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The harder we try not to think about something, the more difficult it is to forget. Don't think of a pink elephant is the most commonly used example.

There are essentially two types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic. The intrinsic type is that which comes from within. It is our own reasons for wanting to do something. It is not reliant upon external circumstances.

Extrinsic motivation on the other hand, is provided by forces external to us. The approval of others, financial gain, culture, etc.

While both have a role to play in one's success, the intrinsic motivation is the more important of the two and will buoy our efforts when...

A false positive is when we believe something to be true which is not. A false negative is when we believe something to be untrue which is in fact true. False positives typically entail less risk and cost than false negatives.

When our ancestors on the Savannah believed the sound in the grass was from a predator (which it was not) and ran away, they were perhaps slightly inconvenienced but otherwise unharmed.

If they thought the sound was just the wind (when it was in fact a predator) they...

By far the greatest impediment to learning is thinking that we already know.

Knowing the symbol we use to designate something is not the same as knowing the thing itself.

The importance of precision can hardly be exaggerated. Whether one is talking about fabricating parts for a space shuttle or a sales presentation, precision is of the utmost importance.

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself what it is that you really know? How can you be sure that you know anything? We often find ourselves so preoccupied with the daily affairs of life that we don't have, or at least allocate any time to thinking about our own thinking.

“Keep your eyes wide open, approach everything with circumspection, don’t accept any truth without deep thought, expose and eradicate half truths and demagoguery, learn to wonder at the beauty of the world around you and, above all, think!—about everything.” —Richard Feynman

There are many things which have received a bad rap unjustly. Certainly shame is one of them. This is a shame. LOL. Shame serves the same purpose for individuals and society, restoring health (mental in this case) as certain medical processes which seek to restore health (physical in this case).

One of the unfortunate occurrences of the last century has been the attack on shame, portraying it as a negative and antiquated (Victorian) notion instead of an important and useful tool for...

Life does not always seem fair. Sometimes it appears as though people engaging in bad behavior are escaping the consequences of their actions, but this is merely a superficial assessment. Life always exacts payment for our behavior.

Infidelity is harmful for all parties involved and for a number of reasons. The person cheated on is hurt emotionally and perhaps even financially. Their cheating spouse has compromised their character by becoming a lying imposter. The person cheated with at some level harms their self respect and self esteem. They also must engage in lying. These things always end, and never end well.

It is always tragic when a friendship, for one reason or another, needs to be brought to an end. It is on this account that one should never be ended without good reason.

I believe that one of the most important responsibilities a close friendship entails is holding others accountable for their behavior and relying on them to do the same for us.

Often in our drive to become more efficient we overlook what is sacrificed in the name of utility.

What does it mean to deserve something? To deserve something is to be worthy of it, but then what does it mean to be worthy of something.

While all resources are scarce to one degree or another, the scarcity of some has far more impact upon our lives than others. I am referring to the scarce resources of time and attention.

All resources are scarce to one degree or another. The challenge facing us as a species is 'How do we make the best use of the resources at our disposal, while at the same time avoiding killing one another?'

I wrote a book entitled: 'Man's Search for Certainty', an obvious play on Viktor Frankl's magnificent 'Man's Search for Meaning'.

I still hold that a longing for certainty is a more plausible explanation for religion than the fear of death.

Anyway, I think the certainty men search for is that of mattering, just the topic we have been speaking of here recently.

All men wish to be confident that their progeny will consider them as having mattered (having made a positive difference).

The longing to matter is a cause for melancholia if it goes unfulfilled.

One of the most salient characteristics setting man apart from all other life forms is his longing to matter. The prospect that a person's life is meaningless and therefore pointless, is terrifying to many people. Sadly, the result is often lives frittered away in the shadow of meaninglessness while the opportunities to matter (make a difference) are all around us.