The Learning Curve
Build your life better, smarter
Big Think and Big Think+ present The Learning Curve, a place where lifelong learners can find expert-led, science-backed advice for building their careers, improving their relationships, and living life to the fullest. Discover new strategies for tackling the relevant challenges and significant problems you face today.
All Stories
This is your brain on work.
An innovation's value is found between the technophile’s promises and the Luddite’s doomsday scenarios.
Research shows that spending more time on social media is associated with body image issues in boys and young men.
A thesaurus isn’t to find big and fancy words, but a resource to help you find your rhythm.
Everyone loves a good underdog story, but the lessons we derive from them depend on how they’re told.
Success is about give and take — with a little more give.
The golden rule of self-compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness you treat others.
To do more, it sometimes pays to do nothing at all.
Fear of being scammed can lead us to make decisions that go against our values and goals — both as individuals and as a society.
Research suggests that emotional intelligence is more vital for success than IQ.
“We suffer more often in the imagination than in reality.”
The right questions are those sparked from the joy of discovery.
It is estimated that as many as 488 million people worldwide were exposed to dangerously long working hours in 2016.
The best-laid plans of mice and everyone else.
Harvard psychiatrist Robert Waldinger discusses how 80 years of ongoing research show relationships to be vital for health and happiness.
You don’t have to “feel the burn” to see improvements to your health and well-being.
There is no sure-fire formula for success, but you can be better prepared to create your own.
Boredom isn’t the enemy; it’s a catalyst for changing your relationship to work.
Our desire for recognition at work can lead us to perilous ends.
Retired astronaut Ron Garan believes that before we can begin solving our problems, we must understand our interrelatedness through the "orbital perspective."
"Kids are always asking two questions of parents: 'Am I safe?' and 'Am I real?'"
Wizbang innovations capture the public’s imagination, but thoughtful, incremental development is often more valuable to those in need.
Actor and science communicator Alan Alda shares his three rules of three for effective and empathic communication.
You only have 4,000 weeks of life. Use them wisely.
You don't have to be an emperor to apply these rules to daily living.
By challenging your preconceptions, art offers a framework by which you can solve problems.
Contrary to popular research, people with more money are happier, but it’s their spending habits, not their account balances, that move the dial.
Antidepressants can help alleviate PTSD symptoms when paired with psychotherapy, but does our overenthusiasm for them blind us to more effective alternatives?
Today’s careers don’t offer a clear path forward, but the rewards can be worth more than a gold watch at retirement.
You don’t need to ride into the danger zone to take advantage of TOPGUN’s life and career lessons.