Expansionists’ popularity can help them make important professional connections. Research suggests that we’re likely to find jobs through people we know, but particularly through acquaintances (who know about opportunities we don’t) rather than close friends or family.

Ho...

Studies show that some people would rather endure physical pain than use their brainpower.

The idea that people will avoid exerting mental effort is not new. It has been discussed since the days of William James, a 19th-century psychologist. We know intuitively that menta...

We can only develop new strengths by addressing our weaknesses, so if you want to acquire skills you don’t have, or develop new expertise, you will inevitably have to focus on what you don’t know rather than what you do know.