Psychology Archives

How to Break Negative Thought Patterns to Quit Procrastinating

How do negative thoughts cause procrastination? How do you go about breaking negative thought patterns? Immediate Action by Thibaut Meurisse says that to stop procrastination, you must recognize faulty patterns of thinking. These thoughts include: relying on motivation to act, accepting your feelings as facts, and thinking your future self will act for you. Let’s discuss each one as well as Meurisse’s advice for correcting each pattern.

How to Leverage Positive and Negative Motivation to Spur Action

Are you more motivated by promises or by threats? What about the people around you? Communication and influencing language expert Shelle Rose Charvet says that you can figure out whether someone is wired for positive or negative motivation. Then, you can use that information to influence and incentivize them. Continue reading to learn how to leverage positive and negative motivation in others—and yourself.

Labeling Your Emotions: The First Step Toward Emotional Agility

How well do you understand your feelings? Do you know the context of your emotions? Emotional agility is the ability to view events and emotions objectively and respond deliberately to them. According to clinical psychologist Susan David, emotional agility begins with a process of labeling your emotions. Continue reading to understand the two key aspects of labeling your emotions and how to engage in this constructive practice.

Are Self-Validating People Easier or Harder to Influence?

How do you decide what to do? How do you determine how well you do things? You either validate yourself or look to get that validation from others. That’s true for everyone. Shelle Rose Charvet applies this knowledge to the workplace and provides guidance on how to persuade both self-validating people and people who are more validated by others. Read more to learn about this difference in people and how to make the most of it.

Susan David’s Emotional Agility Quotes (With Context)

What’s the best way to make lasting change? How are internal narratives created? In Emotional Agility, Susan David explains that most people react instinctively to their perceptions of events, which are based on emotional (often untrue) narratives explaining why those events took place. David argues that you can break free of these controlling narratives by practicing emotional agility. Keep reading for a few Emotional Agility quotes that provide insight into the book’s concepts.

Procrastination and Fear of Failure: How They’re Connected

What’s the connection between procrastination and fear of failure? How can you overcome this fear of failure? One reason why we procrastinate is because of a sense of inadequacy. In Immediate Action, Thibaut Meurisse writes that when we fear we aren’t good enough to reach our goals, we keep putting off tasks we need to complete. Learn how to confront your fear of failure so you can get your tasks done.

Peter Attia: Trauma Must Be Processed if You Want to Be Healthy

Have you experienced trauma? How is it affecting your well-being? According to physician Peter Attia, trauma can be a detriment to your health. In his book Outlive, he shares practical advice on how to take care of your body and mind. Speaking from experience, he contends that your emotional health is something you shouldn’t ignore as you pursue well-being. Read more to learn Attia’s recommendation for processing trauma as well as an alternative approach.

How to Reprogram Your Subconscious Mind to Defeat Anxiety

How can you reprogram your subconscious mind? What are the benefits of letting your subconscious mind take over? As you work diligently to achieve your goals, you may feel pressure and nerves. To combat this, How Champions Think by Bob Rotella says to calm yourself by letting your subconscious mind take over. Here’s how to reprogram your subconscious mind so you don’t get overwhelmed.

How to Get Your Energy Back: 4 Tips for Boundless Enthusiasm

Are you too tired to do what you want to do, much less what you need to do? Do you ever suffer from decision paralysis? In his book Mastery, George Leonard writes about living a fulfilling life. He argues that the master’s path is the only guaranteed way to do it. A life of mastery is one lived in disciplined dedication to your chosen skill, craft, or art. It’s in this context that he discusses energy, and his insights are broadly applicable. Keep reading to learn how to get your energy back and channel it toward a life of fulfillment.

Overconfidence Bias in Decision-Making: A Company’s Downfall

How does overconfidence affect decision-making? How does overconfidence hurt businesses? In his book How the Mighty Fall, Jim Collins claims that one of the reasons why companies fail is because managers or workers are overconfident that the company can only go uphill. Companies should always be prepared for the worst, and believing otherwise will only hurt them. Let’s look at how overconfidence bias in decision-making hurts companies.