Without reciprocity

Happy memes that say “pay it forward” are nice, and they might spark momentary inspiration. But to be someone who consistently offers advice, support, and generally seeks to spark joy without regard for what one will get in return…that is life-changing. Serving as an example to others who are then inspired to do the same normalizes it and allows it so spread and scale. And that is world-changing.

#emotionalintelligence #inspirational #lifelessons #positivity

Learning how instead of what

Thanks to Google there is little value in memorizing facts. Critical thinking – the ability to analyze facts to form judgements – might be the most valuable skill to come out of any academic system. We should be careful we don’t simply educate people so they know just enough to repeat what they heard, but not instill the importance of analyzing and questioning. It’s hard to exaggerate the difference between teaching someone what to think, versus teaching them how to think. 

#emotionalintelligence #goals #inspirational #lifelessons

Decision hack

Pros and cons lists can be helpful when assessing what to do, but they can also lead down a very unhelpful path of over analyzing. One shortcut that can help quickly identify how you really feel is to give multiple scenarios 1-10 ratings, but remove 7 as an option. This simple hack forces more meaningful choices, because a 6 rating is a step away from a failing grade, while an 8 rating is almost a B+. In a this-or-that scenario the answer will be clear, and in go/no-go scenario, it’s the difference between “hell yes” and “hell no.”

#emotionalintelligence #inspirational #lifelessons #Psychology