Some ideas are so powerful and general that once you learn them deeply you start to see them everywhere. Efficient markets is one of those ideas. Unfortunately, efficient markets is also an idea that gets a lot of hate. The reason is that the simple logic of efficient markets often leads to conclusions people would […]
Unpopular Opinion: Don’t Just Get Started
“Just get started,” is the default mantra for all self-help, business books and anyone telling you how to improve your life. Yet, this is actually a piece of advice I think is more often wrong than right. Contrary to this bromide, I think preparing more is good. Most people actually start projects without much planning, […]
The World is a Hierarchy, Our Theories Aren’t
Natural sciences support the basic idea of reductionism. Sociology reduces to psychology, which reduces to biology, which reduces to chemistry, which reduces to physics. Things get enormously more complicated with each layer, so that doesn’t mean that knowing quantum mechanics can give you special insight into the next election. However, the basic idea that biology […]
The Best Career Articles
Work occupies much of our waking lives. Why not spend the time to build a career you love, rather than one which makes you miserable? Below are some of my best ideas on how to build a successful career: The 5 Best Career Articles I’ve written a lot about your career, but if you’re looking […]
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.