Dopamine and Impulsivity: What Causes Impulsive Behavior?

A man affected by dopamine and impulsivity as he sits on the couch and eats potato chips.

How are dopamine and impulsivity related? What causes impulsive behavior? Dopamine and impulsivity are connected because dopamine makes you want things and makes you feel like achievements will make you happy. Once you understand how this works, you can see how this causes impulsive behavior when unchecked. Here are some ways that dopamine affects emotions and behaviors.

How to Be More Motivated: 4 Techniques From Dr. Julie Smith

A woman reading a book and refusing to get motivated as she's surrounded by piles of papers.

Do you lack motivation to do what needs to be done every day? Are you so overwhelmed you don’t know how or where to start? Motivation is a feeling, so it naturally ebbs and flows. Dr. Julie Smith writes that it’s important to treat it as such and, therefore, not let it get the best of you. In her book Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?, she shares four techniques that can help you overcome a lack of motivation. Keep reading for Smith’s practical advice on how to be more motivated and do what you need to do.

Foster Your Creative Intuition & Emotions to Unlock Synchronicity

A woman with creative intuition painting a black and white mural of a woman in nature.

How strong is your creative intuition? Do you know how to channel your emotions into creativity? How often do you experience synchronicity? In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron shows you how to tap into your deeper creative self where your real emotions and wild ideas reside. One way to do this is to get a better handle on your creative intuition and feelings, which will also help you produce the art you’re intended to produce. Read more to learn Cameron’s advice for leveraging your creative intuition and emotions.

The Motivation Chemical: How Dopamine Drives and Rewards You

A cartoon of two people affection by the motivation chemical to run after a giant trophy.

Why is dopamine known as the motivation chemical? How does dopamine influence our thinking? Dopamine is called the motivation chemical because it inspires us to think about and focus on future happiness and work towards something. By looking more closely at how this neurotransmitter works, you can understand why you’re motivated in the ways that you are. Consider these explanations of how dopamine works and how it influences motivation.

Why Asking Questions Is Important: 6 Reasons to Be Curious

A man thinking and wondering in front of a city.

Why is asking questions important? What are some ways to ask questions without overwhelming your conversation partner? If people never asked questions, we’d likely never make breakthroughs. On a smaller scale, questions open opportunities for further discussion that’ll teach you more about other people. Read more about why asking questions is important, from learning new things to avoiding assumptions.

How to Silence Your Inner Critic: 4 Strategies From Julie Smith

A sad man trying to silence his inner critic, with thought bubble of himself pointing at him.

Do you bounce back from criticism? How much do you trust yourself? Do you laugh at (or at least learn from) failure? Dr. Julie Smith writes that your mental health will significantly improve when you silence your inner critic. To do so, she recommends you learn to tolerate negative feedback, build your confidence, become comfortable with failure, and strive to accept yourself unconditionally. Continue reading to get Smith’s four-part guidance on how to silence your inner critic.

Mental Accounting in Behavioral Economics: 3 Examples

An example of mental accounting in behavioral economics as a man looks at charts in a conference room.

Why do people perform mental accounting when it comes to their finances? What are some examples of mental accounting? One of Richard H. Thaler’s arguments against constrained optimization is that people perform mental accounting. Behavioral economics describes this as a cognitive bias that causes people to place different values on money. We’ll focus on three key examples of mental accounting. Let’s take a look at three common examples of mental accounting.

The Science of Self-Discipline by Peter Hollins: Overview

A professional woman reading a book in an office.

Do you struggle to maintain discipline in your daily routine? Why is discipline so important, and how can you cultivate it? In The Science of Self-Discipline, Peter Hollins explains his science-based approach to discipline. He also provides internal and external strategies that you can use to improve your daily habits and reach long-term goals. Read below for a brief overview of The Science of Self-Discipline.

Dr. Julie Smith: Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?

A woman poses as she holds a book with bookshelves in the background.

Are you ignoring your mental health because you don’t want to commit to therapy? What if you could simply help yourself? You’ll find encouragement and more from Dr. Julie Smith. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? is her practical guide of actionable advice and tools for coping with life’s common challenges, designed to educate you about your own mental health. Continue reading for an overview of this book that could put you on a path toward wellness.

Discipline Is a Muscle: Exercising Your Brain and Willpower

An image of a brain lifting weights that symbolizes that discipline is a muscle.

How is discipline like a muscle? How can you maintain discipline through exercise? In The Science of Self-Discipline, Peter Hollins says discipline is a muscle that you can develop and strengthen over time. But like any other muscle, over-exercising discipline can lead to exhaustion and burnout. Continue reading to learn more about why discipline is similar to a muscle.