Psychology

As an agency with a sales team, we are no strangers to hearing a “No”. It’s never easy. Sticks and stones may break bones, but that two-letter word can shatter spirits. Rejection is a bitter pill to swallow, and while there’s no easy way to erase the icky feelings—be it from getting passed over for a job, denied a sale, fired, broken up with, or hearing a critical comment from a loved one—it is possible to take the “No” as graciously as possible. The challenge is to resist…

“There is only one thing worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” —Oscar Wilde As most of us know, gossip is unavoidable. Whether it takes the form of blatantly bad-mouthing an acquaintance, co-worker, or friend, or the subtler variety of passive-aggressive insult like, “Has Tom gained weight?” People seem to take an almost perverse pleasure in talking about others. As most of us also know, rarely is this talk positive. It is thought that gossip played a role in the development of intelligence…

Have you ever gone to a party, not because you wanted to, but because you were asked to? Have you taken on an assignment at work because you felt bad saying no, even though you didn’t have the time, resources, or even the interest? On the other hand, have you wanted something but were afraid to ask for it? Maybe you ordered a meal without onions, received the onions anyway but toughed it out because you didn’t want to be seen as a complainer. Times like these call…

Within the last few years, the number of articles written about the impact of burnout and ways to address or prevent it has risen sharply. Overwhelming demands, low pay and/or appreciation, and toxic work environments are frequently cited as causes of career fatigue. While burnout can be spurred by any number of external factors, research shows that it can also be a function of personality traits and attitudes about our work. The first step to addressing burnout is understanding what brought us to our particular job and career. To be…

Have you ever had the experience of being so absorbed in a task, so hyperfocused, that you lose track of time and your actions become almost effortless? If so, you may have experienced what is known as “flow.” Flow theory was developed in 1975 by Hungarian psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. More familiarly known as being “in the zone,” flow is a state of heightened awareness, concentration, and proficiency while completing a task. Whether you’re in the grueling sixth hour of a Wimbledon match or tackling the colossal project of…

From Alexander the Great to some Silicon Valley CEOs, many powerful leaders throughout history were thought to have been high in “narcissistic” traits. These days, it is common to slap the narcissistic tag on anyone we perceive as arrogant, dominant, or vain, but experts believe that narcissism is a trait that more or less exists in everyone. What is Narcissism Derived from the Greek myth of Narcissus, who famously fell in love with his own image in a reflecting pool, narcissism is a personality trait characterized by excessive…