Want to make the world a better place? Want to help people live better? Want to improve things anywhere and everywhere for everyone? One way is to see the powerful and pure magic of trade for what it is, then promote and advocate for it as much of it as possible. Trade is pure magic. Why? […]
The Pure Magic of Trade Read More »
Most people want to write a book. I’m an author, so the conversation comes up a lot. “I’ve got a great idea for a book. I’m thinking of taking a writing vacation some day.” “How did you write your book? I’d like to write one myself, and am having trouble getting started.” “Do you ever
Want to write a book? Locking yourself in a cabin won’t work. Read More »
How do we get more good out of life? The best way might be to take a “less is more” approach. A story from twenty-four years ago illustrates. My wife Sandra suddenly shouted, “Erik! James is throwing up!” We were driving the freeway. Our son James was two, in a car seat in the back.
Orange PEZ, the Inverted U, and the Good Life Read More »
How are we going to live in the next fifty years? According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the answer could be, largely off government handouts. In February Musk spoke at the World Government Summit in Dubai, where he envisioned a heavily automated world, creating massive unemployment, forcing governments to offer money to its citizens in
Elon Musk, Pilzer’s Island, and the Question of Universal Basic Income Read More »
It’s human nature to read between the lines — to try to discover hidden meanings, detect false motives, and discern the implications of things. We get invited to dinner by new friends, and wonder, Are they trying to sell us something? Someone fails to reply to our text, and we think, That means they don’t
“I threw it on the ground”: Andy Samberg’s call to resist reading between the lines. Read More »
Book Excerpt: Automatic Influence: New Power for Change in Work and Life by Erik Van Alstine The optimist and the pessimist both experience the hard knocks of life. But they see the hard knocks in different ways. It’s hard to get this into our thick skulls, because we’re all heavily invested in the myth that
Need a boost? Watch Nick Vujicic, amputee motivational speaker. Read More »
(This is the fourth post in a series about “anchoring” and its effect on our happiness.) Are you hindered in happiness? Are you lacking in love? Comedian Bo Burnham has some excellent advice at the end of this post. But first, let’s set the table for Bo’s point. Starting with the fact that we’re not
Want love and happiness? Bo says, lower your expectations. Read More »
(This is the third post in a series about “anchoring” and its effect on our happiness.) Let’s say we drive across town on a road trip that goes through twenty traffic lights. When the lights are green we blaze through. When red, we stop. Let’s also say the typical trip stops us at ten of
Traffic Lights, Anchoring, and a New Path to Positivity Read More »
(This is the second post in a series about “anchoring” and its effect on our happiness.) Go to the mall, find the nearest jewelry store, and look into the display windows. What do you find? The super nice stuff. Wow, there’s a diamond necklace that costs $100,000. Why do they display this? So we’ll go
The “Anchoring Conspiracy” in Retail Sales Read More »
Feel like something’s dragging you down? Holding you back? Chances are it’s what cognitive scientists describe as an anchor. Not a literal anchor. A mental one. “Anchoring” is a mental bias that, if set wrong, wreaks all sorts of havoc in our attitudes, emotions, and behaviors: Anchoring causes social media depression. Anchoring is the reason we
Release the Anchor, Triple Your Positivity Read More »
