Four Seconds: All the Time You Need to Replace Counter-Productive Habits With Ones That Really Work

pt. 1. change your mental defaults --
Four seconds : Pause, breathe, course correct --
Why the pinto blew up : Rethink goal setting --
Byron's real problem : Commit to following through --
My first TEDx talk : Ditch the urge to be perfect --
It finally felt like mine : Trust yourself first --
Nothing helped my tennis elbow : Stand back and do nothing --
Everything is amazing and no one is happy : Accept reality. Change expectations. --
The value of drinking tea : Make time for rituals --
Before slipping the kayak into the water : Prepare every day --
A lesson from my wireless router : Reset yourself --
This is what it feels like to ... : Stop performing. Start experiencing. --
"I have no time to think" : Invest in unfocused focus --
Why I returned my iPad : Embrace boredom --
Dorit's first-grade classroom : Ignore the inner critic --
Carlos's double whammy : Reclaim your sweet spot --
House rock rapid : Imagine the worst --
Turn the boat toward the wind : Be prepared with a process, not a solution --
pt. 2. Strengthen your relationships --
A lesson from my mother-in-law : Prioritize relationships --
The hardest part is after the speech : Show people who you truly are --
He broke up with her in a text : Don't let the package distract you from the message --
I want to be like you when I'm seventy-seven : Choose to be inspired by people --
A lesson from my mother : Refuse to write someone off --
The inescapable parking ticket : Walk away from an argument --
Don't blame the dog : Take the blame instead --
Hardware stores don't sell milk : Learn other people's rules of engagement --
Sophia's first powder day : Meet people where they are --
It was a long shot : Become a great receiver --
A false start gets you disqualified : Empathize first. Help them feel better later. --
It's not about the shampoo : Listen for the unspoken --
My best birthday ever : Give the gift of appreciation --
Getting a free upgrade to first class : Appeal to people's generosity --
Why Tim didn't get the promotion : Don't skip your thank-yous --
No : Establish boundaries with others --
Towing our neighbor's son's car : Ask questions. Don't attack back. --
pt. 3. Optimize your work habits --
Hair salon leadership : Keep your cool --
George Washington vs. Super Bowl I : See individuals individually --
Complaining with complainers : Neutralize negativity --
The training wheels had to come off : Let people fail --
or almost fail --
Are you ready to be a leader? : Support others' success --
Who deserves credit for a great movie? : Share the glory --
The chef who didn't get it : Take responsibility for your colleagues' work --
I've got too much to do ... : Offer to do other people's work --
The day the distribution centers were full : Focus on outcome, not process --
Don't bet on winning the lottery : Zero in on what matters to the organization --
Ron drones on and on : Be helpful instead of nice --
"Actually, there is something ..." : Accept the gift of criticism --
Crying about a gift : Create a safe space for yourself and others --
I don't miss a thing : Stop checking e-mail --
The no-PowerPoint rule : Embrace the informal meeting --
The pea haters who ate like pea lovers : Tell stories to get others to change --
How Jori lost eighty pounds : Forget willpower, restructure your environment.