Robb G. BestMay 27, 20163 minMental Representations: The Art of Finding The ElephantIn 1501, the Church of Florence commissioned Michelangelo to sculpt a marble statue of David the Biblical shepherd boy. Because the statu...
Robb G. BestApr 30, 20163 minShattering the Three Myths of ExpertiseIn the last twenty years we’ve learned a tremendous amount about how expertise is created. Scientists like K Anders Ericsson from Florida...
Robb G. BestApr 21, 20162 minThe Three Things Every Leader NeedsWhat is a leader? The simplest and perhaps most literal definition is “someone with followers.” But the presence of followers alone doesn...
Robb G. BestApr 8, 20163 minThe Pros and Cons of Positive ThinkingWhat’s the best way to gear up for a new habit? There are two common approaches. One is to imagine the positive outcome of solving a give...
Robb G. BestNov 4, 20153 minThe Lure of the Irrational: Why Basketball Players and Birds Fall Prey to SuperstitionIrrational behavior is commonplace in sports. Michael Jordan wore his "lucky" University of North Carolina practice shorts under his Chic...
Robb G. BestAug 21, 20153 minHow to Learn, or, Your Brain: A User's ManualThe concept of studying is at the core of our learning institutions. It's what you're supposed to be doing in college. Still, just how yo...
Robb G. BestAug 14, 20153 minEdison's Errors: When Genius is 99 Percent Flop SweatWhen you think of inventors, the iconic example might be Thomas Edison, who brought us the electric lightbulb. In the process, he discove...
Robb G. BestJul 20, 20153 minPush-ups, Pyramids, and YouThe Great Pyramid of Giza was built around 2500 BC. Its individual stone blocks weigh up to 50 tons, and its base contains roughly 2,300,...
Robb G. BestJul 13, 20152 minThe Seinfeld Productivity Problem, and the Power of "Nothing"When you think about Seinfeld, it's likely you think of his perpetually rerun TV show by the same name. His comedy was built on seemingly...
Robb G. BestJul 4, 20153 minSacrifice, Mastery and a Deal with the DevilHarvard psychologist Howard Gardner, in examining the lives of Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso, Igor Stravinsky, T. S. Elio...
Robb G. BestMay 15, 20152 minThe Goldilocks Rule of SalesThe idea of a life in sales can have a greasy connotation, summoning the mental image of a slick insurance or car salesman pitching you s...
Robb G. BestApr 19, 20152 minFacing Victory: Inside the Brain of a Chess ChampionSusan Polgar is considered a chess genius; at 21, she was the first woman in the world to become a Grandmaster. Her chess skills are so e...
Robb G. BestApr 11, 20152 minThe Marx Brothers: Princes of PracticeWhen we think of legends of comedy, the Marx Brothers might come to mind. In the years leading up to World War II, they were the toast of...
Robb G. BestApr 3, 20152 minIf It Ain't Broke...Practice Breaking ItSwimmer Michael Phelps, now retired, is one of the most decorated Olympic athletes of all time. Of his 22 medals, 18 are gold. Phelps tra...
Robb G. BestMar 24, 20152 minTricking Your Brain To a Better LifeHave you ever wondered what makes the difference between a virtuoso like Ray Charles and the guy putting in his piano set at your local H...
Robb G. BestNov 21, 20143 minHow to Not Eat a Marshmallow (Willpower Part Two)In last week’s post, we learned how Walter Mischel’s famous marshmallow test demonstrated that preschoolers with a willpower strategy far...
Robb G. BestNov 14, 20143 minThe Marshmallow Connection: What Determines Success?Although he didn’t realize it then, when Walter Mischel and his team turned their attention to preschoolers at the Bing Nursery School on...
Robb G. BestOct 31, 20142 minProcrastination, the McClellan Problem, and YouGeneral George B. “Little Mac” McClellan was the Union force commander during the Civil War. Beloved by his men, and a stickler for train...
Robb G. BestOct 17, 20144 minWhat Do Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, and Lynyrd Skynyrd Have in Common?When it comes to Carol Dweck’s concepts of mindset, northwestern Alabama might not be the first region that leaps into your mind. And yet...
Robb G. BestAug 7, 20142 minHacking FlowIn sports, it’s called being in the zone. I’m talking about those moments when self vanishes, time seems to slow down, and you are operat...