Outrage pulls us in. Each scandal or absurd headline sparks a quick dopamine rush. It’s much like a gambler “loss chasing,” finding an excuse to keep playing, hoping to break even. But here’s the twist: while these spikes feel powerful, purposeful action—like voting, volunteering, or learning about the issues—feeds the brain in ways that truly … Read More
Author: Travis
if everyone is doing it
When everyone is doing something the same way, it might be a good time to try something different. The job market is tough right now. LinkedIn and social channels are flooded with stories of job seekers spending months and sometimes years looking for the next job. Hundreds of thousands of applications are going into ATS … Read More
Subliminal
When I first got into behavioral science, I was all about the work of Tversky and Kahneman or Thaler and Sunstein—guys whose names come up in any serious conversation about decision-making and human behavior. But if I’m honest, it was my deep dive into psychology and neuroscience that really kicked things off for me. One … Read More
Just work
Full podcast episode here.
The world’s opinion
Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson from Society and Solitude, published in 1870.
on feeling optimistic again
I came across a post in the r/self Reddit community that inspired me to write today. The OP, a 40 year old male, wrote that he had visited a college with his young daughter recently, and the experience had made him feel sadness. The idea that the beautiful and hopeful experience that is being a … Read More
Moonshots
We often start with the easy stuff. It feels productive—small wins, minimal risk, a sense of momentum—but in reality, it could be a distraction from tackling the harder challenges. As Astro Teller, Director of X (a Google company), said on Simon Sinek’s podcast, A Bit of Optimism, most people solve the easiest problems first because … Read More
Why we love hero stories
Hero stories are everywhere—movies, books, news headlines, even social media. Whether it’s a fearless leader changing history or a viral video of someone stepping up for a stranger, our culture is obsessed with tales of extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. They capture our attention, stick in our minds, and keep us coming back for more. … Read More
Growth vs. fixed mindset
Growth mindset is the ability to see opportunity in struggle, to learn from experiences, to adapt to changing circumstances. Less emphasis is placed on outcomes, more emphasis on process. Growth mindset assumes the principle of impermanence, that much like life itself, experiences do not occur in perpetuity, but last for only a limited period of … Read More
Pick something and ‘send it’
Just left a doctor‘s office and the physician’s assistant was a young undergrad unsure about what he wanted to do with his career. My advice: pick anything, literally anything you’re interested in. Work your ass off for 2-3 years, and reassess. If you are fulfilled by it, if it gives you purpose, keep going. If … Read More
Thoughts on Resistance
Resistance is experienced as fear; the degree of fear equates to the strength of Resistance. Therefore the more fear we feel about a specific enterprise, the more certain we can be that that enterprise is important to us and to the growth of our soul. That’s why we feel so much Resistance. If it meant … Read More
Music: getting started in 2024
A barista at the local cafe today asked me what a young musician can do to build more momentum with their target audiences, and how to make music that’s close to them while also appealing to what’s trendy in the mass market at that time. Admittedly, the latter question made me sad. 😂 Artists should … Read More
Vulnerability in relationships
I came across a Reddit post recently in the r/AskMenAdvice sub regarding vulnerability in relationships. The OP posed the question: help me understand the fear that someone will use your vulnerability against you. How does someone hurt you if you share personal feelings or vulnerable info? Several male redditors chimed in detailing accounts with their … Read More
The Sunday Flow: Re-watching old movies
Good Will Hunting, The Big Lebowski, Into the Wild, Jurassic Park, the Star Wars original trilogy, Indiana Jones, Midnight in Paris, Lost in Translation, Notting Hill… These are just a few of the films I’ve watched countless times. Films that bring comfort and peace of mind. Films from my childhood and films that helped me … Read More
Pennebaker writing protocol and effects on well-being
I caught a recent Andrew Huberman podcast detailing a writing protocol found to influence long-term outcomes in health and short-term indicators of physiological arousal and reports of negative moods, first introduced by Pennebaker, J. W., & Beall, S. K. (1986). Pennebaker et al. found that writing about traumatic or even trivial events can have therapeutic … Read More
The Concept of Repair with Becky Kennedy
A 2023 TED talk from clinical psychologist Becky Kennedy hit my YouTube algorithm this morning. I found the concept of “repair” interesting in the context of parenting, as her talk is rooted, but also in the context of adult-adult relationships. I’ve always struggled to name this idea of repair as Kennedy describes it, typically naming … Read More
Brianna Wiest and Letting Go
Brianna is a great writer. Looking back, I’m fortunate to have kept most of my friends. I’ve only received one “you’ve changed” and one “you’re almost there,” both in negative contexts, both implying that I don’t fit some ideal, of sufficiency or perfection. Memories that are vivid in my mind. But by practicing the values … Read More
Pizza Crawl 2023
As the fellas entered their late thirties (and forties), they decided it might be best to move away from the annual drunken Columbus, Ohio pub crawl, and adopt a more responsible pizza crawl instead. The now infamous 2022 pizza crawl saw a valiant effort to keep the focus on pizza tasting, but was interrupted by … Read More
2023 Review
I challenged myself. I completed a masters program. I traveled solo by bike through Europe. I competed in the pro division of an XC mountain bike race. I moved to a new place. I read many books. I wrote hundreds of thousands of words. I met amazing people. I prioritized my mental and physical health. … Read More
Disappointing affirmations
Disappointing Affirmations is a popular instagram handle that pairs the comedy of sarcastic affirmations, a parody of the current trend in wellness content, against the beauty of nature and landscape photos. There is an overwhelming amount of wellness content out there. Assuredly, people are becoming fatigued by it. The verdict is out on whether practicing … Read More