Knowledge Base

How the end-of-history illusion prevents you from shaping your future self

“Where do you see yourselves in five years?” Tough question, isn’t it? It’s hard to imagine where we will be in five days, let alone five years. And yet, most people believe that their personalities, work situations, and values won’t change much in the future, even though they have changed tremendously in the past. This … Read More

Functional fixedness: when we stick to what we know

Surely, a knife is made for cutting things. And you can only use a cotton swab to clean your ears — right? Functional fixedness is a form of cognitive bias which makes us automatically narrow down the function of each tool. Although functional fixedness offers great mental shortcuts, it can present barriers to working to … Read More

The creative brain: three ways to cultivate your creative thinking

Creativity is everywhere around us — in the random colors of an artist’s painting, the verses of profound poetry, or an inspiring sculpture crafted from muddy clay. However, being creative is not just related to the arts, and artists are not the only custodians of creativity. Solving challenging problems, coming up with new technology, finding … Read More

The science of eureka moments

A eureka moment is that magical epiphany when the solution to a problem seems to appear out of nowhere. Also known as an “Aha!” moment, little beats the sudden clarity you feel at solving a puzzle or finally understanding a previously unfathomable concept. Eureka moments can lead to creative discoveries, the triumphant completion of a … Read More

How to quantify our focus with the founder of Rize

As the saying goes, time is our most precious currency: once we spend it, it’s gone. Yet, somehow, we rarely make a conscious effort to better understand and manage how we spend our time. Sure, at a macro level, we may use a calendar, and try to make sure to carve time out to enjoy with our loved ones, to acquire new skills, and to explore the world. But what about the micro-level, the way we spend our precious minutes and seconds?

The rise of fake scientists

Yesterday at lunch time, while I was sipping tea and casually going through Instagram stories to see what my friends were up to (not the best kind of work break, but we are human after all), I was shown an advert for a website I had never heard about before. It’s called Gaia, and it … Read More