In Antifragile, Nassim Taleb’s concept of Via Negativa—the removal of harmful elements rather than addition—suggests that eliminating what doesn't serve us is often more powerful than adding more complexity. It’s a key element of how we might learn to thrive through and because of adversity.

It’s also closely tied to the psychological and behavioral approaches to personal and environmental mastery, which is a central concept in well-being and thriving.

Take Carol Ryff’s notion environmental mastery as a fundamental aspect of well-being. It refers to the ability to shape one’s environment in a way that fosters personal growth and fulfillment. Individuals with high environmental mastery feel competent in managing their life circumstances, actively shaping their surroundings to align with their personal goals and values. Mastery in that sense is not just about managing what’s present but also about strategically removing obstacles that get in the way of growth, well-being and other values or goals.

In behavioral science, improving our well-being doesn’t only mean adding more positive practices (e.g., mindfulness, exercise, or gratitude), but also removing the factors that hinder us. Taleb’s idea to subtract negative elements...

Failure is an inevitable part of life, and it can be difficult to navigate. Whether you're dealing with a setback at work, in a personal relationship, or in your own personal goals, it's important to develop the right mindset and tools for managing failure effectively. In this post, we'll explore three science-supported action steps for overcoming failure and developing a growth mindset.

As we strive to achieve our goals and live a fulfilling life, one of the biggest challenges we face is managing our time effectively. We often feel like there's never enough time in the day to get everything done, and it can be easy to get sidetracked by distractions and interruptions. Trying to account for the various components of a flourishing life can be daunting. Which brings us to the question of how we can better resist feelings of overwhelm and live as purposefully as possible.

One of the most useful strategies that can help us overcome these challenges and make progress towards our goals is time-boxing. Time-boxing is a technique that involves setting a specific amount of time to work on a task, and then focusing exclusively on that task until the time is up. This technique can help us stay on track, avoid distractions, and make better use of our time.

In fact, research has shown that time-boxing can be an effective strategy for improving productivity and reducing stress. In a systematic review published in the Journal of Industrial Engineering International, researchers found that time-boxing was associated with increased productivity, improved time management skills, and reduced stress levels (Kaur & Singh, 2020). Similarly, a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that time-boxing was associated with improved self-regulatory processes and adaptability (Bell & Kozlowski, 2008).

In his book Indistractable, Nir Eyal advocates for time-boxing as a powerful tool for managing distractions and staying focused on our goals. Here are five steps you can take to implement time-boxing in your own life:

What does it take to live a good life? While there's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, there are certain ingredients that can help us to cultivate flourishing and well-being. In this post, we'll explore the eight ingredients of the good life according to the PERMA model and the Individual Flourishing Measure from the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard. We'll also provide actionable steps you can take to cultivate each ingredient and create your own personal recipe for flourishing.

Ingredient #1: Social Connection or Positive Relationships

Research has consistently shown that social connections and positive relationships are crucial for our well-being and happiness. This can include connections with family, friends, coworkers, or others in our community. To cultivate positive relationships, consider these action steps:

Schedule regular social activities with people you care about, such as coffee dates or movie nights.

Volunteer in your community to meet new people and contribute to a common cause.

Practice active listening and show empathy toward the people in your life.

Ingredient #2: A Sense of Meaning and Purpose

Having a sense of meaning and purpose in life is important for our overall well-being and can help us to feel fulfilled and engaged in the world around us. To cultivate a sense of meaning and purpose, consider these action steps:

Valentine's Day is a time when we celebrate love and relationships, which brings tremendous satisfaction for some, but also brings an intense feeling of isolation for others. Each can have a dramatic impact on our momentary happiness, life satisfaction and more.

Which begs the question, what is it about positive relationships that make them so essential for our well-being and resilience?

Various studies have found that positive social relationships and support are protective factors for well-being, and loneliness is a risk factor for depression, anxiety, and other negative mental health outcomes. In a 5-year cross-lagged study, Cacioppo, Hawkley, and Thisted (2010) found that perceived social isolation was a predictor of depressive symptoms in older adults. Seligman (2011) further notes that positive relationships and connectedness can be key components of overall well-being, contributing to the development of resilience and satisfaction in life.

In addition, physical health is also improved by positive relationships. Penedo and Dahn (2005) found that social support and relationships can impact exercise adherence and overall health outcomes. Physical and emotional well-being are interconnected, and positive relationships can have a positive impact on both.

You could look across nearly every major scientific model of well-being, human flourishing, self-actualization or general “happiness” and find that they all include an emphasis on social connection and warm relationships. Marc Shulz and Robert Waldinger recently published a new book called The Good Life, that details the findings from the world’s longest running study of human happiness. Spoiler alert: The number one indicator of happiness and life satisfaction is, you guessed it, positive relationships.

So, why are positive relationships so important? One reason is that they provide a sense of belonging and social support. When we feel like we belong to a group or have people who care about us, we are likely to experience lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that contributes to a wide range of negative health outcomes. As a result, being socially connected means we are more likely to feel supported and resilient in the face of stress and adversity. A key to becoming more antifragile.

The critical question, of course, is what can we do to foster positive relationships in our life, whether it's with a romantic partner, a friend, or a family member? Here are four action steps you can take:

We all have dreams and aspirations, things we want to achieve, and milestones we want to hit. Whether it's landing that dream job, getting in shape, or traveling to far-off lands, the feeling of accomplishment is what keeps us motivated. But what happens once we finally reach that goal?

Enter hedonic adaptation, the phenomenon where we get used to our new circumstances, and the excitement and happiness we initially felt begins to fade. This is why it's so important to savor and enjoy the process of pursuing our goals, not just the end result.

Research shows that the secret to lasting happiness is in the journey, not just the destination. A study published in the journal "Psychological Science" found

It's that time of year again: the gyms have been packed, green juices are flowing, and everyone is trying to stick to their New Year's resolutions past the month of January. For many, we all know how this story ends. By February, the gym is back to its usual sparse population, the green juices are nowhere to be found, and those lofty goals you set for yourself are long forgotten. Sound familiar?

Fear not, my friends, because there's a scientific way to make your New Year's resolutions stick: WOOP goals. WOOP, which stands for "Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan," is a goal-setting technique developed by Gabriele Oettingen, a psychologist and researcher at New York University.

What sets WOOP apart from other goal-setting techniques is its focus on both positive thinking and realistic planning. A process called “mental contrasting” that leverages both pleasant and unpleasant emotion. The process involves four steps:

Those damn New Year's resolutions, am I right? We all make them with the best of intentions, but by February, most of us have fallen off the wagon. But what if I told you that there's a scientific way to make sure you stick to your goals this year?

It’s easier said than done, but the science is relatively simple. The key to sustaining a goal is to start small and build momentum (Huberman, 2017). It's about making progress, not perfection.

Think about it like this: when you set a goal to run a marathon, you don't just wake up one day and run 26.2 miles. You start by running a mile, then two, then three. You build up your stamina and your confidence, and before you know it, you're ready to tackle the big goal.

The same goes for any goal, whether it's a fitness goal, a career goal, or a personal goal. Start small and build momentum.

Of course, the more complicated issue is how to do that. Here are three action steps you can take on your path to sustaining your goals for 2023 and beyond:

When Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during a game last season, it was a shocking and terrifying moment for all who witnessed it. I was up half the night watching the news hoping for an update, and I’m not even a fan of either team! Thankfully, quick thinking and action by the Bills' medical staff prevented a tragedy, and Hamlin made a full recovery.

But let's be real, it was a close call, and it could have gone the other way. That experience was undoubtedly traumatic for Hamlin and his teammates, who were forced to confront the fragility and unpredictability of life. Which begs us to consider how various athletes are responding to that scene specifically and how we all might respond to trauma more generally…

In our first post, we introduced the concept of Antifragility — the ability to not only survive stress and adversity, but to thrive and become even stronger as a result of it.

So, how do we actually become antifragile? One important element is vulnerability.

Vulnerability can be defined as the willingness to expose oneself to the risk of being injured, either physically or emotionally. It involves being open and receptive to new experiences and ideas, even if it means exposing ourselves to potential harm in the process.

Take lobsters, for example. When lobsters outgrow their exoskeletons, they become vulnerable to predators. In order to survive, they have to shed their old exoskeletons and grow new ones. This process is called molting.

I know, it sounds like some made-up buzzword. But this concept could be a major game-changer for your training as an athlete.

Antifragile is a term coined by philosopher Nassim Nicholas Taleb that describes the ability to not only withstands stress, but actually become stronger as a result of it (Taleb, 2012). In other words, it's the opposite of being fragile.