Superstition is a natural and common phenomenon. Consider the athlete that doesn’t change underwear on a winning streak; the gambler who blows on a set of dice at the craps table; the sports fan who ...

Below, Montell shares five key insights from her new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality. Listen to the audio version—read by Montell herself—in the Next Big Idea App.

In my recent post, "Understanding Magical Thinking OCD," I explained how this form of OCD works, develops, and intensifies over time. I described a cycle involving the following: An inflated sense of ...

Over the years, I’ve observed that there are two main modes of thinking in the business world: artful thinking and magical thinking. The two are opposites. I believe that artful thinking is key to ...

For some people struggling to lose weight, researchers say it may help to engage in a little “magical thinking” as a way to cope with the stress of dieting and being overweight. Magical thinking is ...