Calming scared cats with pheromone sprays, advising families how to balance their pet’s well-being with budget realities, and diagnosing mysterious animal maladies with Dr. Hindatu Mohammed, a veterinarian in Austin, TX.
Tracing mysterious errors to their source, jousting with product managers, and rolling out new features (without breaking the old ones) with Taylor Hughes, a software engineer.
Mediating pickleball noise disputes, shepherding communities through thorny decisions, and practicing radical pragmatism with Martha Bennett, city manager of Lake Oswego, Oregon.
Pouring pints for thirsty tourists, defusing situations with drunk patrons, and finding flow in the Friday night rush with Brian Wynne, a barman in Dublin.
Zapping parts of the brain to know where to cut, operating a mouth-controlled microscope that’s worth more than a house, and carrying the weight of life-or-death decisions with Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, a brain surgeon at the Mayo Clinic.
Commanding a floating city of 5,000 sailors, intercepting Houthi missiles in the Red Sea, and stripping rank from sailors who cross the line with Captain Chris “Chowdah” Hill, commanding officer of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier.
Asking better questions can act as an antidote to uncertainty—and the anxiety that comes with it.
Comforting patients as they prepare to transition, navigating end-of-life regrets and frayed relationships, and providing support and advice for fearful families with Heather Meyerend, a retired hospice nurse.
The easiest way to become more conscientious is to already be conscientious—last week’s to-do list makes writing this week’s easier. But if you can’t lean on your past self, considering your future self can help.
As intuitive as it seems, a complicated approach to behavioral design may not be the best response to complexity.
