Marty Nemko's Blog, page 318

On Being Unattractive: Upsides, Downsides, and Compensating

Lookism is the last ism that goes unpunished. My PsychologyToday.com article today explores the upsides and downsides of having an unattractive face and what you might do about it.

Stoicism Doesn’t Mean Emotionless: An under-considered approach to life

Many people think Stoicism is merely a synonym for "emotionless" or, at most, a dusty ancient-Greek philosophy.

While, yes, Stoicism originated with such ancient illuminati as Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius, it's far beyond “emotionless."

And Stoicism is more widely adopted today than one might think: from the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks staff to rapper LL Cool J and broadcaster Michele Tafoya.

Plus, Stoicism's devotees have included some of history's most admired people: George Washington, Walt Whitman, Frederick the Great, Eugene Delacroix, Adam Smith, Immanuel Kant, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

What is Stoicism? It asks us to do good while staying calm, to focus on what’s important and under our control, not wasting thoughts let alone time on what’s beyond our control.
Easier said than done, especially with all the modern pressures that beset even successful people. 

To help, Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman have written the just-published book, The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living. 

For each day of the year, this beautiful book (complete with ribbon bookmark) offers a quote from a top ancient Stoic followed by Holiday’s commentary to elucidate its relevance to us today.

My PsychologyToday.com article today offers some nuggets I've extracted from the book.

A Potpourri of Career Questions

A reader asked me a number of career questions. I've answered them all as my PsychologyToday.com article today.

Irrationality and Human Behavior: An interview with Robert Shiller

Most prediction models assume that people act rationally. Robert Shiller won the Nobel Prize, in part, for adding people’s irrationality to those models.

My interview with him is my PsychologyToday.com article today.

Are You All Talk? Coming Up With an Idea is Rarely Enough

It's far easier to come up with ideas than to see them through to completion. Should you just be an idea generator? Learn to be an implementer? If so, how? That's my PsychologyToday.com article today.

A Tough Guy: A remarkable story of resilience

The guy who came to take care of my rodent problem, not only did that, but he told me his life story. Remarkable. It's my PsychologyToday.com article today.

My History With Money

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I tell my life history with money, starting with my excitement at age 5, upon finding a penny on the street.  At the end, I invite you to reflect on yours to see what, if any, changes you'd like to make.

How I've Come Up With a Topic to Write About for 932 Days in a Row

I've now posted an article on PsychologyToday.com for 932 days in a row. 
A friend asked me how I can keep coming up with topics.  I thought you might find the answer of value. After all, everyone has to keep coming up with topics: when you're with friends, romantic partners, roommates, coworkers, etc.

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I list tactics that might apply to non-writers and writers alike.

How Beneficial is the Life You're Leading

How beneficial is the life you're living? I offer a self-assessment inventory as my PsychologyToday.com article today.

I Have House Mice...Maybe Rats

I have a mouse problem, maybe a rat problem. In my house. A problem that I can't seem to make go away. I tell the tale in my PsychologyToday.com article today.