Empathy
Feeling what others feel, imagining how they view and think about situations, and using that knowledge to guide your actions.
Science of Empathy
Babies come into the world with the wiring to be empathic.
As our brains develop with age, we become more capable of understanding other perspectives.
Empathy can bring up strong feelings that may need to be managed. Empathy for a single person can blind us to the plight of a larger group or bias us towards people who are like us. Some argue that a sense of justice for all is more important than feeling what others feel.
Empathy is a building block of compassion and altruism, but it’s not the same thing. Some people believe empathy is just about feeling and thinking, not about being motivated to help. Others argue that wanting to do something with empathy is a key part of what makes it powerful.
Curiosity
Seeking out new knowledge and experiences for their own sake, embracing uncertainty.
Science of Curiosity
Curiosity activates the regions of the brain related to pleasure and reward.
When we are curious, we pay closer attention, think about information more deeply, and remember it better.
Putting effort into understanding new things helps our brains build more and stronger connections, creating larger networks of knowledge and laying the foundation for mastery and wisdom.
Curiosity gives us a dose of that feel-good dopamine, making it a reward in itself.
Growth Mindset
Believing that skills and knowledge can improve as a result of hard work, using different strategies, and actively seeking feedback and help from others.
Science of Growth Mindset
Practicing growth mindset actually changes behavior and improves performance.
Like muscles, our brains grow when they are challenged—they form new and stronger connections between neurons.
It is normal to have a mix of growth and fixed mindsets in different areas of life.
Thanks to neuroplasticity, our brains are capable of change at any age. Otherwise we couldn’t learn anything new.
Growth mindset works best when combined with effective learning strategies and feedback.
Kindness
Being friendly, generous, and considerate towards others.
Science of Kindness
Being kind is related to higher well-being. Studies show that doing random acts of kindness is a reliable way to feel happier.
Caring about the person you’re kind to (having empathy while being kind) makes you happier than just “going through the motions”.
Research shows that people are kind for a few reasons. Being kind out of concern for others is genuine kindness. Being kind to gain something or avoid a loss is strategic kindness. Being kind because you value reciprocity and fairness is called “norm-motivated” kindness.
People who feel positive emotions more of the time (those low in the personality trait of neuroticism) show more genuine kindness than those high in neuroticism. Feelings of distress can get in the way of kindness.
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