The most popular online course of all-time is called Learning How to Learn, taught by Barbara Oakley, a professor of engineering and author of many books on learning math and science, and Terry Sejnowski, one of the foremost experts on cognitive neuroscience. This course has been wildly popular, and indeed it is how many of […]
Success is Boring
Success isn’t money, a beautiful spouse or a great body. It’s waking up early and running because you said you would. It’s working on that project to learn Python, in your spare time, when you’d rather relax and watch television. It’s reading books on investing. And then, figuring out how to set up automatic savings […]
Should You Learn Things You Don’t Plan on Using?
There’s two, broad approaches to self-education. The first is a learn-as-needed approach. You have a problem that needs solving, so you go and learn the things that will solve your problem. The second is a learn-everything-you-can approach. Pick things which seem interesting and learn as much as you can. Don’t worry about whether you will […]
What is Self-Improvement?
Recently I got an email from a reader who was upset at a recent string of failed efforts. He kept getting into a cycle of becoming really motivated, making some new habits or plans, and then having them crash down around him a few weeks later, leaving him even more depressed than before. In talking […]
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.