I recently finished reading an advance copy of Nir Eyal’s new book, Indistractable. Even as someone who has written extensively about focus and productivity, the book was densely packed with useful advice. The obvious comparison to Indistractable is Cal Newport’s, Deep Work and Digital Minimalism. Heck, the book even has the same yellow cover. (I […]
How to Think About Your Life’s Work
Last week, I wrote about getting better at something you’ve done for decades. In my case, writing. But what does it mean for your work to be “better”? Especially something creative like writing. Is the better author the one who sold more books? Won more awards? Or is it a personal question about the meaning […]
How Should I Get Better at Writing?
Suppose I wanted to get substantially better at writing, maybe through some kind of deliberate ultralearning project, how should I do it? Improving when you’re at zero is quite different from improving when you’ve already invested tens of thousands of hours into your craft. I’ve been writing for over thirteen years. I’ve written around 1500 […]
I’m 31
Today is my thirty-first birthday. Every year on this blog, since I was 18, I’ve written a birthday post, sharing some of what I’ve done in the past year, as well as my plans for the future. In some ways, this tradition itself feels strange. When you’re in your early twenties, each year feels like […]
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.