I had thirty minutes to deliver the keynote speech. Not a minute more. The timing was etched in stone, and I was informed, multiple times, that I must not go over my limit.

The event was a big healthcare conference where dignitaries from around the world would be speaking on various advances in their particular domains.

When I entered the conference hall and saw a huge clock over the entranceway, I realized my speech would be dead-on thirty minutes … there was no way I could miss that clock when I got up on the stage.

As I was introduced, walked up on the stage, and began speaking – I realized immediately that I was in big trouble. Continue reading →

In 1995, a bank robber nabbed two banks in Pittsburgh on the same day. He was apprehended within a few hours of the heists. How was he caught so quickly?

He had covered his face with lemon juice in the mistaken belief that it would prevent him from being recorded by the security cameras. Once the images were shown on the news, an informant provided the man’s name and address.

Before you dismiss the thief’s apparent stupidity, he based his theory on two pieces of data: (1) lemon juice has been used as a type of “invisible ink” in which it only appears when heated; and (2) the man had taken a Polaroid picture of his face covered in lemon juice and was not able to recognize any distinguishing characteristics. Continue reading →

One of the most psychologically and emotionally challenging concepts is the realization that we are completely responsible for how we feel. It seems so much more natural to look to external circumstances as the cause of our happiness or misery.

This stunning recognition can be both terrifying and liberating.

Why terrifying?

Because the responsibility for happiness is shifted onto us. No longer seeing ourselves as passive victims of a seemingly cruel and random world, we have no where to point the finger of blame.

How is it liberating? Continue reading →

Where does happiness come from?

Many people believe they would be happier if they had more money, a better job, improved health, or higher-quality relationships in their life.

Turns out, that’s not quite true. Brain chemistry and psychological research suggests that only 10% of our “happiness” is determined by external circumstances such as money, health, and relationships – and that the other 90% comes intrinsically from within.

Studies done with lottery winners and paraplegics examined how happy each person was one year out from winning the money or losing the use of their limbs, respectively. You might think that lottery winners would report higher levels of happiness, but you’d be wrong. Continue reading →

You might – it’s estimated that nearly 7% of people in the United States do. This “condition” is better known as fear of Friday the 13^th.

If you have this phobia, you likely get anxious leading up to these occurrences and probably alter your travel plans accordingly. If you don’t have this fear, then it’s just another Friday – and you might even find it hard to imagine how others could be so fearful.

Ever had a fear of elevators? That’s typically a combination of claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) and agoraphobia (fear of being trapped and suffering from a panic attack). The most common phobias include Continue reading →