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The Fundamental Attribution Error: It’s All How You Look At It
Today I want to talk about a nifty concept called the Fundamental Attribution Error. This concept helps explain why we view the causes of certain situations differently, depending on whether the situation is happening to ourselves or to someone else. Before I dive into the nitty gritty of explaining the Fundamental Attribution Error, though, I’d like to tell two short stories. Situation 1 Not too long ago, as I was heading to work, I was sitting at a stop sign and waiting to turn out of my neighborhood onto the main road. It was a dreary day in the Chicago metro area—gray skies, a misty drizzle, and very foggy. Car…
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Overwhelmed & Over-Thinking
This isn't the post I was planning to write this week; but life happened, and here we are. As I mentioned in my post on procrastination, there are times when everything I'm thinking about just becomes too much. The past week or two has definitely been one of those phases for me.
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Please, Don’t Try to Fix Me: How to Respond When Others Express Their Feelings
Have you ever confided in a friend or family member about something upsetting, only to walk away from the conversation feeling worse than at the outset? I know I have...Despite the fact that I, too, am guilty of at times responding by suggesting possible solutions when loved ones tell me about their problems, I can say with certainty: it is the wrong approach.
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Someday, But Not This Day: The Life of a Serial Procrastinator
Procrastination is a popular topic for self-help gurus. Lately, it seems like everywhere I look, there’s a new book or blog post or TED Talk dedicated to tackling the procrastination problem once and for all. The other day, I made the mistake of saving a spoof anti-procrastination motivational quote on Pinterest. “Why put off until tomorrow what you could get done today?!” Adages like this now populate my feed. They warn me that “procrastination is the enemy of success!” They admonish me that “a person who really wants something will find a way…a person who does not will find an excuse.” I find adages like these to be simplistic and,…