So They Say

Unwanted Feedback

The analysis of over 25,000 life stories of people who failed to achieve professional success shows that a lack of determination is the main reason for their failure. The analysis of the success stories of multimillionaires revealed, by contrast, that they all had two characteristics in common: they were used to making split-second decisions and, […]

So They Say

In the Zone

Picture this: You’re engaged in an activity, whether that’s writing computer code or painting a landscape, and you get so absorbed you completely lose track of time. Does this sound familiar? If you’re nodding yes, then you’ve likely experienced what psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi calls a flow state. Flow, says Csíkszentmihályi, is the optimal creative state. We […]

So They Say

Breaking Bad Habits

Luckily, it’s possible to get rid of bad habits and establish better ones. You simply need to understand something called the habit loop.  The loop consists of a cue that triggers your brain into acting out the habit. This is followed by the routine or the habit itself. The loop finishes with a reward – the satisfaction that your routine brings you. […]

So They Say

Are We Happier?

Our journey through the history of Homo sapiens is nearly complete; we’ve covered 300,000 years, from the savannahs of East Africa to the modern globalized world. We now more or less understand the general trends behind human history, but we haven’t really talked about how this has affected us as individuals. Although our health, wealth and knowledge […]

So They Say

Swallow a Whale

Nowadays, most people believe in science, but even science has very human limitations. Our intellect, in fact, can even prevent us from experiencing life to the fullest. An ancient Greek myth perfectly illustrates this point. The philosopher Aristotle was walking on the beach. The sunset was beautiful, but Aristotle was so lost in thought that […]

So They Say

Merge!!!

You probably already know that teamwork is essential to success. The same is true within an individual organism. To function properly, the different parts of your being need to work in sync. So, to reach enlightenment, you need to forge a tight-knit cooperation between your body, mind, emotions and energy. This principle is beautifully described […]

Personal Mastery

Tonglen

With tonglen breathing, you breathe in the undesirable – pain and suffering – and breathe out the desirable – strength and happiness. If it sounds strange, it’s probably due to the Western idea of only letting in good things and rejecting anything unpleasant. But this is an important part of Buddhist meditation, and by practicing it, you […]