The psychologist Angela Duckworth argues that a person’s level of stick-to-itiveness is directly related to their level of success. No big surprise there. But grit, she says, isn’t something you’re…
What if the thing we call “talent” is grotesquely overrated? And what if deliberate practice is the secret to excellence? Those are the claims of the research psychologist Anders Ericsson,…
…she hosted The Business of Drugs on Netflix. Amaryllis Fox — now Kennedy — explains why intelligence work requires empathy, and she soothes Steve’s fears about weapons of mass destruction….
In one of the earliest Freakonomics Radio episodes, we asked a bunch of economists with young kids how they approached child-rearing. Now the kids are old enough to talk —…
Stephen Dubner’s conversation with the C.E.O. of Microsoft, recorded for the Freakonomics Radio series “The Secret Life of a C.E.O.”…
Levitt and Dubner answer your FREAK-quently Asked Questions about certifying politicians, irrational fears, and the toughest three words in the English language.
Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, is less reserved than the average banker. He explains why vibes are overrated, why the Fed’s independence is non-negotiable, and…
We know it’s terribly dangerous to drive drunk. But heading home on foot isn’t the solution.
(Photo: Keith Allison) The NBA free agent market opened this month and the moves making headlines include: Steve Nash signing with the L.A. Lakers Ray Allen signing with the Miami…
There’s a nasty secret about hot-button topics like global warming — knowledge is not always power.
Should you visualize success or failure? How do you bounce back from a mistake? And will Maria hustle Angela into a poker game?…
When you want to get rid of a nasty pest, one obvious solution comes to mind: just offer a cash reward. But be careful — because nothing backfires quite like…
Why learning to say “I don’t know” is one of the best things you can do.
Did we needlessly scare ourselves into ditching a good thing? And, with millions of cars driving around with no passengers, should we be rooting for a renaissance?
What Do NASCAR Drivers, Glenn Beck, and the Hitmen of the N.F.L. Have in Common? Interviews and musings about danger and safety in the modern world.
Research shows that having a distinctively black name doesn’t affect your economic future. But what is the day-to-day reality of living with such a name? Marijuana Pepsi Vandyck, a newly-minted…
How can you strive for excellence without overworking yourself? Why is perfectionism on the rise? And is Angela part of the problem?…
Climbing the corporate ladder to become head of Nike’s Jordan brand, he kept his teenage murder conviction a secret from employers. Larry talks about living in fear, accepting forgiveness, and…
The psychologist Angela Duckworth argues that a person’s level of stick-to-itiveness is directly related to their level of success. No big surprise there. But grit, she says, isn’t something you’re…
Steve usually asks his guests for advice, whether they’re magicians or Nobel laureates. After nearly 60 episodes, is any of it worth following — or should we just ask listeners…
There are all kinds of civics-class answers to that question. But how true are they? Could it be that we like to read about war, politics, and miscellaneous heartbreak simply…
…Steve Rosenbloom at espn.com has written a really interesting article about the current debate going on in the poker world over this issue: (Thanks to John List for pointing this…
…of campaign spending, all else constant. That’s basically the approach taken by Steve Levitt in his seminal study of repeat meetings of the same Congressional candidates over time. Levitt finds…
Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true?
(iStockphoto) Two weeks ago, Steve Sexton wrote about the bankruptcy of Evergreen Solar in Massachusetts. Today it’s California’s Solyndra that’s shutting down. From the Washington Post: The unexpected announcement raised…
Are things really as bad as they seem? Has Gen Z given up hope for the world? And why was the father of positive psychology a lifelong pessimist?…
…Head.” He’d bought the book due to Steve Levitt’s recommendation from an article in the Financial Times. He still has a bruise on his forehead. He blames Steve for it….
…of all sorts of things that you’d like to put Steve Jobs to work on: San Francisco-based journalist Amy Tenderich, who has Type 1 diabetes, runs the Diabetes Mine blog,…
…and margarine that landed in the Supreme Court. Our panelists are: Steve Levitt, my Freakonomics friend and co-author, who didn’t quite fit-in with sports teams. Bridget Gainer, Cook County commissioner,…
