By Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener

Introduction

I want you to imagine the following scenario. This is a true story, but I am fudging a few of the details to protect the identity of a friend of mine. I want you to imagine having the money to upgrade every element of your kitchen. Ever dreamed of seating for 12? Granite countertops? Expensive chrome appliances? My friend could afford all of these things and he took his outdated kitchen and modernized it. He had contractors remove the old wall-mounted telephone and install handsome wood cabinetry. He ordered a large kitchen island and beautiful floor tiles. In fact, he had so much work done that he went on vacation for two weeks to give the crews the space they needed to transform his home. When he returned, he dropped his suitcases in his entryway, and his mouth fell open. You might think that he was delighted by the state-of-the-art room before him but, no. Instead, he was upset that the floor tiles had been laid out on the diagonal—like di...

 
By Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener

You cannot solve the problem if the problem is you.

You may be familiar with the concept of a side hustle. You know, the real estate agent who restores and sells antique clocks in his spare time. Or the department store manager who moonlights as an Uber driver. You don’t know me well, so I will admit to you that I only have side hustles. Sometimes I write books, or publish research, or advise on public policy, or conduct workshops. And sometimes I coach. It is the coaching that I want to address here because it is in coaching that I have learned a great deal about people’s intuitions about success. 

Over the years, I have coached a diverse range of people. I have worked with corporate executives and with start-up entrepreneurs. I have coached therapists and school principals. I have coached retirees and venture capitalists. They have brought all sorts of issues into our coaching sessions. Some of them bring really unique concerns to the table. They wa...

By Shannon Thompson

Most of us are familiar with urban myths. You know what I mean; fables similar to the tale that alligators live in New York sewers. Every so often there is a trace of truth in myths of these type (for example, in the 1960’s there was a faulty television that emitted radiation that damaged eyes). However, in the vast majority of cases these stories are not supported by evidence. Within my profession of performance psychology, I’ve learned that there are psychology myths as well. The examples that I will highlight as myths carry more truth than the alligators in New York sewers (none have ever been spotted). For example, I will warn you against getting too “pumped up” prior to a major performance, when in fact it can sometimes be advantageous to raise your intensity. However, to cling to these beliefs as rules of thumb, or to consider them to be universally reliable practices, would be a mistake. In fact, to cling to any of these too tightly can harm performance, and...

 
By Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener

Part One: Introduction

When I teach the science of positive psychology to students, they sometimes get confused. Specifically, they tend to stumble over two seemingly contradictory points. On the one hand, studies reveal that having a “growth mindset” is helpful. That is, believing you can improve on personal qualities such as intelligence or athleticism. On the other hand, people also harbor a strong intuition that personal growth must not be exactly the same for all people and in all areas. Sure, you could improve with a couple of cello lessons but Yo-Yo Ma almost certainly fared better during his initial lessons. 

One place this tension rears its head is in the topic of creativity. Make no mistake, all people have some amount of creativity even as they have some modicum of humor, intelligence, and empathy. Even so, it is pretty clear that there are real differences between people in how funny, smart, or compassionate they are. The same holds true for ...

By Shannon Thompson

 Again, he crouches on the start line. His heart and eyes are wide as he considers the danger and possibility that awaits him. Somehow, a volatile relationship with the track has not killed his willingness to return. Memories flare and doubt curls in his throat. The unknown is alight within him. But, he bravely accepts the innocence of this new moment and offers his trust back to the race.

In the world of high performance trust is essential. Trust is the pillar around which all hopeful striving turns, and the foundation that consistent excellence is built upon. Specifically where trust is placed is a personal choice. Some trust their own abilities gained through experience and training. Others trust a wise leader who has proven to be previously trustworthy. Many place their trust in a Higher Power considered to be religious or spiritual. Regardless of its placement, trust is the weight, the anchor, the rudder that holds the course. It is the focusing force that ke...

 
By Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener

Part One: Introduction

There are a number of concepts that come from the field of medicine that typically get a bad name among lay people. For example, you have probably heard someone denigrate using alcohol as “a crutch.” While I am not advocating alcohol use, this snooty view of crutches has always been a bit perplexing to me. Since when have crutches been anything other than helpful? Similarly, I have heard folks criticize many medications for “masking symptoms.” Again, while I favor treating the root cause of illness, I also see some occasional benefit in dealing with painful, difficult, or inconvenient symptoms. Finally, I have long been curious about the way that people so consistently dismiss the “placebo effect.”

The placebo effect is when a person experiences a real benefit from taking a substance with no known real benefits. For example, when a person swallows a simple sugar pill but then her headache disappears. If anything, the placebo effect...

By Jess Hopkins 

These days leadership ability applies to a variety of roles, and it certainly isn’t limited to title or rank. Beyond the traditional view of leadership as a responsibility of C-suites and executives, leadership is present in practically every day-to-day function: parent, student, teacher, manager, caretaker. To some degree, everyone must lead. The ability to lead well is inextricably linked with high performance.

Buzzwords like vision, strategy and execution always come to mind when we think of leadership—but at the end of the day leaders must achieve those themes through other people. It is the personal, and interpersonal aspects of leadership that ultimately determine the success of leaders in producing next-level results. 

So, what is the #1 interpersonal leadership skill for driving high performance? Without a doubt, it is defining and enforcing boundaries. 

In his latest book, Boundaries for Leaders, Dr. Henry Cloud explains that boundaries are made up of tw...

 
By Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener

My day job involves the study of positive topics such as happiness, hospitality, strengths and friendship. My research has taken me to some far-flung places and given me the opportunity to speak with people I might not otherwise, such as the homeless, Amish farmers, and sex workers in India. I have been fortunate enough to cross paths with people who—by nearly any definition—are highly successful. A Nobel Prize winner, a billionaire, Hollywood stars, best-selling authors, and professional athletes. I am not trying to impress you or to name— drop. Indeed, I won’t mention any names at all, but I do want to emphasize that I have had the opportunity to observe wealthy, talented, and hard-working people up close. They vary, of course, in how smart, how talented, or how lucky they are. But most of them appear to have an enviable quality: personal initiative. 

I first heard the word initiative in 1981 when I was introduced to the role-playing game Dungeons and D...

By Jess Hopkins 

The notion that mindset plays a role in our daily lives is hardly a new one. For thousands of years, the world’s greatest philosophers, writers, and thinkers have expounded on the virtues of mastering your mind to improve your quality of life. Fortunately, science can now confirm this notion as truth, offering a research-backed pathway towards greater wellbeing and high performance. 

Decades of research from Carol Dweck, world-renowned psychologist and author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, shows that the view you adopt of yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life. It can literally determine whether or not you accomplish the things you value and become the person you wish to be. Research shows that mindset is powerful; it has the capacity to improve your relationships, bolster your confidence and reduce the risk of depression. 

The first step towards leveraging this high impact concept is to deepen your self-awareness, and identify which mind...

By Shannon Thompson

“Wherever the fear is, this is precisely the gift you have to give.” — Amanda Palmer

Fear is a language. It speaks through truth and lies. Fear can protect us, but it is not angelic. Fear impedes on our bravest actions, and yet, is not purely evil. Fear is a discourse of feeling. It weaves temptation with sinister self-doubt, and lifesaving clarity with cruel contradiction. Capable of so much, it is one of the most powerful emotions we have. Despite the difficulty we have to comprehend fear, it can become a valuable guide if we learn to recognize and understand its varying forms. My purpose in this essay is to teach you how.

When I train elite athletes on how to deal with fear, I begin by helping them to become aware of the signals of their brain and body.  I teach them to pay close attention to their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. Interpreted correctly, fear can help us to successfully navigate the challenges and opportunities in our lives. The mor...