Psychology Archives

The 90 Percent Rule: Make Faster Decisions

What is the 90 percent rule of decision-making? How can it help you filter through the available options and make a decision faster? The 90 percent rule is a simple yet ruthless technique for making decisions. It involves identifying the most important criterion for deciding, rating each available option between 0 and 100 percent on that criterion, and then rejecting any option that rates lower than 90 percent. Read about the 90 percent rule of decision-making and how to implement it.

Perform Better: Create a Mental Representation

What is a mental representation? Why is creating a mental representation the key to reaching peak performance? Mental representations are templates that correspond to objects, ideas, or anything else that the brain might be thinking about. The key to peak performance is developing efficient and effective mental representations. Keep reading to learn more about mental representations and how you can use them to improve performance in almost any area of expertise.

Finding Your Path: Logical Steps Up the Mountain

What does finding your path mean? How does Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance explain how to find your path? In Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, finding your path means evaluating your life and what’s ahead to find your own logical path forward. Pirsig uses a journey up a mountain to help explain his views on this concept. Read more about finding your path in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

The 4 Disciplines of Execution of Deep Work

How do you engage in deep work? What are the 4 disciplines of execution? “Deep work” is focused, uninterrupted, undistracted work on a task that pushes your cognitive abilities to their limit. The 4 disciplines of execution of deep work are: focus on the wildly important, act on leading metrics, keep a scoreboard, and create a cadence of accountability. Continue on to learn how to engage in deep work using the 4 disciplines of execution.

Define Lateral Thinking: Why It’s an Asset

How do you define lateral thinking? How does Robert Pirsig explain lateral thinking in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? In Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, author Robert Pirsig works to define lateral thinking. Like many other lessons in the book, he explains it using the story of Phaedrus. Keep reading to find out how to define lateral thinking according to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

Starting Young Gives You Time to Become an Expert

How do the world’s top performers tap into their full potential? What are the benefits of starting young? What sets apart the experts from the rest of us? Studies show that top achievers, whether it be in sports, music, or neurology, all have one thing in common: they started young. When children are introduced to their field of interest in a fun and playful way and are properly encouraged, they’re more likely to become an expert in their field later in life. Keep reading to learn why starting young is the first step to becoming an expert.

Classical vs Romantic Thinking: What They Mean

What is the difference between classical vs romantic thinking? How does Robert Pirsig explain this difference in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? In his book, Robert Pirsig explains the two types of thinking. He focuses on the differences between classical vs romantic thinking. Keep reading to find out more about classical vs romantic thinking.

The 10,000 Hour Rule and “Natural-Born” Talent Myths

Why does Ericsson, the author of Peak, claim that Gladwell’s 10,000 hour rule is a myth? Is there such thing as natural-born talent? Peak author, Anders Ericsson, claims that the 10,000 hour rule and natural-born talent are myths. He says that the only way to become an expert at something is to apply deliberate practice. With this method, anybody could potentially become a master of anything. Keep reading to discover why Ericsson rejects the 10,000 hour rule and the idea of natural-born talent and how you can use deliberate practice in your life.

Take a Break From Work: Your Brain Needs Rest

Why is it so important to take a break from work? How can overworking your brain actually be counterproductive? It can be tempting to spend most of your time working, especially if you have a demanding job. However, if you don’t give your brain time to relax, your work will become shallow and unproductive. Keep reading to learn why you should allow your brain to relax at the end of every day.

Understanding Systems Thinking in Management

What is systems thinking? How does systems thinking apply to organizational management? Systems thinking is a holistic approach to system analysis that focuses on examining the system as a whole by looking into how its constituent parts relate to one another. In systems thinking management, information is shared freely across the organization’s functions to facilitate collaboration. Keep reading to learn about systems thinking in management.