Data-Based Decision-Making Is Better Than Trusting Your Gut

A crossroads with one road sign pointing to "DATA" and the other pointing to "GUT" illustrates data-based decision-making

Is your intuition leading you astray? How can you make better life choices using hard data instead of gut feelings? In his book Don’t Trust Your Gut, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz reveals that data-based decision-making is far more reliable than human intuition. He explains how our minds are full of cognitive biases and how we’re easily misled by exceptional stories that we mistakenly believe represent the norm. Keep reading to discover how researchers are determining which choices actually lead to positive outcomes.

The Top 5 Happiness Activities, Based on Research Data

Two smiling women backpacking in the mountains illustrates happiness activities

What activities truly make people the happiest? How can you maximize your daily joy through deliberate choices? In his book Don’t Trust Your Gut, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz reveals that the most effective happiness activities aren’t passive pastimes but active engagements. The data further shows that these activities compound when they’re combined, creating an even stronger positive impact on your life. Keep reading to discover the five activities that can make you happy, and learn how to blend them for maximum joy.

Attention Span by Gloria Mark: Book Overview & Takeaways

A woman reading a book in her living room

What’s the book Attention Span about? Do you feel overwhelmed by the pressure to be productive? In her book Attention Span, Gloria Mark draws from decades of research on how the human brain spends its mental energy, the many ways we become distracted, and how our capacity to focus fluctuates. She also explores the different modes of attention and how we can reclaim our attention from the distractions of the modern world. Read more in our brief Attention Span book overview.

How to Be Successful in Love: The Math of “Happy Ever After”

A smiling middle-aged couple (a man with his arm around a woman) illustrates how to be successful in love

What actually makes relationships last? Is traditional dating advice steering you in the wrong direction? In his book Don’t Trust Your Gut, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz reveals surprising data about how to be successful in love. His research shows that conventional attractiveness has little impact on relationship longevity, and he shares what makes you four times more likely to find lasting love. Keep reading to discover what you can do to transform your romantic future.

What Does Attention Mean? It’s More Complex Than You Think

The word "Attention" on a chalkboard, as part of a lesson teaching what attention means

What does attention mean? What’s the difference between executive and automatic attention? In Attention Span, Gloria Mark argues that defining attention isn’t as easy as it sounds—since we use the word “attention” as an umbrella term for a variety of cognitive behaviors. Mark starts from the traditional definition of attention and expands it to include automatic and dynamic factors that affect where your mind directs its focus. Keep reading if you want to learn more about the complex meaning of attention.

The 4 Types of Attention in Psychology & What They Mean

A student showing one of the four types of attention in psychology in a classroom

What are the different types of attention in psychology? What purpose does each of these attention modes have? Gloria Mark’s book Attention Span explains the different types of attention and the internal factors that shape them. These modes of attention wax and wane over time, so instead of fighting against certain types of focus, your goal should be to balance them to sustain your cognitive reserves. Continue reading to learn about attention’s highs and lows in each state.

3 Characteristics of Insight Explained (and 3 Myths Debunked)

A spectacled man with a lightbulb over his head illustrates the characteristics of insight

What exactly makes insight different from ordinary learning? How can understanding these differences help us experience more breakthrough moments in our thinking? In his book Seeing What Others Don’t, Gary Klein identifies three key characteristics of insight and debunks three common myths. Understanding what insight is helps us recognize when we’re experiencing genuine breakthroughs and creates conditions where insights are more likely to occur. Keep reading to learn what insight is and what it isn’t.

Gary Klein’s Seeing What Others Don’t: Book Overview

A smiling woman with gray hair and an orange sweater reading a book while sitting in a chair in front of a bookshelf

What makes breakthroughs happen more often for some people than others? How can we better understand the process of insight and use it to our advantage? Gary Klein’s Seeing What Others Don’t: The Remarkable Ways We Gain Insights lays out the mechanics of insight, revealing that breakthrough ideas arrive through three distinct paths. Klein’s research shows that most people and organizations inadvertently create conditions that suppress insights. Keep reading to discover practical strategies that can help you become more receptive to breakthrough moments and learn how to capitalize on them when they arrive.

Seth Stephens-Davidowitz: Happiness Data Helps Us Find Joy

A smiley-face pie chart illustrates happiness data

Can data science actually reveal what makes us happy? Have you been looking for joy in all the wrong places? According to Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, happiness data can lead you to find joy in your own life. In Don’t Trust Your Gut, he reveals that objective information from millions of people can map out which activities truly bring joy and which ones leave us miserable—challenging our intuitions about happiness. Keep reading to discover the science-backed path to a happier life.

Why Is It So Hard to Focus? It’s Not Just Technology’s Fault

A woman finding it hard to focus and looking out the window during work

Why is it so hard to focus these days? Do we have an unlimited amount of mental energy to use? The biggest problem we face when trying to be productive is that the things that distract us seem limitless, especially now that the digital world has infiltrated every aspect of life. However, Gloria Mark’s book Attention Span says our devices aren’t entirely to blame. Let’s look at the real reason why you and so many others may find it hard to concentrate on simple tasks.