I have a confession to make: I’m a perfectionist. No, not the debilitating kind of perfectionist, who can never finish a project, but the long-term kind. After publishing over a million words, I’m still convinced I can write a lot better. I want to share what goes on behind the scenes, showing some of the […]
How to Increase Your Creative Output
This is the 695th article for this website. Subtracting the shorter entries and including articles I’ve written for other websites and my e-books, I’d estimate that represents a little under one million words of content. Every word of that was written in the last three years. Having a high creative output is a difficult productivity […]
Honest Self-Evaluation
Few skills are more important to self-improvement than being able to take a step back and honestly evaluate yourself. Self-reflection allows you to expose problems early, before they become too painful to ignore. Unfortunately, honest self-evaluation is one of the hardest skills to master. People tend to be self-serving in their thoughts. For most people, […]
I Hate 99% of All Productivity Gadgets
Almost all personal productivity software is unnecessary. Instead of helping you get things done, most gadgets are just middle-men between you and your work. Productivity is about simplicity, so to anyone that has just started, I recommend staying away from any technology more sophisticated than a mechanical pencil. What’s Wrong With Productivity Software? Pencil and […]
I'm a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, podcast host, computer programmer and an avid reader. Since 2006, I've published weekly essays on this website to help people like you learn and think better. My work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, TEDx, Pocket, Business Insider and more. I don't promise I have all the answers, just a place to start.