I've never thought that I'm a person who should give advice of any sort.

I'm Angela Duckworth.

I'm Stephen Dubner.

And you're listening to No Stupid Questions.

Today on the show, is your perception of yourself at odds with others' perception of you?

It's kind of the equivalent of having spinach

in your teeth, your whole life. Also, do self-help books really work? They probably feel really

energized for a moment and then get distracted by what's for lunch. Angela, how are you today?

I'm great, Stephen. How are you?

I'm pretty well, thanks. I think since we last spoke, you've had your first ever colonoscopy.

Did that go well?

Yes, I'm 50, and I had a colonoscopy, and it was delightful.

Congratulations. In our previous episode about first impressions versus last impressions, we discussed a paper about colonoscopies and how changing the ending of them can alter the overall perception.

And I have to say, we made a lack of distinction there that I think we should set clear.

Which is what?

Well, we talked about how the variable in this experiment with colonoscopies was pain.

And this was before you'd had a colonoscopy ever.

And I should have known better because I've had a couple.

We really should have made the point that this was a fairly old paper.

And indeed, the data from the colonoscopies were from the 1990s. And that was before the invention of super

small, super flexible fiber optics. In addition, patients were fully awake throughout. Hence,

no deep anesthesia before or during the procedure. So that does not describe the colonoscopy that you just

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