Dr. Ethan Kross

is understanding the combinations of tools that work well for different people in different situations. And that scientific basis, that knowledge base, it just isn't there. We just published a study or a paper, I should say, it was a couple of studies that looked at how people manage their anxiety during the COVID pandemic. And what we found in those studies was really interesting.

Every day we track people over time and every day we ask them, which of these, I believe it was 18 different tools did you use? And the tools varied in terms of their level of healthiness according to experts. And then we measure their anxiety each day. And what we wanted to see is what tool is moving the needle on people's anxiety from one day to the next.

Every day we track people over time and every day we ask them, which of these, I believe it was 18 different tools did you use? And the tools varied in terms of their level of healthiness according to experts. And then we measure their anxiety each day. And what we wanted to see is what tool is moving the needle on people's anxiety from one day to the next.

Every day we track people over time and every day we ask them, which of these, I believe it was 18 different tools did you use? And the tools varied in terms of their level of healthiness according to experts. And then we measure their anxiety each day. And what we wanted to see is what tool is moving the needle on people's anxiety from one day to the next.

First key insight, people seldom used just one tool, which is interesting for me because I'm often asked like, hey, what's the one thing people should do right now to manage bleep? On average, it was like between three and four different tools were used on any given day. Second, there was enormous variability in the tools that people use that actually help them manage their emotions.

First key insight, people seldom used just one tool, which is interesting for me because I'm often asked like, hey, what's the one thing people should do right now to manage bleep? On average, it was like between three and four different tools were used on any given day. Second, there was enormous variability in the tools that people use that actually help them manage their emotions.

First key insight, people seldom used just one tool, which is interesting for me because I'm often asked like, hey, what's the one thing people should do right now to manage bleep? On average, it was like between three and four different tools were used on any given day. Second, there was enormous variability in the tools that people use that actually help them manage their emotions.

So the three or four things that I benefited from on one day were different from the three or four things that you benefited from on the same day. And you... You varied from day to day. Some combinations of tools worked for you on one day and different ones worked for you on the next. We don't yet understand how to predict that variability. And that is what we are doing now.

So the three or four things that I benefited from on one day were different from the three or four things that you benefited from on the same day. And you... You varied from day to day. Some combinations of tools worked for you on one day and different ones worked for you on the next. We don't yet understand how to predict that variability. And that is what we are doing now.

So the three or four things that I benefited from on one day were different from the three or four things that you benefited from on the same day. And you... You varied from day to day. Some combinations of tools worked for you on one day and different ones worked for you on the next. We don't yet understand how to predict that variability. And that is what we are doing now.

So the invitation I'd love to give people is, I can give you the tools, right? And that's what my book is all about. Here are the tools. And then I could give you the challenge to start self-experimenting to figure out what are the tools that work best for you, right? If a tool works, keep using it. Layer on another one. See what added benefit you get. If it doesn't, move on to something else.

So the invitation I'd love to give people is, I can give you the tools, right? And that's what my book is all about. Here are the tools. And then I could give you the challenge to start self-experimenting to figure out what are the tools that work best for you, right? If a tool works, keep using it. Layer on another one. See what added benefit you get. If it doesn't, move on to something else.

So the invitation I'd love to give people is, I can give you the tools, right? And that's what my book is all about. Here are the tools. And then I could give you the challenge to start self-experimenting to figure out what are the tools that work best for you, right? If a tool works, keep using it. Layer on another one. See what added benefit you get. If it doesn't, move on to something else.

Not unlike the way we figure out what are the physical fitness routines that work best for us. Like the stuff that I benefit from, quite different from not just my wife, but my best friends as well. And it changes too, depending on what my goals are. And so that's a long-winded way of not answering your question.

Not unlike the way we figure out what are the physical fitness routines that work best for us. Like the stuff that I benefit from, quite different from not just my wife, but my best friends as well. And it changes too, depending on what my goals are. And so that's a long-winded way of not answering your question.

Not unlike the way we figure out what are the physical fitness routines that work best for us. Like the stuff that I benefit from, quite different from not just my wife, but my best friends as well. And it changes too, depending on what my goals are. And so that's a long-winded way of not answering your question.

I mean, this is in a very scaled down way. This is the work that we are currently doing in my lab, which is to say we are trying to identify the patterns that characterize people's optimal regulation across different situations. We're doing it in a way that for the literature is super complex, but relative to what you just articulated, which Is the dream quite simplified?

I mean, this is in a very scaled down way. This is the work that we are currently doing in my lab, which is to say we are trying to identify the patterns that characterize people's optimal regulation across different situations. We're doing it in a way that for the literature is super complex, but relative to what you just articulated, which Is the dream quite simplified?

I mean, this is in a very scaled down way. This is the work that we are currently doing in my lab, which is to say we are trying to identify the patterns that characterize people's optimal regulation across different situations. We're doing it in a way that for the literature is super complex, but relative to what you just articulated, which Is the dream quite simplified?

And I think we will get there over the next several years, but we first have to do the work before we can give the actual answer.