Better Than Yesterday

Improvement Vocabulary

Neuroplasticity

The nervous system’s—and specifically the brain’s—ability to change, adapt, and reorganize itself by forming new connections between brain cells in response to internal or external stimuli.

Stimuli (Stimulus)

A signal from the outside world or inside the body that causes a reaction, feeling, or change in behavior.

Einstellung Effect

The tendency to stick to a familiar solution to a problem, even when a simpler or better solution exists.

Dopamine

A brain chemical/neurotransmitter that drives your motivation, movement, and feelings of reward.

Delayed Gratification

Waiting or working hard now to get a bigger reward later.

Instant Gratification

Getting a reward or pleasure right away without waiting.

Cognitive

Relating to how the mind/mental processes—thinking, knowing, remembering, and understanding work.

Fixed Mindset

The belief that basic qualities like intelligence, talent, and abilities are static traits that cannot be changed.

Growth Mindset

The belief that your basic abilities, intelligence, and talents can be developed through dedication, effort, and persistence.

The Butterfly Effect

A chaos theory concept stating that small, initial changes in a complex system—like a butterfly flapping its wings—can trigger massive, unpredictable variations down the road.

External Stimuli

Changes or signals from outside the body. (Ex. Light, sound, heat, and touch.)

Internal Stimuli

Signals or changes from inside the body. (Ex. Hunger, Pain, Changes.)

Cognitive Dissonance

The mental discomfort you feel when your actions do not match your beliefs, or when you hold two contradictory thoughts at the same time.

Chaos Theory

A branch of math and science that studies how tiny changes at the beginning can cause massive, unpredictable results later on—even in systems that follow exact rules.

Neurotransmitter

A chemical messenger that lets nerve cells (neurons) talk to each other.

Neurons

Tiny body wires. They send fast messages between your brain and body. They let you move, think, and feel.