Martin Luther King on “what’s the point” – thought for the day
Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree. – Martin Luther King Jr.
A pen that monitors the writer’s emotions
From New Scientist magazine: the Philips company has filed a patent for an ‘expressive pen‘ that monitors how the writer is feeling, and alters ink colour and the shape of the nib accordingly.
Philips says: "Signatures are currently always the same, yet some
documents will be signed with enthusiasm, others possibly with
hesitation. Having a recording of this could be useful for historical
reasons."
It will be a brave politician (for example) who submits to revealing how they feel when signing a treaty. For example, would a signature which expresses doubt or anxiety be viewed as less valid than a determined or happy one?
You are the elephant, you are the rider
How is it that you can want to stop smoking but still continue to smoke? Or want to eat healthily, but still give in to the temptation of junk food? Or resolve to be a better person, but still find yourself getting irritable? Much has been written down the ages about how puny will power
New Year’s Resolutions – what works, for women and men
A year-long study by psychologist Richard Wiseman has been looking into New Year’s Resolutions and what helps people to stick to them, and it’s come up with some useful findings. Interestingly, they have been able to generalise that different things work for men and women.
The main findings in brief:
- Don’t wait until New Year’s Eve to decide on your resolution – take time to reflect on what’s really important to you and what you want to achieve.
For men:
- Make your goals specific and measurable. Make a plan, mapping out the steps to your goal, and stick to it. Put the plan where you can see it.
- Focus on the benefits of achieving your goal. Again, list these benefits and put the list where you can see it every day.
For women:
- Go public. Tell someone about your resolution, to make it less likely that you will forget about it.
- Get encouragement – if you slip from your resolution, having someone to encourage you will get you back on track again.
The results were written up in these articles in the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph, although there aren’t many details on Wiseman’s own web site. The advice is pleasingly in line with what I’ve written in previous blog entries about goal setting.
Of course, these are generalisations – some of what they found worked for most men may still help if you are a woman, and vice versa. There’s nothing to stop you using all Wiseman’s tips in combination to give yourself the greatest chance of success. And remember – New Year is just an arbitrary date. You can start making changes in your life at any time.