What would you say is the most clear-cut predictor of how someone will behave in the future? If you said "past behavior," you've hit the nail on the head.  Sure, people can surprise us by radically deviating from prior behavior, but this tends to be the exception rather than the rule. For example, if your friend routinely exhibits a noticeable aversion toward silly comedies, chances are he will continue to loathe such movies. If your sister displays an acute dislike of seafood, she's bound to avoid lobster, crab, and all manner of sea creatures for the foreseeable future. When it's hard to decode a person's true intentions, you have only two tools you can leverage: your gut and, you guessed it, the person's track record. If you lure someone away from a competing firm to come work for you, rest assured they can be coaxed into bolting from yours. If someone cheats on their spouse with you, who's to say they won't cheat on you with som...

Everyone likes a little pat on the back for a job well done -- whether from your boss for completing a report on deadline, your spouse for building that time-consuming playhouse for the kids, or your friend for helping organize their party. Sometimes, though, this form of positive reinforcement can be hard to come by. And even if you do fish for compliments or credit in a subtle way, you don't end up getting any. So what do you do in a situation like this? You keep working hard. No one will ever be prouder of your accomplishments than you. If you can't get others to acknowledge your efforts, there's no harm in taking pride in them yourself. If it gets to the point where you feel you're being taken for granted, have a talk with your boss, partner, or friend and let them know your hard work often goes overlooked. If that fails to bear any fruit, it may be time to assess whether the job, relationship, or friendship in question is really worth keeping. Once it...

Many people may not realize that what we wear plays an integral role in how confident we feel. Haven't you worn a shirt or pair of jeans that fits your body just right and makes you look and feel good?  Perhaps other factors add to its appeal, like an eye-catching design. I surely feel my confidence bolstered when I put on a nice suit, as do many of my male friends. Even though I'm not a top executive, it certainly makes me feel like it. When I meet with top-level managers during job interviews, being in a suit makes me feel as if I'm at their level. Studies have shown that people who are told to wear uniforms of people in a position of authority (e.g. cop) gradually begin to take on the qualities of such individuals. For example, they might become more bossy, impatient, and distrustful. We needn't cross the line, though. I can't stand it when people let their getup go to their heads, making them cocky and obnoxious. No one wants to hear you boast for hour...

Studies show that too many compliments can go to your head -- and fast. I can vouch for the veracity of these studies, as I've experienced this firsthand and have seen a few friends change dramatically as a result of too many compliments. Let's face it: When people compliment us, it feels really good. Whether they're commending us on something we put together at work or complimenting us on our getup, compliments feed our egos and make us feel like a million bucks. They lead to increased feelings of self-worth and self-esteem. They validate something about us that we've likely put considerable effort into improving. People thrive on positive feedback from others; it gives us the impetus to continue striving for improvement. When I lost roughly 25 pounds in 2013, I started getting more looks from women at the gym and at work. It felt great considering the hours I was putting in at the gym and the willpower it took to cut back on my favorite goods. It's never fun...