Why Good Ideas Fail: 2 Reasons We Resist or Reject Insights

Smoke rising from an extinguished candle illustrates why good ideas fail

Why do some revolutionary ideas take years or even decades to gain traction in society? Why do some good ideas fail? What forces stand between a brilliant insight and its widespread acceptance? New ideas often face significant barriers to implementation and adoption. In his book, Seeing What Others Don’t, Gary Klein explains why good ideas fail by identifying two critical challenges: the difficulty of taking action on insights and the resistance we encounter when sharing them with others. Keep reading to explore how these barriers operate and what we can learn from historical examples that illustrate idea failures.

What Are Internal Distractions? Your Mind’s Fallacies

A woman holding her head from the internal distractions

What are internal distractions? How does your personality determine how often you get distracted? When your mental reserves run low, you’re vulnerable to attention-sapping pitfalls, some of which are internal and some beyond your control. According to Attention Span by Gloria Mark, your personality can make you more susceptible to getting distracted easily. Continue reading to learn about the internal distractions that are ruining your ability to focus.

Creative Desperation: Lessons From Venus Flytraps & Apollo 13

A Venus flytrap plant illustrates creative desperation

Is your life missing those “aha!” moments of brilliant insight? What hidden force might unlock your most creative breakthroughs? In his book Seeing What Others Don’t, Gary Klein explores how our most innovative solutions often emerge through creative desperation—when impossible situations force us to abandon conventional thinking. Breakthrough thinking frequently happens when we’re backed into a corner. Read on to explore this fascinating path to innovation, from human problem-solving to the surprising evolutionary journey of a plant.

Why Multitasking Is Bad: The Psychological Toll It Takes

A woman trying and failing to do several things at once because multitasking is bad

Do you multitask often? What are the negative effects of doing several things at once? Even more pernicious than frequent interruptions is the pressure to do several things at once. Multitasking is now part of the world we live in, and it comes with significant cognitive and physiological costs. Discover why multitasking is bad and the psychological toll it has on your brain.

Why Reading Is Beneficial (+ Redesign Your Reading Habits)

A painting of a woman reading a book with colorful swirls emanating from the book illustrates why reading is beneficial

How does reading shape who you become? Why is reading beneficial? Are you fully taking advantage of the benefits of reading? Reading offers us more than just entertainment or information. In her book Proust and the Squid, cognitive neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf explains that engaging with books influences our thinking and personal development. Keep reading to discover how you get the most out of deep, meaningful reading.

Leonard Mlodinow’s Subliminal (Book Overview & Takeaways)

A woman with long wavy gray hair reading a hardcover book

Why do you sometimes make decisions without knowing exactly why? How much of your everyday thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are shaped by processes you’re not aware of? Leonard Mlodinow’s Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior explains that the vast majority of our brain’s processing happens beneath the surface of awareness. This hidden mental activity shapes how we interpret our observations, form beliefs, and experience the world around us. Keep reading for an overview of this thought-provoking book.

An Insight Mindset: How Uncertainty Leads to Breakthroughs

A woman with brown wavy hair looking up in thought with a window behind her illustrates an insight mindset

What does it take to have breakthrough ideas and moments of clarity? How can we train ourselves to welcome the unexpected insights that lead to innovation rather than resisting them? In his book Seeing What Others Don’t, Gary Klein reveals that developing an insight mindset begins with embracing uncertainty. His research shows that the most innovative thinkers approach problems with curiosity and openness, viewing contradictions as valuable learning opportunities. Keep reading to discover how developing an insight mindset can transform your life and work.

How Does Social Media Affect Attention Span? (Gloria Mark)

A woman scrolling on her computer, showing how social media affects attention span

Do you find yourself scrolling through social media for hours? How does social media affect attention span? While online algorithms sometimes direct us from one static website to another, Gloria Mark writes in Attention Span that the bulk of algorithmic attention control revolves around social media platforms. She says these sites sap away our focus by leaning on our desire for validation and our basic human nature. Keep reading to learn how sites like Instagram and TikTok take a toll on your ability to concentrate.

Memory Distortion: Why Memories Are Dynamic Reconstructions

An illustration of a jigsaw puzzle inside a brain illustrates memory distortion

How much of what you remember actually happened? What invisible forces reshape your recollections each time you access them? Our brains don’t record memories like video cameras. Instead, they act more like storytellers, reconstructing events in ways that serve us but don’t always reflect reality. In his book Subliminal, Leonard Mlodinow reveals how memory distortion follows predictable patterns. Keep reading to discover why even your most vivid memories might be less reliable than you think.

How to Find Insight: The 3 Paths to Breakthrough Moments

Light bulbs at crossroads with three paths going in different directions illustrates how to find insight

Do you wonder why some people consistently have breakthrough ideas? What pathways lead to those “aha” moments that can change everything? Psychologist Gary Klein reveals how to find insight through three distinct paths. While insights may feel random, they typically emerge when we encounter information that challenges our beliefs, make unexpected connections between ideas, or find creative solutions under pressure. Read on to discover how scientists, inventors, and even astronauts have leveraged these three paths to breakthrough thinking—and how you can apply these same principles to find your own insights.