Self-Improvement Archives

Syntopical Reading: Analyzing Multiple Texts

Why is syntopical reading the most difficult form of reading? What are the seven major steps for syntopical reading? According to Mortimer Adler, syntopical reading is the most difficult level of reading because you must first read and analyze a multitude of books, compare them to one another, and understand and compare the opposing viewpoints. In essence, you go from being the student to the master. Here is everything you need to know about syntopical reading.

9 Tips for Coders: Beyond Your Coding Skills

Do you want to get better at coding? What do you think great coders do differently? Leveling up as a coder isn’t just about writing better code. Great coders adhere to personal rules and standards that aren’t always about code; sometimes they’re about attitude and behavior while working. In his book The Clean Coder, Robert C. Martin shares some helpful tips for coders that have nothing to do with code itself.

How to Absorb Information Better & Get More Done

Feeling paralyzed by too much information? Would you like to get more done by learning how to absorb information better? In Smarter Faster Better, Charles Duhigg shares insights on how to absorb information better. Ultimately, this results in greater productivity. He addresses information blindness and provides examples of how others interact with data effectively. Read more to learn how to absorb information better and get more done.

Your Inner Chimp (and How to Manage It)

What is the chimp paradox model? How can understanding your inner Chimp help you to become happier and more confident? How do you know when your inner Chimp has taken over? According to Steve Peters (author of The Chimp Paradox) understanding the inner Chimp is crucial in finding success, happiness, and confidence. In this article, you’ll discover what the chimp paradox model is and what practical steps you can take to handle your inner Chimp. Learn more about the inner Chimp below.

Stop Putting Things Off: Your Future Self Is Still You

Why do we assume we’ll be more inclined to do something tomorrow that we didn’t want to do today? Why do we see our future selves as different people? Research shows that you see your future self as a completely different person. This makes you procrastinate on your goals because you assume that future-you will pick up the slack. Here are some tips on how to stop seeing your future self as another person.

6 Ways to Boost Your Personal Productivity Today

Could your personal productivity use a boost? Would you like to learn how to get more done? In Smarter Faster Better, Charles Duhigg discusses six principles that he believes are crucial to improving personal productivity. He argues that it’s not about working longer hours or constantly pushing yourself to do more. Instead, it’s about making wise choices in certain areas of your life. Read more to discover ways to improve personal productivity.

How to Innovate: 4 Principles for Creativity to Thrive

Do you know how to innovate effectively? How can this skill lead to greater productivity and success? Productive people know how to innovate. In Smarter Faster Better, Charles Duhigg shares four principles that you can implement to create conditions for creativity and productive innovation to thrive. Read more to learn how to innovate, the Smarter Faster Better way.

How to Generate Ideas: Exercise Your Idea Muscle

Do you struggle to find that one perfect idea and hold yourself back from entertaining less-than-perfect ideas? What can you do to increase your chances of getting novel, original ideas? No matter what field of work you’re in, you’d likely benefit from being more creative and generating more good ideas. The most important rule of thumb to follow is to brainstorm lots of ideas. Here’s a spread of advice from Tim Ferriss on how to generate ideas, how to identify the best ones, and how to put them to action.

Why You Should Keep Your Goals to Yourself

Do you feel excited when you set big goals for yourself? Do you share your goals with others to keep yourself accountable? Research shows that when you share your goals with others, your brain feels the pleasure of this accomplishment even as you speak the words—you don’t even have to put in the effort of following through. Counterintuitively, since you already felt the pleasure of going, it makes you lose motivation to actually go. This is why you should keep your goals to yourself until you accomplish them.

Stay on Task by Understanding Reactive Thinking

Do you struggle to stay on task? Do you know what reactive thinking is and how it affects your ability to focus? To be productive, you must minimize distractions. When you’re learning how to stay on task, it helps to consider the factors that can prevent you from doing so. The brain’s ability to focus effectively can be hampered by reactive thinking. Read more to understand how reactive thinking can harm your ability to stay on task.