psychology

In response to the ads, the tracking, the trolling, the hype, and other predatory behaviors, we’re retreating to our dark forests of the internet, and away from the mainstream.

Don’t worry if this feels familiar. The tendency to focus on processes over outcomes is actually a natural psychological operation: because we spend the majority of our cognitive resources on what is happening right now—which makes sense, since we do actually have to act in order to create change—we’re biased toward focusing on those immediate

Just because something feels good doesn’t mean it is good. Just because something feels bad doesn’t mean it is bad. Emotions are merely signposts, suggestions that our neurobiology gives us, not commandments.

For instance: If you have a job, the single point of failure is your boss. Your security comes down to a single person or entity.

But what if two vice presidents and several managers above you at your job are internal fans of your work? You’d be:

1. More likely to be spared in layoffs


2. Able to switch departments if something happened to your role

Serotonin is a calming, peaceful chemical that provides a gentle lift in mood.13 It’s that satiated feeling that comes after a good meal or a great orgasm, and it’s partially responsible for that post-meal/post-coital urge to take a nap.

Become a mirror of the audience and love your own reflection.

That is the meaning of the statement that “people are not adequately sensitive to sample size.”

myth that is really just about privilege and stacking the deck with high cards. Adam Grant thoroughly debunked this in Originals and he’s hardly the only one; the focus on risk taking is a product of cognitive bias. Remember what The Streets said—validation is what makes a low straight work—and add in a little boxing wisdom: slow is smooth, smooth

Minor irritations are really worth focussing on because unlike things like health care, they’re relatively cheap to solve and the difference they make to the quality of life may be enormous.