Tying your shoes. You do it every day.

But did you know you might actually be doing it wrong? 

It's true, according to a Ted Talk by Terry Moore. There are actually two shoe knots you can make with the same technique, based on which way you loop the loops.

Here's what it looks like when you do it wrong:

See how it lines up vertically with the shoe? That's not right.

Here's how it's supposed to look:

Here's how to do it:

• Cross the laces like normal.
• Pull the right lace away from you before looping around the loop on the left, and it will create the horizontal loop.
• Pull the loops tight.

Voila. The horizontal loop is important because it's much stronger than the vertical knot, and it will come untied less often.

You can see a whole video breakdown here.

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What's something you've always wanted to accomplish but never have?

Maybe it's launching your own company, or maybe it's finally getting in shape.

Whatever it is, it probably seems like there are insurmountable obstacles standing between you and your goal, from your demanding family to your busy work schedule and your deep-seated fear of failure.

But the truth is, these goals are completely achievable — and in most cases, you are the only one holding yourself back.

That's according to Bernard Roth, a professor of engineering and the academic director of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (the d.school) at Stanford University. Roth's new book, "The Achievement Habit," outlines how a strategy called "design thinking" can help you create meaningful changes in your life.

Design thinking was invented by Roth and other Stanford engineers, and it's typically used to improve on a specific product or experience, like a lightbulb or online dating. Yet in "The Achievement Habit," Roth explains how the very same process can be turned inward, helping individuals become happier and more successful.

The book is based on a class Roth has been teaching for nearly half a century, called "The Designer in Society."

Design thinking is a five-step process:

1. Empathize: Learn what the issues are.

2. Define the problem: Which question are you going to answer?

3. Ideate: Generate possible solutions.

4. Prototype: Abandon perfection and either build your project or develop a plan.

5. Test and get feedback from others.

Roth says the individual steps aren't as important as some of the guiding principles behind design thinking: a bias toward action and limited fear of failure. The point of design thinking, according to Roth, is to challenge your automatic thinking and assumptions.

So how does design thinking work in real life?

Over at The New York Times, Tara Parker-Pope explains how the strategy helped her lose weight, something she'd long struggled with.

For the first step (empathize), Roth suggests learning what the real issues are by asking, "What would it do for me if I solved this problem?"

Parker-Pope realized she would feel better about herself, have more energy, and have more confidence to socialize with friends. So the real problem was not so much weight loss, but focusing on her friendships and boosting her energy.

In the process, she realized that carb-loading around lunchtime and eating sugar were making her tired during the day, so she eliminated both. "In shifting my focus away from weight loss to the real issues weighing on my life," Parker-Pope writes, "I ended up losing 25 pounds."

In the book, Roth also describes how design thinking helped a mom in one of his workshops stop worrying about her daughter getting into a good college.

The mom thought the key question was, "How do I make sure my daughter gets into a good college?", but Roth helped her realize that the real question (step two: define the problem) was, "How do I become less anxious?" That's because, once the daughter was admitted somewhere, she'd probably start worrying about something else.

With this new realization, the mom could start working on the big-picture issue of reducing her anxiety.

Design thinking can be equally helpful for working toward professional goals.

Roth gives an example of a student in his "Designer in Society" class named Paddy, who had always wanted to start his own business. Paddy was a journalist who had served in the marines, but when Roth encouraged students to dig deep and be honest with themselves, Paddy realized that none of his accomplishments had made him happy.

"He was just doing a good job walking the paths others had created," Roth writes.

Each student in the class has to complete a term project, which involves doing something they have wanted to do but have never done — and Paddy chose to produce his own radio show.

"In my class [Paddy] learned not to recoil or procrastinate when a new idea arose, but to act," Roth writes. So Paddy prototyped and produced several new products for the radio program "Marketplace." Later on, he published a book about economics.

Design thinking helped Paddy mostly by making doing an imperative, instead of thinking about doing (that's why step four is about prototyping).

The most valuable part of design thinking, Roth says, is that once you realize you can achieve one goal, you gain momentum toward achieving the next one. In other words, it becomes an "achievement habit."

Roth writes: "The experience of taking control of your life will change your reality, making it possible to achieve almost anything you seriously want to do."

SEE ALSO: A Stanford professor says eliminating this one daily behavior can make you more successful

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Senior speed dating is becoming popular across the country. "The Age of Love" follows 30 older adults who signed up for a speed dating event. It asks the question, "does the need for intimacy—and our search for love—change as we age?"

The film is showing at more than 50 locations this Valentine's Day season.

Story and editing by Adam Banicki.

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In this age of online shopping and on-demand services, it's easy to forget the value of an in-person relationship.

There are some very helpful relationships that every guy should nurture in his lifetime. Our friends at Dappered.com have rounded up 10 of them in a handy infographic, ranging from the obvious (barber) to the ones you may not have thought of (cobbler).

Depending on what you wear every day, who you are, and who you date, some of the professionals will be more or less important to your daily life. However, every guy should have a relationship with at least most of these extremely helpful professionals.

SEE ALSO: The number one mistake guys make when buying shoes

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Here's what 2,000 calories looks like at your favorite fast-food restaurants.

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The west side of Manhattan is filled with massive warehouses, vacant remnants of New York's more industrial past.

But with the help of Skylight Group and its founder, Jennifer Blumin, those warehouses and otherwise disused historic buildings are now serving an altogether more luxe purpose: as the backdrop for runway shows.

At Moynihan Station — formerly the James A. Farley Post Office Building, which dates back to 1912 — a bare, cavernous space that was once used as a mail-sorting room has been transformed into a high-fashion runway. It's just one of several Skylight properties that was used (and will be used) during New York Fashion Week. 

"I've always loved the idea of taking something that was a post office and turning it into the hottest runway in the world. We're bringing global exposure to historic buildings, " Blumin said to Business Insider. "We don't have to overly fetishize the past, but it doesn't mean we should forget it either."

Skylight itself doesn't own the buildings it develops. The company takes control over historic but undeveloped spaces, renovates them to perfection, and then rents them out to companies planning events. In addition to Fashion Week, some of Skylight's recent clients have included Google, Microsoft, Nike, and Ralph Lauren. 

Nike, for example, tweaked the quote found on the facade of the former post office ("Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds") to be part of a global media campaign appealing to athletes.

"We're selling them a story more than we're selling them space," Blumin said. "People listen when there's something much more profound to be said."

Moynihan Station is a building in transition. It will eventually become an extension of Penn Station, where Amtrak trains will come and go. By bringing high-profile clients and exclusive events like Fashion Week into the space, Skylight is playing a significant role in the development of the neighborhood. 

"Part of what we were brought in to do was get the Moynihan Station name on the tongues of every New Yorker before the station is even functional," Blumin said. "Fashion Week alone brings about $180 million to the neighborhood each year."

Part of a Skylight building's appeal is that it can be a blank canvas for clients to design around. 

"Our current model is to give the designers the time and space to do what they do best, which is to build out an entire environment that's reflective of their vision," Blumin said. "We discover and provide the beautiful bones. They add the layers." 

For one event at Skylight Modern, a sparse, box-like space in Chelsea, Google essentially plopped half of an airplane in the middle of the room. 

But for a 2013 Kenneth Cole show, the space had an entirely different look — bare, concrete columns, and models walking down runways illuminated by white light. 

New York Fashion Week taking place at Skylight's venues — Skylight Moynihan Station and Skylight Clarkson Square, plus MADE Milk Studios — is a somewhat refreshing change after years of shows held in clusters of tents at Lincoln Center. Some designers are still bucking the trend and holding their shows in one-off locations, like on piers on the Hudson River. 

Blumin said she has heard some show-goers complain about the week's traffic and how spread-out the venues are now. She personally gets around by Citibike. 

"It's not just about what happens inside the venues — it's also about what happens on the streets. Why can’t a sidewalk be a runway?" she said. "The people who show up to these shows are usually just as interesting as what happens on the runway. It's a form of expression, and that's what New York is all about."

Right before Fashion Week kicks off, Skylight's work kicks into gear. 

"My team works really long hours, and they live off M&M's and Red Bull, basically. It's a hectic time for everybody," Blumin said. "Our job is basically done once the shows start rolling, though. If I go to a show, it's for pleasure." 

"It's nice to see the fruits of your labor."

SEE ALSO: I spent a day with a PR intern during Fashion Week — and she ran circles around me

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Martin Shkreli; America's hated "pharma bro" who price-gouged a life-saving AIDS drug, was caught with securities fraud charges, and then laughed about it before Congress; has written an offer letter to Kanye West requesting that he withhold the public release of his newest album "The Life of Pablo," in exchange for $10 million.

Produced by Jenner Deal. Original Reporting by Drake Baer.

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Your significant other is probably expecting a lot from you on Valentine's Day. 

Flowers, chocolates, a thoroughly planned-out date, and a thoughtful gift will take you most of the way there. But to really bring it all the way home, you need to look the part.

Whether you're used to dressing up for dates, or you don't know a blazer from a suit jacket, it's worth putting in some extra effort.

We've put together a perfect date night outfit that has just enough pizzazz to it to spice up the night.

Blazer: It's date night, so dust off that trusty cotton blazer. Make sure to wear one that isn't too formal (you're looking for cotton or unlined) so it doesn't seem like A) you're trying too hard or B) you don't know what you're doing. A cotton blazer like this navy APC version ($530) is perfect.

Shirt: Your best casual shirt should do the trick. Stay on-theme with a dash of red, and you're good to go. This J. Crew shirt ($75) perfectly fits the bill.

Jeans: Skip the chinos and go straight for the denim. A super dark wash like these APC Selvedge Slim ($235) jeans is exactly what you need to impress on Valentine's Day.

Shoes: Your shoes also need to walk a fine line. Avoid going too dressy with longwing brogues like the Allen Edmonds' MacNeil pebble leathered version ($385).

Watch: Your nicest one that also isn't too flashy. This is date night, so put some thought into how what you put on your wrist relates to the rest of your outfit. Go for something similar to the Tag Heuer Carrera ($2,000).

SEE ALSO: 11 gifts guys actually want for Valentine's Day

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Have you ever wondered how to get in to the hottest nightclubs?

Outside, you see long lines of lithe young partiers. Inside, you know hip revelers are guzzling magnum-sized bottles of Dom Perignon and dancing the night away.

But that pesky velvet rope can be a daunting barrier between you and the blasting music, beautiful people, and blurred-lines debauchery within.

Enter Tablelist, the app for getting in to nightclubs.

"People have a fear of going out," Julian Jung, CEO and founder of Tablelist, said to Business Insider. "Nightlife has this awful stigma attached to it."

Launched in 2013, Tablelist markets itself as a fail-proof way to book yourself into the most exclusive hotspots in cities across the US, giving you "peace of mind" that you'll have a place to party. Like an OpenTable for clubbing, it lets you choose your location, type of experience, and beverages of choice. You can even use the app to split the bill with friends. 

"It's the first platform that really brings this world into the 21st century," Jung said.

Curious if it actually works? Business Insider took Tablelist for a test run. See how we did.

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Jung started the company when he realized the nightlife industry was woefully behind in its technology. Reservations for hotels, cars, flights, restaurants — these could all be made at the tap of a finger. But clubbing? Not so easy.

Investors seem to agree that there's something to the idea: since launch, Jung has picked up about $5 million in funding from a list of investors that includes Atlas Ventures, Twitter's Wayne Chang, Hudson River's Jason Carrol, and nightlife gurus Simon Hammerstein and Michael Gruber.

Step one: sign up and select your location. Tablelist currently operates in New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco, and Washington, DC, with more locations slated to pop up this year.

In December, they sold $1 million in nightclub tables across all markets. Each month, between five and ten thousand users log on and book tables with the app, according to Jung.

And people, Jung knew, were dropping a lot of cash every night on their boozy activities.

The biggest spenders were Miami and Las Vegas customers, who shell out upwards of $2,000 on average for a table, while in Boston, that number shrinks to $500 for a night out. 

Step two: choose your club. In New York, the app has worked deals with all of the big names in nightlife, meaning that pretty much any destination you have in mind is available for the right price; 38 venues are listed for the booking here.

The app picks up a 10-20% commission on a booking, similar to the margins that a nightclub promoter will make. But instead of doing everything on the fly like a promoter, Tablelist has a data and technology focus to help venues maximize their sales, while ensuring customers have a seamless experience.

If you've ever made fried chicken, you know how hard it can be to replicate the satisfying, crunchy crust perfected by KFC or Popeyes.

But, according to a food scientist, one surprising ingredient could do the trick: vodka.

That's what J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, managing culinary director of food-enthusiast site SeriousEats.com, found after hundreds of experiments in the kitchen.

The reason vodka is the ideal ingredient for a fried-chicken marinade mixture is rooted in science, Lopez-Alt said.

In order to maximize the crispiness of the chicken, it makes sense to maximize its surface area.

"With a food like fried chicken, you want it to be really, really crisp," Lopez-Alt said on Stephen Dubner's "Freakonomics" podcast in November. "And the more surface area you have, the more sort of little nooks and crannies you have, the crisper it's going to feel in your mouth, the better sauce is going to cling to it."

Using vodka will increase that ratio of surface area to volume. Alcohol is more volatile than water, so it evaporates more rapidly and violently than the water in a typical marinade ingredient, like buttermilk.

This results in bigger vapor bubbles that turn into those extra nooks and crannies of fried goodness.

Vodka's lower boiling point also drives moisture off the crust faster, ensuring that your chicken will come out light and crispy.

You can apply the same theory to other fried foods, including fish, corn dogs, and onion rings, Lopez-Alt said. And you're not just limited to vodka.

"I use vodka because it doesn't have a taste, but any hard alcohol will do the job," Lopez-Alt told Business Insider. "Bourbon, gin, scotch, I've done it all. You'll be fine, as long as you're OK with your fried food tasting like bourbon."

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The IllumiBowl Toilet Night-Light is a color-changing night-light for your toilet bowl. This means no more getting blinded by bathroom lights, bumping into things in the dark, or midnight misses.

Story and editing by Chelsea Pineda.

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An Australian boy named Domenic is suffering from cystic fibrosis. As his one wish from Make-A-Wish, he got to be Iron Man for the day. Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., even made him an honorary member of The Avengers.

Story by Ian Phillips and editing by Alana Yzola

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Candy hearts and boxes of chocolate line the shelves of stores, just waiting to be purchased by smitten lovebirds.

But is that doesn't describe you, or at least not yet, don't fret!

In the interest of bolstering your love life, here are some science-backed ways to fall and stay in love:

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Listen up.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's actually super critical for all parts of a relationship — at the beginning and when that honeymoon period ends and the inevitable conflicts arise.

A 2010 study of 373 couples from the University of Michigan found that those who were able to discuss issues calmly and listen to their partner when having an argument were less likely to separate later on than couples who didn't do this.

Business Insider also chatted with psychotherapist M. Gary Neuman, who said that listening is key to falling in love because we have a need to be heard.

Make eye contact.

Maybe that staring contest isn't such a bad idea. Zick Rubin, a social psychologist, conducted a study back in 1970 on 158 college-age couples who were dating. By observing how much time the couples made eye contact and how they responded to a survey about their relationships, he was able to conclude that the more eye contact the couple made, the stronger their relationship.

Other studies have arrived at similar conclusions, and that even among people who are strangers, staring into each other's eyes appears to increase feelings of intimacy.

Give thanks.

A "thank you" can go a long way not just for the recipient of the remark, but for the one making it as well. A 2010 study found that people who felt grateful for a kind act done by their partner also reported feeling closer to him or her. The feeling of gratefulness was more important than the act itself.

New York City's Macaron Parlour serves all kinds of macarons; flavors range from cheeto to Crème brûlée. We tried the shop's unique macaron ice cream sandwich.

Story by Sarah Schmalbruch, video and editing by Alana Yzola

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While it may not make the human resource managers of the world happy, more than half of American professionals say they have participated in an office romance, according to Vault.com’s annual office romance survey.

Of those who have dated a coworker, 42 percent said they had an ongoing, casual relationship; 36 percent said they had a “random office hookup;” 29 percent had been in a serious, long-term relationship; and 16 percent had met their spouse or partner at work.

Workplace romances are most common in the hospitality and tourism industry, where 62 percent of workers say they’ve gotten romantic with a coworker. Love is also in the air in the consumer products industry, where 59 percent of workers have dated each other, and in the retail and advertising business (58 percent).

More than one in 10 people said that they were currently in a relationship with a coworker, and nearly two-thirds said they would have another office romance. The majority of workers who’ve been involved in an office romance said they’ve had more than one.

Acceptance of office romances varies, with 6 percent of workers believing that they’re completely unacceptable, 33 percent disapproving when they’re between co-workers at different levels; and 30 percent believing that co-workers who collaborate on projects shouldn’t collaborate on anything else.

Women are more likely than men to have participated in an office romance, but they tend to engage in more long-term relationships. Men are more likely than women to have engaged in a random office hookup, or an ongoing, casual relationship. 

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With the presidential campaigns in full swing, tensions and emotions are rising. People are slinging attacks, calling names, dressing up as robots to harass others, and, ultimately, losing friends.

There's no love lost between political rivals these days, and the timing is inconvenient given that Valentine's Day is right around the corner. 

But there's still hope to make Valentine's Day great again, even if you fancy someone on the opposite side of the ideological divide.

The dating app Clover— similar to Tinder, but with some unique twists like on-demand dates — examined data from 700,000 users to find insights on how best to woo romantically inclined Democrats and Republicans.

As you aim to secure a last minute date this year, do some sleuthing on your love interest's political leanings, and then keep these eight tips in mind — four for Democrats and Republicans each.  

SEE ALSO: 12 gifts women actually want for Valentine's Day

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1. Gifts never hurt — but check your local ordinances before buying.

2. Politicians aren't known for their style, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have some.

3. Drink coffee. If that's not working, pray.

Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia University, has published more than 150 scientific articles, chapters, and teaching cases in the fields of management and social psychology. His new book "Friend & Foe" with coauthor Maurice Schweitzer is about the balance of conflict and cooperation in almost every interaction.

We asked him why it's so common for people to fall in love with a coworker. 

Produced by Grace Raver. Camera by Darren Weaver.

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It's almost Valentine's Day, and for many, the pressure is on to find that special someone.

Whether you're simply looking for a date or hoping to find something that lasts, you could benefit from the decades of psychological research on the qualities that women find most attractive in a male partner.

We've rounded up some of the most compelling scientific insights, so you can step up your game.

SEE ALSO: 13 science-backed ways to appear more attractive

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Look for the universal signals of flirtation.

Rutgers University anthropologist and best-selling author Helen E. Fisher says that from the depth of the Amazons to the cafés of Paris, women signal interest with a remarkably similar sequence of expressions.

As she shared at Psychology Today, it goes like this:

First the woman smiles at her admirer and lifts her eyebrows in a swift, jerky motion as she opens her eyes wide to gaze at him. Then she drops her eyelids, tilts her head down and to the side, and looks away. Frequently she also covers her face with her hands, giggling nervously as she retreats behind her palms.

This sequential flirting gesture is so distinctive that [German ethologist Irenaus] Eibl-Eibesfeldt was convinced it is innate, a human female courtship ploy that evolved eons ago to signal sexual interest.

Look for someone "in your league."

Men — and women — are attracted to people who are as attractive as they are.

In one study, for example, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley looked at the behavior of 60 male and 60 female users on an online dating site. While the majority of users were inclined to reach out to highly attractive people, they were most likely to get a response if that person was about as attractive as they were (as judged by independent raters).

"If you go for someone roughly [equal] to you in attractiveness, it avoids two things," Nottingham Trent University psychologist Mark Sergeant, who was not involved with the study, tells The Independent. "If they are much better-looking than you, you are worried about them going off and having affairs. If they are much less attractive, you are worried that you could do better."

Present yourself as high status.

In 1969, University of North Carolina sociologist Glen Elder found that looks and wealth tend to find one another — namely, good-looking women tended to settle down with less attractive but wealthier men. 

Since then, it's become a well-confirmed finding in the social sciences.

Most recently, a 2010 study found that men pictured with a Silver Bentley Continental GT were perceived as way more attractive than those pictures with a Red Ford Fiesta ST, and a 2014 study found that men pictured in a luxury apartment were rated more attractive than those in a control group. 

Why the attraction to resources? Evolutionary psychologists speculate it's because women want a mate who can provide for them.

The massive cathedral, one of Barcelona's top tourist attractions, has finally entered the final stage of construction. It’s slated for completion in 2026 — 100 years after its architect, Antoni Gaudí, died in a tram accident.

Story by Tony Manfred and editing by Ben Nigh

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