In the age of increased automation, the most sought-after jobs are those that require creative problem-solving, novel solutions, and the kind of human ingenuity that comes from focusing deeply on the task at hand.

Tantalus’s curse is also our curse. We are compelled to reach for things we supposedly need but really don’t.

Most people don’t want to acknowledge the uncomfortable truth that distraction is always an unhealthy escape from reality.

As is the case with all human behavior, distraction is just another way our brains attempt to deal with pain. If we accept this fact, it makes sense that the only way to handle distraction is by learning to handle discomfort.

Even selfless acts, like helping someone, are motivated by our need to escape feelings of guilt and injustice

It is our dissatisfaction that propels us to do everything

The Happiness Trap, values are “how we want to be, what we want to stand for, and how we want to relate to the world around us.”

Family and friends help us live our values of connection, loyalty, and responsibility. They need you and you need them, so they are clearly far more important than a mere “residual beneficiary,” a term I first heard in an Economics 101 class. In business, a residual beneficiary is the chump who gets whatever is left over when a company is liquidated—typically, not much. In life, our loved ones deserve better, and yet, if we’re not careful with how we plan our time, residual beneficiaries are exactly what they become.

Group chat is best avoided altogether when discussing sensitive topics. Remember that the ability to directly observe another person’s mood, tone, and nonverbal signals adds critical context to conversations.

teams who brainstormed individually before coming together not only generated better ideas but were also more likely to have a wider diversity of solutions as they were less likely to be overrun by the louder, more dominating members of the group.

Who is on a team matters less than how the team members interact, structure their work, and view their contributions.

Speaking up sounds easy, but if you don’t feel psychological safety you’ll keep your concerns and ideas to yourself.

Turns out, we’re all reluctant to engage in behaviors that could negatively influence how others perceive our competence, awareness, and positivity.

Although this kind of self-protection is a natural strategy in the workplace, it is detrimental to effective teamwork. On the flip side, the safer team members feel with one another, the more likely they are to admit mistakes, to partner, and to take on new roles.

“In internet spaces, there tends to be myriad choices and opportunities, and a lot less adult control and surveillance,” says Ryan. “One can thus feel freedom, competence, and connection online, especially when the teenager’s contrasting environments are overly controlling, restrictive, or understimulating.”