Worrier or Warrior?

Setting goals through dopamine and cortisol.

This New York Times article discusses a classification of people into worriers and warriors. In my opinion, it's always best to be wary of classifications of ourselves because I have a strong belief that we have the ability to change. That being said, I think it's worth examining these theories and experiments to find what works best for you. Especially since the reality is that, while many things can change, certain things are a little more difficult to control. And as I have often said, it's not only important to find what works, but more importantly what works best for the situation you may be in.

If you find that you work best in the absence of stress, then simply set up that kind of environment for yourself. Meticulous planning allows us to control our variables with contingencies. For example, when I receive the course syllabus in the beginning of the course. I plan out what exactly is required of me in the evaluations and I only focus myself on that. In that case, I don't worry when I am "behind" on readings because I am following my own plan and I have already anticipated any variables since the beginning.