Sam Thomas Davies's Blog, page 16
January 29, 2017
My January 2017 Monthly Goals Report
Welcome to my January 2017 monthly goals report. In this article, I’m going to share the progress I’ve made toward the goals I publicly declared on my blog earlier this year. While my monthly goals reports are mostly for accountability, it’s my hope the insights I gain will inspire you to reflect on your own […]
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January 23, 2017
The Evernote Card System: How to Remember What You Read
If you’re an avid reader, you’ve probably been there… You’re reading a book, making notes and highlighting passages that are meaningful to you, and you say to yourself, “There are so many great ideas in this book. I’ll write up my notes when I finish.” But for one reason or another—you never get round to […]
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January 5, 2017
My 2017 Goals (An Experiment in Personal Science)
Welcome to 2017. We’re five days into the new year… How are you getting on with your goals? Are you making progress toward the things that matter most? Or has your initial enthusiasm faded already? If it’s the latter, don’t worry—you’re not alone. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, 25 […]
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December 22, 2016
My 2016 Annual Review
Welcome to my 2016 annual review. Every year, like many of my favorite writers, I review my year by answering three key questions: What did I do well? What did I not do well? What can I improve on next year? This practice is mostly for me, but it’s my hope it inspires you to […]
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October 17, 2016
The Fresh Start Effect: The Secret to Sustained Motivation
March 2014. You and a friend are taking part in a survey to learn more about how to effectively tackle your goals. You’re both given the opportunity to receive reminder emails in late March that will describe your goal, your plan for accomplishing it and a motivating message you can customize. The researcher offers you […]
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October 3, 2016
Cognitive Distortions: The Thinking Traps That Influence Happiness
A quick thought exercise for you: Think of a recent negative event. (Nothing too traumatic; just something that triggers a negative feeling) Got it? Now: How did you respond to this event? Specifically, were you proactive (and took control of the situation) or were you reactive (and fell into negative patterns of thinking)? If it […]
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September 5, 2016
The Standard of Performance: Why the “Trivial Details” Matter
In 1978, the San Francisco 49ers were one of the worst teams in the NFL (if not professional sports). With fourteen defeats and two victories, it was, simply put the worst stretch of football in franchise history. There were a number of reasons for the 49ers disastrous season—injury-prone players, multiple lineup changes, low team morale—but these were […]
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July 11, 2016
Forget “Fake It ’til You Make It”. Do This Instead.
Google, “How do I be confident?” and you’ll see many familiar answers: “Stand like a superhero with your hands on your hips…” [1] “Maintain eye contact…” “Smile…” Some of these recommendations work (especially those grounded in science). Others, not so much. There’s one answer, though, that irks me more than any other: “Fake it ’til you […]
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June 14, 2016
Fear-Setting: How Entrepreneurs Overcome Fear
On August 12, 1819, the Essex—an 87 ft, 238-ton whaleship—left Nantucket, Massachusetts on what was expected to be a three-year voyage to a whaling ground off the west coast of South America. [1] It wouldn’t return. On November 20, 1820, after 15 months at sea, an 80-ton sperm whale (reportedly 85 feet long) ripped a […]
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May 17, 2016
The Exponential Curve of Excellence: When Enough is Enough
Meet Tom. Tom is an aspiring copywriter with a family to support. One day, through a referral, he lands the biggest project of his career—an opportunity to write for an up-and-coming startup. To qualify for the position, Tom is required to write a proposal. He completes his first draft and after a week of revision, […]
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