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Goals and motivation

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

Worry and rumination

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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

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

Goals and motivation

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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

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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

Photo of a woman jogging along a riverside path in an urban area with tall buildings under a partly cloudy sky.

Goals and motivation

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So-called ‘SMART goals’ are a case of style over substance

From fitness to finance, the SMART goal-setting method is ubiquitous, but often detrimental. There are better approaches

by Christian Swann

Photo of a solemn woman seen through glass, reflecting urban lights.

Goals and motivation

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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

Black-and-white photo of a woman smoking at an outdoor cafe at night with tables, a bicycle and streetlights in the background.

Addiction

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You can want things you don’t like and like things you don’t want

The distinct neurochemistry of wanting and liking is helping to make sense of addiction – and more everyday behaviours

by Shayla Love

Photo of a kitchen counter with decor, plastic cat, clock and bottles reflected on a glass surface with coffee brewing.

Habits and routines

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Is it better to live in ‘clock time’ or ‘event time’?

Do you stick to a set schedule, or have a looser relationship to the clock? It can affect more than how you plan your day

by Shayla Love

Photo of a desk with a laptop, fan, and sleeping cat. Craft supplies, pens and paper are scattered on the wooden surface.

Goals and motivation

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Facing a tedious to-do list? This trick could make it easier

The ‘easy addendum effect’: how careful timing of your easier tasks could help you feel better at the end of the day

by Shayla Love

Photo of a woman leaning over a baby lying on a bed, holding the baby’s hand in a softly lit room.

Psychotherapy

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Getting what we think we want can reveal just how complex desire is

Helping my clients probe their unspoken wants creates a space of freedom to express the possibilities that lie dormant

by Charlotte Fox Weber