How to Read People

Studies have shown that people are capable of generating more creative ideas when they work alone as opposed to collaborating with group members. The reasons for this are simple and varied. When working in a group, there's a tendency for things to get political. People have vastly different ideas and suggestions, and not everyone is schooled in the art of compromise. Thus, it's not uncommon for group members to clash over what they think is the optimal solution to a problem -- theirs. Yet another stumbling block to creativity is what we call groupthink. It's when people feel pressure to agree with the "majority opinion" of the group -- even though they may disagree -- so as not to look like the lone dissenter. Thirdly, I have found that it takes longer to get stuff done when there are others involved. It may sound counterintuitive since there are more people involved to shoulder the work, but oftentimes group members get distracted and sidetracked, ultimatel...

Want to know the secret to never feeling bored? It's quite simple. You'll never feel bored as long as you're always working toward achieving a goal -- specifically, one that centers around something you love to do. Let me give you a few examples: If you love to read, aim to read a different book each month. (Even better, you can shoot for a different one each week!) If you love working out, hit the gym at least a few times each week and try getting a 6-pack, building bigger biceps, or getting rid of your love handles If you love to write, challenge yourself to write a certain number of stories each year If you're a collector, there's always something else you can add to your collection If you love music, make it a goal of yours to download as many of your favorite songs as possible If you love watching movies, strive to watch, say, 10 or more movies a month If you don't feel you're doing what you love at work, find another job within your...

First, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner announced they were splitting up. Shortly after, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert called it quits. Then Gwen Stefani filed for divorce from Gavin Rossdale. As if that weren't enough, Reba McEntire and her husband of 26 years, Narvel Blackstock, also ended their marriage. It seems breakups are all the rage now in Hollywood. I presume that between shows, concerts, filming, and traveling, celebrities' busy schedules put an immense strain on their marriages. I could also see the more jealous types bristling at all the attention their partners might get from doting fans. Not helping matters is the fact that infidelity in the industry remains rampant.  Affleck and Shelton allegedly had affairs that ultimately led their respective marriages to crash and burn. Another culprit might very well be the media. These days, virtually everything a celebrity does is put under a microscope. Whether one is spotted hanging with a friend or play...

Study after study shows that men prefer blondes as girlfriends or mistresses and brunettes as wives . It seems many men see brunettes as more trustworthy and loyal. What's more, even though participants claimed that blondes are better in bed, they feel brunettes are better kissers and more affectionate than blondes. I find these results to be rather interesting. In my high school and early college days, I actually had a preference for blondes myself -- that is, until I hooked up with my now-wife. From that point on, I deemed brunettes as more attractive and marriage material, probably because they reminded me of and more closely resembled her. I think we can blame Hollywood, shows like Baywatch, and Playboy for painting blondes as wild, big chested, promiscuous and loose. (Yes, I know that there are brunettes in Playboy, but they seem to be in the minority.) When someone tells a man to think of an attractive blonde, who do you think likely crosses his mind? More likely than...

My friend (let's call him "Don") has become a completely different person since hooking up with his girlfriend of 6 months (let's call her "Lisa"). I've known the guy since high school, and let's just say the humility that once set him apart from everyone else has fallen by the wayside. Long story short, he got a good job, bought a new car, and started kissing nearly every girl that struck his fancy. Now that he's with Lisa, he has souped up his car and prattles on and on about going to the gym and bulking up. Once unpretentious and hardly concerned with looks, popularity, and material things, the new Don gives fresh meaning to "flashy" and "cocky." There's nothing wrong with someone's self-confidence getting a boost. After all, we tend to feel really good about ourselves whenever we're making more money and getting increased attention from the opposite sex. But you can tell when a person is trying a bit too ...