written by: Trevor Ragan You arrive at a lab and take part in something called a Behavioral Approach Test (BAT). Lucky for you, it has nothing to do with bats – but it does involve spiders. Fear of Spiders Pre-test The test is simple. Enter a room. In the back of the room there’s a large spider in a glass...
Ali Crum and her research team round up over 80 hotel workers. They divide them into two groups: The intervention group, who is told that the work they do (cleaning hotel rooms) is good exercise and satisfies the Surgeon General’s recommendations for an active lifestyle. They are given specific examples of how their daily activities, such as vacuuming, changing linens,...
Let’s discuss some new and exciting growth mindset research You walk into a lab to take part in an experiment. Someone comes up to you and says: “In a few minutes you’re going to give a five minute speech to a panel of judges.” Then they leave you alone to prepare (and freak out a bit). You plan your speech,...
Stress Mindsets Matter season 4 ep 5 The way we think about stress can change the way it affects us. Kelly McGonigal explains how it all works. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsSpotifyYouTube RETHINKING STRESS Kelly McGonigal helps us make a mindset shift towards stress. And shows that when we: – Acknowledge stress – Welcome stress – Utilize...
A deep-dive into toxic positivity: what it is, why it matters, how to avoid it What is Toxic Positivity? Positivity can be great. But when it’s used to force a positive spin on difficult emotions, it becomes toxic. Toxic positivity is everywhere, and a bigger problem than we realize, especially if we’re talking about learning. Whitney Goodman, author of Toxic...
If our goal is to be fearless, three things usually happen: 1. We avoid things that cause discomfort (which is good if we’re in danger, but not so good if we’re trying to learn) 2. We put the majority of our attention and focus on the discomfort (why am I feeling this, how do I get rid of it?) 3....
A video essay featuring: Amy Edmondson We’ve all seen or been a part of both good and bad teams. But what creates this gap? What separates bad from good and good from great? How can we build better teams on purpose? In 2012, Google set out to answer these questions. They rounded up the best researchers, statisticians, organizational psychologists, sociologists,...
“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” – Eric Hoffer Great learners can adapt, solve problems, work through setbacks, build new skills. Learners are resilient. Learners are agile. No matter who we are or what we do, becoming a better learner is a...
My friend is bad with chopsticks. He’s so bad that he actively avoids places that use chopsticks. On the rare occasion when we convince him to come out for sushi, he’ll try to use them for a second, get embarrassed, then ask for a fork. In the scheme of things is this a huge problem? No. But it’s definitely an...
An essential part of growth is choosing to put ourselves into situations that involve uncertainty – to do things that might not work: Applying for a new job Asking someone out Learning a new piece of software Publishing a new blog post Sending in your college application Asking for a raise When the outcome is unknown, there are a few...
Tough emotions – stress, anxiety, fear – hold a lot of power over the way we perform, learn, and handle setbacks. We feel nervous before a big game or presentation and don’t perform our best. We’re presented with a challenge, we feel uncomfortable, we decide we’re not ready. We feel weird about speaking up or asking a question and then...
It’s 6:45pm. Friday night. A small friend squad is at my house. We’re sitting around the table talking, eating, the usual. After the snacks and chats it’s time for the main event – it’s game night bby. I head to the shelf to pull out some of our go-tos: Camel Up, Catan, What Do You Meme? My girlfriend, Emily, stops...
by Trevor Ragan and Alex Belser | Podcasts | Fear & Resilience APPLE PODCASTSSPOTIFYGOOGLE PLAY Emotions, Learning, and Resilience The way we traditionally look at emotions can hurt our capacity to grow. To become a better learner we need to change our perceptions of emotions, learn to feel them, understand them, and to work with them rather than against them....
APPLE PODCASTSSPOTIFYSTITCHERGOOGLE PLAY The Key to a Better Learning Culture If we want more effective teams we need to invest in creating a better culture. If we want a better culture we have to build psychological safety. Featuring Amy Edmondson: Harvard Business School Professor Daniel Coyle: New York Times Bestselling Author Eric Ragan: Grinnell College Women’s Volleyball head coach Norah...
APPLE PODCASTSSPOTIFYSTITCHERGOOGLE PLAY The Science of Being Better When You’re Nervous When the performance matters we’re going to feel some pressure, nerves, and stress. Whether it’s a big presentation, a test, or even a date – most people think the most effective way to prepare for these situations is to try and calm down. In this episode, we dig into...
It’s easier to eat out. It’s better to cook at home. It’s easier to play someone that you know you can beat. It’s better to play the person who might beat you. It’s easier to read the SparkNotes. It’s better to read the book. It’s easier to do it how it’s always been done. It’s better to challenge, stretch, and...
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