Brain Happy

I just finished reading What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite by David DiSalvo.

I read it in just two days because I found it so interesting I could barely put it down to do anything else.

So... just a few of the nuggets I took away from this book, starting with my favorite:

*If you have a goal, to let's say lose 20 pounds by your wedding, it's better to pose it as a question to your brain rather than a statement.  As in, "I wonder if I can lose 20 pounds and fit into my wedding dress by my wedding day?" rather than, "I am going to lose 20 pounds..." 

*The hunt is always more exciting than the capture.  Hello, Ebay?!

* Our brain really has a need to be right.  But you don't actually have to be right for it to matter to your brain, you just have to feel like you're right.  This explains a lot of the arguements in my life:  I just really need to feel like I'm right.  All the time.

*The more immediate we know our feedback will be, the more we're motivated to perform well.  So teachers out there, get those graded tests and papers back to your students quickly if you really want them to ace things!

*You don't know what you don't know.  Seems pretty obvious, yes.  But we need to really remember this when we start a new job.  As the book says, "Practice and experience aren't just preparation.  They're part of the process of discovering what you could not possibly know as an outsider to whatever trade or profession you hope to become competent in."  So, give yourself a break.  And give yourself a little time!  ;)