Tag Archives: "self-knowledge"

Every Wednesday is Tip Day, or List Day, or Quiz Day. This Wednesday: More questions about the Four Rubin Tendencies. I’m still obsessed with the four categories I’ve developed–which, for lack of a better name, I’m currently calling the Four Rubin Tendencies. These categories describe how people tend to respond to expectations: outer expectations (a deadline, a “request” from a … →

I’ve been continuing to ponder the abstainers vs. moderators distinction. In case you haven’t been breathlessly following this line of argument: in a nutshell, when facing a temptation, abstainers do better if they abstain altogether, while moderators do better if they indulge a little bit, or from time to time. The other day, a friend who is a true moderator … →

Further Secrets of Adulthood:   This sounds so obvious, but it was a huge revelation for me. Even now, I have to remind myself that people go skiing because they honestly want to go skiing, not because they are made from a sterner moral fiber than I am. I explore this at some length in Happier at Home. Be Gretchen! … →

Every Wednesday is Tip Day, or List Day. This Wednesday: Six patron saints. People often ask me, “Come on, what’s the key to happiness? If you had to pick one thing, what would you say?” I think that question can be answered in several ways, depending on what framework you use. But one answer would certainly be–self-knowledge. It’s the Fifth … →

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post, Are you a tortoise or a hare about work? It was about the question of whether you’d prefer to work fewer hours over more days, or more hours over fewer days. I’ve been thinking more about this distinction. First point: I’m re-naming these categories “marathoners and sprinters.” A larger point: one reason … →