Framing the narrative of your life as an epic journey can give you control and meaning.

Can resistance to authority be leveraged for positive change?

Is it possible to structure our experiences to remember them more fondly?

The simplest answer isn’t always the right answer, despite how much we might want it to be.

In a great bit of irony, to truly know if you're good at something, you have to be good at... more

Pursuing a difficult goal can be lonely work—but it doesn't always have to be.

Why do we tend to seek more risk in the face of losses when those losses are only on paper... more

What are some strategies that can help you mitigate cognitive biases and make better decisions?

Why do we allow our judgments of one trait of a person (or product or company) to overly influence our... more

How do strict and relaxed cultures affect the quality of our decisions? And how can you find the sweet spot... more

Daniel Kahneman explains why risky propositions tend to look different when you’re already behind.

Why do we weigh recent events so heavily? And how does this tendency impact important decisions, like whom to vote... more

Why is it that when we see the same statement multiple times, we are more likely to believe it's true?

In this episode of "What It's Like to Be …," former Choiceology host Dan Heath interviews Chris Ekimoff, a forensic... more

Friction gets in the way of behavior—and it can become "sludge" when it's used to prevent you from reaching a... more

Why do people tend to over-respond to weak signals and under-respond to strong ones?

Performances often rise and fall, but how and why do they usually regress to a mean?

Why do people think they understand things better than they actually do?

Grouping choices together so that you make a bunch of selections all at once can seem daunting, but it can... more

How can events outside of our control create opportunities for accidental insights?

Are there proven ways to improve our predictions?

One of the most common mistakes we make with data involves choosing the wrong population to study.

How effective is diversity training, and what can be done to eliminate hiring bias?

How can you strike the right balance between risk tolerance and risk aversion, and why do women and men so... more

How can feeling connected to someone who is essentially a stranger impact your decision-making?

How can the fear of missing out on a trend have lasting consequences?

When faced with a challenging goal, is it better to give yourself some slack?

It seems like every other week there's a news report about how coffee will help you live longer or will... more

You've probably caught yourself indulging after a workout or a game or a stretch of healthy eating. Maybe it was... more

If you’ve ever lost a job, or been through a breakup, or failed an exam, you’ll know that the aftermath... more

When we feel angry or excited, or happy or sad, the reasons for those emotions may seem obvious. Angry? It... more

“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” A quintessentially American phrase from the Declaration of Independence. That “pursuit of happiness”... more

Humans can easily distinguish between a zero-chance event (e.g., the Washington Nationals winning the World Series in 2022) and a... more

You hear it a lot in contemporary education, the tech world, and the arts: that it's important to fail, to... more

If you've ever been faced with an important decision when time was scarce, information was incomplete, or tempers were running... more

Many of the decisions we make require us to compare numbers. Which car is most fuel efficient? How is a... more

Nudges are all around you. They might help you choose your meal at a restaurant, navigate a busy airport terminal,... more

While it’s nice to think of ourselves as rational decision-makers, more often than not, emotion plays a role in how... more

When we judge someone, rarely do we stop to consider how their particular situation likely played a large role in... more

Supply chain issues and income inequality notwithstanding, we live in an age of abundance. Our closets overflow with clothing. Many... more

For many people, the start of a new year is an occasion to re-examine their lives, to set new goals... more

Anticipating and planning for obstacles can sometimes be more powerful than adopting a positive mindset. A positive attitude is important when... more

Most of us would prefer to avoid an argument at work or at home. But there are times when arguments—at... more

Perhaps this scenario seems familiar. Let’s say you generally do a good job of sticking to your monthly budget, but... more

When young children imagine their future lives, they’re often very optimistic. They’ll say things like “I’m going to be an... more

You may notice that charity campaigns tend to focus on the stories of one or two individuals or families, and... more

Most people wouldn’t attempt a marathon or a climb up Mount Everest without first working through some less audacious objectives.... more

Important decisions can be complex and difficult to make. We’re at the mercy of certain behavioral biases, and we often... more

Many episodes of this podcast deal with cognitive biases that can hinder our decision-making abilities. In this episode of Choiceology... more

If you’ve ever lost a job, or been through a breakup, or failed an exam, you’ll know that the aftermath... more

You probably have a list of reminders somewhere. Maybe you have a calendar with important dates marked. And likely a... more

For many, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic was terrifying. Descriptions of the outbreak in Europe and Asia led to... more

Have you ever visited your doctor to deal with a minor health issue and then left the office with nothing... more

Hardware stores and home improvement shows often promote do-it-yourself projects. And while it’s challenging to make your own projects look... more

In a past episode titled “Spoiled for Choice,” we looked at how decision-making can be hampered by our desire to... more

For some people, the check engine light on their car dashboard means an immediate trip to the repair shop. But... more

You’ve probably had the annoying experience of going to a store to pick up a few things, only to leave... more

“Mom! Janey got more ice cream than me! Not fair!” For kids—and many adults—the notion of what’s fair or not... more

Traditional economic theory says that more choice should always be better than less. After all, if the cereal aisle has... more

Have you ever bid in a competitive auction—say, on eBay—and won the item, only to see a similar item for... more

Have you ever purchased a car or a motorcycle or a boat, based on some particular quality it had that... more

If you’ve ever signed up for a frequent flyer program, chances are good that you were awarded a certain number... more

An unprecedented global health crisis has overwhelmed healthcare systems, disrupted economies and financial markets, and radically altered our daily lives.... more

We are inundated with decisions in the modern world. What to wear, what to buy, what to watch, where to... more

Many episodes of this podcast deal with cognitive biases that can hinder our decision-making abilities. In this episode of Choiceology... more

Benjamin Franklin is one of the most revered figures in American history. He accomplished more in one lifetime--as a publisher,... more

If you’ve toured through any old world cities, you’ve probably marveled at ancient buildings that have stood the test of... more

In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at how framing a decision based on what you stand... more

Say you have a colleague who is struggling to complete a project at work. You might offer them some tips... more

Think back to a situation where you’ve been really pressed for time. Chances are good that the pressure of a... more

There’s something satisfying about the close door button in an elevator, especially when you’re in a rush. However, it turns... more

If you’ve ever been through a home renovation, you know that it often takes more time or more money (or... more

Assuming you live in the northern hemisphere, which would you say is colder: a day in March or a Day... more

Think about a time when something happened that just seemed meant to be. Maybe you had a feeling that your... more

Have you ever noticed that there’s something satisfying about seeing a car’s odometer roll over from 99,999 to 100,000 miles?... more

If you’ve ever watched a TV crime drama, you’ve probably heard that eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable. A person commits... more

“For most things are differently valued by those who have them and by those who wish to get them; what... more

Netflix recommendations, Amazon suggestions, Google searches, airline ticket prices, your social media feed. All of these things are driven by... more

Have you ever seen a cloud overhead that looks very much like, say, a rabbit? Or maybe you’ve found a... more

For many people, the start of a new year is an occasion to re-examine their lives, to set new goals... more

Choiceology with Katy Milkman returns after the holidays, starting with a special New Year’s episode on January 7. In the... more

In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we examine an old insight about happiness and giving. It’s an insight... more

You’re an independent-minded person. You make choices for yourself based on the best information available. You own your decisions, right... more

Most of us would like to think we make decisions for our own good. Presented with the imaginary choice between... more

Winning feels good. Whether it’s nailing a tricky golf shot or landing a big client for your firm, it’s nice... more

Season 2 of Choiceology is coming soon! Dan Heath hands the reins over to new host Katy Milkman for this... more

Imagine you’ve just been through a major life event: The birth of a child. A major award. The loss of... more

When you set out to buy something—a car, for example, or a laptop or some small gadget for your kitchen—you... more

Sometimes it seems as if danger lurks around every corner. News reports of events like plane crashes and shark attacks... more

In a world awash in data, you’d think it would be relatively easy to make informed, objective decisions. But there’s... more