Our brains are mind-boggling. Example: There are more possible connection patterns between nerve cells in one human brain than atoms in the known universe, which is approximately 10 followed by 80 zeroes. Fortunately, neuroscientists have discovered some brains facts that are not beyond comprehension. We now know that different
Don Miguel Ruiz, in his book on Toltec wisdom entitled The Four Agreements, argues that we become “domesticated” by automatically agreeing with many beliefs, biases and choice-limiting rules, starting at birth. Our concepts of self, right and wrong, beauty and ugliness, good and bad are the products of these
In 1943, Abraham Maslow proposed a theory of motivation known as the Hierarchy of Needs. He wanted to describe why people did what they did, and didn’t like Freud’s opinion that we are all driven by sexual urges and subconscious conflict, or Skinner’s focus on behavior as
Theoretically, we have the freedom to do whatever we want, as long is it isn’t harming others or breaking established rules. But we tend not to exercise that freedom. We place our wants behind shoulds, musts and even needs. We could chalk this up to any number of societal
Vilfredo Pareto was an Italian economist. In 1896, he observed that about 80% of the land and wealth in Italy was owned by 20% of its people. Pareto’s Principle, commonly known as the 80/20 rule, and has been applied with varying degrees of accuracy to many phenomena beyond
You are a scientist. How do I know this? Because, whether you know it or not, you practice the scientific method. It took humans a long time to describe the scientific method. We were walking around the planet for millennia before we found the words to articulate what we’ve
The Undone consists of intentions, ranging from embryonic to fully formed, that you have not yet, and may never do. You have a codependent relationship with your Undone. You both dread it and depend on it. You feed and fatten it, while hoping it will wither and disappear. In return
Within all of us lies a realm both familiar and mysterious. At some level, we sense its presence, but its dimensions and shape seem unknowable. We fear this realm, but each one of us has created it ourselves. Without wanting to, we expand its borders by the day, allowing it
When your mood is good, you’re more likely to do things than if your mood is neutral or low. Although this may seem obvious, it isn’t easy to notice in the moment. Humans are not designed to assess their own mood states, which are usually only evident in
You have been taught that motivation should come from within you. Relying on external factors is discouraged because it is fickle, unreliable, and will lead to disappointment. True change comes from within. I disagree. When considering whether or not to take action, internal and external factors exert unequal force. Take
Attention is always present when you are awake. It is the essence of consciousness. It is either directed or not. When it is not, it is scanning for something to rest upon. The state of scanning attention may be either vigilant (actively searching) or passive (waiting for something to pop
We all like new things. New is interesting. New is exciting. New is stimulating, sexy, captivating and scintillating. New holds our attention… for a while. Then new is old, boring, passé and dull. There is usually a bit of time between new and old, that transitional period during which an
The shortage of generic Adderall (amphetamine-dextroamphetamine), one of the most commonly prescribed medications for ADHD, has caused a lot of stress and suffering for people with ADHD. As a prescriber, I spend an extra hour or two each day searching for pharmacies that have it in stock, communicating with
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. It would be reasonable to assume from the name that everyone with ADHD has difficulty paying attention and staying still for any length of time. The label, however, is not accurate in this case. Most people who have what is called ADHD can