1 Minute Habit for August 14

Jot down a question you want to explore this week

Berkeley researchers found that writing down questions activates the brain's reticular activating system, priming you to notice relevant information - a phenomenon called 'selective attention'.

The quality of your questions directly shapes neuroplasticity; curious questioning builds more synaptic connections than passive learning.

Einstein famously said he had no special talents, just passionate curiosity. His notebooks reveal how questions like 'What would it be like to ride a light beam?' preceded his breakthroughs.

Modern 'question thinking' research shows that writing questions (not just goals) increases intrinsic motivation by 34%. The brain loves mysteries to solve.

Triggers the 'information gap' cognitive effect (enhancing recall)
Creates a personal learning roadmap
Prevents confirmation bias by maintaining openness
Turns daily experiences into research opportunities
Builds 'beginner's mind' beneficial for creativity

📖 Supporting Research:

UC Berkeley - The Science of Curiosity

Harvard Business Review - Question Thinking

💡 Actionable Tips

Use open-ended starters: How might... Why does... What if...
Include silly questions - they often spark real insights
Review old questions to track intellectual evolution
Cluster related questions to identify passions
Set phone wallpaper with your current top question

🔄 How to Adapt This Habit

💼 For Busy Professionals:Keep a 'meeting questions' notepad for work topics
👶 For Parents:Create family question jar for dinnertime discussions
📚 For Students:Link questions to coursework for deeper engagement

💬 Join the Challenge

🔍 How does having a written question change what you notice today?

Your brain just got its own personal treasure map!

🌱 Be part of the habit community — follow us on Instagram @1minutehabit and tag us to share your journey!

🎮 Love a Quick Challenge?

🧩 1 Minute Match Game

Group words into their correct categories as fast as you can! Sharpen your focus, race against others, and climb the leaderboard to become today’s word match champion.

Play Today’s Match →

How did writing your question affect you?

Blink slowly and relax your eyes

Put your phone down for 1 minute and observe surroundings

💬 Your Success Stories

My 'question notebook' started as a class assignment. When I reread it a year later, I noticed most questions circled around communication psychology. This unexpected pattern led me to change majors - now I'm studying to be a speech therapist!

— Emma

✨ Share Your Success Story

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