Decision Making

Why does decision making matter? You make decisions every day, big and small. But choosing wisely isn't easy. You don't have time to linger over every choice, yet your first intuitions aren't always right. There are blind spots that can systematically bias how you decide. And many options involve risks that are not resolved until after you've made your choice. Everyone uses mental shortcuts that can sometimes lead us to make decisions that are less than optimal—so what's important is knowing how and when to correct for their influence.

Judgment

Why does judgment matter? We expect good judgment from a doctor making a diagnosis, an employer screening resumes, or a professor grading an essay. But even the wisest experts are susceptible to both bias (consistently going in the wrong direction) and noise (randomly missing the mark). The first step to more accurate and precise judgment is to understand the ways in which the human mind jumps to conclusions. Your judgment will never be perfect—but you can strive to be aware of your limitations and to correct for them.

WOOP for Classrooms

How do I do it? In this step-by step writing activity, you begin by identifying a wish or goal you want to achieve. Next, you mentally imagine one positive outcome of achieving this goal and one obstacle that stands in the way. This reflection sets you up for the final step: making a plan for how you can get around that obstacle. How does it work? A common mistake when setting a goal is to indulge in fantasies about how great life will be after accomplishing it—without considering what's currently holding us back. Mentally contrasting your hoped for outcome with an obstacle that stands in your path is energizing. This prepares you to make a plan for when and how you'll take action!

Success Story

How do I do it? In this writing activity, you reflect on a time when you succeeded and the steps you took to succeed. How does it work? People learn from experience by incorporating their experiences into a coherent story. Researchers found that you grow if your life story extracts the good from the bad and if it emphasizes your agency.

Growth Mindset

Why does growth mindset matter? Having a growth mindset helps you focus on developing your abilities rather than proving how smart or talented you are. Compared to a fixed mindset, a growth mindset encourages you to embrace challenges, sustain effort, and try new strategies—and that's true for both children and adults. Of course, no one embodies only a growth or fixed mindset; we are all a mixture of the two, and we can learn to recognize what triggers a fixed versus growth mindset. Shown evidence that the brain is like a muscle—something you can strengthen—students adopt more of a growth mindset about intelligence and earn higher grades. Finally, the concept of growth mindset doesn't only apply to intelligence: If there are qualities you don't like about yourself or others, keep in mind that people can change.

Creativity

Why does creativity matter? When you approach life with a creative attitude, you are more open to new ideas and possibilities, better able to understand others’ perspectives, and more likely to seek out multiple solutions to problems. Despite the stereotype of the mad genius, everyday creativity is just as important. You can use it to help you improve your mood and cope with stress, feel more connected with other people and the world—and even help you find meaning and purpose in life."

Honesty

Why does honesty matter? When you leave your valuables on the lunch table or use a bank account to save money, you're relying on the honesty of others. While it's easy to convince yourself that a small lie is harmless, cheating is a slippery slope: dishonesty breeds more dishonesty. It's important to create environments where it's easier to do the right thing. Honesty builds trust, and trust creates a healthier social fabric.

Emotional Intelligence

Why does emotional intelligence matter? Emotions are a large part of who you are. They affect whether you pay attention or are distracted, if you remember or forget. They influence whether you make good decisions or bad ones, stick with your choices or change your mind. How you feel also impacts your physical health and your ability to build and maintain relationships. We all need skills to recognize and understand our emotions, label and express them, and regulate them to achieve optimum well-being and success at home, school, and in the workplace.

Proactivity

Why does proactivity matter? Proactive people don't accept the world as it is or wait for direction from others to initiate change. Instead, they take matters into their own hands, acting to make the world better for themselves and others. They speak truth to power, take charge to solve problems, and champion new ideas. For instance, there's evidence that proactivity is one of the qualities that distinguished the greatest American presidents from their peers. And there's also evidence that it's a trait you can develop.

Self-Control

Why does self-control matter? Sometimes, what makes you happy right now isn't good for you in the long run. For instance, junk food tastes great but isn't healthy. Self-control powerfully predicts academic and professional achievement, physical and emotional well-being, positive social relationships, and financial security.