People often say that you learn from failure. But I think you learn primarily from your mistakes, not from your failures. There's a big difference. You can make a good decision, based on sound reasons, and still have it result in failure. For example, there can be...
Exercise: Three Steps for Dealing with Uncertainty Background When you feel tentative, puzzled, or vague when you're thinking, you are uncertain about something. You have a feeling of "I don't know enough." Often when we feel uncertain we stall. We don't want to take...
Often fresh, new ideas occur to you after a period away from your work. That's why many authorities on creativity recommend taking breaks to let this process happen. But just taking a break isn't enough. How often have you come back, after a break, and been in...
Tactic: The "AND" List The "AND List" Tactic Overview What: This is the basic tactic for addressing resistance and temptation in the moment. When: Use this tactic when you aren't instantly motivated to do what you "should" be doing. How: Write, "I am ambivalent" at...
In the last few articles, I've argued that a central purpose integrates your life, that it fits into a real life, that it needs to be a long-range productive goal, not something else, and how to identify your central purpose. I've asserted that it is important to a...
In Launch, some people come with money goals. In a few cases that makes sense, but not usually. A well-set goal needs to guide and motivate the action necessary to achieve it — and provide a lasting satisfaction with every step along the way. Money goals often don't...
I had a call with a member of the Thinking Lab the other day. He was concerned that he was reverting to some old behavior. He had changed jobs, and as a result he was very busy ramping up his knowledge and activity in the new position. He said it had occurred to him...
Self-critical thoughts get a bad rap. You should neither reject self-critical thoughts nor treat them as revealed truths. Instead, treat them like crazy ideas from a brainstorming session. They, too, are products of your current knowledge, values, and skill. Used...
In my previous article, I argued that you need to motivate all action by reference to values rather than threats. I explained how you justify the goal in terms of values before you act and then stay focused on gaining values while acting. In this article you will see...
Exercise: Deeper Thinking with Q&A Background The #1 reason people get stuck is that they censor their thoughts. In practical terms, this means they have the thought, but they don't want to write it down on the piece of paper for some reason. This could have...
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