Why do you do what you do? Why do you feel motivated to do some things, but not others? How does your environment, experiences and personality impact your motivation? Can you change your motivation and alter the direction of your life? Motivation matters. But it’s also mysterious. We all know what it feels like to […]
The 10 Foundational Practices for a Good Life
If you want to improve your life, where should you start? Years ago, when I started working on myself, I tried lots of different things. Some helped a lot. But a lot didn’t matter. Filtering by trial-and-error works, but it can be slow and discouraging. Knowing what I know now, I’d recommend different practices to […]
How Much Can You Change Yourself?
How much can you change your nature? Your personality? Your intelligence? Your life? This is obviously a hugely important question. The world where our natures are fixed is a vastly different place from the world where we can bend ourselves into any shape. Unfortunately, this is also not a question with easy and obvious answers. […]
Fearing Forgetting: Should You Try to Maintain or Relearn Knowledge?
How much should you worry about forgetting things? In one sense, forgetting is a very real problem. How many of us could still pass exams for classes we took in college? How many dust-covered books sit on your shelf which you’ve forgotten the plot? Knowledge, like all things, decays with time. It would be nice […]
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.