Our passions, when well exercised, have wisdom; they guide our thinking, our values, our survival.

One way to boost our will power and focus is to manage our distractions instead of letting them manage us.

Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion. When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. But when we focus on others, our world expands. Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection - or compassionate action.

The more socially intelligent you are, the happier and more robust and more enjoyable your relationships will be.

Brain studies of mental workouts in which you sustain a single, chosen focus show that the more you detach from what's distracting you and refocus on what you should be paying attention to, the stronger this brain circuitry becomes.

The human brain is by no means fully formed at birth. It continues to shape itself through life, with the most intense growth occurring during childhood.

Our passions, when well exercised, have wisdom; they guide our thinking, our values, our survival.