I was creating commitment devices of my own long before I knew what they were. So when I was a starving post-doc at Columbia University, I was deep in a publish-or-perish phase of my career. I had to write five pages a day towards papers, or I would have to give up five dollars.

My history is pretty different from the history of most professors. I was a high school dropout. I dropped out and became a science fiction writer.

Let's face it: the present self is present. It's in control. It's in power right now. It has these strong, heroic arms that can lift doughnuts into your mouth. And the future self is not even around. It's off in the future. It's weak. It doesn't even have a lawyer present.

Psychology, unlike chemistry, unlike algebra, unlike literature, is an owner's manual for your own mind. It's a guide to life. What could be more important than grounding young people in the scientific information that they need to live happy, healthy, productive lives? To have good relationships?

Receiving praise from Cristiano Ronaldo is a joy.

For me, stardom is feeling happiness and being positive.

Illusory joy is often worth more than genuine sorrow.

It's not that I'm a 'Let's hug and be joyful all the time' boss. Or that I don't, quote, 'own my own power.' I just never want to be that big, swingin', rule-by-fear person.