combat them so you can stay focused and productive at work.

«Users were gambling every time they shared a photo, web link, or status update,»

What society expects of you and what you actually want in life can be different things.

«At any age, setting aside time and intentionality to decipher what motivates you and whether you’ve been living authentically can be enlightening»

Here’s what to do if you regularly wish you could hire someone to make all your choices for you.

«Keeney advises asking yourself, “What do I hope to achieve by addressing this choice?” and focus on aspects that aren’t easily quantifiable.»

Deliberate doubt is the practice of actively questioning our beliefs and assumptions. It is about suspending our certainty and letting go of our preconceived notions in order to explore new ideas and…

«Ask yourself questions like: What if I’m wrong about this? What evidence do I have to support my belief? What are the alternative explanations?»

Any success formula must start with your values and life goals. Here are five ways to find those and set yourself up for success.

«Success isn’t a condition without failure; it’s the condition of overcoming failure and improving.»

Podcast host Chris Duffy spends his days talking to a diverse group of experts in order to answer one question: “How can I be a better human?” Here’s the advice that has really st…

Give yourself the space to be inspired

«we get so caught up in the daily grind, in the pursuit of the next step of the ladder, that we miss the point of being.»

Instead of setting resolutions, I pondered a few questions to help me create my own happiness this year based on what matters most to me.

«6. What are three actions you’ll take to achieve each of these goals?»

Building a reward system for self-motivation is a powerful way to boost your productivity, reducing the need to rely on intrinsic motivation to complete the work you need (and want) to do. However,…

«A reward does not need to be expensive. If it appeals to you, then you will be motivated to reach your goal so that you can treat yourself.»

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»

You spend years trying to learn new stuff but then look back and realize that maybe like 10 big ideas truly changed how you think and drive most of what you believe. Brent Beshore recently listed the…

Tips for dealing with criticism—when you agree with it, and when you don’t

«In these more educational environments, where no one expects me to be perfect, negative feedback is reframed. It’s not criticism; it’s teaching.»

Bayesian search is based on a simple probability rule. It can help you find stuff you've lost, like your phone, wallet — or nuclear submarine.

«The point is that each time you acquire more information, the probability density function changes»

Check these building habits strategies if you had problems with making habits stick in the past. They are especially useful for busy adults.

«Try to embrace the 2-day rule. That is, you never miss a habit you want in your life twice in a roll.»

When the going gets tough, the tough get philosophical.

«The right perspective in which to think about grief is that it is a manifestation of persisting love,”»

Our team names the most provocative and influential findings published during this past year.

«Our findings suggest that simply appreciating one’s experiences can foster a rich sense of meaning and perhaps shore up confidence that life has been and will be worth living,»

Eight studies reveal a (possibly universal) bias in human imagination

«We figured that judgments must be built on comparisons: to say that something is bad is really to say that it’s worse than something else.»

Recently, after I gave a virtual presentation on my book Indistractable, a listener wrote something in the Zoom chat that drove me bonkers: “This is great but wouldn’t work for me. I’m a Gemini.”…