Self-knowledge and personal growth

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

Thinking and intelligence

idea

Why some of the smartest people can be so very stupid

Struggling to understand is perfectly honourable. Being wilfully stupid is something else and we should strive to fix it

by Sacha Golob

Black and white photo of soldiers walking on a ridge with their reflections in the water below.

History and philosophy of mental health

idea

One woman’s six-word mantra that has helped to calm millions

Ahead of her time, yet largely ignored by psychiatry, Claire Weekes taught millions of readers how to overcome anxiety

by Judith Hoare

Photo of a woman on a large horse checking her phone, with a street scene and horse-drawn carriages in the background.

Focus and attention

guide

How to be indistractable

Stop blaming technology – distraction starts within. Manage your inner triggers to enjoy greater focus and a fuller life

by Nir Eyal

Photo of a woman submerged to the neck in a natural hot spring, with mountains and mist in the background, creating a serene atmospheric scene.

Photography

film

One photo per day for more than a year, exploring how rituals affect memory

Directed by Scott Thrift

Black and white photo of a man and woman in swimwear relaxing on a sandy beach with rocky cliffs in the background.

Love

idea

Love shouldn’t be blind or mad. Instead, fall rationally in love

Blind, all-consuming love goes against your interests and impedes your flourishing. Submit your love to rational scrutiny

by Berit Brogaard

Photo of a man sleeping on a bench against a white wall near a wooden door, with cobblestone paving below in sunlight.

Money and economics

idea

Why efficiency is dangerous and slowing down makes life better

The urge to do everything faster and better is risky. Far wiser to do what’s good enough for the range of possible futures

by Barry Schwartz

Photo of two people in a pool, wearing floral swim caps using inflatable pink flamingo rings, with bunting overhead.

Friendship

guide

How to make friends as an adult

Friendships give us so much. Be bold, take the initiative, and you’ll be surprised how many people are pleased to connect

by Marisa G Franco

Abstract watercolour painting of figures walking in different directions on a white background.

Play

film

An Oscar-nominated animation that celebrates walking with humans

Directed by Ryan Larkin

Traditional Chinese painting of a woman resting on a chair in a pavilion by a pond with ducks and lotus flowers.

Creativity

idea

To be creative, Chinese philosophy teaches us to abandon ‘originality’

Whether grieving a death or connecting to colleagues, creativity enables an artful life, according to Chinese philosophy

by Julianne Chung

Painting of a man in a bowler hat, seated with a drink and cigarette, gesturing expressively while at a table.

Thinkers and theories

idea

Learning to be a loser: a philosopher’s case for doing nothing

For Emil Cioran, a life devoid of action, practical ambitions and busyness is a life in which room has been made for meaning

by Costica Bradatan

Photo of a woman leaning on a red pillar in a subway station as a train speeds by in a blur.

Goals and motivation

guide

How to know what you really want

From career choices to new purchases, use René Girard’s mimetic theory to resist the herd and forge your own path in life

by Luke Burgis

Close-up of a colourful, abstract wool sculpture resembling a face with various textures and fibres extending outward.

Love

film

Making love strange to imagine it anew – a startling, award-winning animation

Directed by Anushka Naanayakkara