What if the key to a happier, more balanced life was already inside your head? For years, Neeltje van Horen excelled in her career yet felt stuck in a cycle of stress and self-doubt. Searching for answers, she turned to neuroscience and psychology and discovered that small, intentional shifts -not grand overhauls or sheer willpower - can reshape the way we think, feel, and perform.
In this lecture, Neeltje shares key insights from her journey and research, offering a starting point for those looking to sharpen focus, boost mental performance, or break free from unhelpful thought patterns. Sometimes, the biggest obstacle isn’t the challenge itself - it’s how we think about it.
Meet our speaker and chair
Neeltje van Horen is a professor of financial economics at the University of Amsterdam and a senior research advisor at the Bank of England. Her research examines the dynamic interplay between the financial sector and the real economy. As a writer and speaker, Neeltje bridges the gap between scientific research and everyday life, translating insights from neuroscience, psychology, and economics into practical tools. Her upcoming book, Ignite, guides readers to build resilience, unlock their potential, and create positive, lasting change.
Richard Layard is the founder-Director of the Centre for Economic Performance - a leading inter-disciplinary research centre at the London School of Economics – and is co-Director of their Community Wellbeing programme. Richard is currently immersed in a major study of value-for-money across the whole field of public expenditure, where value is measured in terms of wellbeing. He considers this the next key step forward in wellbeing science.
More about this event
The Centre For Macroeconomics (@CFMUK) is a research centre that brings together a group of world class experts to carry out pioneering research on the study of nations’ prosperity, and the crises that afflict them, helping to design policies that will create a healthier and more resilient economy.
Hashtag for the event: #LSECFM
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