Look at you knowing stuff.

I'm Angela Duckworth.

I'm Stephen Dobner, and you're listening to No Stupid Questions.

Today on the show, where do intrusive thoughts come from?

Oh no, now I have this unwanted thought.

Oh wait, no I thought about it again.

Also, how can you become a more confident person?

I would be confident if I succeeded.

But I can't succeed without the confidence.

Angela, we have a listener question today from one Chris Levenberg, and I think you

are going to love this question.

Okay, I'm ready for it.

Chris writes to say, I was talking with a friend recently, and he admitted that he sometimes

had awful thoughts, such as slapping a stranger on the street to see what sort of reaction

he'd get, or at a pool party, he'd get an urge to push a stranger in the pool.

So I want to be friends with Chris's friend.

I have to say this sounds fun.

Chris continues, this friend is the most gentle, good, natured person I know.

So I was surprised that he had these thoughts.

I admitted to him that I've always had those thoughts too, but I thought I was the only

one.

It doesn't necessarily always involve other people.

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