Update
Our last set of live shows for 2019 is coming up: Atlanta, Charlotte, Brooklyn. Information and tickets here.
Try This at Home
When facing a tough situation, have your words ready.
Devise two or three sentences that briefly explain the facts of the situations, add the obvious information that people will want to know, and characterize how you’re feeling about it.
By having our words ready, we make it much less exhausting to respond to the inevitable questions.Happiness Hack
If the content of an email exchange wanders to another topic, change the subject line in an email chain to reflect that.
Interview with Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek is the author of the blockbuster bestsellers, including Start with Why and Leaders Eat Last. His TED talks have had more than 44 million views.
Now he has a new book, The Infinite Game: “We can’t choose the game. We can’t chose the rules. We can only choose how we play.”
To adopt an infinite mindset takes five things:- Work to advance a just cause
- Foster trusting teams
- Embrace your worthy rivals
- Have the capacity for existential flexibility
- Have the courage to lead
Simon is a Questioner. Every once in a while, like Simon, people disagree with the quiz result. Like any self-knowledge quiz, it’s not infallible! Trust your own judgment if you think a different Tendency describes you better. Or ask the people around you—they may have a different perspective that’s very illuminating.
Don’t know if you’re a Questioner (like Simon), an Upholder (like me), an Obliger (like Elizabeth), or a Rebel (like our engineer Bob)? Take the free, quick quiz here.
Try This at Home
Stop thinking about “winning and losing,” and start thinking about “ahead and behind.” Along the same lines, think about “worthy rivals” instead of “competitors.”Elizabeth’s Demerit
On our recent travels for the live shows, Elizabeth brought a suitcase that was just big enough for what she packed, and it was stressful to keep jamming everything in. She should’ve brought a slightly bigger bag. It’s one of my Secrets of Adulthood: Always leave a little extra room in the suitcase.Gretchen’s Gold Star
Running shoes. It’s hard to remember to be grateful for the basics of our lives, and for me, nothing is more basic or more beloved than running shoes.Resources
- If you’d like to present a workshop on the Four Tendencies, to teach a group of people about the framework, you can get information here.
- The holidays can be a major source of food temptation. If you’re looking for reasons to cut back on or quit sugar, you can read my interview with journalist Gary Taubes at gretchenrubin.com/resources. We talk about his book The Case Against Sugar.
- Are you reading along with the Happier Podcast Book Club? We’re currently reading I.M. by Isaac Mizrahi. Join the discussion on Goodreads.