Personality traits as continuous spectrums

January 7, 2023

Image by McZusatz - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phosphorus_spectrum_visible.png

Nearly all human traits lie on continuums. Even many multi-trait conditions can be viewed as having distinct traits that each lie at one end of a spectrum. There are a number of cases where we only have a word for one side of a psychological spectrum, and we lack a word for what you'd be like if you inverted all the most common traits of a condition. Here's an attempt to give names to these opposites: [Note: I've updated this post based on some feedback in the comments I received when I firs...

How do we predict high levels of success?

September 12, 2021

Below, I outline 13 approaches to predicting high levels of success with differing levels of complexity, including my own mega model at the bottom. Note: here, I use the term "success" merely in terms of achievement, career success, or high levels of expertise, NOT in terms of happiness, living a good life, morality, having strong social bonds, etc. There is nothing wrong with not wanting to be successful in the way this post focuses on. But if you DO want "success" in the sense in...

Eight ways you can get more enjoyment from the same activity

February 7, 2021

A. FOCUS 1. Attention: focus on every detail of the experience much more intently than normal. Ex: with each bite, notice as much as you can about the flavor and texture Ex: try to hear every distinct instrument in the music as it comes in and fades out 2. Savoring: try to extend and enhance enjoyable moments by using "metacognition" - become aware of how much you're enjoying the thing and how great you feel it is, even as you're experiencing it. Ex: rem...

The formula for productivity – and what you can do with it

January 23, 2019

Written: January 23, 2019 | Released: September 16, 2021 There is a simple formula for thinking about how to be more productive that most people aren't familiar with. It breaks down productivity into the product of three factors, namely: PRODUCTIVITY = TIME x EFFICIENCY x OBJECTIVE More explicitly:PRODUCTIVITY(i.e., the total value - according to your own values - of your work each week on a goal of yours)= TIME(i.e., the total hours you work on the goal each week)x EFFICIENCY(i.e., th...

A thought experiment about what you’d be truly capable of doing (if you had no choice)

April 26, 2018

Think of something you value that:A. multiple other people you know are capable of achieving, but thatB. you assume you would not be capable of achieving, even thoughC. you have never actually tried to do this thing well before. Now suppose, for a moment, that you have no choice but to do the thing. That is, everything you care about in the world will be destroyed if you do not achieve it in X months. Here, X could be 1 if it's a very small thing, or X could be 100 if it's a much larger thin...