achievement

CM 309: Toby Stuart on How Status Works

Decisions tax our brains. Whether it’s deciding which shows to watch or which products to buy, the choices are endless and can feel exhausting. That’s where status comes in. Researchers have learned that status is a mental short-cut we turn to when we’re feeling stuck. It’s an invisible force that guides decision-making and drives our…

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CM 281: Alison Fragale on Women and Success

If you’re a woman in the workplace, you know the deck is rarely stacked in your favor. For example, promotions are harder to come by. The gender wage gap is real. And power can feel elusive. Psychology professor and researcher, Alison Fragale, has studied the power problem for decades. What she’s figured out is that…

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CM 247: Thomas Curran on the Perfection Trap

Aiming for perfection seems like a noble goal. It’s like we’re holding ourselves to a higher standard or standing out from the crowd. But striving for perfection means working toward the impossible. And the cost to our mental and physical health can be enormous. London School of Economics Professor, Thomas Curran, experienced the impact of…

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CM 245: Sally Jenkins on Elevating Your Performance

Winning athletes and coaches have a lot to teach us. They’re asked to perform at the highest level, day in and day out, and they face enormous pressure to succeed. Faced with these expectations, the most successful ones must continually elevate their performance. But how? That’s a question Sally Jenkins has spent a career trying…

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CM 242: Rainesford Stauffer on Reimagining Ambition

Ambition is complicated. Yet the messages we receive from an early age are simple: “Winners never quit.” “Reach for the stars.” “Follow your dreams.” But like most simple messages, reality often paints a very different picture. Long hours that lead to burnout, or individual striving that results in loneliness. Rainesford Stauffer ran up against these…

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