How to Avoid Motivated Reasoning: Tips From Leonard Mlodinow

A woman looking up with colorful fiery swirls around her head illustrates how to avoid motivated reasoning

Is your mind playing tricks on you without your awareness? Why do we cling to beliefs despite contradicting evidence? In Subliminal, Leonard Mlodinow reveals how our unconscious mind shapes our judgments before conscious analysis begins. He explains motivated reasoning—our tendency to process information in ways that support existing beliefs—and offers practical strategies to overcome this natural bias. Keep reading to discover how to avoid motivated reasoning and make more objective decisions in everyday life.

How to Be Insightful: Cultivating Ground for New Ideas to Sprout

A light bulb growing out of the ground illustrates how to be insightful

Can insights be cultivated through deliberate practice? What specific paths lead to those “aha” moments that change everything? In Seeing What Others Don’t, Gary Klein reveals that insights aren’t random strokes of genius but natural outcomes of staying curious and open-minded. He outlines distinct ways to become more insightful, sharing practical methods anyone can use to create conditions where insights flourish. Keep reading to discover how to be insightful through simple mindset shifts and systematic practices that will transform the way you solve problems and generate new ideas.

How to Interpret Data: 2 Ways to Understand & Explain It

A woman in silhouette, seen from behind, looking at data on screens illustrates how to interpret data effectively

What’s the best way to make sense of those spreadsheets filled with thousands of numbers? How can you understand data in a way that helps you explain it to others? In her book Storytelling With Data, Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic teaches readers how to interpret data by focusing on two essential skills. She offers practical techniques to transform complex information into clear, compelling visuals that anyone can understand. Keep reading to discover how these strategies can help you become more confident in analyzing and presenting data of any kind.

How to Use Your Unconscious Mind: 5 Practical Tips + Exercise

A woman smiling and pointing toward her head with both hands illustrates how to use your unconscious mind

What hidden forces shape our decisions without our awareness? How can we harness the power of our unconscious mind rather than being controlled by it? Leonard Mlodinow reveals how our unconscious mind constantly processes information beneath our awareness. Learning how to use your unconscious mind effectively means recognizing gut feelings, questioning automatic judgments, and developing greater self-awareness of these hidden processes. Keep reading to discover practical strategies that will help you work with your unconscious mind rather than against it.

Julian Jaynes: The Origin of Consciousness (Overview)

An older woman with gray hair and glasses reading a book and surrounded by plants

Have you ever wondered why humans naturally gravitate toward religious beliefs? What if our modern way of cognition and experience emerged only a few thousand years ago? Julian Jaynes’s The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind proposes that consciousness as we know it today didn’t always exist. Jaynes suggests humans once operated with a “bicameral mind,” where one part of the mind issued commands that the other part followed. Keep reading to discover how Jaynes’s controversial theory might explain religious tendencies, sudden civilization development, and even our struggles with decision-making.

Examples of Insights: How Some People Saw What Others Didn’t

A cartoon depiction of Isaac Newton under the apple tree illustrates examples of insights

What patterns do breakthrough thinkers notice that others miss? How do some people make connections that revolutionize entire fields of knowledge? In his book, Seeing What Others Don’t, Gary Klein explores what causes breakthroughs in thinking. His research reveals fascinating examples of insights in science, medicine, engineering, architecture, literature, and more. Keep reading to discover how these examples of insight demonstrate what sets breakthrough thinking apart.

Data Storytelling Basics: Where to Start (Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic)

A man looking at graphs on a desktop computer screen illustrates data storytelling basics

Are you looking for ways to make your data more engaging and impactful? Have you wondered which visualization techniques work best for communicating your insights effectively? In her book Storytelling With Data, Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic emphasizes the importance of mastering data storytelling basics before attempting advanced techniques. She recommends starting with fundamental visualizations while focusing on creating a shared understanding with your audience. Read on to discover how you can develop these essential skills and help your entire team become more proficient in communicating with data.

How Consciousness and Language Are Intertwined (Julian Jaynes)

A person with a thought bubble with the word "ideas" over their head depicts the link between consciousness and language

What role did language play in the emergence of human consciousness? How did metaphorical thinking transform our ancestors’ cognitive abilities? Julian Jaynes proposes that consciousness developed not through biological evolution but through cultural changes driven by language. He argues that consciousness and language are deeply intertwined, with metaphors allowing humans to express abstract concepts and develop self-awareness. Read on to explore Jaynes’s theory about how our minds evolved from hearing divine voices to developing rich inner lives.

Sigmund Freud & the Unconscious Mind: Did He Get It Right?

A photograph of Sigmund Freud by Max Halberstadt illustrates Sigmund Freud's unconscious mind theories

How much of your thinking happens without your awareness? What invisible forces might be guiding your decisions and perceptions right now? The human brain processes information in ways that largely escape our conscious notice. Science writer Leonard Mlodinow explains how modern neuroscience has confirmed Sigmund Freud’s core insight that unconscious processes shape our experiences and behaviors. Keep reading to learn about Sigmund Freud’s unconscious mind theories and the developments scientists have made since Freud.

Freud: Determinism Is Real, But We Have Some Control

A black and white sketch of Sigmund Freud illustrates Freud's determinism philosophy

How much control do you truly have over your thoughts and actions? What happens when your unconscious mind influences decisions you believe you’re making consciously? For Sigmund Freud, determinism was an inescapable reality. The concept seemed to fit well with his ideas about the unconscious mind. But, he also believed that we can gain some control over our lives through understanding the hidden influences of unconscious forces. Keep reading to discover how the relationship between your conscious and unconscious mind might be more complex—and more fascinating—than you realize.