I should note a caveat for the transition stage. Since this stage involves conflict, feeling fake, and overcoming inertia, you may use a lot of willpower. How do you know you’re moving in a direction that improves your life? How do you know you aren’t pushing hard on something that you thought would help but isn’t? The best answer is through experience. After a few transformations you pick up the[…] Keep reading →

You can usually do the preparation stages of transforming a part of your life easily since you can do them yourself, without someone else. Working with other people usually makes things more complex. Still, you generally do benefit from involving others. Because they have different perspectives and can see your life from further away, their input usually helps. At the end of the preparation stages you have two sets of[…] Keep reading →

We’ve covered the preparation stages of transforming a part of your life to bring more reward by choosing environments, beliefs, and behaviors based on your interests. Of course your life changes all the time whether you intentionally cause those changes or not. Using the Method, based on the Model, lets you do it systematically, intentionally, and makes you more likely to succeed than alternatives. Now let’s look at how the[…] Keep reading →

EDIT: I modified how I present the Method slightly. Please see the new version of this page and the updated series on implementing the Method. Having conceived of new environments, beliefs, and behaviors consistent with each other, the emotions you want, and what you will, won’t, can, and can’t do, the next step is to create and implement them. Creating and implementing them means more than just doing some simple[…] Keep reading →

  This weekend! LEADERSHIP THROUGH SELF-AWARENESS AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE In a two-day seminar, learn how to develop your personal leadership skills, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence by utilizing the latest advances in cognitive behavioral science, evolutionary psychology, and positive psychology. The course is open to all area leaders, b-school students, alumni, and colleagues. Below are the dates of the courses and a link that you can follow to sign up. If[…] Keep reading →

EDIT: I modified how I present the Method slightly. Please see the new version of this page and the updated series on implementing the Method. The next step after awareness is to plan — in particular, to conceive of new environments, beliefs, and behaviors that are consistent with each other and what you can’t or won’t change to replace the old ones and designed to bring about emotions you want.[…] Keep reading →

EDIT: I modified how I present the Method slightly. Please see the new version of this page and the updated series on implementing the Method. The Method’s first two steps — knowing your emotional system and understanding your current emotional cycles — involve little action. They constitute awareness. The appeal to act on a situation you want to change quickly and decisively can tempt you. I advise against it, whether[…] Keep reading →