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 […]
Why do Engineers Think They’ll Be Good at Picking Stocks?
I’ve met a lot of engineers who have become fascinated with investing in the stock market. Except it’s usually not straightforward index investing (which is probably the main thing non-professionals should be investing in) but something convoluted involving a lot of math, options and stock picking. Anyone who studies finance or economics probably understands why […]
Is it Better to Review Back or Learn Ahead?
I have a lot of open questions about learning. One of those is whether it is better to review back or learn ahead to maintain knowledge. Reviewing back would be going through material you’ve already completed and testing yourself on it again. This is the principle through which spaced repetition systems work. I’m currently reviewing […]
How I’m Maintaining the Ability to Speak Six Languages
It’s now been over a month since Vat and I returned from Korea and ended the year without English. Now is the most sensitive time for determining whether I can maintain the ability to speak Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Korean, so I wanted to share my plan. If you learn something quickly you also forget […]
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.