Better Self Toolbox
A comprehensive collection of tools to help you think clearly, choose wisely, and grow meaningfully.
1-3-5 Rule
Plan each day with 1 big, 3 medium, and 5 small tasks.
5 Whys
Find the root causes by asking "why" multiple times.
Activity Scheduling
Combat low energy by scheduling rewarding, purposeful activities.
Ad Hominem
Undermining a message by discrediting its messenger.
Anti-Fragility
Grow because of challenges, not just in spite of them.
Appeal to Nature
Treating what's natural as inherently superior.
Assumptions Map
List all assumptions and score them based on evidence and importance.
Attention Restoration Theory
Natural settings help restore mental focus and clarity.
Availability Heuristic
Judging likelihood based on what easily comes to mind.
Barnum Effect
Seeing personal specifics in vague and general statements.
Carnegie's Worry Formula
Accept the worst and improve from there.
Choice Architecture
Set up your surroundings to nudge desired actions.
Circle of Competence
Know and operate within your areas of true expertise.
Cognitive Restructuring
Track and challenge unhelpful thoughts to shift your mindset.
Compound Effect
Achieve major results through consistent tiny improvements.
Curse of Knowledge
Presuming something is obvious to others because we understand it.
Daily Reflection
Build self-understanding through daily check-ins.
Deathbed Reflection
Prioritize actions by imagining what will matter at the end.
Decision Matrix
Rank alternatives based on defined criteria.
Deep Work
Immerse fully in demanding tasks without distraction.
Ego Depletion
Plan around limited mental stamina for better choices.
Eisenhower Matrix
Prioritize tasks by urgency and importance.
Expectation Detox
Replace expectations with curiosity about what happens.
First Principles Thinking
Deconstruct complexity into core principles and build from there.
Graded Exposure
Build confidence by gradually confronting what you avoid.
Growth Mindset
Believe you can improve through effort and learning.
Ikigai
Discover purpose at the intersection of passion, skills, and needs.
Illusion of Control
Overestimating your influence over uncontrollable events.
Meditation
Train attention and presence with focused practice.
Mindfulness
Cultivate awareness of the here and now.
Nonviolent Communication (NVC)
Speak with empathy by focusing on needs, not blame.
North Star Metric
Choose one key value to guide your life decisions.
Odyssey Planning
Explore radically different future plans to reveal your true desires.
Omission Bias
Judging harmful actions as worse than equally harmful inactions.
Opportunity Cost
The value of what you give up when you choose one option over another.
Pareto Principle
80% of outcomes come from 20% of inputs.
Parkinson's Law
Tasks stretch to fit the time you give them.
Personal KPIs
Track what matters with your own success metrics.
Personal Mission Statement
Define your life purpose in a clear statement.
Personal Values Clarification
Identify and rank your core values to guide future decisions.
Pomodoro Technique
Work in short sprints with regular breaks.
Pre-Mortem
Visualize the worst-case to identify causes.
Prompted Journaling
Use structured questions or prompts in regular self-reflection.
Reactance
Reacting against suggestions when we feel our freedom of choice is threatened.
Regret Minimization Framework
Choose the path you'll least regret in the future.
Relaxation
Lower tension and anxiety through intentional physical relaxation.
Second-Order Thinking
Consider action implications beyond the immediate consequences.
Self-Determination Theory
People thrive when they feel capable, connected, and in control.
Serenity Prayer Mindset
Accept what you can't control, act on what you can.
Slippery Slope
Assuming that one event must lead to a cascade of others without evidence.
Socratic Questioning
Use probing questions to explore ideas critically.
Sunk Cost Fallacy
Clinging to failing plans due to previous effort.
Survivorship Bias
Focusing on success stories while ignoring the failure ones.
Wheel of Life
Reflect on how different parts of your life align.
Worry Time
Set aside time to worry, so it doesn't take over your day.