Tuning into these feeling tones reveals their powerful influence – they often control our lives in ways we're completely unaware of.
— Danny Penman“The more people that must be involved, the less likely the theory is to be true. A couple of people could pull it off, hundreds or thousands of people would have to be involved, and it's not likely because we would hear about it.”— Michael Shermer
Founder of The Skeptics Society & Science Communicator
The quote archive
Psychology
A growing archive of 3,000+ moments, drawn from every interview.
The real power lies in being able to apply these techniques in everyday life. Whether you're on the subway, stuck in traffic, or taking a stroll in the park, these practices are accessible.
— Danny PenmanThere's a moment when the unconscious crystallises into consciousness, leading to all our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. In ancient texts, this moment is referred to as 'vedana', and we describe them as 'feeling tones.'
— Danny PenmanOur brains actively construct a model of the world, which is our actual experience. Incoming sensory data serves mainly to verify and correct this internal model.
— Danny PenmanThese accumulating errors can foster feelings of the world being against us, a sense of continuous misfortune, and the magnification of everyday stresses and unhappiness.
— Danny PenmanHowever, if the supply is infinite, (that's true of emails), then you're never actually going to get that position of mastery over time. What's going to happen is that you just get busier and busier and move faster and faster!
— Oliver BurkemanGuardian columnist & author on psychology, time management, and happiness
What's going to happen is that you just get busier and busier and move faster and faster! We treat productivity tools as if they're going to lead to our salvation, they're absolutely not going to.
— Oliver BurkemanGuardian columnist & author on psychology, time management, and happiness
The efficiency trap is very modern, but it's now become a holdover from the Industrial Revolution. If you only relate to time, as if it were a certain kind of 'thing', like a natural resource… something that you could maximise, then you're going to be in a perpetual state of psychological struggle because you won't be using the right conceptual tools to live in time.
— Oliver BurkemanGuardian columnist & author on psychology, time management, and happiness
It's crucial to adopt a bold mindset right from the start. I advocate for setting almost unrealistic targets. If we only aim for realistic targets, our efforts will be limited to minor tweaks rather than significant transformations.
— Abhijit DubeyThere's compelling evidence to suggest that the current mental health crisis among the youth may, to some extent, stem from individuals who haven't had the chance to navigate smaller tribulations and are consequently overwhelmed when faced with significant challenges.
— Malcolm GladwellAuthor of "The Tipping Point" & Popular Cultural Theorist
An uneducated unconscious is a perilous entity. The intuition of a seasoned doctor with 30 years spent diagnosing ailments is immensely beneficial. Conversely, the intuition of a teenager is not only unfruitful, but potentially hazardous.
— Malcolm GladwellAuthor of "The Tipping Point" & Popular Cultural Theorist
It's the disadvantages that offer a more fertile ground for learning, albeit for a smaller cohort. The depth of learning and engagement derived from tackling difficulties is substantially richer compared to that gleaned from facing advantages.
— Malcolm GladwellAuthor of "The Tipping Point" & Popular Cultural Theorist
When you engage with highly successful individuals who are open and honest about their journeys, it's invariably surprising to learn how much they attribute their achievements to good luck and favourable circumstances.
— Malcolm GladwellAuthor of "The Tipping Point" & Popular Cultural Theorist
Intelligence and self-deception appear to have co-evolved, with the belief that we are fully in control of our destinies serving as a mental safeguard, despite its inaccuracy.
— Robert SapolskyNeuroscientist & primatologist known for stress research and public engagement
When a coach gains the player's confidence and establishes a strong partnership, they can effectively motivate the player, boost their confidence, and help them break through barriers. This can elevate a player's career to new heights.
— Patrick MouratoglouTennis coach who famously coached Serena Williams
I often describe a Grand Slam as a marathon, not a sprint. It involves enduring extremely long matches, seven times over two weeks. In tennis, those who sprint don't make it to the finish line.
— Patrick MouratoglouTennis coach who famously coached Serena Williams