Goals and motivation

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

A woman on a laptop in a modern café with wall art, a large cactus and pendant lights above.

Worry and rumination

idea

What if your worry problem is really a planning problem?

Clinicians have long recognised the link between worry and planning. New research asks what this means for managing anxiety

by Paul B Sharp

A joyful athlete wearing a gold medal holds his hands to his cheeks standing in front of an Olympic rings background.

Goals and motivation

idea

Here’s how to use your imagination to prepare for any task

From sport to public speaking, the link between mental imagery and actual performance is undeniable – and you can harness it

by Jonathan Rhodes

Photo of an athlete in a white jacket with a gold medal, smiling with hands on face against an Olympic rings backdrop.

Goals and motivation

guide

Here’s how to use your imagination to prepare for any task

From sport to public speaking, the link between mental imagery and actual performance is undeniable – and you can harness it

by Jonathan Rhodes

A Nigerian ballerina in a white tutu dancing atop yellow minibuses in a crowded urban setting.

Dance

film

Nigeria’s first ballet school brings tutus and joy to the streets of Lagos

Directed by Jacob Krupnick

Photo of a bookstore entrance at night with people walking by and a person reading among book trolleys on the pavement.

The self

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What makes some of us crave self-insight more than others?

Some people have a powerful desire to understand themselves, but their path to self-knowledge is rarely straightforward

by Christoph Heine

Illustration of the solar system with planets in order of distance from the Sun on a dark background.

Learning and education

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The ‘secret strategy’ that could boost your ability to learn

It may sound illogical, but growing evidence shows the benefits of testing yourself before you start learning new material

by Ajdina Halilovic

Photo of a stone wall beside a sandy beach with calm sea under a cloudy sky sun peeking through a ship on the horizon.

Goals and motivation

guide

How to do mental time travel

Feeling overwhelmed by the present moment? Find a connection to the longer view and a wiser perspective on what matters

by Richard Fisher

Close-up of feet in white trainers near four tennis balls on a blue tennis court, with blurred background of a few people.

Sports and games

film

Passion, agility, invisibility – do you have what it takes to become a ball person?

Directed by Scott Lazer

Photo of a cafe interior with a person working on a laptop by a window, open door and street view with bicycle outside.

Goals and motivation

idea

How temptation works, and why it nearly stopped me writing this

Temptation can be sneaky – a rationalising voice that subtly undermines your resolve. But there are ways to outsmart it

by John Schwenkler

Black and white photo of two men in overalls standing before large industrial gears, each scratching his head.

Freedom and choice

idea

Why Charlie Chaplin was an ‘angel of peace’ for Walter Benjamin

Though a tramp and a misfit, Chaplin’s world fit him like a glove. His life of contingency appealed to the émigré Benjamin

by Eli Friedlander

A woman in a pink shirt seen through a reflective window with a cityscape in the background, evoking a contemplative mood.

Goals and motivation

guide

Eight ways to give yourself a pep talk when you feel stuck

All of us could do with more words of encouragement and perspective, and they don’t need to come from another person

by Rachel Goldsmith Turow

Two sumo wrestlers and a referee on a sumo ring during a match, with spectators in the background at the 2019 World Sumo Championships.

Sports and games

film

With a hushed intensity, Tuvsho finds her place in the sumo ring

Directed by George Thomson and Lukas Schrank