Ep. 338: If You’re Under Pressure, Give Yourself Less Time, an Easy Hack for Listening to Podcasts, and an Interview with Ramit Sethi about Money and Couples.
We talk about why, when under pressure, you might consider giving yourself less time, we suggest a hack that makes podcast-listening more convenient, and Ramit Sethi discusses his new podcast about th...
11 Aug 202132min
Little Happier: A Single Letter Reverses the Meaning of This Quotation from Leonardo da Vinci
I’d long been haunted by a line from Leonardo da Vinci’s “Notebooks,” but I learned that I’d mistyped a single letter, and had utterly transformed the meaning of the quotation. (I like my version bett...
9 Aug 20214min
Ep. 337: Take a Nap, an Easy Hack for Lowering Frustration, a New Way to Use Gold Stars—and Are You a “Song” Lover or a “Music” Lover?
We explore the many benefits of taking a nap (if schedules permit), one listener suggests a simple organization hack and another listener finds a way to use demerits and gold stars in a hospital, and ...
4 Aug 202134min
Little Happier: After Enron’s Downfall, a Massive Trove of Private Emails Were Made Public. Researchers Learned a Lot, and So Did I.
The fascinating history of the “Enron Corpus,” the trove of private emails that were made public in the wake of the collapse of the energy company Enron, reminds me never to write anything in an email...
2 Aug 20214min
Ep. 336: Allow Others to Share Your Enthusiasm, the Props Listeners Use to Manage Anxiety, a Deep Dive into Listeners’ One-Word Themes—Plus a Hack for Asking Tough Questions
We discuss why it’s a good idea to allow others to share your enthusiasm, we review the props used by listeners to help manage anxiety, take a look at listeners’ one-word themes for 2021, and share a ...
28 Jul 202134min
Little Happier: To the Curious and Prepared Mind, Something Dull Becomes Interesting.
A story about the small talk of two brilliant mathematicians reminds me that a curious and well-informed mind can find much of interest in the world. The taxi-cab’s number 1729 turns out to be a very ...
26 Jul 20212min
Ep. 335: Walk Away from a Bad Mood, a Rebel and an Obliger Offer Tips, and a Great Hack for Giving an Easy Yet Thoughtful Gift
We talk about how we can walk away from a bad mood, suggest an idea for giving very thoughtful gifts (that are easy to do), and discuss excellen suggestions from a Rebel and an Obliger about self-mana...
21 Jul 202126min
Little Happier: Both My Parents Made the Same Observation about Queen Elizabeth II.
I was surprised when both my parents commented on Queen Elizabeth II’s decision to direct the Royal Family to wear mourning clothes (instead of traditional uniforms) to the funeral of her husband Prin...
19 Jul 20214min
