Summary of Kelly McGonigal's The Upside of Stress

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

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#1 How you think about something can change its effect on you. The field of mindset science has demonstrated that a single brief intervention can improve your health, happiness, and success years into the future.

#2 The effect you expect is the effect you get. For example, telling yourself that watching television burns calories can lead to weight loss, but telling yourself that housekeeping is exercise can lead to weight loss and better health.

#3 The effects of how we view things can be seen in the body. For example, when people believe that physical labor is exercise, their bodies respond positively. When they believe that a milkshake is an indulgent treat, their bodies respond negatively.

#4 I was invited to experience the stress of a mock job interview, and how my body reacted to it, from the perspective of a participant in a study by Alia Crum. The video that was shown to me before the interview opened with the message that stress is enhancing, while the other video opened with the message that stress is debilitating.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Mar 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669375289

IRB Media

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Insights on Kelly McGonigal's The Upside of Stress

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

How you think about something can change its effect on you. The field of mindset science has demonstrated that a single brief intervention can improve your health, happiness, and success years into the future.

#2

The effect you expect is the effect you get. For example, telling yourself that watching television burns calories can lead to weight loss, but telling yourself that housekeeping is exercise can lead to weight loss and better health.

#3

The effects of how we view things can be seen in the body. For example, when people believe that physical labor is exercise, their bodies respond positively. When they believe that a milkshake is an indulgent treat, their bodies respond negatively.

#4

I was invited to experience the stress of a mock job interview, and how my body reacted to it, from the perspective of a participant in a study by Alia Crum. The video that was shown to me before the interview opened with the message that stress is enhancing, while the other video opened with the message that stress is debilitating.

#5

The saliva I had drooled into the test tube provided a sample of two stress hormones: cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). These hormones are both released by your adrenal glands during times of stress, but they serve different roles. Cortisol helps turn sugar and fat into energy, while DHEA helps your brain grow.

#6

The placebo effect is a powerful phenomenon that demonstrates the power of belief. It is a mindset effect, as it biases how you think, feel, and act. When a mindset gets activated, it sets off a cascade of thoughts, emotions, and goals that shape how you respond to life.

#7

The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging found that those with the most