There are two modes: experiencing your life and evaluating yourself. Mirrors push you into evaluation. And the more time you spend there, the more self-critical you become. Happiness isn’t found in perfecting your image. It’s found in forgetting it. Listen to the full episode with Arthur Brooks at fastersmarter.io.
Meaning in life isn’t a concrete point we can route toward. That’s why we need what Arthur Brooks calls “proxy goals” — and much better ones than we typically choose. Brooks, a professor at Harvard Business School and author of The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age…
When you're advocating for yourself, the worst argument you can make is about your own problems. Your boss isn’t going to give you a raise because your rent went up. Erin McGoff says the strongest argument is alignment: How does what you want also benefit them? When people see the…
You talk to yourself all day long. And most of us are far harsher to ourselves than we’d ever be to a friend. Erin McGoff says confidence doesn’t come from shutting that voice off. It comes from training it to be constructive instead of critical.
Succeeding at work doesn’t just depend on how hard you work or how smart you are. According to Erin McGoff, it often comes down to whether you understand the “secret language” everyone else seems to be speaking. McGoff is a career creator, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and author of…
You don’t “wait” to feel grateful. You practice it. Studies show that even simple gratitude exercises make people feel more connected and happier. Not because life changes, but because your interpretation of it does. And here’s the part people ignore: You can’t be grateful and envious at the same time.…
Happiness isn’t just about feeling good. It’s also about knowing your life is going somewhere. Joy + Direction. Emotion + Meaning. Miss one, and something always feels off. That’s why you can have good days and still feel like something’s missing. Listen to the full episode with Sonja Lyubomirsky at
Happiness isn’t just a feeling—it’s something you can actively shape through how you think, connect, and communicate. Sonja Lyubomirsky, a distinguished professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside and co-author of How to Feel Loved: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most, defines happiness…
You’re not confusing people because your idea is complex. You’re confusing them because you’re saying too much. Strong communicators don’t add more; they anchor everything to a simple core. Then they repeat it. From different angles. That’s what makes it stick. #ClearCommunication #CommunicationSkills #LessIsMore #ClarityWins #ThinkFastTalkSmart
No matter how compelling a presentation feels in the moment, most of what you say won’t last in your audience’s memory. The key isn’t trying to make people remember everything — it’s ensuring they remember what matters most. Carmen Simon is a cognitive neuroscientist, author, and expert on how the…
After 48 hours, people forget 90% of what you say. That’s not failure, it’s human nature. The real question isn’t how to make them remember everything. It’s this: What’s your 10% message? Because decisions are made based on what people remember, not what they forget.
New isn’t the only way to get attention. Surprise works too. The brain learns when expectations are disrupted. That gap, between what we expect and what happens, is where attention lives. So don’t just aim for new. Aim for the unexpected.
After any presentation, your audience will forget about 90% of what you said. That’s okay, says Carmen Simon — just make sure they remember the right 10%. Simon is a cognitive neuroscientist, speaker, author, and expert on how the brain processes and retains information. Her research reveals a humbling truth:…
Even if you don’t think you’re a natural, anyone can become proficient at the art of small talk by utilizing the right tactics and behaviors. In this collaboration with Harvard Business Review, strategic communications lecturer Matt Abrahams shares his tips and techniques for cocktail party chit chat, networking small talk,…
Whether you want to read more books or exercise more regularly, BJ Fogg has good news. “Habits are easier to form than most people think,” he says, “If you do it in the right way.” As the founder and director of Stanford's Behavior Design Lab, Fogg has devoted much of…
Every second, your brain absorbs an enormous amount of information. Yet you consciously process only a tiny fraction of it. So what determines what you notice? Your attention. And what you believe matters. Listen to the full episode on fastersmarter.io #Neuroscience #AttentionMatters #CognitiveScience #MindsetMatters #ThinkFastTalkSmart
You don’t need a new personality. You might just need a new perspective. Nir Eyal explains why beliefs don’t have to be true; they just have to be useful. When you “try on” a better belief, you create options. And options create growth. Stop defending the old story. Start testing…
During Sleep Awareness Week, here’s a mantra worth trying from Nir Eyal: “The body gets what the body needs - if you let it.” One restless night doesn’t mean disaster. What matters is creating the right conditions, and letting go of what you can’t control. Sometimes better sleep starts with…
What you believe about yourself could be holding you back. Fortunately, Nir Eyal says beliefs aren’t truths — and you can choose new ones. Eyal is a former lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Stanford d.school, a celebrated author, and a renowned expert on human behavior and…
Words have impact. But when it comes to enchanting audiences and captivating with communication, Jonah Berger, PhD ’07, says some words are more potent than others. Berger is a Wharton School professor and an internationally bestselling author. His most recent book, Magic Words: What to Say to Get Your Way,…
Facts matter. But framing moves people. Gain frame is better than loss frame when it comes to persuasion. The language you use shapes the outcome.
Out of breath during presentations? It’s not nerves. It’s stamina. Reading out loud is the treadmill for your voice. Train before you perform.
What’s the difference between reacting and responding? How do you move from memorizing your words to truly conversing in the moment? And how do you keep growing as a communicator in everyday moments? Communication isn’t about having the perfect script. It’s about staying present enough to respond with intention. In…
More conflict = more engagement. Creators see it in the metrics. Drama pulls in viewers, and even brings in other creators’ audiences. But when platforms reward tension and extremes, what kind of content ecosystem are we building? #DigitalReputation #OnlineBehavior #ContentCreation #ThinkFastTalkSmart