Self-Improvement Archives

Instant Gratification: The Psychology of Self-Sabotage

Why are humans wired to prioritize instant gratification? How does instant gratification lead us astray from our goals? Human nature is embedded in an “immediate-return environment” inherited from early humans and the animal kingdom, where survival and goals were daily concerns. These days, however, instant gratification works against us, not for us. In this article, we’ll explore the psychology of instant gratification, why it’s so hard to resist, and how it leads us astray from achieving success.

Cognitive Inertia: The Status Quo Bias

The 25 Cognitive Biases: Cognitive Inertia

What is cognitive inertia? How do you overcome status quo bias? Cognitive inertia is the tendency to resist change and ignore new information that contradicts prevailing beliefs. You can overcome inertia by considering counterarguments to your position and forcing yourself to act in ways that contradict your stale beliefs. Read on to learn more about cognitive inertia.

The Power of Showing up: How to Build Consistency

What is one thing you want to achieve that requires consistent effort? Can you think of a time when staying consistent with one small behavior or habit helped you achieve something big? Big, ambitious goals require consistent effort to become reality. In other words, they require that you consistently show up to contribute towards them. In this article, you’ll learn how to build consistency in your efforts to grow.

Maxwell Maltz: What Is Psycho-Cybernetics?

What is Psycho-Cybernetics? How did Maxwell Maltz develop his Psycho-Cybernetic theory of goal-oriented behavior? Psycho-Cybernetics utilizes a mechanical perspective of your brain’s inner workings to explain goal-oriented behavior. Maltz’s research into the process the mind goes through to achieve goals led him to the work of Dr. John von Neumann, who explored the parallels between computers and the human mind. Neumann’s concepts led Maltz to develop an interest in cybernetic theory—a branch of science that studies the goal-oriented behavior of mechanical systems. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of Psycho-Cybernetics and illustrate how your mind works like a machine

Doubt Avoidance Tendency: Explained With Examples

The 25 Cognitive Biases: Doubt Avoidance Tendency

What is the doubt avoidance tendency? How can you control your fight or flight response? The doubt avoidance tendency is the inclination to make quick, poorly thought-out decisions during stressful situations. The pressure to remove doubt causes you to make ill-informed choices. You can control this tendency by scheduling deliberate delays when under pressure to carefully strategize before reaching a final decision. Read on to learn more about the doubt avoidance tendency.

Overcoming Your Limitations: Unchain Your Mind

What’s one thing you want to do but are too afraid to take action on because you believe you’ll fail? Why do you believe that this endeavor is doomed to fail? People see their limitations as proof of their inability to succeed. But when you believe you can’t improve, it prevents you from even trying. Therefore, the first step to overcoming your limitations is to get yourself to believe that you can. In this article, we’ll explore three methods you can use to overcome your (often self-imposed) limitations.

The 3 Most Effective Learning Strategies

What are the three slow learning strategies from Daniel Epstein’s book Range? Why are these strategies more effective than the traditional learning methods? In his book Range, Epstein describes three effective learning strategies: the generation effect, the spacing effect, and interleaving. All three of these methods would be considered slow and difficult learning methods because they require time and analysis rather than memorization and cramming. Keep reading to learn about Epstein’s three most effective learning strategies.

Success Programming: Condition Yourself for Success

Obsession with Success: The Key to Becoming Wealthy

Does your mind often sabotage you, preventing you from acting in alignment with your goals? Is there a way to program your mind to act in a more goal-oriented way? According to Maxwell Maltz, the author of Psycho-Cybernetics, the main reason people sabotage their own goals is that their internal programming (how they have been programmed to think throughout their lives) is in contradiction with their conscious goals. But even if you have been thinking and acting in a self-sabotaging way for your whole life, it doesn’t mean that you have to keep doing it: you can program it for

The Slight Edge: Long-Term Success Philosophy

Are you frustrated with the results of your goals? Do you want to know what the secret is to achieving long-term success? You might be surprised to learn that the secret is, in fact, quite simple. In The Slight Edge, Jeff Olson teaches that success is built over time by committing to simple, small, daily disciplines. In this article, we’ll explore Jeff Olson’s success philosophy and how you can incorporate it into your own life.

How to Overcome Personal Inadequacy: Appeal to Faith

Is something deep inside you holding you back? Where do you think this particular lack of self-confidence stems from? No one is born with an inferiority complex. Our sense of personal inadequacy develops through life experience, especially our upbringing through childhood. Here is how appealing to faith can help you cope with a sense of personal inadequacy.