Hidden Brain - You 2.0: How to Break Out of a Rut

There are times in life when the challenges we face feel insurmountable. Authors succumb to writer's block. Athletes and artists hit a plateau. People of a certain age fall into a midlife crisis. These are all different ways of saying: I'm stuck. This week, in the kickoff to our annual You 2.0 series, psychologist Adam Alter shares his research on why we all get stuck at various points in our lives, and how to break free.

Duration: 58m
Broadcast on: 07 Aug 2023
Audio Format: other

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This is Hidden Brain. I'm Shankar Vedantam. There are moments in any journey when things can feel interminable. You show up to work every day, do the same job, meet the same people. At home, you wash the dishes, clean the bedroom, do the laundry. On weekends, you watch the same TV shows, go for the same walks, talk to the same relatives. One day, it starts to look like the next. Weeks blur into each other. And then you start to wonder, "What am I really doing? Where am I headed? Am I making any progress at all?" We have different names for this phenomenon. Writers say they are blocked. Office workers talk about being in a rut. People of a certain age call it a mid-life crisis. But they are all different ways of saying, "I'm stuck." Today, we begin our perennially popular annual series, U2.0. In past years, we have explored ideas about how to communicate better or build stronger relationships. In the coming weeks, we will explore a variety of new ideas to help you thrive. This week on Hidden Brain, new research into the science of feeling stuck and powerful insights into how to get unstuck. Support for Hidden Brain comes from Air France. Air France business cabin offers comfort throughout the journey with priority check-in, boarding and lounge access. On board, enjoy menus from renowned French chefs, wines, and champagne selected by Assamelier and free high-speed Wi-Fi. When it's time to rest, settle into a fully adjustable, life-flat bed with added mattress comfort. The art of travel, elevated, because Air France business cabin goes further in every detail to make your journey exceptional. Support for Hidden Brain comes from Pacific life insurance. You make promises throughout your life. For nearly 160 years, Pacific life has been helping you keep them by protecting those who matter most. Pacific life, the power of a promise. Ask a financial professional how Pacific life can help you create a more confident financial future. Pacific life insurance company, Omaha, Nebraska, and in New York, Pacific life and annuity, Phoenix, Arizona.

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