The Piano Stairs Experiment
In 2009, Volkswagen ran a social experiment in Stockholm to see if adding some fun to a mundane or even reluctant task could change behavior. They installed motion-sensitive musical steps on a staircase next to an escalator in a subway station, turning it into a giant piano. The result was an amazing 66% increase in […]
Bounce Back Like a Game
Life doesn’t always move in a straight line. Sometimes, it feels like just when we’re climbing up, we hit a slide that sends us back down. It’s frustrating, disheartening, and often, it feels unfair. I’ve felt this in so many ways. In my 40s alone, I’ve faced open-heart surgery, a serious knee injury, and being […]
Level Up Like a Game
Some days, life feels like a series of frustrating problems, and it’s hard to know how to move forward. But what if we borrowed a mindset from games? In games, challenges are levels to beat. They’re not roadblocks—they’re opportunities to advance. When we start thinking of challenges as levels, something shifts. Instead of feeling overwhelmed […]
How To See Real Progress with Atomic Habits
Progress can be frustrating to measure. You’re putting in the effort, showing up, doing the work—and yet the finish line still feels so far away. It’s easy to feel like you’re stuck, like nothing’s changing. I know I’ve felt that way plenty of times. But in Atomic Habits, James Clear offers a way to reframe […]
The Secret to Starting Anything with Atomic Habits
Some days, starting is the hardest part. Whether it’s a workout, a project, or even just getting out of bed, the first step can feel like the biggest barrier. That resistance—the internal thoughts saying, “not today”—can be so convincing if we let them. But in Atomic Habits, James Clear recommends a simple, powerful way to […]
How to Stick to Your Goals with Atomic Habits
Big goals are exciting, but they can also mess with your head. They’re so far away that every day you don’t reach them feels like a failure. It’s hard to stay motivated when it feels like you’re losing more often than you’re winning. That’s where Atomic Habits by James Clear gives us some practical advice […]
It’s Not Too Late
I’m 49 years old right now, and I’ve had the thought, “It’s too late for me.” What’s interesting is I’ve felt that way at so many points in my life—at 39, 33, 23, 17, and even earlier. Looking back, I can see that it wasn’t about my circumstances or my age. It was a feeling. […]
Start Again Today
It’s almost the New Year—or maybe it’s not. The date doesn’t matter because a new year isn’t the only fresh start we get. My birthday feels like my personal New Year. The Jewish New Year comes in the fall. The Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar and lands around late January or early February. […]
Turning Struggles into Strength
What makes a story inspire us? What kinds of stories motivate us to keep going? It’s not usually the ones that go, “He was handed the company by his parents” or “She stumbled into success without trying.” We’re drawn to the stories of people who struggled, adjusted, pursued, and faced rejection over and over—yet still […]
Managing the To-Do List
Today, like you, I have a list of things I need to do. I have to get out of bed. I have to get dressed. I have to feed myself. I have to exercise. The list goes on. We all know that feeling. And as the list builds, so can feelings of dread. The more […]
