Summary

Sociologists, therapists, and psychiatrists have spent entire careers investigating the ins and outs of health, success, and happiness, but their findings are inaccessible to ordinary people, hidden in obscure journals seen only by other experts.Now David Niven, the international bestselling author of the Simple Secrets series, has collected the most current and significant data from more than a thousand of the best scientific studies on three of the most important aspects of our daily lives. Niven has boiled these findings down to sound, succinct advice for each day of the year, presenting 365 essential ways to find and maintain health, wealth, and wisdom. Each entry is accompanied by a true story showing the results in action. Whether you want to enhance your body, your bank account, your IQ, or all three, this bestselling series offers 365 essential ways to let science help you.

Author Biography

David Niven, Ph.D., is a psychologist and social scientist who teaches at Ohio State University

A Note to Readers

This Year's Journey

JANUARY

1 Motivation Beats Everything

2 Be Happy to Succeed

3 Give Yourself Time

4 Creativity Comes from Within

5 The Mundane Is Heroic

6 Never Give Up

7 See Possibilities Where Others See Obstacles

8 The Quest for a Perfect Body Is Doomed

9 Don't Let Your First Idea Be Your Only Idea

10 What You Do Matters

11 There Are Second Chances

12 Wonder

13 Volunteer for Yourself

14 Use a Plan, Not a Piecemeal Approach

15 You Have Nothing to Envy in Your Partner

16 Resist the Urge to Be Average

17 Too Much of a Good Thing Is Too Much

18 It's Never Just One Thing

19 Change Is Possible, Not Easy

20 Know Your Health

21 It's Not How Hard You Try

22 You Can't Force Yourself to Like Broccoli

23 The Past Is Not the Future

24 Competence Starts with Feeling Competent

25 We're Too Good at Imagining the Worst-Case Scenario

26 Set Rules for Conflict in Your Relationship

27 Give Yourself the Best Chance to Eat Well

28 You Are Never Too Old to Improve Your Habits

29 A Victory at All Costs Is Not a Victory

30 You Have to Have Art

31 Accomplish Something Every Day

FEBRUARY

1 You Must Approve of Yourself

2 Healthy Living Is an Attitude

3 Write Down the Directions

4 It's the Little Things That Matter the Most

5 Couch Time Affects Body and Mind

6 Winners Are Made, Not Born

7 See the Love Around You

8 The Cold Doesn't Give You a Cold

9 Anticipate Irrationality

10 Attitude Triumphs over Outcome

11 The Best Defense Is to Listen

12 Always Being Right Is Wrong for Your Health

13 How We See the World Is More Important Than How the World Is

14 Express Your Love

15 Eat Your Spinach

16 Don't Be Bound by Tradition

17 Seek Input from Your Opposites

18 Avoid Tanning Beds

19 Know What Makes You Happy and What Makes You Sad

20 Wipe, Don't Blow

21 Do Things in Order

22 Avoid Internet Takeover

23 You Can Worry Your Health Away

24 Seek Harmony in Your Life

25 Take Small Victories

26 There's Never Been a Better Time

27 Effort Does Not Equal Success

28 It's OK to Be Right When Everyone Else Is Wrong

MARCH

1 Think in Concrete Terms

2 Slow Music for Dinner

3 A Relationship Requires Two Equals

4 Cleaning Isn't Clean

5 Get Experience Any Way You Can

6 Cultivate a Common Interest

7 Health Is Mental and Physical

8 Embrace Challenges

9 Look Up, Literally

10 Tell Your Family Story

11 Self-Motivation Works Once

12 There Are No Mind Readers

13 Do What You Say You Are Going to Do

14 Put Stuff in Its Place

15 History Isn't Everything

16 There's No Point to Putting on a Show

17 Speak Slowly

18 Pursue What You Need Forever, Not What You Want Today

19 Don't Buy the Fountain of Youth

20 Make Your Mark on the Next Generation

21 Do One Thing at a Time

22 Remember Who You Are and Where You Are

23 Relationships Are Not Random

24 Emergencies Can't Wait

25 Treat the Disease, Not the Symptom

26 Help the Next Person Who Needs Some Minor Assistance

27 Negotiate with Confidence, or Don't

28 Your Surroundings Will Affect Your Health Approach

29 Money Can't Buy Love, but It Can Buy Stress

30 Where You Stand Depends on Where You Look

31 Keep Going

APRIL

1 Overcome the Culture of Failure

2 Play the Odds

3 Decide Whether You Want to Win or Be Happy

4 Travel the Stable Road

5 Mold Is Everywhere—Relax

6 The Most Time Is Not the Best Time

7 The Past Is Not the Future

8 Look on the Bright Side

9 Avoid Generational Competition

10 Drink Less

11 Try Something New

12 Remember the Task, Forget the Rankings

13 Find a Community That Fits Your Family

14 Turn Off the TV

15 Honor Your Spiritual Beliefs

16 Drink Grape Juice

17 Get a Good Night's Sleep

18 Drive Safely When It's Safe

19 Seek a Tall Plateau, Not the Peak

20 A Sense of Humor Helps

21 Avoid the Second-Guess Paralysis

22 Eat Less, but Eat Often

23 See Around Career Roadblocks

24 Be Engaged to Reality

25 You Don't Have to Get Straight A's Anymore

26 Write Down Your Thoughts

27 Fitness Is Free

28 There's No Need to Hurry

29 Volunteer to Achieve

30 It Doesn't Matter Who Earns the Money

MAY

1 Notice Patterns

2 Get Out of the Car

3 It's Always a Choice

4 It's Less What Happened Than What Happened Next

5 Forgiveness Helps You Heal

6 There Is Plenty of Time

7 Do Not Go to War with Bacteria

8 Be Open

9 Home Means More Than Work to Your Health

10 Balance Depends on Which Way You Lean

11 Buy Fun, Not Stuff

12 Happy Looks for Happy

13 Ask Whether a Medicine Is Right for You

14 Beware of Fairy Tales

15 Lessons Can't Threaten

16 Stay in Control

17 Use the Stairs

18 The Future Matters More Than the Past

19 Listen to Your Favorite Music

20 Separate Hype from Substance

21 It Starts and Ends with You

22 See the Big Picture

23 Make Your Work a Calling

24 Stretch

25 You Need to Know More Than Just How Talented You Are

26 Ask Where Your Water Comes From

27 You Don't Have to See Eye to Eye on Everything

28 Have a Tomato Any Way You Like

29 Success Is Formula, Not Fantasy

30 Accentuate the Positive in All Aspects of Your Life

31 Efficiency in Everything

JUNE

1 Self-Protection Prevents Self-Reflection

2 Ambivalence Is a Negative

3 Let Your Stress Out

4 Tomorrow Will Be a Better Day (but How Exactly?)

5 There's No Better Time to Be Sick

6 A Relationship Starts with Yourself

7 Breathe Right

8 Use Your Own Self-Interest

9 Doing Nothing Is Rarely a Solution

10 Accept Yourself—Unconditionally

11 Second-Hand Smoke Is Optional

12 Listening Is More Than Not Talking

13 You'll Get Knocked Down and Then Get Back Up

14 Keep Your Fears in Line

15 Television and Eating Should Not Go Together

16 Think of Your Own Ideal

17 Communicate on Your Listeners' Terms

18 Talk to Your Pharmacist

19 Let Go of the Burden of Pain

20 Boredom Is the Enemy

21 Share Housework

22 Role Models Are Not One Size Fits All

23 The Mirror Will Be Kinder

24 Common Chores Can Be Dangerous

25 Foundations Are Created in the Beginning

26 Get Away from It All

27 Study Your Sports Drink

28 Make Change Count

29 Develop a Healthy Calm

30 Learn from Losses

JULY

1 The Best Life Needs No Trophy

2 Control Your Health

3 Transitions Can Be Both Happy and Sad

4 Stay Safe in the Sun

5 Leadership Is Contagious

6 Don't Romanticize the Past

7 Laughter Really Is Medicine

8 View Your Life As a Choice

9 Life Is Not a Zero-Sum Game

10 Don't Confuse Stuff with Success

11 Respond to Stress

12 Have an Orange

13 Share the Praise and Share in the Blame

14 Embrace Work—It May Have to Last Forever

15 Don't Gamble Your Future

16 Combinations Matter

17 Resolve to Pursue Resolution

18 Limit Your Exposure to Pesticides

19 Even in a Relationship, You Are Still an Individual

20 Want Support? Deserve It

21 Make "Should" and "Want" the Same Thing

22 The Fun Is Not Over

23 Build Your Energy Level Gradually

24 Meaningful Commitment Is Mutual Commitment

25 You Will Give Up Faster If You're Not in Control

26 Anything Beats Boredom

27 Most People Are Sensitive to Whitening Teeth

28 Like the Way You Look

29 Remember, Ginkgo Biloba Won't Help You Remember

30 Think About Potential

31 You'll Get What You're Afraid Of

AUGUST

1 See the Beauty Around You

2 Whet Your Appetite for Success

3 Write Through Pain

4 To Find a Better Way, Look Where You've Been

5 Tell Clean Jokes

6 Turn Off the TV

7 Don't Bring Your Job Home with You

8 Practice Maintenance for Life

9 Don't Pack Like a Mule

10 Look for Value

11 Never Trade Your Morals for Your Goals

12 Don't Let Irritation Be Louder Than Joy

13 Sleep Well

14 Recognize the Value of Shared Values

15 Get Your Motivation Where You Can Find It

16 Have Some Tea with Your Remodeling

17 We Assume Similar Preferences

18 Memories Are Not Lost

19 Nobody Wins Without a Loser

20 If You're Not Sure, Guess Positively

21 Understand What You're Looking For

22 See Your Goals

23 Short-Term Stress Is Healthy

24 Prepare for Milestones

25 Your Health Isn't Just About You

26 Don't Want Everything

27 Rest Up—This Is Going to Take Some Effort

28 Your Lives Must Fit Together

29 Find a Physician You Like

30 Don't Let Secrets Eat You Up

31 Remember the Difference Between You and Everybody Else

SEPTEMBER

1 Be an Expert

2 Root for the Home Team

3 The Future Can Be Brighter Than the Past

4 Religion Can Help Ease Your Burden

5 Regrets Hold Us Back

6 Your Teeth Are More Than Something to Chew On

7 Define What You Need

8 You Can't Be Persistent Without Perspective

9 You'll Need Some Relationship Friends

10 Your Goals Are a Living Thing

11 Limit Yourself to Thinking About One Subject As You Go to Sleep

12 Express Yourself in What You Do

13 Hostility Hurts You

14 Changing Jobs Doesn't Change You

15 Share What You Know

16 Home Is Where Accidents Happen

17 Take Off Your Blinders

18 Smell Healthy

19 Music Can Bring Us Together

20 You Are Not in This Alone

21 Value the Multiple Uses of Aspirin

22 Make Your Decisions for Positive Reasons

23 Think About Who You Ought to Be

24 Noise Matters

25 Work on Your Own Terms

26 Never Let Faults Stand for the Whole

27 Care

28 Don't Accept Television's Picture of the World

29 Don't Wait to Start Moving in the Right Direction

30 Failure Is Not to Try

OCTOBER

1 If You Don't Believe, No One Else Will

2 Don't Let Negativity Build

3 See a New Way

4 Remember the Drugs We Tend to Forget

5 The Pieces of Your Life Must Fit Together

6 You'll Work Harder If You Feel Wanted

7 Do You Work in a Sick Building?

8 Show You Care, Even When It's Hard To

9 Electric Brushing Is Easier, But Not Much Different

10 Avoid Roller-Coaster Emotions

11 We Are All Much More Alike Than Different

12 Value Practical Knowledge

13 Guilt Is Bad for You

14 The Relationship Test: Are You Lonely?

15 Be Careful with Botox

16 Limit Your Interest in the Past

17 Don't Talk to Yourself

18 Money Can't Buy Happiness

19 Pay Attention to Your Dreams

20 Choose Not to Worry

21 A Relationship Is Built on a Foundation of Support

22 Limit Your Piercings

23 Seek Coherence and Congruence

24 Where You Live Matters

25 Don't Let Others Set Your Goals

26 See the Risk in Doing Nothing

27 Your History Strengthens Your Future

28 We Look Inward to See How People Feel About Us

29 Keep Variety in Mind When Exercising

30 Get Your Reality from Reality

31 It Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better

NOVEMBER

1 Vote

2 Connect, See You're Capable, and Know You Count

3 You Need to Know What You Are Looking For

4 The Most Treatment Is Not the Best Treatment

5 Life Gets Easier

6 Avoid the Comparison Game

7 Cherish Animals

8 The Benefits of Alcohol Must Be Weighed Against the Risks

9 Own What You Do

10 Beware of Second Opinions

11 Be Realistic About Yourself

12 Adjustments Never End

13 Recognize the Difference Between Caution and Fear

14 You'll Forget the Disagreement but Remember the Disagreeing

15 Don't Forget Packaging

16 Vitamin Levels Do Not Have to Be Constant

17 Learn to Lead Yourself

18 Don't Let the Holidays Ruin Your Health

19 Always Think About What's Next

20 You Are Never Too Old to Find Love

21 Stretch Out and Fly Right

22 Foundations Shift, but Life Stands

23 Closeness Cannot Be Measured on a Map

24 Believe You Can

25 Hug for Health

26 Exercise for Your Mind

27 You Are Complete by Yourself

28 Be Honest for Your Future

29 Find Your Own Path

30 Why Not Be Optimistic?

DECEMBER

1 Your Life Has Purpose and Meaning

2 Can I Do It? Ask Yourself

3 Pets Are Healthy

4 Have Faith, but Don't Forget Reality

5 Be Careful What You Ask For

6 Take Action

7 Health Is About Life

8 The Search for Perfection Is Endless

9 Win Your Own Respect First

10 Think As If Others Can Read Your Mind

11 Don't Drown Yourself in Water

12 Relationships Are Like Modern Art

13 Keep Your Goals Where You Can See Them

14 Make Health a Convenience

15 Don't Settle

16 People Who Have It Right Work Harder to Make It Better

17 What Is the Point?

18 It's Not Easy, Even If It Looks It

19 Hope Springs Internal

20 Completely Healthy Is Rare

21 We Seek Warmth

22 Don't Run in the Wrong Direction Just Because You're Near the Finish Line

23 Do It Now

24 Happiness Is Not an Accident

25 Master Your Fears

26 Nice People Don't Finish Last

27 Your Goals Must Engage All of You

28 See the Horizon, and Watch Your Step

29 Follow Through for You

30 Only You Can Say If This Is a World You Can Succeed In

31 There's No Deadline for Your Dreams

Sources Acknowledgments

Supplemental Materials

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The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

Excerpts

The Simple Secrets for Becoming Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise
What Scientists Have Learned and How You Can Use It

Chapter One

January 1

Motivation Beats Everything

Lack of motivation is a handicap that can stifle a person's potential regardless of their strengths. If you do not want something, it simply does not matter how talented you are. Understand that motivation is the biggest asset you possess in pursuing your future.

Sam worked in the kitchen washing dishes at a restaurant in Fresno, California. It was undeniably the worst job in the place. "It was backbreaking work in unbelievable heat. The pace was always hectic, and when the dinner rush finally slowed, you had to face the pots and pans," Sam says.

Although only a teenager, Sam thought about the things he would do differently if he ran the restaurant. "The tile floor would get slippery as the night wore on, and we were always trying to come up with ways to keep the waiters from falling down, 'cause if they fell down, it was the dishwashers who had to clean it up," he recalls.

It was only a dream at the time—but little by little he saved what he could. He moved up step-by-step through restaurant jobs until he was running the kitchen. Twenty years after he started as a dishwasher, he opened his first restaurant, and within a few years he had four locations.

Sam, who won an award for the success of his restaurants, credits his outlook for his success: "It would not be possible without hard work, but it would not be possible without believing in it. If I didn't believe, I never would have saved. I never would have learned everything I could about the business. If you have persistence and confidence, you have a bright future."

Researchers found that the future career earnings of schoolchildren were four times more strongly influenced by personal motivation than by any other factor. (Russell and Atwater 2005)

January 2

Be Happy to Succeed

We all think we would be happy if we were a success. But happiness is far less dependent on objective measures of success than success is dependent on happiness. A positive approach precedes a positive outcome.

"A law firm can be a pretty high-stress place," Mike admits. The cofounder of a midsize Indianapolis firm, Mike, together with his partners, committed to a different vision of a law firm from day one.

"We thought you could build a law firm based on the belief that everyone should still have a life," Mike says. No one is expected to make a habit of working late nights or on weekends. Everyone is expected to take the occasional afternoon off to see their child's class play or Little League game. The rules apply equally to the most senior partner and the most junior office assistant.

"You start talking about these things, and some people think this is a firm for slackers," Mike says. "But we're talking about facilitating excellence, not impeding it. We've found that a human approach makes our staff happier, which makes their efforts more sustainable. The great secret here is that we actually expect more of our people, and we get it. Because even though you can get people to work hard under threat and toil, you'll never get them to work their best that way."

Researchers have found that happy individuals are 73 percent more likely to go on to experience positive outcomes in both their career and their personal life. (Lyubomirsky, King, and Diener 2005)

January 3

Give Yourself Time

There isn't enough time in the day. We rush around from one thing to the next, not stopping until the day is over. One of the easiest things to cut out of the day to save time is a moment for ourselves. But time spent quietly alone is not a luxury. It is an important component of how we function. Give yourself time to sit, to think, to feel, every single day.

Told to shut his eyes and shake his body vigorously, with his limbs gyrating like rubber bands, Kevin began to reconsider whether he should have signed up. "Is this guy for real?" wondered the New York City firefighter as he began Dr. Jim Gordon's program of meditation, yoga, and alternative healing therapies designed to help firefighters deal with the emotional stress of the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

The workshop was taking place not long after the end of the nine-month cleanup of human remains and debris from the World Trade Center. Kevin meditates and "shakes" stress away nearly every day. "It really calms you down," says Kevin, who is helping Dr. Gordon launch an ongoing program for city firefighters.But how do you get a firefighter to stretch out on a mat in a yoga pose, meditate to soft music, or learn to breathe steadily—practices initially deemed "ridiculous and crazy" by most first-timers, according to Dr. Gordon. "What we do is, we say, ‘Look, you're practical people. Try it for yourselves and see if it makes a difference,'" Dr. Gordon says.

Kevin wants to recruit more of his colleagues to Dr. Gordon's program by explaining to them that it is an independent type of therapy that should appeal to tough-minded firefighters such as themselves. "It's just basic things that you can do to help yourself," Kevin adds.

Researchers found that people who meditated regularly had higher levels of disease-fighting antibodies.(University of Wisconsin 2003)

The Simple Secrets for Becoming Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise
What Scientists Have Learned and How You Can Use It. Copyright © by David Niven. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.

Excerpted from Simple Secrets for Becoming Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise: What Scientists Have Learned and How You Can Use It by David Niven
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