• Live large. Take your mission seriously and choose to be a hero in your own epic saga of triumph and overcoming. • Endless resilience is possible when you tap into your deepest convictions and beliefs. Find that thing you are most passionate and resolute about and allow it to animate all your efforts. That way, any obstacle is perceived as a minor inconvenience, just a trifle on the bigger, more important path you’re on. • Read. Educate yourself and absorb knowledge wherever you can. Carlyle b...
Jul 21, 2022•21 min
• Humans have an innate need to live in a world that makes sense to them, and which they feel they can control and influence. We want to predict, model and manage the world, but this combined with our tendency to find patterns where there are none, can make our perceptions of probability very different from the reality. • The way we experience and explain random events, and the cause to which we attribute these events, is highly personal. We may have an internal or external locus of control, whi...
Jul 14, 2022•37 min
• In the Buddhist tradition, the four noble truths explain what suffering is, its cause, and how to deal with it. The first truth is that suffering exists and is unavoidable, and the second is that the cause of suffering is our desire, craving or attachment. The third is that suffering can be released if we renounce this attachment, and the fourth truth is that we practice this way of being by following the eight-fold path. • When we are attached to one outcome or another, the Buddhists claim we...
Jul 07, 2022•23 min
• Dig deep and connect to your overarching life’s purpose. What matters most to you? What do you care about achieving here on earth more than anything else? Allow this conviction to give you strength to weather any obstacles on the way. • Be true to yourself. Beethoven really did things his way. This wasn’t always easy, but his commitment to his own authentic artistic vision gave him the courage to try things that others might not have wanted to risk. In difficult times, lean on your strengths –...
Jun 30, 2022•19 min
• Luck may play a bigger role in our success than we think. By examining what we consider lucky breaks, serendipity and fortuitous events, we can better handle the invisible forces that favor some and not others. • Research has made surprising findings, i.e., that it may be better to be mediocre in skills but lucky than to be highly talented yet unlucky. Mathematical models have tended to show the irrelevance of skill and talent, and emphasize the fact that randomness plays a big part in what we...
Jun 23, 2022•26 min
• There are countless theoretical approaches to understanding the universal problem of suffering. We start with the Buddhist conception, which sees pain as an inevitable and natural part of life, which is transient and always changing. Therefore if we attach to what is impermeant, we will suffer when it changes. • The parable of the farmer and the Buddha shows that our biggest problem is that we believe we should have no problems. • In these views, suffering occurs because, paradoxically, we thi...
Jun 16, 2022•23 min
Shackleton’s lessons: • Find purpose. Seek a deeper meaning and significance in your life, and, if it strengthens you, anchor yourself in religion or spirituality. Shackleton never felt alone during his most arduous challenges, and that’s because he was a man of faith. • When times are challenging, keep sane and even-keeled by engrossing yourself in the details of day to day life. Keep a routine, look after the basics of life, and if need be, find relieving distractions when things get especiall...
Jun 09, 2022•21 min
• The final major biological difference is the level of background noise that is inside the introvert’s or extrovert’s mind. To put it plainly, introverts have perpetual static and chatter in their mind, which makes them more liable to overwhelm, analysis, rumination, and retreating to solitude. Hans Eysenck proved a corollary of this with his lemon juice test, in which he found that introverts were generally easier to arouse and become alert. • All of these differences make it seem like introve...
May 31, 2022•11 min
• Get into the reading habit to increase your empathy and communication skills, as well as relax. Anything goes, but literary fiction is best for strengthening perspective and “theory of mind” ability. • Journaling or keeping a diary can make you happier and help you modulate and regulate your emotions. Try whatever form works best for you. Hear it Here - https://bit.ly/ Show notes and/or episode transcripts are available Learn more or get a free mini-book #CognitiveAbilities #CultivateDisciplin...
May 27, 2022•10 min
A few of the most well-known and dangerous cognitive distortions are all-or-nothing thinking, personalizing, overgeneralizing, catastrophizing, and jumping to conclusions. An especially notable cognitive distortion that robs us of resilience is emotional reasoning. This is when reality is defined by the emotions we feel at that very moment. Comparisons are not necessarily a cognitive distortion, but they create the same skewed reality and set of expectations. You should evaluate yourself accordi...
May 24, 2022•10 min
Dopamine and acetylcholine are at the heart of another difference in how introverts and extroverts process external stimuli. Extroverts have blunted dopamine receptors, so they need more stimulation to feel pleasure. Introverts have heightened dopamine receptors, so they feel overwhelmed more easily. This leads them to seek out activities and behaviors that generate acetylcholine, which creates feelings of tranquility and calm. Get the audiobook on Audible Show notes and/or episode transcripts a...
May 20, 2022•12 min
Try self-affirmation, but focus on affirmations that are value-based, rather than those dealing with your traits or performance as a person. #Affirmations #Cascio #ChristopherCascio #Meditation #MentalChatter #Neurohappiness #PositiveThoughts #Selfaffirmations #Self-TalkingYourselfToHappiness #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #NeuroHappiness
May 17, 2022•8 min
• Even after we take care of our physical selves, we can still feel like a piece of pudding: unable to move on our own free will, and generally without strength of structure. As the energy pyramid demonstrates, physical fitness is a requirement but not a guarantee of energy. Mental and emotional energy tend to be far more powerful than basic physical energy, and mostly, this works against us. Sure, we have the occasional stories of being insanely motivated and working for twenty hours straight, ...
May 13, 2022•10 min
Show notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-home Peter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think. #Depue #Extroverts #Introverts #IvanPavlov #RichardADepue #YuFu #TheBiologicalBasisOfIntroverts #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceof...
May 10, 2022•11 min
Gratitude is strongly associated with feelings of wellbeing. Say thank you, or simply dwell on all the things you have to be thankful for. Try meditation, but remember to approach it without grasping at goals or desired outcomes. Hear it Here - https://bit.ly/ Show notes and/or episode transcripts are available Learn more or get a free mini-book #CaliforniaSanFranciscoMedicalCentre #DrPrathikKini #Dzongsar #DzongsarKhyentseRinpoche #Enigula #JillSakai #Kini #Lutz #NeuroHappiness #RichardDavidson...
May 06, 2022•12 min
In addition to eating for glucose, we must ensure that we are consuming enough essential vitamins and minerals. We shouldn’t be deficient in anything, and we can enhance our energy through specific nootropics, or compounds that give a boost to our physiological states. Water is important. Drink more water, hydrate your brain, and keep your energy up. Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/MoreEnergyHollins Show notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-h...
May 03, 2022•12 min
• This chapter is a look at the different biological differences that place people where they are on the introvert/extrovert spectrum. No matter what someone’s behavior is, it will always start from a baseline that their biology has set. • The first biological difference is that introverts have denser brain matter in the prefrontal cortex, which is where analysis, ruminating, decision- making, and planning take place. In fact, it’s where most stereotypical introverted behaviors take place. It al...
Apr 29, 2022•9 min
• Happiness can be tricky to define, but it all starts in the brain. We can turn to scientific peer-reviewed studies to learn the daily habits and mindsets most associated with wellbeing. • Though routines are important, so is novelty; make efforts to mix things up now and again and try something new every day. #NickTrenton #DailyHabitsForHappiness #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #NeuroHappiness
Apr 26, 2022•7 min
Naps can be useful but only when done correctly. Nap for no longer than twenty minutes, and avoid napping if it compromises your sleep quality that night. • Next, we turn to the literal fuel for our bodies, our diets. There is plenty of literature on eating for health, but what about eating for energy? This concerns something that is lesser known: glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL). We want to ensure that our blood sugar levels are constant and moderate, because if levels are too high or...
Apr 22, 2022•12 min
A point of distinction must be made between introverts and highly sensitive people—HSPs. They may appear identical at first glance, but that’s where the similarities end. The HSP is characterized by the acronym DOES, which stands for depth of processing, overstimulation, emotional reactivity, and sensing the subtle. This all amounts to HSPs wearing a proverbial hearing aid turned up to the max when none is needed. They are sensitive, and this merely overlaps with social capacity and recharging. ...
Apr 19, 2022•14 min
There are four basic chronotypes—bears, lions, wolves, and dolphins. By understanding your chronotype, you can plan your day around your peak periods of productivity. To find your most productive hours, you’ll also need to factor in changing stress levels and external communication demands. Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/MoreEnergyHollins Show notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-home Peter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology r...
Apr 15, 2022•15 min
Even though Carl Jung defined these two terms and forever created a spectrum, he recognized that it was impossible for people to not be in the middle. These are called ambiverts, and the vast majority of us are ambiverts. Get the audiobook on Audible Show notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-home Peter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up y...
Apr 12, 2022•12 min
Procrastination can be a sign that your organization, goals or mindset are not where they should be, but all of us procrastinate out of laziness from time to time. Fix the problem by restoring momentum as soon as you can. Get started with just the tiniest task first or promise yourself you’ll do just five minutes. If your procrastination comes from deeper issues, you need to tackle these first. Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/41Habits Show notes and/or episode transcripts are avail...
Apr 08, 2022•11 min
Another way to look at it is by taking the circadian rhythm and extrapolating it into our ultradian rhythms, which are the rhythms that move with us through the twenty-four-hour cycle of our lives. Sleep researcher Neil Kleitman identified the presence and importance of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and discovered that the body generally operates in ninety-minute cycles, moving progressively through periods of higher and lower alertness. Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/MoreEnergyH...
Apr 06, 2022•11 min
The personality spectrum has been defined in many ways throughout history, but people have increasingly gravitated toward classifying themselves in terms of their capacity for social interaction and how important a person’s internal or external world was. It was later refined to understand that introverts are depleted by social interaction, while extroverts are recharged by it. This leads to opposite types of lifestyles, as you might suspect. There are a variety of misunderstandings associated w...
Apr 04, 2022•14 min
• Not everyone will follow the same sleep/wakefulness cycles; it’s up to you to understand your own rhythms and work with them. Identify your peak energy periods and schedule your most important or demanding tasks for this time. You need less self-discipline if you’re working with your natural motivational flow. • A great way to break out of inaction or overcome strong derailing emotions is to count down from ten and then just force yourself to act. Anxiety can be tackled by becoming aware of th...
Apr 01, 2022•10 min
People are not machines with uniform, unwavering energy levels no matter the time of day. Firstly, bear in mind that there is nothing innately superior about being a “morning person,” and you won’t magically be more productive just because you forced yourself to wake up early or get more things done before lunchtime. As we’ve seen, this advice works for some chronotypes, but not everyone will actually be more productive this way. The old “early to bed, early to rise” wisdom is not for everyone, ...
Mar 30, 2022•10 min
The personality spectrum has been defined in many ways throughout history, but people have increasingly gravitated toward classifying themselves in terms of their capacity for social interaction and how important a person’s internal or external world was. It was later refined to understand that introverts are depleted by social interaction, while extroverts are recharged by it. This leads to opposite types of lifestyles, as you might suspect. There are a variety of misunderstandings associated w...
Mar 28, 2022•12 min
Willpower is a limited resource but so is time. Self-discipline requires conscious control over how we spend our time. Follow Stephen Covey’s advice and “put the big rocks first”—the less important tasks of life can be squeezed in later. Start the day with your priorities. Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/41Habits Show notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-home Peter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated ...
Mar 25, 2022•7 min
• Delayed gratification is a process wherein you forego a short-term reward or some temptation in favor of a bigger reward that comes later. The ability to delay gratification has been closely linked with success and is an integral part of practicing self-discipline. • If you wish to develop this skill in order to achieve your goals, there is a 10-step program you can follow over a 30-day period in order to see some results. The first three steps of this process involve deep reflection and askin...
Mar 23, 2022•25 min
