Stefano Mancuso: The roots of plant intelligence | Talk Video. Adventures in mapping | TED Playlists. The science of willpower: Kelly McGonigal on sticking to resolutions. It’s the second week in January and, at about this time, that resolution that seemed so reasonable a week ago — go to the gym every other day, read a book a week, only drink alcohol on weekends — is starting to seem very … hard. As you are teetering on the edge of abandoning it all together, Kelly McGonigal is here to help. This Stanford University psychologist — who shared last year how you can make stress your friend — wants you to know that you’re not having a hard time sticking to a resolution because you are a terrible person. Perhaps you’ve just formulated the wrong resolution. McGonigal has, for years, taught a course called “The Science of Willpower” through Stanford’s Continuing Studies program and, in 2011, she spun it into a book, The Willpower Instinct.
The TED Blog spoke to McGonigal this week about how willpower is often misunderstood, and what we each can do to improve it. First question: why is willpower such a struggle? It’s a great question. Yes! Yes. David Puttnam: What happens when the media's priority is profit? A motion for masturbation - the naked truth: Jane Langton at TEDxSFU. Julian Treasure: 5 ways to listen better | Talk Video. Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are.
David Puttnam: What happens when the media's priority is profit? Seth Godin: How to get your ideas to spread | Talk Video. Identities : TED Radio Hour. Roselinde Torres: What it takes to be a great leader. Do We Need Humans? : TED Radio Hour. 4 scientific studies on how meditation can affect your heart and brain. Many people have tried to sell me on the idea of meditating. Sometimes I try it, and have an incredible, refreshing experience. But usually, as I close my eyes and focus on my breathing, while I know that I’m supposed to be letting all thoughts go, more and more fly through my mind.
Soon I have a laundry-list of “to-dos” in my head … and then my legs fall asleep. It’s all downhill from there. Today’s TED Talk, however, might actually convince me to give meditation another shot. “We live in an incredibly busy world. In this talk, Puddicombe — who is as equally as turned off by incense as me — shares the fascinating story of how he become a monk, and gives a convincing argument for why it is worth it to take 10 minutes a day to refresh the mind. “Most people assume that meditation is all about stopping thoughts, getting rid of emotions, somehow controlling the mind, but actually it’s much different than that,” says Puddicombe. Is meditating a good way to increase creativity?
Adventures in mapping | TED Playlists. Should we redesign humans? | TED Playlists. Abha Dawesar: Life in the "digital now" Molly Crockett: Beware neuro-bunk | Talk Video. Pamela Meyer: How to spot a liar.