There’s a small, but significant, online population devoted to waking up early. As a former convert, I can say it’s easy to understand the appeal. Whenever I made the habit to wake up early, I’d end up getting a lot more done. The problem is that if you’re young, your peers probably won’t be joining […]
Archives for October 2014
The Stupidity of Cutting Sleep
Last week I did a live workshop for the students in Learning on Steroids. One of the listeners asked me whether I knew a way to reduce sleep to 5-6 hours and not feel tired. No, I don’t. And you shouldn’t try. Similarly, when I was in university, I knew people who often bragged about […]
How Do You Make a Good Analogy?
I’ve long argued that good analogies are a key to learning well. Abstract subjects like math, science and philosophy are difficult to learn because they aren’t anchored to anything in our experience. Analogies moor these ideas adrift. But analogies are also hard to construct. They’re a creative act, so there’s no step-by-step which will produce […]
Pick Three Things. Now Do Them Well
Plans fail in more ways than they succeed. Complex plans fail in far more ways than simple ones. Good plans and strategies are usually simple. This is especially true when your own behavior becomes a factor in success. An exercise plan, studying strategy or business goal doesn’t just succeed or fail based on its interaction […]