How to Let Go of Your Ego and Break Through to Solutions

Smiling man and woman talking, illustrating how to let go of your ego and communicate effectively with each other

Are your feelings easily hurt? Are you more focused on protecting yourself than solving bigger problems? When people come at us, it’s easy to react in ways that end up making the confrontation worse. Our ego is often to blame. Law enforcement trainer and English professor George Thompson says that Verbal Judo offers a way out of this mindset. Continue reading to learn how to let go of your ego and move forward in a positive direction.

How to Read Other People & Get Them to Cooperate

A man who knows how to read other people is having a serious conversation with another man in an office

How well do you recognize other people’s personality types, motives, and intentions? If you were armed with that knowledge, what difference would it make? A judo practitioner responds to a physical attack with an awareness of their opponent’s intentions. In the same way, you can respond to a verbal confrontation by reading the other person and figuring out who they are and what they need from the encounter. Read on for practical advice on how to read other people, according to Verbal Judo by George Thompson.

That Little Voice in Your Head by Mo Gawdat: Book Overview

A woman reading a book outside.

What’s That Little Voice in Your Head by Mo Gawdat about? Can you program your brain to be happier? In That Little Voice in Your Head, Mo Gawdat explains your brain functions like a computer. He explores how it causes unhappiness and replaces these functions with new ones that will ensure happiness. Read below for a brief overview of That Little Voice in Your Head.

5 Verbal De-Escalation Strategies From George Thompson

A man practices verbal de-escalation strategies in a workspace with two employees who are upset with each other

How do you get out of a tense situation? What are some ways to resolve issues rather than make them worse? Law enforcement trainer George Thompson argues that, in a high-pressure situation, it’s most effective to act as if you’re practicing judo. In other words, use the other person’s energy to gently move them in the direction you want them to go. Keep reading to learn Thompson’s verbal de-escalation strategies to handle conflicts in your day-to-day life.

Mo Gawdat on Happiness: 4 Tips to Reprogram Your Brain

A smiling woman holding balloons outside, following Mo Gawdat's happiness tips.

What are Mo Gawdat’s “programming” tips for more happiness? How can you make your brain process information better? In That Little Voice in Your Head‘s section on happiness, Mo Gawdat discusses four tips to help your brain process and respond to information in ways that lead to happiness. By thinking of your brain as a malfunctioning computer, you can logically reprogram it to be happier. Read below for Mo Gawdat’s tips for programming your brain for unlimited happiness.

What Is Verbal Judo? Communication Inspired by a Martial Art

Cartoon drawing of a man and woman engaged in a conversation, illustrating what Verbal Judo is

What is Verbal Judo? Why should you practice it? George Thompson contends that, by using a form of “tactical communication” inspired by the Japanese martial art of judo, you can resolve stressful confrontations without losing your cool. Verbal Judo involves directing the other person’s energy toward a solution that makes everyone feel understood. Read more to learn what Verbal Judo is and how it can improve your communication and relationships.

What Is the Misinformation Effect? Mo Gawdat Explains

People working at a command center full of computer screens, searching what the misinformation effect is.

What is the misinformation effect? What happens when your brain takes in inaccurate information? One grave error that can cause your brain to misfire is if you feed it inaccurate information. If you want your brain to produce happiness, you must ensure that you’re feeding it the proper information to produce that result. Keep reading to learn more about how the misinformation effect works in the brain.