Ellen Langer is a professor in the Psychology Department at Harvard University and she speaks with us about how "Certainty is a mindless illusion" why " 1 + 1 doesn't always equal 2" and that if you want "To feel differently, you need to view it differently" along with more great lessons. Hosted by Duff Watkins.

Dr. Ellen Langer is a professor in the Psychology Department at Harvard University where she was the first woman to be tenured in the department. She has been described as the “mother of mindfulness” and has written extensively on the illusion of control, mindful aging, stress, decision-making, and health. She is the founder of The Langer Mindfulness Institute and consults with organizations to foster mindful leadership, innovation, strategy and work/life integration.

Her books, written for general and academic readers, include Mindfulness, The Power of Mindful Learning, On Becoming An Artist: Reinventing Yourself Through Mindful Creativity, and Counterclockwise: Mindful Health and the Power of Possibility. Her most recent book The Handbook of Mindfulness is an anthology that brings together the latest multi-disciplinary research on mindfulness.

A passionate and compelling lecturer who presents at organizations worldwide, Langer has authored over 200 research articles and six academic books. Her work has led to numerous academic honors including a Guggenheim Fellowship. She is the recipient of four Distinguished Scientist Awards and the Liberty Science Genius Award.

Her website is https://ellenlanger.com/

Episode Notes:

Lesson 1: Behavior always makes sense from the actor’s perspective 06m 49s.

Lesson 2: Certainty is a mindless illusion 08m 24s.

Lesson 3: 1+1 doesn’t always equal 2 13m 04s.

Lesson 4: Everyone doesn’t know something but everyone knows something else 19m 49s.

Lesson 5: Inconsistent is flexible 23m 12s.

Lesson 6: Outcomes are neither good nor bad 25m 52s.

Lesson 7: To feel differently, view it differently 27m 20s.

Lesson 8: Every activity can be done mindlessly or mindfully 33m 31s.

Lesson 9: Mindfulness is simply noticing new things 35m 20s.

Lesson 10: Life is a people game 45m 19s.