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
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.
People think that unhappiness causes our minds to wander, but what if the causation goes the other way?
Women have made incredible gains into STEM fields, but they continue to face gender biases in the workplace.
Perfectionism is on the rise, and its consequences for mental health can be devastating. The Japanese philosophy of “wabi sabi” can help.
Summit Public Schools take a radically different approach to education. And it’s working.
Creativity and achievement require balancing hard work with the restful power of calm.
Not all stress is created equal.
Because there’s not enough Walden pond to go around.
Mixed messages and competing interests have left college students feeling lost and stressed.
Alzheimer’s disease is frightening, but the right combination of lifestyle choices can reduce your risk.
Unplugging only ignores the hard work of overcoming your distractions.
The modern attention economy hijacks our ability to focus, but an ancient technique offers a means to get it back.