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2011

December

31: The best book for understanding North Korea
31: Examples of models: the Earth from several perspectives
30: Examples of models: maps
30: Leadership opportunities in North Korea for U.S. Presidents
29: More on kids’ understanding about eating meat
29: Celebrations on a North Korea scale
28: Communications skills exercises, part 10: Your Authentic Voice
28: More mass crying at Kim Jong Il’s funeral
27: Wrapping up reasonable talk on eating
27: The Vice Guide to North Korea teaches little and perpetuates pre-conceived notions
26: Why I don’t eat meat: non-issue7: anatomy
25: Why I don’t eat meat: non-issue6: religion
24: The media keeps misinterpreting North Korea
24: Why I don’t eat meat: non-issue5: feeling closer to nature
23: Why I don’t eat meat: non-issue4: animal cruelty
22: Why I don’t eat meat: non-issue3: animal rights
22: Mass crying over Kim Jong Il’s death: Learning about others teaches you about yourself
21: Vaclav Havel and freedom; perhaps I was wrong
21: Srikumar Rao’s talk follow-up: deep discounts on January’s class
20: Understanding Kim Jong Il from a systems perspective, and what to do now
20: Why I don’t eat meat: non-issue2: environment
20: Why I don’t eat meat: non-issue1: health
19: Why I don’t eat meat: non-issues
19: What comes next for North Korea?
19: On the death of an unpopular leader
18: Kim Jung Il died today
18: Why I don’t eat meat, part 2
17: Why I don’t eat meat, part 1
16: Why I stopped eating meat, part 3
15: McLibel
14: Why I stopped eating meat, part 2
13: Why I stopped eating meat, part 1
12: More reasonable talk on eating, part 3
11: More reasonable talk on eating, part 2
11: Rules: what we could and couldn’t do in North Korea
10: Our North Korea itinerary
10: More reasonable talk on eating
9: North Korea strategy: a toy proposal to promote thought
9: Some reasonable talk on eating
8: Computer problems
8: Pictures of North Korea, part 9: the Grand People’s Study House
7: Reasons to visit North Korea
7: Comedian Chris Rock can solve all your relationship problems
6: “Elements” — Special viewing of my art December 10, 8-10pm
6: The Method: three exercises to transform your life, part 3
6: North Korea strategy: what you can do
5: The Method: three exercises to transform your life, part 2
5: North Korea strategy: reducing domestic support
4: My North Korea talk slides
4: The Method: three exercises to transform your life, part 1
3: North Korean strategy: increasing interaction
3: Upcoming events!
2: See me speak on North Korea Sunday at 7pm in Soho!
2: Communications skills exercises, part IX: statements instead of questions
1: The heart of freedom, part 2

November

30: The heart of freedom
30: North Korean strategy: reducing the risk to North Korean decision makers
29: North Korean strategy: China
29: You can get reward from every part of your life
28: North Korean strategy: starting points for successful change
28: Audio interview: why leadership? what’s so great about leading?
27: Make painful emotions useful
27: North Korean Strategy: what won’t change things
26: North Korean strategy: how does the world look to North Korean leaders?
26: Director of MTA Arts for Transit on Union Square in Motion
25: Occupy Wall Street and Leadership, part 4: Bloomberg taking sides polarizes situation
24: North Korean strategy: what do North Korean leaders want?
24: Occupy Wall Street and Leadership, part 3: recommendations
23: North Korean Strategy: from the leaders’ perspective
23: Occupy Wall Street and Leadership, part 2: the New York City Mayor’s opportunity
22: Occupy Wall Street and leadership, part 1: the context
22: North Korean Strategy: the North Korean government’s sustainable competitive advantages
21: Audio interview: best part of visiting North Korea?
20: North Korea strategy: the players and their motives
20: There will never be a periodic table of emotions, part 2
19: There will never be a periodic table of emotions, part 1
19: North Korea strategy: the playing field and major players
18: North Korea strategy: a primer on strategy
18: How to bring happiness and emotional reward to your life by analogy with pleasure, part 3
17: North Korea strategy: preview
17: How to bring happiness and emotional reward to your life by analogy with pleasure, part 2
16: Pictures of North Korea, part 8: the road back to Pyongyang
16: How to bring happiness and emotional reward to your life by analogy with pleasure, part 1
15: Pictures of North Korea, part 7: Kaesong
15: See Professor Srikumar Rao at the New School December 13, 6:30pm
15: Central Park: Sunday’s stunning explosion of autumn colors
14: Audio interview: why did I go to North Korea?
13: An offer to the Freedombox community
13: Weird things in the United States from a North Korean perspective
12: First time sprints
12: Weird things I saw in North Korea
11: Using the Method to wake up earlier
11: See me speak on North Korea in December!
10: Rules for visitors in North Korea, part 2
10: The Method: summary of stages
9: WordPress bug
9: Rules for visitors in North Korea, part 1
9: The Method: transformations, stage 3: regular life
8: Ultimate Frisbee in North Korea, part 7
8: The Method: transformations, stage 2: support
7: Audio interview: the difference between my seminar and traditional business school leadership classes
7: Ultimate Frisbee in North Korea, part 6
6: Union Square in Motion on NY1
6: Amartya Sen and North Korea
5: The Method: transformations, stage 1: a caveat
5: Ultimate Frisbee in North Korea, part 5
4: Union Square in Motion NY1 Interview with designers
4: Ultimate Frisbee in North Korea, part 4
4: The Method: transformations, stage 1: transition
3: Ultimate Frisbee in North Korea, part 3
3: The Method: transformations overview
2: Ultimate Frisbee in North Korea, part 2
2: The Method: summary of preparation (with diagram)
1: The Method: step 4, create and implement them
1: Ultimate Frisbee in North Korea, part 1

October

31: Audio interview: ultimate frisbee in Pyongyang, North Korea
31: Reminder: My next leadership seminar: This weekend at the New School
31: Beliefs affect your perception, illustrated with wine
30: North Korean propaganda and our advertising, part 4
29: North Korean propaganda and our advertising, part 3
29: On Responsibility and Occupy Wall Street
28: North Korean propaganda and our advertising, part 2
27: The Method: step 3, conceive of new consistent environments, beliefs, and behaviors
27: North Korean propaganda and our advertising, part 1
26: Propaganda in North Korea
26: The Method: steps 1 and 2, awareness
25: Common questions about visiting North Korea, part 2
25: The Method: step 2, understand your current emotional cycles
24: Common questions about visiting North Korea, part 1
24: Audio interview: my first sale, with Coca-Cola
23: Food in North Korea
23: The Method, step 1: know your emotional system
22: The Method: example 3: two simple but effective examples
22: Freedombox’s pursuit of perfection undermines its goals
22: Pictures of North Korea, part 6: the Demilitarized Zone
21: The Method: example 2: overwhelming joy on a bleak morning
21: Pictures of North Korea, part 5: approaching the DMZ
21: The Method: example 1: a home run after three strikes
20: Joshua Spodek on Official North Korean Television!
19: The Method: how-to
19: North Korea themes, part III
18: The Method: when to use it
18: North Korea themes, part II
17: North Korea themes, part I
17: Reminder: My next two leadership seminars: October 23,30 and November 5,6 at the New School
17: Audio interview: sales lessons from a great failure
16: Review of non-Method methods
16: Pictures of North Korea, part 4: the Arch of Reunification
15: Pictures of North Korea, part 3: first views of Pyongyang
15: Non-Method method 4: positive thinking
14: Pictures of North Korea, part 2: preparing for our first adventure
14: Non-Method method 3: “The Secret” or “Law of Attraction”
14: What’s counterproductive about “making the world a better place”
13: Non-Method method 2: New Year’s resolutions
13: Pictures of North Korea, part I: starting at the hotel
12: I won’t get in trouble for this
12: Flying through Shanghai
12: Basic observations of North Korea
11: Expectations of North Korea
11: Visiting Occupy Wall Street
10: Non-Method method 1: “I need a new house/car/job/girlfriend/boyfriend/etc”
10: I’ll get in trouble for this in two ways
10: Audio interview: life lessons from academia: business school
9: Non-Method methods
9: North Korea bibliography and what I will write about
9: The Ethics of Visiting North Korea
8: The Method: the foundation, part I
8: Crossing Art: Motion in Stillness images
8: What’s touring North Korea like?
7: How to get to North Korea and if you can legally
7: From the Model to the Method
6: North Korea!
6: The Model: summary
5: My next two leadership seminars: October 23,30 and November 5,6 at the New School
4: Union Square in Motion summary
4: Union Square in Motion: opening event pictures
4: The Model: what is freedom?
3: Communication skills exercises, part VIII: breaking the ice
3: Audio interview: how travel improves your life — even without traveling
2: The Model: strategize, then enjoy
1: The Model: bring about emotions you want and enjoy them, don’t dwell on them

September

30: The Model: “What is the meaning of life” is a needlessly and counterproductively complicated question
29: The Model: the source of all meaning, value, purpose, and importance
28: The Model: a single cycle is simple. Many cycles get complex.
28: Fantastic behind-the-scenes making-of video of Union Square in Motion
27: How to get past “I can’t get past it”
27: Should you get a coach?
27: Press and reviews of Union Square in Motion
26: Union Square in Motion public art opening today
26: Audio interview: don’t just accept, celebrate!
25: Union Square in Motion opening Monday 7pm
25: The Model: what you can and can’t control
24: The Model: how your emotional system chooses your emotions
23: The Model: more on the difference between “positive” and rewarding emotions
22: The Model: more functional views of emotions
22: Videos of Union Square in Motion with children, in interior and article
21: Earth from space, a pale blue dot
20: The Model: what are awareness, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence?
20: Video of Union Square Public Art Piece during installation
20: Cleaning up: moving “My Art” to separate page
19: Finding Union Square in Motion
19: Audio interview: how I make eating well and exercising easy, fun, and rewarding
18: The Model: reward in more depth
17: Union Square display just up and beautiful!
17: The Model: behavior in more depth
16: The Model: characteristics of emotions
16: The Model: the origins of your emotions and emotional system
15: The Model: emotions in more depth
14: The Model: perception and belief in more depth
13: The Model: environment in more depth
12: Audio interview: how I pick my seminar and blog topics
11: Introducing Audio Mondays
10: Working on bug — Edit: resolved!
9: Shortcomings of cognitive behavioral therapy and remedies to them
8: The Model and cognitive behavioral therapy
7: The Model: our emotional system is outdated
6: The Model: your emotional system is consistent and predictable
5: The Model: our emotions transcend “nature red in tooth and claw”
4: The Model: emotional reward differs from the emotion that brought it about
3: The Model: examples of emotional cycles
2: The Model: where emotional cycles came from
1: The Model: reward, happiness, and pleasure

August

31: Dropping friends who bring you down can hurt, but improves your life
30: The Model: adding reward
29: The Model: adding belief and perception
28: The Model: adding emotions
27: The Model: environment and behavior
26: The Model: why
25: The Model: models in general
24: The Model
23: The Model — introducing my model for the human emotional system
22: More excitement than most people can handle
21: Three little birds
20: How to make people around you miserable
19: How to get others to improve your life
18: The most effective self-awareness exercise I know
17: How to make persistence pay off more effectively
16: How to stop boring everyone you meet
15: When to judge
14: More thoughts on being less judgmental
13: Another way to avoid acting judgmentally
12: How to stop being so judgmental
11: Women are not “more emotional” than men
10: Gender neutral language
9: Mild emotions are still emotions
8: People who say “Why do you care what other people think” are hypocritical, insensitive, self-important, and antagonistic
7: Business school’s first major lesson: how to resolve ethical dilemmas
6: Man Ray on values
5: The essence of creativity, as expressed by Man Ray
4: Communication skills exercises, part VII: building blocks and tips
3: The tough times of personal change
2: Communication skills exercises, part VI: feedforward
1: When 100% orange juice isn’t: Pepsi, Coke, and agribusiness turn fruit into chemical concoctions

July

31: Communication skills exercises, part V: Meaningful connection
30: Communication skills exercises, part IV: Storytelling
29: Communication skills exercises, part III: Conversation hopping
28: Animated Freedombox logo!
28: Communication skills exercises, part II: Body language
27: Communication skills exercises, part I
26: You don’t know your values until you test them, part II
25: You don’t know your values until you test them
24: Walking is not dangerous
23: Have you forgotten you’re alive?
22: You can’t “create your world” but you can do better.
21: Words to live by
20: The best day of the year!
20: How to turn lemons into lemonade, part IV
19: How to turn lemons into lemonade, part III
18: How to turn lemons into lemonade, part II
17: How to turn lemons into lemonade, part I
16: Calling emotions positive or negative doesn’t help — it hurts
15: Roots — I descended from seventeenth-century Salem puritans!
14: Making childhood dreams happen
13: Culture shock
12: Fun to imagine
11: How to choose between nearly equal but incomparable options
10: Inline videos
9: Statements about time are statements about priorities and values
8: New videos of my art
7: Closing event for my solo show at Crossing Art gallery with Leaders in Software and Art
6: People join good projects and leave bad management
5: Independence Day
4: Travel and developing empathy
3: Exercise: how to improve your empathy
2: Rock Star Dream
1: Behind China’s Censorship

June

30: Solving Problems II: The Dandelion Versus The Burning Building
29: Solving Problems I: The Dandelion Versus The Burning Building
28: More belief-changing exercises
27: More changing your perspective
26: Change your perspective to change your perspective
25: Istanbul!
24: Leaders take responsibility
23: The most common route to CEO
22: More thoughts on motions, values, children, and school
21: Emotions, values, children, and school
20: A review of my solo gallery show
20: Joshua Spodek: big in China
20: A review of my seminars
19: Solo gallery show first images and video
18: Finishing touches
17: Early reviews of the show from a four year old
16: The CEO is the least hurried or reactive
15: The CEO carries the least
14: Announcement on the show
13: Your new plans for Saturday
12: How to tell if someone is good at something
11: Linear zoetropes in Amsterdam
10: Celebrating other people’s values
9: Leadership seminar at New York Academy of Sciences posted
8: Freedombox logo designs
7: My next solo gallery show at Crossing Art Gallery
6: Leadership and personal development and school
5: Another successful leadership and personal development seminar
4: Willpower, part VI: examples
3: Willpower, part V: how to use it
2: Willpower, part IV: when to use it
1: Willpower, part III: when not to use it

May

31: Willpower, part II: what it is
30: Willpower, part I: what is it, when to use it, and how
29: I have low standards the first time
28: Best solo workout I know
27: Parsons student linear zoetrope videos
27: Parsons Students Linear Zoetrope Photos
26: Observations on Flow, part II: two improvements
25: Observations on Flow, part I
24: Silly joke
24: Another friend wins writing award
23: A beautiful spring day in my neighborhood
22: More thoughts on “Where you get energy”
21: If you love it, do it even if you aren’t good at it
20: Where you get energy
19: Sometimes working harder is easier
19: Vipassana Meditation
18: A vegetarian entrepreneur’s take on test tube meat
17: Venture Capital myths
16: Don’t be like a cheetah running into a wall
15: What’s wrong with “making the world a better place”?
14: Are you being judgmental without realizing?, part IV
13: Your life is no more complicated than anyone else’s
12: Thinking about business school?
11: Updated art resume and post from Leaders in Software and Art talk
10: My next leadership seminar: June 4 and 5 at the New School (jointly with Columbia Business School)
9: Alternatives to counterproductive emotions and behavior
8: Goodbye guilt and blame, VII
7: Goodbye guilt and blame, VI
6: Are you being judgmental without realizing?, part III
5: New images and videos of the Parsons Displays
5: Are you being judgmental without realizing?, part II
4: Are you being judgmental without realizing?, part I
3: What do I do?
2: On vengeance
1: Successful, field-tested mental models likely to improve your life

April

30: Update #3 on the Union Square display
29: Goodbye guilt and blame, V
28: Update #2 on the Parsons Union Square display
27: Goodbye guilt and blame, IV
26: Update #1 on the Union Square display
26: Goodbye guilt and blame, III
25: Goodbye guilt and blame, II
24: Goodbye guilt and blame, I
23: Tonight’s talk’s map
22: Working on art
22: Added press page
21: How to succeed in difficult situations
20: See me speak on creativity!
20: Another reason to avoid proprietary software
20: Values and diversity in higher education
19: The root of happiness
19: Grete Waitz: superhero
18: My teammate won a Pulitzer!
18: When you want to feel fake
17: How to find strengths in your weaknesses
17: Freedombox logo ideas
16: Perfection in leadership and how to improve
15: More Where to Find More
14: Why learn leadership (even if you don’t want to be a leader)
13: Great opening lines to books
12: Challenges of feedback and how to use it
11: More rapid life-level changes and an origin of this blog
10: The value of looking for solutions over looking for problems
9: Hudson River swimming
8: When polarizing helps
7: Awesome Union Square Parsons art project gaining support!
6: Personal development doesn’t have to take years
5: Suggesting to calm down or take it easy is usually a jerk move by an annoying person
4: Fine tuning and preparing
3: About Joshua Spodek: Where to find more
3: About Joshua Spodek: Topics this blog covers
3: About Joshua Spodek: Whom this blog is for
3: About Joshua Spodek: My background
3: Another donation — over 5% there!
3: Simplifying the About page
2: Donations begun. You can be next!
2: My next big beautiful public art piece! (please contribute!)
1: The fun side of raw food
1: How insults can be calming, liberating, and informative

March

31: A master speaks on creative expression
30: Creativity talk mindmap
29: Who am I and what am I doing here, part II?
28: Another way to decrease stress, part II
27: My April creativity talk at Fred in Brooklyn
26: Awesome software to help you think
25: Who am I and what am I doing here?
24: Special seats available for NYAS seminar
23: More pictures
23: Exclusive pictures of life and death adventure!
22: One way not to be manipulated
21: Questions and answers about seminar
19: Seminar seats limited
18: My New York Academy of Sciences Seminar
17: Systematic creativity resources
16: Innovative technique
15: More history of innovative technique
14: Initial creativity research II
13: Initial creativity research I
12: More awesome friends
11: Aspiring authors: get to know me!
10: How much can you take responsibility for someone else’s emotions?
9: When values collide I
8: Teaching is awesome and inspiring
7: How to get called a creative genius: when function follows form
6: Productive alternatives to the genius myth
5: How the genius myth is counterproductive
4: How to be more creative
3: What makes people see something as creative
2: Why suggesting to think outside the box hurts you
1: Creativity

February

28: Summary of counterproductive entrepreneurship myths and productive beliefs
28: Four productive beliefs about entrepreneurship, part IV
27: Four productive beliefs about entrepreneurship, part III
27: Four productive beliefs about entrepreneurship, part II
26: Four productive beliefs about entrepreneurship, part I
25: Four counterproductive myths about entrepreneurship, part IV
24: Four counterproductive myths about entrepreneurship, part III
24: Four counterproductive myths about entrepreneurship, part II
23: Four counterproductive myths about entrepreneurship, part Ia
22: Four counterproductive myths about entrepreneurship, part I
21: Switching domain name and software
20: Your understanding of creativity holds you back from creating
19: The Worst Problem In The World
18: How much can you change your taste?
18: Improving on focusing on what rewards you
17: Choosing what you like is not denying what you don’t
16: Creating more freedom
15: How do you keep going in the face of adversity?
14: On reading the 2010 New York City Marathon results
13: E-book overload
12: Predictably Irrational
11: Another way to reduce stress more
10: One way to decrease stress
9: What is a belief worth?
8: What do you never regret?
7: Parsons Class
6: Freedom today
5: Responsibility versus blame
4: Fracking — unhealthy for people who drink water or breathe air
3: How much do you understand?
2: Rowing machine!
2: Why are decisions hard?
1: Do you want to win debates or enjoy life?

January

31: Less lingo please. More plain talk.
30: The best book on the environment, economy, and ecology
29: An alternative to truth and lies
28: Why do movies still have closing credits?
27: The empowering relationship between time and priorities
26: Is Urban Dictionary this awesome for everyone?
25: Twenty years of gospel church
24: Crowding out beats letting go
23: Why I avoid proprietary software
21: Where does value come from?
20: How willing are you not to judge?
19: Unsolicited advice annoys people: how to avoid giving it.
18: Awareness
16: Demotivating acceptances
15: Motivating rejections IV
14: Motivating rejections III
13: Motivating rejections II
12: Motivating rejections
10: Joshua Spodek’s Art Resume
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